Elizabeth/Central Line Interchange At Stratford – 23rd June 2022
During the rail strike yesterday, it was a good time to show how the interchange between the Elizabeth and Central Lines at Stratford station.
Note.
- I took these photographs from the London-bound platform.
- Platform 3 is the Central Line platform on the Southern side.
- Platform 3A is a second platform face to allow boarding of Central Line trains from both sides.
- Platform 5 is the Elizabeth Line platform on the Northern side.
- To the North of this pair of platforms, there is a second pair for Essex bound trains.
- Platform 6 is the Central Line platform on the Southern side.
- Platform 8 is the Elizabeth Line platform on the Northern side.
Due to the strike I only saw one Elizabeth Line train in the time I was there and I took that to Liverpool Street station.
Step-Free Access Between Train And Platform
These four pictures show the step between trains and platforms at the stations.
The step is bigger on the Elizabeth Line, but both sides could be improved.
This Is An Important Interchange
These two cross-platform changes at Stratford station form an important interchange on the Elizabeth Line and when the Elizabeth Line is fully operational, they will have the following trains.
- Elizabeth Line – Peak – 16 tph
- Elizabeth Line – Off-Peak – 12 tph
- Central Line – Peak – 35 tph
- Central Line – Off-Peak – 24 tph
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- These two double-sided platforms will be very busy.
- In the Peak, a train will arrive every seventy seconds.
I believe that this interchange will effectively make the Central Line stations, that are North-West of Stratford, a virtual extension of the Elizabeth Line.
A side-effect could be a rise in house prices near any of those Central Line stations.
Conclusion
This very important interchange, between the Underground and National Rail services was actually opened in October 1946.
It is surprising to me, that we don’t have more interchanges like this in the UK, between local and long-distance rail services.
The Anonymous Widower 
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Pingback by Six Good Points Of The Elizabeth Line « The Anonymous Widower | September 28, 2022 |
Since the introduction of the Elizabeth could not help notice that the eastbound Central line at Stratford on platform 6 would benefit from an additional departure board near the front, since it can be very difficult to see the existing departure board further down the platform when either in changing from the Elizabeth at the front carriages or walking up the front platform entrance.
There have been instances where many a commuter coming from either see an eastbound Central line yet are taking a gamble on whether it is the right train as unable to see if its going to Epping/etc or a Hainault/etc.
Comment by Al | November 17, 2023 |
This is a problem on many Underground/Overground platforms. I regularly change on to a Northbound Overground train at Whitechapel from the Elizabeth Line and you don’t sometimes know which train is arriving, until it arrives. A second display board at the Northern end would help a lot.
Comment by AnonW | November 17, 2023 |