It's fantastic that the train station is having major work done to improve it - it certainly needed it! But after seeing the results so far, what a complete waste of time!!

The builders spend absolutely ages on one platform freshening up all the paintwork etc, making it look all nice & clean again, meanwhile these improvements costing a fortune. And for what? I went to the station the other day and was absolutely disgusted; one completed platform that was freshly painted was already black! The grey & white painted borders all round the top already looked like they needed painting!

The problem rests upon the highly polluting trains still in use; they pull up at the platform and all the smoke it chucks out dirties the fresh paintwork! Why on earth are we stuck with these horrid trains when they should all be electric in this day and age? At this rate, by the time the station is finished it'll look the old, dirty dump it did before! And if they are going to have these polluting trains, why on earth paint all the station white?! Why don't they realise that white is no good with all that smoke around? What a useless effort!! :rant:

Originally posted by Kittenkel
It's fantastic that the train station is having major work done to improve it - it certainly needed it! But after seeing the results so far, what a complete waste of time!!

The builders spend absolutely ages on one platform freshening up all the paintwork etc, making it look all nice & clean again, meanwhile these improvements costing a fortune. And for what? I went to the station the other day and was absolutely disgusted; one completed platform that was freshly painted was already black! The grey & white painted borders all round the top already looked like they needed painting!

The problem rests upon the highly polluting trains still in use; they pull up at the platform and all the smoke it chucks out dirties the fresh paintwork! Why on earth are we stuck with these horrid trains when they should all be electric in this day and age? At this rate, by the time the station is finished it'll look the old, dirty dump it did before! And if they are going to have these polluting trains, why on earth paint all the station white?! Why don't they realise that white is no good with all that smoke around? What a useless effort!! :rant: We did have electric trains, Victoria station all the lines from there were electric but they pulled up the lines and pulled down the station. :loopy:

I totally agree- a couple of weeks after Platform 5 was done up, it looked foul again, thanks midland mainline trains... Why,oh why do they bother???:rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:

Hmm yes and if changing the trains was out of the question they should have thought carefully and perhaps used a colour other than white or some other material like glass - or fittingly - steel!

I agree with the general sentiment, but electric trains are no less polluting overall, that electricity has to come from somewhere.

Originally posted by Cyclone
I agree with the general sentiment, but electric trains are no less polluting overall, that electricity has to come from somewhere.

Exactly, if all the trains were switched to electric, then all that extra power has to be produced somewhere - and no-one is going to want a new power station in their back yard are they. If the energy comes from a sustainable, renewable source then thats fine, but given the choice between a new power station (and all the upheaval of switching to elctric trains) in Sheffield (or anywhere else) and a slightly grubby station, I would rather have the slighlty grubby station...

Originally posted by E-Man Groovin
Hmm yes and if changing the trains was out of the question they should have thought carefully and perhaps used a colour other than white or some other material like glass - or fittingly - steel!

The problem there is the station is a listed building, so all that has been done with the canopies is they have been restored and painted. I think the new lighting has made a big difference though - go early morning or at night and compare platform 5 to platform 6!

As for MML power cars dirtying the canopies, it will only affect the extreme ends of the platform as there are 8 carriages in between. Also the engines are normally turned off whilst the train is stood between trips.

Originally posted by Kittenkel
It's fantastic that the train station is having major work done to improve it - it certainly needed it! But after seeing the results so far, what a complete waste of time!!

The builders spend absolutely ages on one platform freshening up all the paintwork etc, making it look all nice & clean again, meanwhile these improvements costing a fortune. And for what? I went to the station the other day and was absolutely disgusted; one completed platform that was freshly painted was already black! The grey & white painted borders all round the top already looked like they needed painting!

The problem rests upon the highly polluting trains still in use; they pull up at the platform and all the smoke it chucks out dirties the fresh paintwork! Why on earth are we stuck with these horrid trains when they should all be electric in this day and age? At this rate, by the time the station is finished it'll look the old, dirty dump it did before! And if they are going to have these polluting trains, why on earth paint all the station white?! Why don't they realise that white is no good with all that smoke around? What a useless effort!! :rant:

You are probably right that the canopies won't stay clean long but that is only a small part of the station work.

Allready achieved:

- New brighter lighting on platform 2-5
- resurfaced platforms with tactile edging on platforms 2-5
- new footbridge
- passenger lifts
- Improved interchange with trams
- refurbished waiting room on platform 2-5
- new multi-storey car park with better capacity and security

And on its way:

- rest of platforms same as platforms 2-5
- new waiting room on platforms 6-8
- new passenger information system
- new travel centre with more ticket windows (and more staff)
- extra 'Fasticket' self service ticket machines
- refurbished concourse with more retail outlets
- new taxi rank
- new, welcoming, public square outside station
- New road layout less ugly and more pedestrian friendly

Originally posted by Kittenkel
It's fantastic that the train station is having major work done to improve it - it certainly needed it! But after seeing the results so far, what a complete waste of time!!



Toatally agree with you mate, How long is it going to take to get the road outside it sorted as well!!! it's been looking like bombs dropped for ages now.
Wish they'd get a move on - the traffic around there is horrendous.

To be fair the traffic was terrible before.... Only new problem is people getting confused at the traffic lights by the station car park.

The signs on the roadwork railing say work will be taking place until Summer 2006.

Originally posted by Andy C
As for MML power cars dirtying the canopies, it will only affect the extreme ends of the platform as there are 8 carriages in between. Also the engines are normally turned off whilst the train is stood between trips.

The engines are not actually turned off when stationary at the playform; I stood and watched one pull up the other day and the black smoke coming from it was terrible. I know the canopies only make up one part of the station, but the overall appearance looks grotty when such a noticeble area is dirty ( and it's not just the very ends of the platform either). And they really will soon be as black as before - it just seems that after all this work our station never will look very decent.

Electric trains would be ideal (this system is very effective elsewhere, such as in France), but failing that, they should at least select the colour scheme accordingly i.e. any colour but white!!

Also, it never will look nice as long as that hideous ancient bridge is still hanging aimlessly across - why on earth is that still there??!

The second bridge is indeed a bit of an eyesore, and looks a bit unsafe (although I'm sure it isn't).

Basically this is the goods bridge, which is accessed by the big goods lift. It is basically used to get stuff across onto platforms that is not suitable for taking across the public bridge, usually because it is too big.

I think the construction materials being used on the platform refurbishment is taken across via this bridge for example.

yeah, its a shame that bridge isn't going, it could at least be replaced as the pedestrian one was.

As for the station revamp, maybe the inside does seem a bit pointless, but don't judge the major exterior, public square and new concourse until its all finished - but then i guess you'll still complain! Nothings ever good enough for joe public!

Originally posted by AndrewC
yeah, its a shame that bridge isn't going, it could at least be replaced as the pedestrian one was.

As for the station revamp, maybe the inside does seem a bit pointless, but don't judge the major exterior, public square and new concourse until its all finished - but then i guess you'll still complain! Nothings ever good enough for joe public!
Yes Andy i agree JP is a bit of an arse

Surely the smoke stains could be reomved by an occasional pressure washing?

Originally posted by Mouseman
Surely the smoke stains could be reomved by an occasional pressure washing?

That's all very well and fine if regular thorough cleaning takes place to maintain the station (as it should do!), but have you noticed how they leave everything to get grubby? That 'new' footbridge for instance, is full of cobwebs and doesn't get cleaned properly. That's the frustrating thing about these new improvements; fair enough if they're going to look after them, but the canopies that are rapidly returning to their black colour will probably just continue to do so until the station is back to it's depressing, black, dirty self. Just seems like a wasted effort when it genuinely needs improving for good, not just for 5 minutes :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Cyclone
I agree with the general sentiment, but electric trains are no less polluting overall, that electricity has to come from somewhere.
Actually not quite true. When modern electric trains are coasting down hill, their motors are shifted to generating mode and they feed power back into the system. When diesel trains are going down hill, this excess power is just wasted in braking.

Electricity generation is slightly less polluting overall than internal combustion engines, and while the pollution is still caused, it isn't local to people's houses and railway platforms.
In addition as less polluting forms of electricity generation come on line in the coming decades, the general pollution caused will lower again.

Has anyone else herd about a plan to have some sort of water feature running down the front of the station. Ive been imagining the entire front of the station looking like a mini victoria falls but I expert they are thinking of something a little smaller scale.

There is to be a water feature - kind of like a metal wall with water cascading down it into a channel below, which will screen the road off nicely.

There is a feature about the plans on the BBC South Yorkshire website here http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/i_love_sy/regeneration/index.shtml

why not paint the station black? nice and gothic:clap:

Might indeed by grubby now but 100 years ago think of all the dirt and filth coming from steam trains daily......must have been a hellish job to keep a station clean with black smoke and cinders and charcoal all over the place......