Business profile
incorporate induction loops for the benefit of those with hearing aids. Sonic’s work can be seen at Farringdon station in Clerkenwell
which links London Underground and national rail services. That is about to change as the status of Farringdon will be vastly increased when the Thameslink running north and south and Crossrail, running east to west, projects are completed in 2018. It will then become one of the country’s busiest stations. Needless to say the upgrading of the overground services has required a complete remodelling of the existing station, with longer platforms, a new roof canopy, a new entrance and a new concourse and booking hall. The booking hall, opened in December 2011, is currently coping
ensuring that general facilities were updated for today’s passengers needs. This included an update on the period concourse and booking office. The Loughborough booking office is very striking with two ticket windows set in a wall of decorative boarding in white, framed with pleasantly carved and moulded timber work in dark blue. It was important to retain this distinctive feature and Sonic produced a format where the only visible change to the 19th century design was to bring down the bottom level of the windows and introduce a projecting shelf in maple wood to accommodate the needs of wheelchair users. A higher writing area is available between the two windows. Although the general appearance of the ticket area has hardly changed, the actual facilities definitely have. The windows themselves are bullet resistant glass but are perfectly clear so that unobstructed face-to-face contact is possible between traveller and booking office staff. Chip and pin facilities are placed either side of the raised writing
area and ticket trays are recessed into the counter under each window to ensure security. Sonic’s principle of ticket
office work stations is to create an area where the customer has non- threatening eye contact and clear voice exchange with staff, yet the employee is safe from assault, theft, germs and even to a large extent the draughts that are still endemic in station forecourts. Large, clear-glass areas, communications systems that neither distort nor sound far away plus cash passing trays, cash tills and a full range of internal counter units that are user-friendly, nowadays greet the traveller. Laminated safety glass, sometimes bullet resistant, a voice system that does not require bending to ensure close contact with a microphone and an administration area designed to care for ticket office staff all form the basis of the work stations. Provision of facilities for the
less able rail user has received increasing attention over recent years. All of Sonic’s recent installations involve a lower level window with protruding ticket shelf designed especially to take wheelchairs and allow ticket exchanges at a convenient height and conformation for the user. The needs of the deaf are not forgotten either for all the new generation of communications windows
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with Thameslink traffic and Farringdon’s First Capital Connect services but has the capacity to accommodate Crossrail passengers when that service opens. At Farringdon there is a total of five windows, with three ticket office windows facing directly onto the concourse.
The floor tiles and predominant colour scheme of the ticket hall
is grey, the stainless steel used immediately above, below and framing the windows blends perfectly with the surroundings, while any hint of starkness is relieved by the use of oatmeal coloured panels leading up to the ceiling. No timber has been used in the construction to eliminate fire risks.
The windows themselves are clear, allowing undisturbed face
-to-face communication between staff and passengers, but are of laminated 42mm bullet resistant glass granting utmost safety for staff and security for cash transactions. The larger windows weighed 425 kgs so all were lifted into position using specialist Geko lifting hydraulic equipment fitted with powerful vacuum pads. The windows extend down to below waist level to aid people with restricted mobility. Other Sonic installations include the complete refitting of the ticket offices for South West Trains at Basingstoke and Southampton Parkway. For further information contact: Sonic Windows. Tel: 01424 223864
www.sonicwindows.co.uk
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