Author Topic: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed  (Read 21460 times)

Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #25 on: 09 May, 2013, 07:06:54 pm »
I'm not qualified to comment on sizes, colours, fonts and the like (they do indeed appear to be standard, and some could certainly benefit from being bigger), but the placement of the signs - or lack thereof - leaves a lot to be desired.

That they've had to employ dozens of people to stand around handing out maps and telling people which way to go says an awful lot, I think.  I expect it would have been much more confusing if I hadn't entered from street level with a good level of familiarity with the fixed infrastructure of the station.

Jaded

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #26 on: 09 May, 2013, 07:50:42 pm »
The people I saw with the maps were talking to each other and trying desperately not to make eye contact with the obviously lost.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #27 on: 09 May, 2013, 08:04:37 pm »
Kim,

That was a very good summary btw - thank you.   :)

Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #28 on: 09 May, 2013, 08:04:53 pm »
The people I saw with the maps were talking to each other and trying desperately not to make eye contact with the obviously lost.

They probably didn't know where anything was...

Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #29 on: 15 December, 2013, 05:46:46 pm »
There have been a spate of overcrowding problems with New Street station recently.  Staff seem to be limiting the number of people they're allowing in...

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/new-street-station-uses-crowd-6384097

https://vine.co/v/h2Er9PZ0EYZ

They're blaming an unanticipated increase in passenger demand due to people visiting the area's extensive retail opportunities in the run-up to Christmas.

mcshroom

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #30 on: 15 December, 2013, 05:50:56 pm »
Is there a different form of mathematics used in Mordor? According to the Station manager, 200k-140k is 75k ???
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Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #31 on: 15 December, 2013, 05:54:44 pm »
I think it's a form of bistromathics.

Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #32 on: 15 December, 2013, 05:56:39 pm »
Remarkable isn't it that all that work, all that money, all that so-called planning and  Mordor Nouveau just isn't big enough!   

Great job there Netwrok Rail!

Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #33 on: 15 December, 2013, 05:58:26 pm »
Remarkable isn't it that all that work, all that money, all that so-called planning and  Mordor Nouveau just isn't big enough!   

To be fair, it's not Mordor Nouveau quite yet.  That's still a few years away.  Until then it seems we're going to have to make do with enormous crowds as everyone tries to enter via the back passage.   :facepalm:

Basil

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #34 on: 15 December, 2013, 07:32:08 pm »
After watching the progress of this refurbishment with keen interest for a few years now, I've noted that the grand vision is now slowly beginning to take shape, turning New Street into
 
(click to show/hide)
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Morrisette

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #35 on: 16 December, 2013, 09:17:10 am »
I started reading this thinking it was about Cambridge. Oh yes, we are getting a 'refurbishment' too, if the bunch of shysters sitting on the pots of money contract ever actually start to do anything. They've already said they can't build a multi-storey car park/cycle park because it is 'architecturally impossible'. We always have overcrowding - just recently they have been opening the back gate to let people out, common sense at last, and very funny seeing the miserable bastards on the barriers watching all their 'penalty fares' commission walking out scot free.
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meddyg

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #36 on: 16 December, 2013, 11:14:00 am »
I visit Brum but rarely
I think there's some great architecture -Town Hall ,
new library - huge amount of  'footfall' with tourists taking the escalator to the top.

The new Mordor Central I found quite arresting  - well, I didn't have to go in and take a train.
It looks like a bullet train has just crashed into the city centre
(maybe that 's what the architect intended?)

I did then find my way to Digbeth Coach Station (for old times' sake).
What a dump !

Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #37 on: 16 December, 2013, 11:17:34 am »
Blimey! That's the coach station AFTER a refurb a while ago. You should've seen it before...
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #38 on: 17 December, 2013, 08:07:11 pm »
We met mid building site for the night ride to the roll rights last year and it just seemed big and unfriendly. Has it improved?
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Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #39 on: 17 December, 2013, 08:11:54 pm »
We met mid building site for the night ride to the roll rights last year and it just seemed big and unfriendly. Has it improved?

Depends on whether you consider cramming an addtional 70,000 angry shoppers in there to be an improvement...


(No, the layout hasn't changed significantly since then.  While they've changed some of the boarding-off of platforms as the work continues, the proper entrance remains a work in progress.)

Jaded

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #40 on: 20 December, 2013, 09:39:33 pm »
Theres's two ped entrances now, and a taxi one on the other side. Very confusing.

Trains were still late though.
It is simpler than it looks.

Basil

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #41 on: 23 December, 2013, 03:12:15 pm »
I needed to pop into Town today to pick up a couple of last minute items.  I didn't fancy the weather, so took the train in.
The train was almost empty, which surprised me.  But New Street station was completely rammed.  No, not with travellers, but with literally hundreds of "Crowd Control" and "Event Security" type bods who where all milling round desperately trying to find someone to Control or make Secure.
I tried to help out by deliberately to entering the "wrong" door on my way back which gave about eight of them a chance to joyously swoop to control and secure me.  (And to call me "Sir" a lot)
Honestly, there did appear to be more staff than punters.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #42 on: 23 December, 2013, 03:13:49 pm »
I needed to pop into Town today to pick up a couple of last minute items.  I didn't fancy the weather, so took the train in.
The train was almost empty, which surprised me.  But New Street station was completely rammed.  No, not with travellers, but with literally hundreds of "Crowd Control" and "Event Security" type bods who where all milling round desperately trying to find someone to Control or make Secure.
I tried to help out by deliberately to entering the "wrong" door on my way back which gave about eight of them a chance to joyously swoop to control and secure me.  (And to call me "Sir" a lot)
Honestly, there did appear to be more staff than punters.

Possibly related to an overhead line failure at Walsall and speed restrictions on the WCML.

Basil

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #43 on: 23 December, 2013, 03:19:03 pm »

Possibly related to an overhead line failure at Walsall and speed restrictions on the WCML.

The reason for there being very few travellers, or the reason for there being excessive numbers of security staff?
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Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #44 on: 23 December, 2013, 03:21:01 pm »

Possibly related to an overhead line failure at Walsall and speed restrictions on the WCML.

The reason for there being very few travellers, or the reason for there being excessive numbers of security staff?

Few travellers.  Security staff were probably brought in on Friday and haven't found the way out yet.

Barakta will be attempting to get back from Personchester later this evening.  Could be interesting.

Basil

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #45 on: 23 December, 2013, 03:38:01 pm »
few travellers, or the reason for there being excessive numbers of security staff?

Barakta will be attempting to get back from Personchester later this evening.  Could be interesting.
[/quote]

Hope that goes OK for her.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #46 on: 23 December, 2013, 04:08:49 pm »
Barakta will be attempting to get back from Personchester later this evening.  Could be interesting.

Hope that goes OK for her.

I've suggested that under no circumstances should she do anything that involves changing at Crewe, so hopefully it'll be okay.

barakta

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #47 on: 23 December, 2013, 08:44:26 pm »
I did change at Crewe and got lucky with a seat for part 1 and a virtually empty London Midland train for part 2.

Security nobbers at Mordor were BLOCKING the damned exit doors so I had to squeeze round one to get out.  They also have the in/out routes the wrong way round damnit, the out-route is the one with ticket machines and nearer access to departures/arrivals screens which most ppl don't need on the way out.  Also the route from bus stops is now several hundred meters excessively longer than it was before which annoyed me on access principles but I was too tired to pick a fight with people who won't be allowed to apply common sense and switch them round.

Stupid heap of crap station which doesn't work well with pinch points and how people move around ;-/

Kim

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #48 on: 31 March, 2014, 10:53:05 pm »
They appear to be having a survey, if anyone feels like snarking about signage, cycle parking, or whatever...

http://www.demographix.com/surveys/3G4N-QFBR/N5KCD2ZS/

Basil

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Re: I hadn't realised that Brum New Street was being refurbed
« Reply #49 on: 31 March, 2014, 11:26:18 pm »
Done.
Main points.  Secure cycle parking. Obv.

Less generic announcemens filling the space between genuine information.  (The constant barrage of noise causes me to zone out and miss real useful info.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.