Denmark Hill station: Beyond a joke

[Grok]

So you travelled by train to Victoria without a ticket or permit to travel? Hmmmm lol

Lynne Wrote:

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> No one staffing East Dulwich this afternoon so

> went to Denmark Hill. Ticket office closed there

> and ticket machine out of order. (Question- how do

> people actually buy tickets?)

> Had to go to Victoria just to speak to a human

> being.

[JohnL]

Grok Wrote:

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> So you travelled by train to Victoria without a

> ticket or permit to travel? Hmmmm lol

>

> Lynne Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > No one staffing East Dulwich this afternoon so

> > went to Denmark Hill. Ticket office closed

> there

> > and ticket machine out of order. (Question- how

> do

> > people actually buy tickets?)

> > Had to go to Victoria just to speak to a human

> > being.

You're allowed to if no tickets (or permit to travel) available and pay excess fare

they are supposed to know/check - bet they don't :)

Something like this (not London)

Q: What if the ticket office is closed and the permit to travel machine is out of order?

A: You can board the train and pay the correct fare for your trip. Revenue protection staff will call our control office to verify that there was no opportunity to purchase a ticket.

[adsyb99]

Agreed, get rid of the pub. It's a joke entering/exiting the station during peak hours and opening up another entrance would make a huge difference.

edcam Wrote:

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> Jeremy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> >

> > Getting rid of a the pub would be a complete

> waste

> > of a good space.

>

>

> Have you not used the station lately? That pub

> space would solve much of the problem.

[spider69]

Its been a social hub long before the commuting new arrivals turned up,

If you dont like it find another mode of travel.

It also serves a rest point for those people who have spent a tiring time at the hospital

[Lowlander]

Grok Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> So you travelled by train to Victoria without a

> ticket or permit to travel? Hmmmm lol

>

> Lynne Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > No one staffing East Dulwich this afternoon so

> > went to Denmark Hill. Ticket office closed

> there

> > and ticket machine out of order. (Question- how

> do

> > people actually buy tickets?)

> > Had to go to Victoria just to speak to a human

> > being.

Who would buy a paper ticket to Victoria? It's far cheaper to use Oyster or contactless

[Sue]

Lowlander Wrote:

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> Grok Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > So you travelled by train to Victoria without a

> > ticket or permit to travel? Hmmmm lol

> >

> > Lynne Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > No one staffing East Dulwich this afternoon

> so

> > > went to Denmark Hill. Ticket office closed

> > there

> > > and ticket machine out of order. (Question-

> how

> > do

> > > people actually buy tickets?)

> > > Had to go to Victoria just to speak to a

> human

> > > being.

>

>

> Who would buy a paper ticket to Victoria? It's

> far cheaper to use Oyster or contactless

She didn't say she wanted a ticket to Victoria :)

[85volga]

Apologies spider 69 must disagree , Denmark Hill it is actually a fairly busy Train station not a social hub,unfortunately time doesn't stand still and Dulwich / Denmark hill is no longer the place of open fields and tussocks of the 19th century. Nor is it a quiet little suburb of the 20th century.

Considering the cost of train travel, the current station layout is terribly badly designed, unsafe and crowded. I say again remove the pub licence and re open the main entrance as it was designed.

Even if the design is 19th century it would work far better then the current 21st century abomination.

[spider69]

If the pub has to go hope the coffee shop will have to go as well that will take it back to how it was

Thank god I gave up commuting long ago. You have my sympathy.

[JohnL]

spider69 Wrote:

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> If the pub has to go hope the coffee shop will

> have to go as well that will take it back to how

> it was

>

> Thank god I gave up commuting long ago. You have

> my sympathy.

Pub is Listed

Not sure as a pub however

http://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1386053

More info - looks like it couldn't be changed much

http://www.exploringsouthwark.co.uk/the-phoenix/4587642612

[James Barber]

If you ever feel the crowding is dangerous then you should report the incident to the Office of Rail Regulation -https://raildata.orr.gov.uk/riddor/

If enough incidents are reported I'm sure they will investigate.

I have also asked them to proactively investigate citing the reasons of this thread - I've also experienced them and frankly scary how many people are being crammed together.

[Lynne]

OK, everybody accusing me of fare dodging. Have got a freedom pass. So there!

[James Barber]

While we're worried about crowding...Network Rail is applying to bring vacant station block into use as a restaurant http://planbuild.southwark.gov.uk:8190/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=externalDocuments&keyVal=_STHWR_DCAPR_9562848

[Borderlands]

After the fire in the 1980s "Dickie Dirts" (of jeans fame in Camberwell) helped contribute to the saving of the entire station block following a massive local protest at the prospect of it being demolished. British Rail wanted to get rid of it all. Then, I believe, the owner of the "Firkin" pubs helped with even more money and hence the main station block became a pub.

When the hall was still open (and was the station ticket office) where the coffee shop is now, there was the same kind of bottleneck whenever it rained, trains were late or too many people turned up either going or coming. When we saw the misleading plans proposed for the new station (white paintwork and so on) we couldn't believe that they would be accepted because of just how mean they were: it's just an enlarged garden shed really - all the money went on the walkway and lifts, of course, with the downbeat styling of gulag watch towers preferred to anything more stylish. This was advertised as complimenting the Victorian station? yeah, right.

They could either enlarge the shed say a third again in size, just need a few more sheets of board - or open a properly engineered exit only on to Windsor Walk: they had this temporarily when the work was done and it worked well.

[FACEBOOK]

When you consider all that open space at the side of the station where the bus stops are, I fail to see why they can't extend the booking hall further back that direction.

[Borderlands]

Yes, Would be interesting to know how the flow of people coming in and out, vs the ticket machine, monitors and the ticket booth was considered when this design was considered.

It's just the peak times when it is difficult from about 9ish till 4 there doesn't seem to be any problem.

[edcam]

Borderlands Wrote:

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> Yes, Would be interesting to know how the flow of

> people coming in and out, vs the ticket machine,

> monitors and the ticket booth was considered when

> this design was considered.

It was clearly not considered at all. Designed by an idiot.

[James Barber]

An application for certificate of lawfulness has been submitted to add a second ticket machine at Denmark Hill station. I've asked if permission to grant this can be speeded up as it would go a little way to reduce over crowding.

[Jules-and-Boo]

a simple solution would be to introduce a one way system (yes! for people!).... those getting off use the walkway - those getting on use the front stairs to the platforms.

the little time delay in exiting the staion from the train should reduce congestion from each train - i.e. those getting on and off don't use same stairs at same time.

[edcam]

I use this station daily. It never fails to make me angry.

[MarkE]

Jules-and-Boo Wrote:

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> a simple solution would be to introduce a one way

> system (yes! for people!).... those getting off

> use the walkway - those getting on use the front

> stairs to the platforms.

>

I would wholeheartedly support this. The current system makes nobody happy. A one-way approach would, at least, kill off the inumerable natural contraflows that are created during the rush, and reduce a lot of huffing and puffing.

[Jennys]

Jules-and-Boo Wrote:

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> a simple solution would be to introduce a one way

> system (yes! for people!).... those getting off

> use the walkway - those getting on use the front

> stairs to the platforms.

>

> the little time delay in exiting the staion from

> the train should reduce congestion from each train

> - i.e. those getting on and off don't use same

> stairs at same time.

A good idea but wouldn't this cause problems for people who need to use the lifts such as people with disabilities or with prams and pushchairs, bikes, etc.

[d.b]

What they should have done (and may still be able to do relatively cheaply / easily) is put another entrance closer to the bus stop that links to the new ramp.

It wouldn't need to be manned, wouldn't need a new building/ticket hall, just a gate in the fence with a couple of oyster readers. I don't know why we need actual ticket gates, plenty of stations don't have them and just tap in/out on a reader.

This would split the traffic rather than have multiple routes all converging on two gates in a tiny crowded ticket hut.

[LouiseC]

Agree d.b, or alternatively could they put another entrance on the opposite side near platform 4, there is already a pathway with steps there.

[titch juicy]

or both

[Guest]

James Barber Wrote:

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> An application for certificate of lawfulness has

> been submitted to add a second ticket machine at

> Denmark Hill station. I've asked if permission to

> grant this can be speeded up as it would go a

> little way to reduce over crowding.

Where would the 2nd machine be located? I can't see how you can put another machine at the main entrance given it is so congested there during peak hours.