Berlins new railway station

QUOTE (John Webb @ 29 May 2006, 10:28) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The Barlow shed at St Pancras is having all its glass restored, which should make it lighter and brighter than we've known it for many years. Can't say I particularly like the flat canopies in front of it over the extended platforms, however - doesn't go with the curved roof of the old station.
Regards,
John WebbYes, the flat roof of the extension and new station platforms doesn't seem to blend very well with the old shape.
Considering the amount of work being put in to the old station, it's surprising that the newer bits aren't more sympathetic to the original. We will have to wait and see.

The Barlow trainshed is having an awful lot more done to it than "having all its glass restored".
All new glass, all new roof tiles, a large amount of new supporting steelwork, i.e effectively a brand new roof.
The interior has been completely gutted, and I believe the train deck was removed (not sure), to allow for a new platform level with a redeveloped undercroft.

Click on this link to the LCR site

There are a few photos on the above link.

Sorry, What are you talking about ??????

Berlins new station is....ermmm?.........

It's a railway station. Trains stop there. There are tracks and platforms. Oh? and there are no planes!

Apart from the tracks and platform roof etc, it looks like any contemporary building. Which probably isn't very surprising because it has just been built.
Victorian stations look like they do because they were built in .......the Victorian era!

Yes it may look like any building built today; e.g. airport, office block, shopping centre, hospital, railway station.

Best wishes
Oakydoke

QUOTE (John Webb @ 8 Jun 2006, 20:00) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Is it really the 'biggest in Europe'? It only seems to have 6 platforms, which looks rather less than Waterloo, Clapham Junction or even York. (Don't think the curve at Berlin is quite as sharp as York!) Or do they count the volume of the blocks over the station as part of the station, even if they are offices?

Regards,
John Webb
Further up this thread there is reference to more lines and platforms below ground.

The latest edition of "Modern Railways" (a UK magazine) has a big feature on this station, several pages long with many photos.

There are photos from different stages of construction, which show the lower and upper lines before everything was covered over and before the office blocks were built.

Basically there are two through lines, one North-South and the other East-West, which meet at this new station.
The above ground line with its 6 platforms, shown in the photo at the beginning of this thread, is at the highest level of the actual station.
The lower line and its platforms are at the lowest level of the station.
In-between are several levels of shops/stores, cafe's & restaurants, plus the station facilities like ticketing and waiting facilities. The station is also a tram and bus interchange.

I still don't know how many platforms are on the lower level, but if it's also 6, then the total is 12 platforms.

Waterloo and Paddington have more than 12, however they are all bay platforms, i.e. "end of the line", whereas the new Berlin station has through lines.

The advantage of the through lines is that you don't have trains blocking the platform while they wait for the next service or for a path out to storage sidings/depot etc.
I suppose that's how the new Berlin station handles so many trains a day. Trains pass through, stopping for less time at the platform, and without the delays caused by complex crossing manouvres on the station approaches.