Marple Station

[wheels]

I regularly carry my bike over the bridge and and old one was a pain as well as being an eyesore.

[Barbara]

I used it yesterday, and thought the steps were much more user-friendly than the old ones.  Mind you - I am speaking as someone who might well need the lifts in due course!!   

[Dave]

Very impressive structure!

It certainly is.  And it's really gratifying to compare the trouble (and presumably expense) that's been expended on making it look good - for example, using imitation stone blocking, and with that sloping roof that gives the design a bit of character.  Compare that with the eyesore which is the booking office 

[hollins]

Crossed the tracks on the new bridge at Marple station for the first time this morning. Very impressive structure!

The old bridge deck is still in place (not sure if it is still carrying cables), but the steps were removed at the weekend.

[Barbara]

The cladding work on the two lift shafts is going well.  It should look really good when completed.  And when you really study the old bridge it is in a really poor state and would cost a fortune to renovate - and still no disabled/pushchair access.  Now we just need my lift up the hill when I get back!!!

[admin]

Some more photos taken by Arthur of the improvements to Marple Station have been added to the Virtual Tour this morning:

http://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=-23

[Osdog]

As a regular rail user from Marple, I think the new structure will look great when it's finished.  There has always been difficulty for folks with bicycles, prams, wheelchairs etc.... and for them now the problems will be solved.  Not everyone can just use a different station - and I personally don't use Rose Hill, as that means that I'd have to get the car out to get there.  Marple central is more .... well..... local really.

Lets' just appreciate the improvements shall we?

[amazon]

A dozen shots taken by Arthur of the new bridge being installed during the early hours of this morning have just been added to the Virtual Tour:

http://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=-23

Brilliant photos he should  publish a book  with all his best photos he's ever taken .

[admin]

A dozen shots taken by Arthur of the new bridge being installed during the early hours of this morning have just been added to the Virtual Tour:

http://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=-23

[admin]

Arthur paid another visit to Marple Station yesterday and here's the latest progress photos:

http://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=-23

For any night-owls, apparently the bridging section will be installed around 12.15am on Sunday morning.

[amazon]

http://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=-23&pid=6766

Why have they built this lift shaft so far back from the existing platform? Isn't that where there used to be an additional bay platform track? The same bay platform they've just suggested re-opening should Marple's rail service to Manchester be converted to a more frequent tram-train service (info here), allowing trams to turn back without disrupting the main line.

So now the previously four-platform Marple is stuck with only two through platforms. Some joined-up thinking there!

Don't forget the booking office is also being altered

[Duke Fame]

so common wheres the answer no body will be there to help the people cross the bridge....so why waste the money ?..oh i forgot youll worry about that once its built!!........ thank you i rest my case!

I suspect the reason for the siting down the platform is simply using standard sizes. These lift systems are being installed throughout the country, it's part of the government's efforts to put capital infrastructure investment in now when the economy is slow as it's money that is going to have to be spent anyway. The lift systems are kept to standard sizing whereever possible so that they don't have to make a footbridge especially for a particular stations in order to avoid high costs.

I guess it's cheaper to use an off the shelf footbridge rather than connect lifts to the existing road bridge which may be more ascetically pleasing 

[hollins]

so common wheres the answer no body will be there to help the people cross the bridge....so why waste the money ?..oh i forgot youll worry about that once its built!!........ thank you i rest my case!

Not sure that I understand this post. The whole idea of putting in lifts is so that people DON'T require assistance crossing the railway.

I have to say that the new infrastructure looks quite impressive, and it is certainly going up fast.

[rotten john]

so common wheres the answer no body will be there to help the people cross the bridge....so why waste the money ?..oh i forgot youll worry about that once its built!!........ thank you i rest my case!

[rsh]

http://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=-23&pid=6766

Why have they built this lift shaft so far back from the existing platform? Isn't that where there used to be an additional bay platform track? The same bay platform they've just suggested re-opening should Marple's rail service to Manchester be converted to a more frequent tram-train service (info here), allowing trams to turn back without disrupting the main line.

So now the previously four-platform Marple is stuck with only two through platforms. Some joined-up thinking there!