Gipsy Hill's New Look (Part 2)

Not Just Recent Changes

Careful observation reveals pretty icons for 'shelter' and one such can be seen in the distance in this view of Platform 1, for services to London termini. 

But the block with toilets and waiting room ...

... clearly also offers shelter. In the good old days both platforms had canopies, but if you are travelling eastbound these days ...

... your canopy as illustrated here is now a thing of the past. But you do have a couple of mini bus shelters.

Look at the footbridge ...

... in the past and now fitted with new overall roof.

There are no lifts, but it appears that there is a step free access to Platform 1 only; OK if you are travelling TO London ...

... but you are stuck with steps on the way back! The step free access is a bit odd as it seems to be a bit of an afterthought. At one time it was via bike stands and bins.

It now has proper signs in heritage colours.

The exit is signposted from the platforms ...

... and to the buses.

But there is a bit of an identity problem with this exit.

There are parallel roads adjacent to this side entrance.

Is it Salisbury Road ...

... Alexandra Drive or even Mountbatten Close? And what's the point of having barriers if you can get in or out avoiding them completely?

Here is a view showing both parallel roads looking towards the bike sheds.

Notice the big station sign in Southern Green?

That is beside the "Station Garden" between the station building on Platform 1 and the parallel Salisbury Road. This is part of the excellent work of the station's "Friends" ...

... which had a Fete a few days ago ...

... and has just opened a Petanque (a k a Boules) rink/court/alley for the delectation of the locals.

Nice!

There are plenty of trains at Gipsy Hill ...

... with each service running every 30 min. The xx58/28 from London Bridge is shown in full on another table.

Six trains an hour in both directions seems a good service.

Innit?

But what about those buses?

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Meaningless Blog Stats

Earlier today this blog passed nine million all time page reads.

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 Next Gipsy Hill blog : Weds 22nd July 

Gipsy Hill's New Look (Part 1)

A chum sent fbb a link to a recent 'Ian Visits' blog, always a good read and exclusively about London. The report was about improvements to a suburban railway station.

Although he finds it hard to admit it, the old bloke must confess that he had no idea where Gipsy Hill station might be. The colour of paintwork did, however, suggest Southern as a possible clue.

The rather insipid green on the door and dado suggest 'Southern' ...

... which seemed a good place to start.

And there it was, one stop short of Crystal Palace ...

... and there it is, lower right.

Now fbb has written before and oft about his limited understanding of the former Southern Railway suburban network; that is the real Southern Railway, not the privatisation upstart!

The published diagram is complicated enough, but the track plans are beyond the ability of your blogger's brain to comprehend or remember.

Carto is excellent but remains a challenge.

The 'Windrush' label supplants 'Overground' for part of the much extended East London line. 

The closed line ran to the other Crystal Palace station ...

... High Level, which closed in 1954. This edifice was linked to the doomed Crystal Palace itself by a magnificent subway, now restored but not yet open to the public.

But it is only a short walk from the site of the High Level station and subway to Gipsy Hill station.

Gipsy Hill station takes its name from the road on which it sits ...

... which probably does have a link with Gypsies, despite the different spelling. None other than diarist Samuel Pepys ...

... tells us that his wife visited a gypsy encampment at Norwood, but fails to say why! Back then, the Gipsy Hill community would not have existed!

Talking of famous people, Patrick Grant ...

... of 'The Great British Sewing Bee" hails from Gipsey Hill. Thus spake, not Zarathustra, but Wikipedia, so it must be right.

And so to the uncluttered station (below, top) originally opened in 1856.

Compared with Gipsy Hill station, recent and cluttered.

With a revised entrance below left, but still cluttered.

And now ...

... tada! ... neat and tidy ...

... and the staff and VIPs basking in its clutter-less glory.

Soithern is upholding Gipsy Hill as the precursor of many more statiion unclutterings. But Great British Railways might curtain Southern's nobly plans.

One particular delight of the station building that has been retained is the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway crest.

This appears in simplified form on the eaves of the station building.

For the record, the cross is London, the dolphins are Brighton, the crescent and star are Portsmouth and, erm, the other one, of course, is for the Cinque Ports.

One consequence of the decluttering seems to have been the removal of the coffee shop ...

... which may, or may not, be a permanent de-clutter.

But there is more to be enjoyed in and around this apparently rather ordinary station.

 Next Gipsy Hill blog : Tuesday 21st July 

Sunday Variety

Lost Ladder Lament

fbb was slightly miffed to find that his recently purchased Hornby 100 ton TEA rank wagon was not as illustrated on EBay. It lacked the end ladders.

Bur undaunted by his sadness, the old nan was able to order two ladders via EBay ...

... and they duly arrived, well packaged by the supplier.

They were beautiful to behold ...

... and ready the clip in place ...

... to be secured by a tiny dob of glue.

Then the end fell off!

Hopefully a bodge will be possible?

Watch this space!

Troublesome Tunnel Traffic

Another one!

fbb has already reviewed some of the multiple proposals for competitive services to join Eurostar in the Trans-manche Tunnel Transit.

Here us the latest contender.

Who is Gemini Trains?

They have got  a Lord on the board!

So that must make it special. Likewise the web site blurb makes it all sound special as well.

At Gemini Trains, our aim is to change the face of European rail travel. We believe that an unashamed ‘customer first’ service culture, coupled with great value fares and truly innovative offerings, will help reinvigorate rail travel.

Gemini Trains will be stylish, comfortable and a real pleasure to travel on, with routes planned between the UK, France and Belgium. In future, we plan to expand our offering to several new destinations across Europe.

Gemini Trains understands the growing demand for long distance rail travel and recognises rail competition is expanding significantly in Europe. Yet on the core Channel Tunnel route there remains only one choice for customers.

We believe there is a significant opportunity for a dynamic disruptor operator offering mixed ‘economy’ and ‘business’ seats at a lower price point than Eurostar.

Has Gemini got any trains?

Pardon?

Certainly nothing (yet!) to write home about!

In 2025, Gemini Trains announced several partnerships with different companies. They chose Siemens Mobility for the manufacturing of rolling stock, using the new Velaro Novo design.^[9] Gemini also announced that Rock Rail would be helping to finance the new fleet, and that Uber would co-brand the trains, allowing users to book tickets directly through the Uber app.

Will Gemini be paying to re-unstate Eurostar platforms at Stratford, the company's London terminus!

Welcome to Great Britain!

Time will tell.

A Natter On The Matter Of Scatter

Modern modellers are very keen on "static grass". Now in fbb's aged grey cells, all grass us "static" until you mow it, scythe it, burn it or concrete over it. 

The "static" in the description above has nothing to do with fescues forbidden from froliclicking freely over the fields!

It is about using "static" electricity to make your grass stand up like, well, grass.

Note the electrical connection above.

The results can be impressive but the costs are significant. So fbb simply scatters scatter.

The white staining is overdone and has been mostly washed off.

That's better.

Ballasting is in progress. 

A bit of hillside has also been scattered upon ...

... with undergrowth to follow which will hide the toomgreen green.

Narrow And Not Northern

It looks like a sprinter but the rails are closer together. It is a metre gauge version of a class 158 operating in Thailand.

Yep, definitely ...

... narrow gauge!

Exeter Electrified?

According to this 'news' item illustration, the third rail 750 volt DC electrification of the former Southern Railway ...

.... has now reached Exeter.

It hasn't. The line west via Salisbury still enjoys its reliable service of class 158/159 diesel units.

Bigger Barriers?

The above illustrates an article about the installation of full height ticket barriers at certain stations, to combat fare dodgers. The above samples from manufacturer Cubic seem unsatisfactory. Surely passengers would see the above as open barriers.

Clear plastic, he good for broken noses!

These are better but possibly not to wide, so less clear plastic ...

... but the wide gate is still transparent!

Or you could install some of these ...

... very effective at catching and deterring non-payers.

Here is a list of stations that will soon be getting the big, bold, bossy barriers.

Gipsy Hill?

Clearly, fbb needs to investigate that hotbed of fare dodging that is Gipsy Hill.

Where?

  Next Gipsy Hill blog : Monday 20th July