Soham station progress updates

[MML]

So how much would a second platform actually cost? I dread to think.
How many tickets need to be sold to recoup this financial outlay?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the reopening of stations, I just think more could be opened if the costs were more reasonable. Compared to a housing, factory or office development, railway stations seem to cost a fortune. Someone is ripping off the taxpayer.

 

[alistairlees]

No footbridge there though. This has added a great deal as has passive provision for the second platform.

The footbridge is just bare metal - no lifts, ramps or anything, just steps. "Passive provision" is just leaving a space on the other side of the line, no?

 

[dk1]

The footbridge is just bare metal - no lifts, ramps or anything, just steps. "Passive provision" is just leaving a space on the other side of the line, no?

No idea. Might have involved groundworks of some description.

So how much would a second platform actually cost? I dread to think.
How many tickets need to be sold to recoup this financial outlay?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the reopening of stations, I just think more could be opened if the costs were more reasonable. Compared to a housing, factory or office development, railway stations seem to cost a fortune. Someone is ripping off the taxpayer.

I can’t imagine recouping the financial outlay was very high up on the priority list. It’s a route that loses money anyway. It’s the benefits it creates that count I suppose.

 

[alistairlees]

So how much would a second platform actually cost? I dread to think.
How many tickets need to be sold to recoup this financial outlay?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the reopening of stations, I just think more could be opened if the costs were more reasonable. Compared to a housing, factory or office development, railway stations seem to cost a fortune. Someone is ripping off the taxpayer.

1.978 million day returns to Cambridge (£9.40) need to be sold. The population of Soham is 10,860; so that means that every man, woman and child needs to buy 182 day returns to Cambridge to get the money back. If they each buy 10 a year (a bit far-fetched) then it will take 18 years to pay back. That's assuming that operating costs are zero; that there ids no interest to pay; and that nothing needs to be depreciated. Fanciful stuff indeed.

 

[alistairlees]

The Soham station platform is about 250m2, to give a comparison in footprints (I appreciate that there are other things at Soham like an access road, turning circle and parking).

Anyway, back to the question. Where did the money at Soham go? Why?

 

[flitwickbeds]

I too would like to know how it amounted to this much money (£18.6m in fact). I asked a while ago on here and was told that this was how much things cost... in other words, no answer.

Can you break down the £1m you think it should have cost, and how you arrived at that figure?

Anyway, back to the question. Where did the money at Soham go? Why?

Again, please break down how much you think it should have cost instead, and show workings.

 

[bluenoxid]

The Soham station platform is about 250m2, to give a comparison in footprints (I appreciate that there are other things at Soham like an access road, turning circle and parking).

Anyway, back to the question. Where did the money at Soham go? Why?

I would recommend an FOI request to the funding organisation.

 

[alistairlees]

Can you break down the £1m you think it should have cost, and how you arrived at that figure?

I can't see that I ever suggested that it should cost £1m (or any other amount); I am just asking why it cost as much as it did.

Again, please break down how much you think it should have cost instead, and show workings.

No. I'm asking someone to please provide the breakdown of the £18.6m. Asking me to provide a breakdown for a figure I didn't come up with is not an answer to that question.

 

[flitwickbeds]

I can't see that I ever suggested that it should cost £1m (or any other amount); I am just asking why it cost as much as it did.

No. I'm asking someone to please provide the breakdown of the £18.6m. Asking me to provide a breakdown for a figure I didn't come up with is not an answer to that question.

Ah sorry it was @MML who suggested £1m (the post you were quoting).

I don't have a breakdown. But - assuming the £18.6m includes everything from the initial planning all the way through to snagging, sounds about right to me.

 

[alistairlees]

Ah sorry it was @MML who suggested £1m (the post you were quoting).

I don't have a breakdown. But - assuming the £18.6m includes everything from the initial planning all the way through to snagging, sounds about right to me.

No problem. But we are still no nearer the answer to "how did it cost £18.6m?".

 

[swt_passenger]

No problem. But we are still no nearer the answer to "how did it cost £18.6m?".

The first couple of pages of this thread never came to a conclusion either, after you first asked in March. It’s about all that’s been discussed since the build commenced, which makes it unusual compared to other discussions about new stations…

 

[Baxenden Bank]

No problem. But we are still no nearer the answer to "how did it cost £18.6m?".

And you only get half a shelter for that.

Not much shelter if the cold wind / rain is blowing from the direction of the track.

 

[samulih]

The £18.6m deal includes:

• Construction of a single 99 metre platform to accommodate four car train services including waiting shelters, lighting, information screens and a public address system,
• Installation of a stepped footbridge across the railway to connect to an existing public right of way, designed for any future installation of lifts for a potential second platform for any scheme.
• Construction of a drop off point and a car park to accommodate 50 vehicles and five spaces for blue badge holders, as well as lighting masts.
• Cycle parking and ticket vending machines on the station forecourt.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I think those questioning the costs wanted a cost breakdown of those elements. Not necessarily the full bill of quantities but how much for the footbridge, how much for the access road etc. An interesting figure would be 'how much for fees - design, tendering, supervision' etc. Another would be how much is the cost uplift for building next to a live railway compared to something similar non-railway. I know, you wouldn't build a station away from the railway because then trains wouldn't be able to stop there. Location of railway station in Dent village vs on the Settle & Carlisle line applies.

 

[bspahh]

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?action=printpage;topic=23920.0 quotes these figures for other new stations

HORDEN - £10.5m, 2 platforms, accessible footbridge, car park with 139 spaces, facilities for drop-off, a taxi rank and a bus stop.

WORCESTERSHIRE PARKWAY - £22m, 3 platforms, station building, interchange facilities, 500 car parking spaces, footbridge between the Phase 1 and 2 platforms.

ROBROYSTON - £14m, 2 platforms, park and ride location, with space for 258 cars.

WARRINGTON WEST - £20.5m, 2 platforms, interchange for bus services, park and ride with parking for 287 cars plus bicycle parking, taxi drop off.

MERIDIAN WATER - £46m, 3 platforms, stairs and lifts providing step-free access across the railway, to Meridian Way, and to the enclosed concourse that features a bespoke golden panel design.

MAGHULL NORTH - £13m, 2 platforms, 156 space car park, step-free access and provision for electric vehicle charging points, as well as connections to pedestrian, bus and cycle routes.

KENILWORTH - £13.8m, 1 platform, an accessible footbridge with lifts, a staffed ticket office, waiting room, café facilities and toilets, a 75 space car park and a stand for two buses.

I don't know the details of those. However

Soham Station Is Becoming A Reality | The CPCA Combined Authority

Mayor James Palmer hails signs that Soham station is becoming a reality; With proposals for Soham train station set to be presented to ...

cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk

says:

Mayor Palmer’s focus has been on accelerating the delivery of the station ... I’ve been clear that Soham station will be delivered, and delivered ahead of schedule.

James Palmer is no longer the mayor, but he lives near Soham.

 

[jopsuk]

I took a bike ride to Soham yesterday purely to be able to get a train from there (I feel this is a safe place where no-one will question my sanity for this!). I was headed back to Cambridge via Ely. The service is such that the Ipswich train calls at Soham about ten minutes before the Peterborough one. Now, the Ipswich train in this case was almost ten minutes late.

question is: where is the signal protecting the single line? if the Ipswich service is sufficiently late would you see the Peterborough train stopped outside from the platform, or only from the bridge?

 

[Shwam3]

I took a bike ride to Soham yesterday purely to be able to get a train from there (I feel this is a safe place where no-one will question my sanity for this!). I was headed back to Cambridge via Ely. The service is such that the Ipswich train calls at Soham about ten minutes before the Peterborough one. Now, the Ipswich train in this case was almost ten minutes late.

question is: where is the signal protecting the single line? if the Ipswich service is sufficiently late would you see the Peterborough train stopped outside from the platform, or only from the bridge?

The signal is the other side of Mill Drove crossing, here: https://goo.gl/maps/Xj6UP4UCdhv4U6Vv5

 

[jopsuk]

oh that's a lot further back- but I guess that's to ensure that a maximum length freight train stopped at the signal doesn't foul that crossing

 

[DJ_K666]

Just applying the standard business model - say it is much more expensive, deliver it for less, claim a big saving

And definitely not a typo. No Sir.

That's OK the 10 million left will pay for the tea and biscuits at the consultation meetings.

 

[jopsuk]

I guess a second platform is only likely to happen if/when Soham-Ely is fully double tracked, as it simply isn't worthwhile on any level otherwise. But if the line is fully double tracked, a second platform becomes the no-brainer option, even with the associated costs, as otherwise there would need to be two crossovers to allow Ely-bound trains to access the one platform, and I am pretty sure that is not a situation anyone wants.

 

[Meerkat]

I assume the second platform is unfunded, and therefore will add even more cost to the doubling project.
So this rather pointless and inconvenient station actually damages the business case for doubling. Great.

 

[Starmill]

I would point out that building a bridge much larger than it needs to be in order to leave space for a second platform underneath it, and consequently having to build a bridge which will later have two lifts added isn't really passive provision - it's active provision. Obviously it's a good thing don't get me wrong, I too hope that the doubling and second platform are authorised and delivered. However as of right now that appears not to be the case?

 

[bspahh]

I visited Soham station today. Its a bit of shame that if you approach on the North Western pavement of Mereside, you have to cross 4 roads to get to the pavement towards the station, rather than having the pavement extended around the corner, in front of the Fair Haven Care Home.

This is the Google Streetview image from 2011

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

I took this photo today

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@bspahh. Where's the station in relation to the new photo? Can only see the tiniest of signs!

 

[alistairlees]

@bspahh. Where's the station in relation to the new photo? Can only see the tiniest of signs!

It's the road to the left. If you zoom in on the new photo you will see that on the far corner of the junction (in front of the low hedge) there is no pavement - for about 30 or 40 feet.

 

[bspahh]

It's the road to the left. If you zoom in on the new photo you will see that on the far corner of the junction (in front of the low hedge) there is no pavement - for about 30 or 40 feet.

This is a screenshot from Open Street Map where I have annotated the route I had to take to the station, and the point where I took the photo