The Anonymous Widower

Is This One Of The Best Platform Access Routes In Europe?

I have been to some large and grand stations in Europe like Amsterdam Centraal, Berlin Hbf, Leizig Hbf and Milan Centrale.

But I have yet to visit a station, where a subsidiary group of platforms have such a spectacular two-level approach.

I took these pictures as I walked from the main concourse to the underground gates, leading to the escalators, that take passengers to and from the middle of the platforms.

It should be noted, that the concourse ends of the platforms can also be accessed using a bridge from the concourse. This bridge can be seen over the orchestra pit.

This wide tunnel has been designed to handle just five platforms 20-24.

This article on Rail Engineer is entitled New Platforms At London Waterloo.

The articles states these facts and objectives.

• The platforms will be shortened by a hundred metres.
• Each platform will be able to handle a twelve-car train.

South Western Railway‘s new ten-car Class 701 trains have a capacity of 600 passengers.

As the platforms will handle twenty tph,, this means that a total of 12,000 passengers could arrive in every peak hour, but with two gate-lines on separate levels and various routes to either the Underground or walking out of the station, it appears to be designed to cope.

The access would even cope if because of some important event there was a substantial amount of travellers going the opposite way to the commuters.

In the future, the arrangement would mean that each platform could be divided into two; 20A and 20B etc.

• Passengers for the far train could use both routes, but would probably use the tunnel.
• Passengers for the near train, would probably use the bridge.

Busby Berkeley has been hired to get the choreography right.

Conclusion

Very large traveller flows have met their Waterloo.

May 20, 2019 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Architecture, Waterloo Station