Queen Street Station Redevelopment

Seeing as there isn't a thread about it in the new forum I thought I would start one off;
This is what the new station building looked like earlier today:



From the station's platforms:


And this is what it will hopefully look like:


The planning application is 11/00126/DCI, type that into here and you'll get a collection of PDF documents showing roof plans and other information.

When it's done, there will be 5 platforms, with trains to Pontypridd using the new platform 5 & 4, trains to Caerphilly and the City Line using platforms 3 & 2, and the Cardiff Bay shuttle using platform 1, a new small platform near the prison.
Access to platform 5 will be though the new building.

These new platforms, as well as the new platforms at Pontypridd and Caerphilly, will mean that they'll be able to run something like up to 8 trains an hour on both Valley lines, rather then the 6 trains an hour that they do now. They would be able to run many more if they replaced the bridge over Newport Rd, but it looks like they're not going to be doing that sadly.

So what are people's thoughts on it? While I'm glad that something is being done to what is an incredibly crowded and rather awful station since British Rail decided to demolish the old Victorian one, but I can't help but feel a bit underwhelmed by what they're doing, especially now that Network Rail announced their new proposals for Cardiff Central; the new station building still looks rather small, especially when you consider most of the extension just houses a staircase and lift to the new platform, and other then the two new platforms, nothing is going to be done to actual platforms themselves, personally the station really needs to be enclosed with a roof like it use to have, and the platform buildings (like the cafe) need to be either completely refurbished or completely rebuilt; right now they look incredibly bland and grotty.

If Cardiff Central gets what was proposed recently then travelling from there to queen street will be a bit of a shock!! mind you with the changes that are underway at Central at the moment - queen street won't seem like such a poor neighbour

Isn't Queen Street the 2nd or 3rd busiest station in Wales? this redevelopment or should I say tweak doesn't appear very ambitious to say the least.

Oh and many thanks SirBlah on a quality start to this thread - loads of info, photos and links!

It is wholly unimaginative but I kind of like it, it will never replace the original of course. When the Cardiff Skytower (just in my mind for now) replaces the Capitol Centre it will be a major tourist hub so may well get the makeover most would like to see.

Can anyone answer the question, why the work at central station seems to be progressing at a glacial speed.
They put in the concrete sections opposite platform 7 about a year ago and don't seem to have constructed the new platform yet. Just the temporary offices?

According to this, the project will be completed in some vague time in 2015; maybe they want to finish Queen Street first before moving onto Central?

It says it's "On Schedule" at least.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that work at Central wouldn't really kick off until Queen Street was complete

Possibly to do with a lack of manpower or equipment?

https://twitter.com/ILovesTheDiff/statu ... 8259683328

Someone didn't realise he was being overlooked when he rearranged the letters for the new station facade...

I'm Surprised no one has commented on thus thread since the grand opening. Maybe it is because although we new it was going to be rubbish, we don't want to admit it is. We were never expecting great things, but may I be the first to comment. The new platform 5 cannot handle with a full train emptying on to the platfor as the stairs exit right onto the ticket barriers, there is absolutely no space to move through the crowd of people if you are interchanging. not a big fan of the bay platform being so far away either as it means I have to run for it! Also, as all trains stop south of the twin stairs no one uses the north most stair case, again, causing problems. Rubbish

Hi all. New to the site though have been an occasional reader for a while.

As others have said, a bit underwhelming for Wales second busiest station but better than it was I suppose.

Does anyone know when the work on Llandaf station is due to start? It was originally meant to have been completed by the end of last year but so far all they have done is cleared a bit of undergrowth and put some signs up informing users of the plans.

They've closed off the pavement on the road above, and safety fencing is in place, so I think its pretty soon.

Queen St is certainly poorer for people travelling on the Ponty lines. There is less shelter, and there are no facilities on the platform (e.g. cafe). I really don't buy the argument that building a full size shelter wasn't feasible. It would have cost a bit more, surely. But for what must be the busiest platform to have just a few tiny 'bus stop' shelters is something of a travesty.