Cambridge North

[D854_Tiger]

Opened and doing business, just over a week ago.

 

A few Youtube videos are already up including a cab ride from Cambridge to the new station. 

 

The Cambridge Guided Bus has been extended to the new station, basically the bus detours to the new station before reversing back from where it's come, continuing along the original busway route, which is actually from that bit where it is no longer a busway but has to mix it with ordinary traffic.

 

Thus demonstrating the drawback with the whole idea, where the busway is most needed, it's just an ordinary road complete with congestion.

 

Then the penny does seem to have finally dropped, with the new extension, that you don't actually need it to be guided, a dedicated road will do, pity they never thought of that before spending all that money.

 

The new extension does have two short (very) guided bits at the entrance and half way along and you get the impression those guided bits are only there to stop ordinary traffic getting in, though you just know that won't stop someone from trying.

 

All in all though, the new station is an excellent initiative for avoiding that drive into the city, which I believe is no fun.

 

Basic off peak service is three an hour to London (two KX and one LS) and the Norwich train stops there giving four an hour into Cambridge.

 

Not being that familiar with Cambridge, I was an Oxford man myself (Morris), I'm not sure how advantageous it would be changing from the busway to the train verses just staying on the bus.

[Welly]

Is Cambridge North station closer to the city centre than the main station? The main station was deliberately sited 2 miles from the colleges at the request of the university to discourage undergrads from popping down to London for good times!

[Edwin_m]

Looking at the map the closest approach of the railway to the centre of Cambridge is about at Mill Road bridge, so the "main" station is closer for the city centre - about 1.25 miles from the market place and 2 miles radius would take in the whole of the centre.  The route to the centre from the North station is also more indirect. 

[Anglian]

I think the original plan back in the C19th was for the LNWR to build a terminus close to Silver Street but I'm not exactly sure where. The University blocked this and the LNWR line eventually ran in to the station on a line parallel to the GE line to the south.

[Joseph_Pestell]

I think the original plan back in the C19th was for the LNWR to build a terminus close to Silver Street but I'm not exactly sure where. The University blocked this and the LNWR line eventually ran in to the station on a line parallel to the GE line to the south.

That would make a nice model project.

[Richard E]

When I worked in Cambridge it was, in the rush hour, quicker to cycle from Milton to the 'old' station than get a bus or taxi. It took 15 minutes by bike, at least 35 by public transport.

[Andy Y]

Dennis Lovett was on his travels and send me some pictures over of the station.

 

 

 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

Judging by the sign, it's still a British Rail station then?

 

Mike.

[ess1uk]

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79937-new-station-for-cambridge/

[stewartingram]

That sign is now the UK standard for Rail stations.

 

Stewart

[Boris]

Is the station decorated with those barcode things you scan with your smartphone?

[stewartingram]

I'm told it has no ticket office, just machines. And the car park can only be paid by phone.

 

Stewart

[Edwin_m]

Is the station decorated with those barcode things you scan with your smartphone?

IIRC it's the Game of Life, commonly run on computers in the 80s, and invented by somebody in Cambridge. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life

[Joseph_Pestell]

Looks as though it may hold the Guinness World Record for biggest bike shed.

[stewartingram]

There is a multi storey bike shed (just like a car park!) at Cambridgen station!

 

Stewart

[chris p bacon]

I'm told it has no ticket office, just machines. And the car park can only be paid by phone.

 

Stewart

As it's Cambridge, that will all be considered as 'yesterdays technology'

[uax6]

I'm told it has no ticket office, just machines. And the car park can only be paid by phone.

 

Stewart

But it does have station staff, and a list of things that have been 'overlooked'.....

 

Andy G

[phil-b259]

Judging by the sign, it's still a British Rail station then?

 

Mike.

 

The British Rail "double arrow" logo is now employed as a generic symbol on street signs* in Great Britain denoting railway stations, and as part of the Rail Delivery Group's (RDG) jointly-managed National Rail brand is still being printed on railway tickets.

 

* http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/023113dh.gif

[Enterprisingwestern]

That sign is now the UK standard for Rail stations.

 

Stewart

 

 

The British Rail "double arrow" logo is now employed as a generic symbol on street signs* in Great Britain denoting railway stations, and as part of the Rail Delivery Group's (RDG) jointly-managed National Rail brand is still being printed on railway tickets.

 

* http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/023113dh.gif

 

Funny how an icon that was supposed to have been swept away a few decades ago as a reminder of the bad old days of british railway travelling is now the go to sign.

What goes around comes around s'pose.

 

Mike.

[D854_Tiger]

Funny how an icon that was supposed to have been swept away a few decades ago as a reminder of the bad old days of british railway travelling is now the go to sign.

What goes around comes around s'pose.

 

Mike.

 

I rather suspect the cost of replacing all those road signs was the issue and to what, needs to be something national anyway and the double arrow always was that.

 

Mind you some nice green GWR signs .......

[caradoc]

Clearly what is required is a new sign for the 21st century indicating 'Train Station'........