Rejoice! London’s newest railway station opened today on Thameslink

Good news as the newest railway station in London opened today – and it’s the first for 10 years in the capital.

Brent Cross West saw ribbon cutting today with Sadiq Khan in attendance (though it’s not a TfL-run station) and is an impressive station comprising four platforms and on the Thameslink route from Luton to Rainham –  though only two are currently in use.

If you’re so inclined, you can take a trip directly from Greenwich in about 36 minutes from tomorrow.

Though you probably wouldn’t want to unless finding a job in the industrial estates surrounding the station. And if you do, your job may not be too long for this word given areas around the station are earmarked for major housing growth.

Up to 6,500 homes are planned on land surrounding the station including large crap parks and retail sheds.

Services

The zone three station will be served by six trains per hour with up to eight during the peaks. Not bad considering there’s not a great deal around it.

Still, it’s a good example of building infrastructure before thousands of homes arrive (if developers pull their finger out – hopefully this isn’t another Greenwich peninsula et al).

There’s no ticket office but it’s well staffed with ticket barriers. Compare that to downgrades at the rebuilt Kidbrooke station recently opened on Southeastern Metro which is also seeing around 6,500 homes in the near vicinity. Initial plans were chipped away until a skeleton staff remained and ticket gates removed as at most Southeastern Metro stations.

In terms of design Brent Cross West touches upon recent trends with bids towards Abbey Wood via use of timber and an arched wooden framed roof.

Woolwich Arsenal DLR station was also ringing bells with exposed concrete. To be fair that could just be waiting 20 minutes in Woolwich last night for a Southeastern train which left me to wonder about taking photos. The service cuts are good for something I suppose.