DRJones

Jul 6, 08 - 5:45 PM

Bus Station in bits

been away for about a week, and walked through town earlier to find the bus station building half gone! quite a sight...

anyone taken a pic recently? Paul?

Zach

Jul 6th, 2008 - 5:49 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

It looks like Godzilla has taken a huge bite out of the middle of it.
Considering what ugly building it was I hope Godzilla has the stomach for the rest!

Kyle

Jul 6th, 2008 - 7:44 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

While Godzilla is around can he feast on a few more of the surrounding buildings by any chance ?

Kyle

Jul 9th, 2008 - 1:32 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/imagesall.php?idi=Oslos%2BTrain%2BStation%2BGets%2BSpaced%2BOut&ref=1621&selfidi=1621OslosTrainStationGetsSpacedOut_pic2.jpg&self=nse&no=2&x=69&y=27

Now this is a change to a train/bus station I do like !

Wizard

Jul 9th, 2008 - 2:17 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

In yer dreams.

paul-cardiff

Jul 9th, 2008 - 2:40 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

more like...

Jantra

Jul 9th, 2008 - 2:52 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

can somebody put a pic up of this in yer dreams bus station as I can't seem to get the link to work

Kyle

Jul 9th, 2008 - 4:19 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

lol Wizard and Paul. Yes, I am dreaming. It's the sort of thing that Cardiff needs to do if it is ever going to achieve this major european city by 2020 vision.

Jantra, I was just having a browse on Skyscrapernews and noticed that Oslo has a new railway station in the pipeline.

Here's the link to the story.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1621

And here are the images

I know this thread is about the bus station, but we've also got proposed changes to Cardiff Central coming up in the next ten years so why can't we have some great masterplan for both the bus and railway station that looks as great as this ? I know it isn't to everyone's taste but I think it looks fantastic.

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:08 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

For a country with very few railways and a relatively small city (400- 500,000 at the most) this is oil-money ostentation taken to an extreme. I can only thing that they're trying to out-do the Middle Eastern oil states suddenly.

They only had the brand new Sentralstasjon about twenty years ago which combined the functions of the old Vestban- and Oststasjoner, and even that was an overkill for the size of the system. Check it out on Google and compare it to somewhere where they have real rail traffic, like Frankfurt - Oslo Sentralstasjon has not far off the same number of platforms as a major European hub.

Norway's a country not much bigger than Wales in population but with a big propensity for showing off its unlimited oil wealth with grandiose schemes such as boring tunnels under fjords to islands with a few hundred people living on them. Just to save the ferry crossing.

I was offered a job there 30 years ago (my wife's from there) but turned it down because I could see the way the people were changing and I didn't want our kids to grow up with everything handed to them on a plate.

Of course it's complete envy on my part.....but I tend to avoid the place with its rampant materialism and delusions of grandeur.

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:16 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

.....You can get a good idea of the size of the current station by clicking on the picture in the Wikipedia entry for Oslo Sentralstasjon.

You will also see that the drawing shown on the forum exaggerates the size of the large building in the background, making it look as if it has twice the number of floors it's actually got.

Kyle

Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:20 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

Still, nice building though isn't it ?

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:26 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

Shows what you can do when you've got too much money, Kyle.....like a 500 billion dollar pension fund for a population of 5 million. They won't share it around, you! Greedy blighters.

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 9th, 2008 - 8:07 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

If further proof is needed that the Norwegians don't know what to do with their money, look at this....a floating 300 metre tower off Oslo...

Link to the illustration in today's AFTENPOSTEN:

Don't miss this one!

http://www.aftenposten.no/

Scroll all the way down to the headline

GLEM DET, SANDMAEL! (which means Forget it, Sandmael - the architect!)

Am I jealous? 'Course not....

Wizard

Jul 9th, 2008 - 9:22 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

With all that dosh,no wonder they're not interested in joining the EU!

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 9th, 2008 - 9:28 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

The paper does offer the readers the chance to join in a forum debate about whether the tower is 'tasteless' or not, a debate which I haven't joined in as yet.

What would our forum members say if such a picture for a project of this magnitude suddenly appeared in the Echo for a site just off Cardiff? Suits Dubai or Beijing, perhaps.....but Oslo?

Me

Jul 10th, 2008 - 6:02 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

Back to the bus station, from wot was icwales:

“By the end of the contract in September all the existing upper floors, together with sections of the ground floor, will have been demolished and we will have provided a new roof and thermal cladding to the retained ground floor structure,” he said.

“We will also have replaced an existing bus stand canopy, reinstated signage and paved all the outside areas, allowing the main building contractor plenty of time to plan for the construction works.”

'Retained ground floor structure'? Will the NEW tent cover an old bit of the 1950s building? How can it! None of it is left!?!?!?!

Spence

Jul 10th, 2008 - 9:02 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

Maybe this is actually what they meant before when they said they were taking off the derelict top floor to improve its appearance in the meantime until the Central Square masterplan is drawn up. Like a half and half structure. On one hand it could look terrible, but on the other the retention of some of the brick building coupled with a bit of coloured glass and feature lights could fit in better with the existing surroundings than a totally new white structure.

Jantra

Jul 11th, 2008 - 9:45 AM

Re: Bus Station in bits

per Capita

Qatar
Luxembourg
Norway

so it would be beneficial for Norway to join the EU

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 11th, 2008 - 7:10 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

They just can't wait to share their oil, gas, fisheries, Hydro-electric power with the rest of Europe, Jantra......and of course would totally welcome freedom of movement of workers from less well-off countries to share the 500 billion dollar pension fund for its 5 million inhabitants.... Just ask any Norwegian...!

jantra

Jul 12th, 2008 - 2:15 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

that's only $100k per person assuming all are retired

crikey! thats some pot...

I'm marrying me a Norwegian

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 12th, 2008 - 2:55 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

That's the easy bit, Jantra

....it's getting a job there is the problem. If there's Norwegian citizen of eaqual qualification/experience level applying you've no hope. That's the law....

Once the Americans had helped them with their technology to extract oil from the North Sea in the early 70s the Yanks were gently eased out of Norway by Norwegians who had now acquired American know-how - however much they wanted to stay (as many did). I know a few who switched to English-language teaching (with huge drops in salary) just in order to be able to stay there - of course, if they married a Norwegian, her citizenship ensured that they stayed there. Quite a few did.

jantra

Jul 12th, 2008 - 6:08 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

so, let me get this...marry helga, typical norwegian viking princess, and get a great big pension to boot

sounds like the stuff of dreams

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 12th, 2008 - 6:35 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

Wanna few addresses, Cardiff area, Jantra....?

jantra

Jul 12th, 2008 - 7:35 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

my wife might not be too happy with that

go on then

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 13th, 2008 - 7:08 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

Well, they're all over 75, for a start.....

jantra

Jul 13th, 2008 - 8:05 PM

Re: Bus Station in bits

i take it thats the IQ

Author	Comment
DRJones Jul 6, 08 - 5:45 PM	Bus Station in bits been away for about a week, and walked through town earlier to find the bus station building half gone! quite a sight... anyone taken a pic recently? Paul?
Zach Jul 6th, 2008 - 5:49 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits It looks like Godzilla has taken a huge bite out of the middle of it. Considering what ugly building it was I hope Godzilla has the stomach for the rest!
Kyle Jul 6th, 2008 - 7:44 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits While Godzilla is around can he feast on a few more of the surrounding buildings by any chance ?
Kyle Jul 9th, 2008 - 1:32 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits http://www.skyscrapernews.com/imagesall.php?idi=Oslos%2BTrain%2BStation%2BGets%2BSpaced%2BOut&ref=1621&selfidi=1621OslosTrainStationGetsSpacedOut_pic2.jpg&self=nse&no=2&x=69&y=27 Now this is a change to a train/bus station I do like !
Wizard Jul 9th, 2008 - 2:17 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits In yer dreams.
paul-cardiff Jul 9th, 2008 - 2:40 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits more like...
Jantra Jul 9th, 2008 - 2:52 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits can somebody put a pic up of this in yer dreams bus station as I can't seem to get the link to work
Kyle Jul 9th, 2008 - 4:19 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits lol Wizard and Paul. Yes, I am dreaming. It's the sort of thing that Cardiff needs to do if it is ever going to achieve this major european city by 2020 vision. Jantra, I was just having a browse on Skyscrapernews and noticed that Oslo has a new railway station in the pipeline. Here's the link to the story. http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1621 And here are the images I know this thread is about the bus station, but we've also got proposed changes to Cardiff Central coming up in the next ten years so why can't we have some great masterplan for both the bus and railway station that looks as great as this ? I know it isn't to everyone's taste but I think it looks fantastic.
Ian, Bridgend Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:08 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits For a country with very few railways and a relatively small city (400- 500,000 at the most) this is oil-money ostentation taken to an extreme. I can only thing that they're trying to out-do the Middle Eastern oil states suddenly. They only had the brand new Sentralstasjon about twenty years ago which combined the functions of the old Vestban- and Oststasjoner, and even that was an overkill for the size of the system. Check it out on Google and compare it to somewhere where they have real rail traffic, like Frankfurt - Oslo Sentralstasjon has not far off the same number of platforms as a major European hub. Norway's a country not much bigger than Wales in population but with a big propensity for showing off its unlimited oil wealth with grandiose schemes such as boring tunnels under fjords to islands with a few hundred people living on them. Just to save the ferry crossing. I was offered a job there 30 years ago (my wife's from there) but turned it down because I could see the way the people were changing and I didn't want our kids to grow up with everything handed to them on a plate. Of course it's complete envy on my part.....but I tend to avoid the place with its rampant materialism and delusions of grandeur.
Ian, Bridgend Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:16 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits .....You can get a good idea of the size of the current station by clicking on the picture in the Wikipedia entry for Oslo Sentralstasjon. You will also see that the drawing shown on the forum exaggerates the size of the large building in the background, making it look as if it has twice the number of floors it's actually got.
Kyle Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:20 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits Still, nice building though isn't it ?
Ian, Bridgend Jul 9th, 2008 - 6:26 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits Shows what you can do when you've got too much money, Kyle.....like a 500 billion dollar pension fund for a population of 5 million. They won't share it around, you! Greedy blighters.
Ian, Bridgend Jul 9th, 2008 - 8:07 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits If further proof is needed that the Norwegians don't know what to do with their money, look at this....a floating 300 metre tower off Oslo... Link to the illustration in today's AFTENPOSTEN: Don't miss this one! http://www.aftenposten.no/ Scroll all the way down to the headline GLEM DET, SANDMAEL! (which means Forget it, Sandmael - the architect!) Am I jealous? 'Course not....
Wizard Jul 9th, 2008 - 9:22 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits With all that dosh,no wonder they're not interested in joining the EU!
Ian, Bridgend Jul 9th, 2008 - 9:28 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits The paper does offer the readers the chance to join in a forum debate about whether the tower is 'tasteless' or not, a debate which I haven't joined in as yet. What would our forum members say if such a picture for a project of this magnitude suddenly appeared in the Echo for a site just off Cardiff? Suits Dubai or Beijing, perhaps.....but Oslo?
Me Jul 10th, 2008 - 6:02 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits Back to the bus station, from wot was icwales: “By the end of the contract in September all the existing upper floors, together with sections of the ground floor, will have been demolished and we will have provided a new roof and thermal cladding to the retained ground floor structure,” he said. “We will also have replaced an existing bus stand canopy, reinstated signage and paved all the outside areas, allowing the main building contractor plenty of time to plan for the construction works.” 'Retained ground floor structure'? Will the NEW tent cover an old bit of the 1950s building? How can it! None of it is left!?!?!?!
Spence Jul 10th, 2008 - 9:02 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits Maybe this is actually what they meant before when they said they were taking off the derelict top floor to improve its appearance in the meantime until the Central Square masterplan is drawn up. Like a half and half structure. On one hand it could look terrible, but on the other the retention of some of the brick building coupled with a bit of coloured glass and feature lights could fit in better with the existing surroundings than a totally new white structure.
Jantra Jul 11th, 2008 - 9:45 AM	Re: Bus Station in bits per Capita Qatar Luxembourg Norway so it would be beneficial for Norway to join the EU
Ian, Bridgend Jul 11th, 2008 - 7:10 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits They just can't wait to share their oil, gas, fisheries, Hydro-electric power with the rest of Europe, Jantra......and of course would totally welcome freedom of movement of workers from less well-off countries to share the 500 billion dollar pension fund for its 5 million inhabitants.... Just ask any Norwegian...!
jantra Jul 12th, 2008 - 2:15 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits that's only $100k per person assuming all are retired crikey! thats some pot... I'm marrying me a Norwegian
Ian, Bridgend Jul 12th, 2008 - 2:55 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits That's the easy bit, Jantra ....it's getting a job there is the problem. If there's Norwegian citizen of eaqual qualification/experience level applying you've no hope. That's the law.... Once the Americans had helped them with their technology to extract oil from the North Sea in the early 70s the Yanks were gently eased out of Norway by Norwegians who had now acquired American know-how - however much they wanted to stay (as many did). I know a few who switched to English-language teaching (with huge drops in salary) just in order to be able to stay there - of course, if they married a Norwegian, her citizenship ensured that they stayed there. Quite a few did.
jantra Jul 12th, 2008 - 6:08 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits so, let me get this...marry helga, typical norwegian viking princess, and get a great big pension to boot sounds like the stuff of dreams
Ian, Bridgend Jul 12th, 2008 - 6:35 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits Wanna few addresses, Cardiff area, Jantra....?
jantra Jul 12th, 2008 - 7:35 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits my wife might not be too happy with that go on then
Ian, Bridgend Jul 13th, 2008 - 7:08 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits Well, they're all over 75, for a start.....
jantra Jul 13th, 2008 - 8:05 PM	Re: Bus Station in bits i take it thats the IQ