An Academic Question: If Albion Had Built The Amex At Waterhall

[Man of Harveys]

There is already a disused halt in Patcham. It used to be the next stop after Preston Park

Really? First I've heard of it and I'm a bit of an anorak when it comes to things like that. Interesting.

 

[Ernest]

It was illegal, therefore impossible, to build a halt at Waterhall then or ever as the length of open track was too short between two tunnels

Where did you get that from ?

 

[dazzer6666]

Waterhall is also a capped former landfill site isn't it ? Not sure what that would have meant in terms of being able to build on it.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Given the number of mobile homes that pitch up at Waterhall on a regular basis I think we would have been a joke club due to the number of home games postponed for health and safety issues outside the ground.

True, and we wouldn't be able to call Palace fans pikeys now, would we?

 

[Deleted User X18H]

The only former and disused halts in the conurbation are Holland Road Halt , Hartington Road Halt , Rowan Halt and Golf Club Halt .

Waterhall cannot have a station for one simple reason . THE WELLSBOURNE.

Timmy HB&B a real Brightonian with no need to prove it .
Buck Rd .

 

[GT49er]

Yeh, whatever. I remember thinking back in the day what a fantastic and unique stadium could be built into the side of the hill at the Beeding cement works site, with a couple of hundred yards of railway track re-instated to the club's own exclusive match day railway station.
Didn't happen, obviously won't ever happen, so I've just moved on.

Now, what other possible sites that were rejected should we discuss?

 

[symyjym]

The other objection to any major development at Waterhall has always been the impact on the water table.

What impact exactly? No one has ever gone into detail about it.

I always thought that the water table excuse was a red herring. If it were an issue the A23 and the railway line would be subject to regular flooding problems.

 

[perseus]

Study for Geography Students

Obviously an academic question as we are nicely settled now, but had the Falmer proposals had issues preventing an application being viable, yet Waterhall had all its obstacles removed, I wonder whether the site would ever have been a similar success or not.

Would the transport have been any smoother ? Would the match day experience have been as good ? Would the site have been more convenient for some and not for others ?

I heard at the time that the the railway authorities would have considered building a halt. I don't know how true that was.

Also, if both sites had been regarded as locations that would have got the green light, and gone to a vote, I wonder how many folk would actually, with no benefit of hindsight, chosen Waterhall over Falmer.

Obviously, all the pondering is based on the question as being relevant after Archer etc had gone, as opposed to before.

I like the term "obstacles". Planning applicants see it that way as an Obstacle Race, like getting promotion.

Planners (in a Socialist Government) see it as the best rational decision taking into account all factors. Trouble is that is we are a complex society with politicians, private property owners and vested interests and laws. The applicant tries to get the fix in with the politicans first (they change though) cause people make decisions.

I don't think the National Inpectorate (for want of a better word for the national planners) were on the ball early enough because London standards it was piddly development. They caused the delays. Some of this was hindsight.

And things changed since the start. The railways were nationalised and became crappier. I did not expect that! With the current crappy railways (unlike when Bolton built a railway station) Falmer turned out to be the best choice. With a nationalised railway system and new railway stations feasible, I think with a Socialist Government two other sites could (not would) have been as good (better parking?). But that was not the case. Politically, it was correct.

Planning permission would have been easier at New Monks Farm as the Council and the local people knew the value of a football club on their doorstep and there were less obstacles, as proved by the training ground.

Falmer (ironic) are the winners cause they get disruption just as few days a year instead of every day with houses.

 

[perseus]

PS: The World is not a rational place, especially not football. Otherwise, Bournemouth would not be in the PL. Results are as a result of people (Managers and Chairman) and even footballers making decisions and executing them.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

... things changed since the start. The railways were nationalised and became crappier. I did not expect that!

Good grief! How OLD are YOU? I never realised that you spent most of the 1940s pondering the potential benefits of state-ownership of the Southern Railway, only to be surprised when things turned out differently.

 

[perseus]

Good grief! How OLD are YOU? I never realised that you spent most of the 1940s pondering the potential benefits of state-ownership of the Southern Railway, only to be surprised when things turned out differently.

Typo. Should have said privatised and become crappier.