The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway

[Andymsa]

Not in an open forum

[caradoc]

An interesting and informative programme, but I couldn't help wondering whether the huge price of Crossrail is partly down to things such as the glass roof at Paddington, with its individually printed panels depicting clouds - How much did that cost ? Nice to have maybe but contributing nothing whatsoever to providing a railway or running a train service.

[melmerby]

20 minutes ago, caradoc said:

An interesting and informative programme, but I couldn't help wondering whether the huge price of Crossrail is partly down to things such as the glass roof at Paddington, with its individually printed panels depicting clouds - How much did that cost ? Nice to have maybe but contributing nothing whatsoever to providing a railway or running a train service.

And also complete lost on the day it was filmed as the sky itself had varying cloud amounts, which gave the same effect!

[Mike Storey]

45 minutes ago, caradoc said:

An interesting and informative programme, but I couldn't help wondering whether the huge price of Crossrail is partly down to things such as the glass roof at Paddington, with its individually printed panels depicting clouds - How much did that cost ? Nice to have maybe but contributing nothing whatsoever to providing a railway or running a train service.

 

Eh? That (and others) clouds artwork was not funded by CrossRail, but by the owners of Heathrow and by the City of London Corporation. It also serves to reduce solar glare.

 

Or are you suggesting there should be no roof, or one made of corrugated tin??

 

[caradoc]

1 hour ago, Mike Storey said:

 

Eh? That (and others) clouds artwork was not funded by CrossRail, but by the owners of Heathrow and by the City of London Corporation. It also serves to reduce solar glare.

 

Or are you suggesting there should be no roof, or one made of corrugated tin??

 

 

So is the cost of that roof not counted as part of the Fifteen Billion, sorry Seventeen Billion, or whatever it finally turns out to be, cost of Crossrail ? And no, I am not suggesting that there should be no roof, merely asking whether it needed to be quite so elaborate, especially since (as melmerby says) there are real clouds in the sky above it !

[Bernard Lamb]

2 hours ago, caradoc said:

An interesting and informative programme, but I couldn't help wondering whether the huge price of Crossrail is partly down to things such as the glass roof at Paddington, with its individually printed panels depicting clouds - How much did that cost ? Nice to have maybe but contributing nothing whatsoever to providing a railway or running a train service.

True.

But railways in London have a tradition of calling on some of the most well known artists to provide decorative features.

In fifty years time I hope people will appreciate the effort that went into such matters.

Though having seen the exhibition of the designs at the Whitechapel Gallery some time ago I do have my doubts about a couple of the ideas.

Bernard