Waterloo East station sees spruce up whilst line to Charing Cross closed

Network Rail have been embarking on improvements to Waterloo East station whilst engineering work is carried out on the line between London Bridge and Charing Cross.

The 22-day closure is seeing a vast number of jobs undertaken, and whilst tracks are re-laid, work undertaken at Hungerford Bridge and platforms at Charing Cross rebuilt station some other work has been shown off.

Network Rail have done a wonderful job in keeping the public informed of progress daily via their social media channels, including repainting walkways and installing new windows at Waterloo East.

In total 300 panes are being replaced.

Handily the day before the 22-day closure I went to Waterloo East to document the station and take a couple of dozen photos.

Views

It’s a station I always enjoy passing through (granted, not so much in rush hour) and not least for the views. Traditional terraces sit in front of ever more towers. The contrast is everything an exciting city should be.

I vividly recall walking through here and looking out during an early winter snowfall and the view looking stunning as it started to settle on rooftops.

That does feel a million miles away now when I’ve not seen  a drop of rain for about six weeks.

Another appealing part of the station is during long sunny summers, when windows cast great shadows along walkways.

Something that is much more noticeable recently of course.

Station feel

For all the surrounding development, the station feels oddly provincial for such a central location.

Yet look out and 21st century London is all around including a cracking view of the Shard.

Avoid the towers and it could be a major suburban centre in outer London or a Kent market town.

Also a shout out to the sign at the station’s coffee shop which raises a smile.

This raised a question whilst there the day before closure: how do Network Rail compensate places like this?

I could’ve asked but my train was due, the queues for a latte was long and so it remains a mystery.

Anyway, that’s enough of my little ode to Waterloo East station.

As for works currently being undertaken we’re well past the halfway mark of the 22-day closure, with trains set to resume through the station on Sunday 16 August.