Come in Platform 5! Your Time is Up!

And Boy! Was it HOT!

It must have been the second hottest day of the year, and there was I dressed as an Oompa Loompa! Well, not really, but I was very orange with a blue hat!

Back in August, I was commissioned to take photos of the new Turnback Facility at Stevenage Train Station on behalf of Network Rail & The Spencer Group, who had managed to complete the massive undertaking ahead of schedule.

Arriving around 8:45am to meet the site manager, I was handed a hi-vis vest and trousers in a lovely shade of orange, together with a blue hat, and safety boots. I'd had to let the company know what size feet I am so they could order the boots for me - "oh, well, I'm really only a size 2, but I assume you won't be able to get safety boots in that size, so get me a size 3" I said. 

It was an interesting morning - getting some pics of the new additions to the line that allowed the Hertford trains their own line into Stevenage without blocking the way for the through-trains. I learned quite a lot about how things work on the train lines too, for example when the workers are walking along the sidings, they must wear their safety gear, and when a train is coming they always raise ONE ARM to signal that all is OK. "Whatever you do, don't wave at the train drivers with both arms - they'll think you are in trouble!" I was told.

It was about 30degrees - one of the hottest days of the year. I certainly admire all the workers who dress up in their Oompa Loompa gear and do a hard day's work in the heat!

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It's amazing just how much work goes into something that most people would look at and think "why does it cost so much? (it was £30m!)" or "why does it take so long just to add another platform?".  But, walking that stretch of line and being shown just what is involved - the new overheads that had to be installed, the trackbed, those little blue covered grates for access to the drainage along the line, the 130m-long platform, complete with approximately two kilometres of new electrified track and signalling, underground cables, a new-for-Stevenage buffer stop, and integrating the whole thing into the existing walkway; the number of hours involved is certainly justified.

Heading back to the site office to return all the safety gear, I asked "do you want the boots back?" to which the site manager laughed and said "no, you keep them. I don't think they'll fit any of my guys!!" Hahaha.

Check out more information on the Spencer Group's page HERE 

And the next time you're waiting for the train, take a good look at all the infrastructure - it really is awe-inspiring.