Tuesday 22 July 2008

Shoreditch High Street station box going up

As previously reported here, the East London Line extension's Shoreditch High Street station is to be enclosed on all sides by a massive windowless concrete box (i.e. walls and a roof). The primary aim of this is to protect the line so that it can stay open during the construction of skyscrapers alongside it.

Until now there was no sign of it, but this week they started erecting posts to support the structure:
It really is that big compared to the poxy humans.

Thanks to Antonio for the photo. Here's a panorama of the whole of Bishopsgate Goods Yard, using pictures taken by him today from the Tea Building on the north side of the site (click to enlarge):

The box will stretch at full height for the length of the platforms (which corresponds to the finished section of viaduct), and at a lower height all the way to Brick Lane on the left and Shoreditch High Street on the right (a map of Shoreditch, if you're lost).

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looking at the panoramic photo - is that the famous Braithwaite viaduct covereed in grass in the background? Anyone know how that fits in with the proposed development of the goodsyard site?

Mr Thant said...

The Braithwaite Viaduct is on the left where the bushes come much closer to the ELL viaduct. Everything else is for the chop, possibly during a closure this Christmas.

Anonymous said...

what does "protect the railway from skyscrapers" mean? i don't get it. sorry

Mr Thant said...

Sorry - I've reworded it slighly now. It's so that they don't have to close the line during construction of them.

Anonymous said...

Skyscrapers in Shoreditch - the coming Manhattan in the east.

"When will you pay me?" say the bells of Old Bailey,
"When I grow rich", say the bells of Shoreditch,

That couplet from the children's nursery rhyme seems strangely appropriate.

Anonymous said...

Does "everything else for the chop" extend to the remaining sections of the the Broad Street vaiduct?

Mr Thant said...

Most of the Broad Street Viaduct south of what's being used for the ELL is already gone. Everything south of Worship Street has been gone for years, and a big section north of Worship Street was demolished in the last few months.

That leaves only the short chunk between Holywell Lane and Great Eastern Street where those tube carriages are parked. There might still be a short chunk left on the south side of GE street - not sure.