Chris82

Bic Basher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Southeastern no longer manage DH, the current > operator in charge is Thameslink/GTR. They manage > all stations on the Catford Loop with the > exception of Peckham Rye (Southern). I know, I didn't say Southeastern did. I think stations are generally managed by the operator running the most services, though it can become a bit arbitrary when there are several operators with a similar number as at Denmark Hill. However, if Southeastern is devolved to TfL then they will be responsible for a majority of the services there and I would expect them to ultimately take on management of the station.

d.b Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > First, as you might have seen at other stations, > these kind of side gates aren't always open. > Typically they are open for either late > nights/sundays when the station office may not be > manned, or rush hour when numbers are much larger. > Most other times side gates are closed so people > are forced through barriers for better enforcement > of ticketing. This covers e.g. the 4-5pm after > school window. > > Second, the barriers at denmark hill are usually > set permanently open during rush hour periods > anyway to try and prevent further chaos while > hundreds of people are crushing through two > barriers. N.b. it has been particularly awful the > past couple of days since one of the barriers > isn't reading oyster properly. Thanks for this. I had thought about this before writing my original post, but I thought the gates were sometimes closed during rush hour at Denmark Hill. However, I've not been commuting consistently in rush hour for a while since I've been ill, tending to go between 9.30 and 10.30 a lot. If you're right then there's nothing to lose. Hopefully TfL will be our saviour on this. I don't think they will automatically be rebuilding every station, but with Thameslink allegedly going to 4 trains per hour eventually, Overground to 6tph and Southeastern improvements following devolution, there really might not be any other option to cope with numbers but to extend the entrance.

I agree with most of the comments made about Denmark Hill station. As someone with a serious health condition using the station can be extremely stressful when it's very busy. That said I do rather like FCB's coffee! If the closure of the ticket office goes ahead (which in itself is a shame...) then I hope they won't just be leaving it empty but will reconfigure the space within the building to allow a wider entrance and more room for ticket machines. You think a modern 'box' like that new station (as awful as it is) would be fairy easy to adapt and extend, but perhaps not... The additional entrances people have mentioned would make a lot of sense, though I think 'gating' stations is a big priority for operators - particularly TfL/London Overground who are likely to be running the station in a few years if Southeastern is devolved to them - and so I don't see this happening. Fortunately TfL also take station improvements more seriously than the other train operators and so perhaps they will be more likely to invest in improvements.