Light and dark
In real life, it is the hare who wins. Every time. Look around you. And in any case it is my contention that Aesop was writing for the tortoise market. Hares have no time to read. They are too busy winning the game.
- Anita Brookner
This morning's March sunshine meant Brockley Central's tail was up as we set off for work. We know it technically isn't the first day of spring, but we'll be blowed if we're going to wait until the Vernal Equinox to celebrate the end of winter. Spring's borders march in lockstep with Brockley's.
So, as a little treat, we allowed ourselves to take the sunnier, slower route to work, via London Bridge. We've been to London Bridge plenty of times since work on the new station began, but never in the sunshine. The new section was lit up like a light box as we walked towards it. Even half-built, the effect of the new, open platforms and glass roof is already glorious.
When the station and surrounding works are finished, this most-important of gateways to the south will no longer serve as a warning to cautious Londoners not to venture any further from north, it will seduce them with whispers of exotica like Herne Hill, Anerley and of course, Brockley.
16 comments:
The wall of glass that confronts you as you exit the barriers is quite impressive, as is the new view out towards St Pauls. Quite spirit lifting in the morning!
It has really transformed LB already with the new roof. I also like the arrows showing you which gates are open - a bit like heading toward a tollgate on Euroean motorways...and it means there is far less of a grumpy scrum to get out now!
Is that a pool table in the forground?
The new LB is great... no more having to crane your neck round to see the old sideways-on departures board (though they have still kept the more useful 'Where's the next train to X' board in a silly location by the entrance... the perils of living in Brockley I guess).
Also great that they've kept a few of the places selling decent food (West cornwall pasty, Upper Crust, Burger King) and not filled it with more dishonest fare (maybe that's yet to come so we shouldn't count our chickens?)
The new WH Smith isn't a patch on the old one though.
Um, are there trains from LB to Herne Hill these days? Didn't used to be when I lived over there...
Yes if you transfer via Blackfriars or Tulse Hill.
It is rather nice isn't it?
I grant an excited 'Ooh' to the giant Canelleto reproduction just outside the station too.
About time LB got a facelift and I like the way this one's going so far.
(But have you counted the number of CCTV camera running behind the Platform 9-16 barriers? = Loads)
Don't jump the barrier then.
I grant you a LOL.
But you should know there is a low correlation between lovers of Canelleto and Fare Dodgers.
How long before someone pops up to say they preferred the "decent", "honest" old station?
@ nick
You should work in local PR. I almost want to go to Anerley after reading that.
Get used to the building works though. They'll be rebuilding London Bridge for the next decade.
I'm sure if you look closely as you whizz through platform 5 at 0.04 miles per hour, that you'll see Monkeyboy handing out hob nobs to men in hard hats and orange jackets.
Lou, you need some new material.
I liked the decent, honest old station. There was a Boots upstairs, a bar and a nicer WH Smith.
The new one looks great though, and presumably they've built in scope for some of those shops to come back. Right? Right??
Not that old - there were massive rebuilding works in the 1980s.
Aye, that was fair to say. Reminds me of the Brockley Station Ramp to Replace a Ramp project ('cept that ramp was put up in the 1990s as I recall from the plaque that was so proudly affixed to it).
Anybody know if they are planning to knock down those buildings which are used for training/admin functions and extend platforms 13-15 down to the barrier line.
We seem to get the worst of it here: not only do our trains no longer go through to Charing Cross, but we have the longest possible walk to change to platform 6.
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