please empty your brain below

based on a totally random sample of commuters, ie my office; because of the warnings given so far ahead, many Waterloo-users were able to take holiday or arrange to work at home for much or all of these 3 weeks. As dg says,it's like the dire warnings we got about avoiding Stratford in 2012. Many of us did so therefore the predicted chaos didn't happen.
Last nights congestion was probably more about equipment failure affecting departures, rather than people not heeding the warnings and staying away. 2012 got away with it because remarkably they only had one major problem during the whole of the Olympic fortnight, and that was eastbound Central line mid morning so those affected were going to Stratford from wherever, and were not stuck there trying to get away.
from the 26th August until 1st September the International platforms will have some unusual visitors, with Southeastern using them during the London Bridge blockade. However these services won't call at any other station in London.
Waterloo's congestion problems would be a lot less if they announced platform numbers more promptly. The present practice of leaving it until the last minute results in congestion on the concourse as people wait for their train to be announced, and a mad scrum at the barriers when it is finally called, (not to mention the conflicts with people arriving off the train) and because the train is due to depart so soon people naturally jump on the nearest carriage, meaning that people getting to the platform a little later can't get on at the rear and haven't got time to get further down the train, thus getting left behind and having to wait for another train, further adding to the congestion on the concourse.

It is simply not credible that the people responsible for the departure screens do not know which platform a train is to go from until it arrives. (And if a late change is necessary, it would be much easier to manage if the concourse is not clogged up with people).
On Sunday morning, a number of blue-tabards were busy dividing the overbridge at Clapham Junction into two lanes using steel barriers. One lane was wide, the other narrow. The wide lane was essentially clear of obstructions. In the narrow lane, the obstructions included a large set of steps and concession huts.

Having time before my train left, I asked one of the blue-tabards why they were creating a narrow lane with obstructions? The reply was that 'they' had told them to do it that way. Ah.
Will be interesting to see what happens today, given everybody (including now you DG) has proclaimed Waterloo to be nowhere near as busy as predicted. Personally I think it's a bit of a non-story to be honest (BREAKING: Planned engineering work begins), and I hope that the rather unwarranted attention doesn't have the anticipated effect.
And at Wimbledon at 3 pm there were almost more blue tabards than passengers/customers.
@timbo. Have you ever changed platforms during the peak at Waterloo? It really isn't designed for it with those large pillars between the gateline and the buffer stops.
You can get a max of two people through at a time, assuming neither has a medium sized bag...

DG, platform 20 was in use last year, but accessed from 19 only.
The Eurostar platforms have been considerably shortened in the works ongoing prior to the blockade.
I have several colleagues who commute by Waterloo. One has arranged his summer holiday around it, as was suggested by South West Trains if I believe.

Still, no pain no gain. The end will be worthwhile.
@Timbo: most of the time you can already see the planned platform at http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk. I used it recently when travelling from Euston and was the first passenger to sit in an evening rush-hour train to Manchester, as no-one else knew where the train was yet.
The international station looks stunning! Unlike some of its fellow design contemporaries, it has aged extremely well.
One of my colleagues arrived at Waterloo yesterday around 5, he finally managed to get on a train at 6:45....

From the way he said, it was the lack of notice (90 seconds or so) of the platform, that cause a lot of the problems...
@Tim W

....which is why people have to change platforms via the concourse (that and the fact that there is never any information on the platforms themselves.

As a regular user of platforms 1-4, I know all about the narrow entrances to the platforms and the scrums that ensue when a platform is announced 90 seconds before scheduled departure.

@Simon Hellinger: so if the information is available online, why is it not displayed on the departure screens?

(I missed a train this morning because it wasn't advertised at all. Even on he platform it was shown as expected at 0659 - the actual time was 0821.....). Information has never been SWT's strong point: perhaps they are running Bow Road as well?
Great read. I've been wondering what happened to the Eurostar terminal as I haven't been there since well, 2007...

Wonderful architecture and structural wizardry in that roof.
Waterloo lifehacks:

#1 The trainline app knows the platform long before it's announced on the departure board. Check the app and go to the platform before the crowds.

#2 When all hells break loose as last night, the tube is packed too. Except the W&C line which is literally empty! It takes you to Bank where you can take the District line to Richmond or Wimbledon.
Part of Waterloo's problem is that TfL and Network Rail can't agree on the sighting of additional screens showing departure information.

There are signs alongside the Escalators going up from the Network Rail owned Waterloo Road entrance showing the next departures.

However, there are none coming up from the W&C, Bakerloo and Northern ticket hall. Network Rail told me TfL won't allow them! Funny. It's standard practice in places like Paris. The metro exits at the big SNCF stations have easy to read screens showing the next departures.

Also, adding to the crowding on the concourse of what is in effect a commuter station, is the fact that the separate Windsor Lines ( over 15-19 ) and Mainline Suburban departure boards were replaced with a system that shows all trains right across the station.

You used to be able to walk up from the old tube exit and get to the right platform without stopping. That's been much harder for daily commuters for the last few years
If the information is readily available online (thetrainline, realtimetrains, etc) perhaps an enterprising coffee merchant could increase footfall by setting up an unofficial screen displaying the expected departure platforms?

(And if they could do it, why can't Network Rail for everyone?)
Andrew,

Because then the commuters getting on will clash with the people getting off which leads to chaos (similar in principle what happened when someone at Finsbury Park decided to change the platforming arrangements after one Christmas when King's Cross was closed due to overrunning engineering works). Platforming arrangements are there for a reason which is basically to produce the least worst outcome given all the factors involved.

The real solution is to make Waterloo more like London Bridge and have an undercroft so that boarding passengers (especially) can be directed to an escalator further along the platform.
@timbo, SWT only have 11 days left.
I believe from information I have been given at Victoria that departure platforms are not displayed until there is confirmation that a driver and guard are available for the service (and possibly even on board).

So although realtimetrains may show the correct platform, it cannot account for the fact that there might not be a crew to take the train back out again. On the other hand, not that many departures are affected in this way.
@Al__S
Looking on RTT, on 29 August to 1 September, there is a half hourly SE service from Waterloo alternating between Ramsgate / Dover Priory. The route is via Waterloo Curve, Nunhead Junction, and Courthill Loop junctions, then as normal. (I assume that this was the original Eurostar route towards Sevenoaks).
First stop Denmark Hill, then Sevenoaks. Platform 21 is the booked Waterloo platform for these trains

This means that anybody wishing to travel over the Waterloo Curve will be able to do so via the 17 min trip from Denmark Hill if they don’t want to travel the 47 mins to Sevenoaks.
@Rogmi
Sadly while it appears the South Eastern trains will be stopping at Denmark Hill, in reality they are only stopping so the driver who knows the old Eurostar route can get off. For passengers it's first stop Sevenoaks!
@Mike
I'll reserve judgement on whether that is good or bad news until I see how the new incumbents perform.

@poP
"Because then the commuters getting on will clash with the people getting off "
That is exactly what happens at present - the platform is announced just as the train is coming in, so everyone getting off is faced at the barrier line with a horde of people coming the other way. If the platform were announced sooner, those passengers would instead be spread all along the platform waiting for the train to come in.

@greg S" It takes you to Bank where you can take the District line to Richmond or Wimbledon. "
SWT tickets are being accepted on the District between Cannon Street (or, more usefully, Embankment* and Wimbledon, but not at Richmond. Why Richmond have to pay again and Wimbledon doesn't I know not. Maybe Wimbledonians shouted louder.
(*you have to pay to use the W&C)
I find it strange that SWT's franchise expires in the middle of this engineering work. And stranger that the new franchise starts during what was envisaged as a period of chaos.

As an aside, SWT is currently the longest-running National Rail franchise at 21y 6mo 4d today (it was the first passenger franchise let), but now c2c* will take that record by the end of the year. Chiltern and Virgin WC will also have overtaken it before the end of 2018.

*c2c has seen two changes of ownership and a change of name, but the same company has been operating the route since 1996.
I have had a smooth journey from Mortlake both days so far though I was on an early train for other reasons. I had a long wait sitting on the train at Waterloo yesterday evening, today was easy apart from going into the station the long way round and waiting for the platform not knowing about the Trainline app.
I'd always recommend the Real Time Trains app over the Trainline app - it doesn't try and sell you tickets...

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/apps
To some extent this article reflects the standard approach of the entire media to rail stories. Don't say anything = "we weren't told anything." Emphasis as much as possible what might go wrong = "why did they make such a fuss about it?" I assume it's meant to be tongue in cheek?

Man of Kent, this can't be the case. Drivers and guards take their breaks at Victoria, and these are timed such that they are not required to be in the cab until a few minutes before departure - i.e. the time it takes to set up. Plenty of times I've arrived on the concourse to find a locked train that's been advertised for some time but I'm not required to be there during that time - if they waited for me it wouldn't have been advertised.
@anon 2042
SWT was one of three franchises due to start on the same day in Feb 1996. The very first privatised service was a rail replacement bus from Fishguard. The Great Western franchise was bought out by First Group (who already had a minority holding in it) in 1998 and the franchise, now expanded, is still in the same ownership today.
The second franchise to start up would have been a management buyout of the Essex Thameside services, but the franchise was halted literally the evening before startup after the managers in question were found to be involved in accounting irregularities which improved the franchise's financial position at the expense of London Transport. This left SWT to run the very first privatised passenger train.
I think Network Rail, TfL and the TOCs can't win when it comes to engineering works. If they underplay possible disruption to regular journeys they get criticised to hell and back on social media and on regular media. If they provide information and warnings for months and months people either poo poo it, grow tired of it and the media expect a disaster. Thankfully many people do at least take some heed of the warnings and make alternative arrangements.

If a disaster doesn't transpire then the media are disappointed buy the passengers breath a sigh of relief. If there are problems everyone moans but then if you believe the media rail passengers moan every day about every trip.

The real issue is that the work finishes on time and then the installed tracks and signals all work. That's the real test because people will be back from holidays then, schools will restart and there's little scope to cope with a mess.










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