21 October - Abbey Wood station goes from SouthEastern’s control to TfL
Today was the end of an era in Abbey Wood, from tomorrow
access to the railway station platforms is changed; most people will find entry
easier and before long, when all the lifts are operational, everyone will benefit from the improvements.
It’s possible I’ll find myself taking fewer photos as the pace of work slows.
The first was taken in August 2013 when Network Rail took over the Felixstowe Road car park
and before long I was taking more every day. I think I missed only one major
event, the removal of the rusty old station footbridge and more than 6,500 photos
on-line show the extraordinary amount of work that has gone into tomorrow’s achievement.
At the outset I couldn’t see how train services could be maintained during
construction and I was in awe of the ingenuity that went into keeping most
things going most of the time, similarly the planning that must go into
coordinating the various jobs.
Even in the last month or so with lots of things still to be done it was planned
and timed to perfection with the final essential pieces being put in place right
now as I write late on a Saturday evening. Tomorrow morning everything must be
in working order - shame about the external lifts but they will be only a
day or two behind.
There has of course been inconvenience and not a few complaints but given the
cramped site the scope for alternatives were few or non-existent.
Not once while poking my lens over fences and through holes has any
construction worker taken exception and at senior level there has been nothing
but help and a willingness to answer innumerable questions. Peter, Raj, Andy, Guy and
Deborah deserve special mention along with James from Balfour Beatty. They
didn’t quite make a civil or railway engineer out of me but they did their best.
The same goes for the Southeastern staff who never lost patience with me
prowling around daily and when permission was forthcoming from Network Rail,
escorting me to various places, complete with orange suit, on days when the
station was closed. Tomorrow Southeastern passes the management of Abbey
Wood station to TfL and their contractor MTR. Most if not all the regular
station staff have made the transfer.
I’m not sure I know every name but Joe, Chris, Julie, Eileen and Abdi
all had infinite patience and displayed an eagerness to help. And then
there’s the lift men who are now out of a job. Three in particular were always ready with a
friendly greeting and sometimes longer conversations, Fred and Anthony and
another whose name I never learned. Not the best of jobs hanging
around in all weathers while irate passengers complained that the lifts were
slow and they had to wait a minute while someone ran from underneath their
heater on a bitter cold day.
Below are some ‘landmark’ pictures from 2013 to 2016. 50 more taken today are
in the usual place.
I hope Anthony and Fred (pictured) are not out of a job too long.
