Wynyard Station Upgrade

[hornetfig]

In these old escalator installations, all the parts are quite separate - ie you build the pits and the well, then you fit the stairway and mechanics into it. So they're eminently serviceable for a long time.

They are, in fact, some of the oldest escalators in the world because they're very early examples of escalators that have all the minimum physical safety functions of modern escalators: cleated steps, synchronised continuous hand rail, flat loading and alighting zones etc.

But you're right that there must be limits to serviceability. David Jones decided it was cheaper to replace their units wholly instead of refurbish. The other old department store escalators died with the old department stores (except Farmers/Myer/Grace Bros city, and its myriad of escalator vintages, which went with the reconstruction of the store)

[Frosty]

Walking through Wynyard Station today and saw the old metal pylons that are on platform 3/4 removed back to their original state without the light blue paint they look very rusty. Along with that platform tiling seems to be going well.

I must say the temporary concrete surface in between removal and installation of new tiles is very abrasive I can feel it wearing out my shoes as I walk.

[jpp42]

When were they last refurbished then they surely must be in a good condition considering they generally work ?

The Wynyard Station escalators were refurbished very recently - last year or two. They received all new treads at this refurbishment, and I think I read new motors.

At some point this is a "Ship of Theseus" question- is it still the same fundamental object if all the parts have been replaced over time? When does it move from restoration to "reconstruction" and thus not really historical?

[rogf24]

Not sure if this belongs here or the tram remnants but this looks fascinating.

The tramway stairs have been uncovered after many decades.

http://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/ ... -50-years/

[moa999]

One repainted pylon on platforms 3/4 now - bright white. Still yet to open up the new staircase to 3/4.

It looks like the new Opal only gates in the NE corner are about ready to go. They were switched on today and visible behind the hoardings.

[jpp42]

Here's what these stairs looked like yesterday morning.

(Full resolution here: http://i.imgur.com/8Aohw1Y.jpg due to this site's stupidly low attachment size limit.

[mandonov]

A good visualisation of all the upgrades happening to the Wynyard precinct:

[mandonov]

I combined 3 diagrams together to show what the finished product will be from the Wynyard Station Upgrade, Wynyard Walk and the 1 Carrington Street development:


Compare to the layout pre upgrade works:

[moa999]

Wandered through Wynyard again today.

Not a massive amount of 'obvious' progress in the past month or so
A few more new Opal gates open on the Western side and the old style gates removed, but not much changed on the East.
They still haven't broken through the new stairs to the upper platforms.

Quite a lot of demolition has been done for the new shops/path to Wynyard Walk

[mandonov]

Here's what these stairs looked like yesterday morning.

8Aohw1Y.jpg

(Full resolution here: http://i.imgur.com/8Aohw1Y.jpg due to this site's stupidly low attachment size limit.

Actually, it looks like this is a different staircase to 1/2 being boarded up.

Notice that you can't see the building support present in the other photo, and that the brick wall rising diagonally from the landing was there previously?
None of that is in the image on that realestate website.

I presume platforms 1/2 had the same amount of stairs as 3/4? If so, then there's 3 staircases for them to remove, as the lift to 5/6 has replaced the northern most staircase.

Also keep in mind that they're changing the direction of one of the staircases to 5/6, so removing a redundant staircase would have been necessary in that instance anyway.

I found this on Trams DownUnder:


You can see the stairs to 3/4 in the background mirroring these, and judging by the location and direction of the staircase, this is one of the northernmost stairs. So these have either been replaced by a lift or are being ripped up right now.

[Bedford-29]

Two showing what was upstairs and the tram platforms Wynyard 1958.Pictures from trams down under website

[andy_centralcoast]

Any idea when the new stairs to platform 3/4 open? The signage still up around the station says they're due to open a month ago.

[boronia]

"Delayed due to operational requirements".

[Jurassic_Joke]

And remind me, when is this new station due to be complete?

Looks like an absolute bombsite at the moment, especially the concourse.

[mandonov]

Mid-2016 is still the projected opening date. At least it's not a year late like Wynyard Walk is.

I think they're doing quite well time wise, except for the delay in the toilets and staircase opening.
A lot of the concourse has new flooring, the gates on the York St side are operational, I saw a covered up gateline behind the fence near the Carrington St lift the other day, the redirected stair to 5/6 is almost finished, and the platform retiling is almost completely done.

I think they might try and have it finish concurrently with Wynyard Walk. More of a news item that way.

[mandonov]

New staircase to 3 and 4 is open, but the toilets are still being worked on. The redirected stair to 5 and 6 is also open, with the York Street concourse completely retiled.

[moa999]

Sadly they haven't tried to mimic the wooden railing on the new stairs to 3/4. Just Generic grey metal railings.

Old stairs on 5/6 are almost demolished as well.

The new line of Opal readers definitely visible under plastic covers towards the Northern end of George St side and tiling in that area looks near complete.

Finally at Town Hall they have begun retiling the unpaid area of the concourse with the Eastern side mostly complete and beginning on the West.

[mandonov]

Yes, and signs at Town Hall say it will be complete early 2017.

[moa999]

A few Twitter pics from MySydney of the Wynyard Walk Napoleon Plaza entry

https://twitter.com/MySydney/status/727431285497552896

Also appears at least part of the new station office is now open and toilets look like they are nearing completion

[moa999]

Old set of stairs at Wynyard 3/4 closest to Town Hall closed today for retiling at its base - so back to three stairs in use today (not so much of an issue with City circle closed)

New toilets having door locks fitted and area has been cleaned up so I'd expect an opening next week.

Now two sets of new gates visible on the Eastern side, although quite a bit of clean up needed to open these.

Ungated area leading towards Wynyard Walk looks fairly complete and may well reopen in advance of the Walk.

[moa999]

New toilets at Wynyard are now open, and the temporary facilities have been closed.

Area behind the barricades looks to have been cleaned up so I would think not long till the first new George St gates are opened

[moa999]

Looks like today's the day for the Wynyard George St changeover. Went through this morning and most of the area is shut off with only the small set of northern old gates open.

Expect mayhem on Monday with those operating on autopilot disrupted

[moa999]

As predicted, George St side at Wynyard transformed over the weekend with most of the new gates open.

At present from South to North gates are as follows.
- Relocated set of old gates (about 6)
- Small set of new gates (4or5)
- Small set of new gates (4or5,still closed)
- Medium set of new gates (6or7)

The Northern end is unchanged for now with old gates still in operation, but I'd suspect this area will change soon and put the lift up to Wynyard Park back into a public area.

The old gates at the southern end have been put in an open position and covered in black plastic.

[Tonymercury]

Thanks for the continued progress posts on this Please keep up teh good work

[moa999]

The afore mentioned small set of gates is now open.

The NE pathway has changed direction slightly and now includes a set of new gates (currently open and covered). Likely that this area will switch over to the new gates in the next couple of days.

Finally to the West and at the bottom of the wooden escalators another staircase has been partially revealed - any idea what this led to?