Minding The Gap: ‘It’s A Scandal, It’s A Death Trap’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The announcement “mind the gap” is almost as much a part of travelling in London as the Tube sign or a red bus. But when is the gap between the train and the platform too far and too dangerous?
These are the first two paragraphs.
Eric Leach thinks he has the answer to that, and it is 30cm, or 12 inches. He knows this because while lying on the platform in agony having fallen over while getting off a train, he had time to look at the vertical drop between the train and the platform.
In February, at Ealing Broadway station in west London, he stepped off an Elizabeth line train onto the platform. Such was the force from the drop, that he broke a bone in his foot. He collapsed on the platform.
I went to Ealing Broadway station and took these pictures.
The gap is quite large, but not larger than many of the suburban trains in London.
These pictures are from Greater Anglia and Merseyrail.
Note the gap-fillers below the door.
Conclusion
The Elizabeth Line can do better.
Riding The SL8 Bus Between Shepherd’s Bush Market And Uxbridge Stations – 16th July 2023
This draft map from TfL illustrates the concept of the Superloop.
The spoke on the Western side of the map is route SL8 between White City and Uxbridge stations.
This morning I rode the route between Shepherd’s Bush Market and Uxbridge stations and took these pictures.
Note.
- Some of the buses have still to be painted in the new white-topped Superloop livery.
- The buses are diesel-powered.
- The stops have their own livery.
- I estimate the route is 12.3 miles long and the bus took 67 minutes.
- The frequency appeared to be typically four buses per hour.
- The route is mainly dual-carriageway to the West of Ealing Hospital.
Route SL8 used to be route 607 and except for the branding nothing has changed.
I have few thoughts.
The Concept
The concept seemed to work well, where the roads were free of traffic.
But we get get a bit delayed through places like Ealing Broadway, where parking reduced the width of the road.
The Route
The route connects quite a few stations and other important locations.
From East to West they include.
- Westfield Shopping Centre
- Shepherd’s Bush station for the Central Line and the Overground.
- Shepherd’s Bush Market station for the Hammersmith and City Line
- Acton Central station for the Overground
- Ealing Common station for the District and Piccadilly Lines.
- Ealing Broadway station for the Central, District and Elizabeth Lines.
- Ealing Broadway
- Ealing Town Hall
- Ealing Hospital
- Southall Broadway
- Hayes
Note.
- The route is very much the same as the now-abandoned West London Tram, which was proposed twenty years ago.
- The tram was opposed y the three London boroughs on the route, as it cut them in half. But buses don’t cause the same problems.
- The Superloop map shows that the SL8 bus calls at Hayes and Harlington station, but we went nowhere near it today.
- The route with its sections of dual carriageway and congested shopping streets was a bit like the route o Birmingham’s hydrogen buses, that I wrote about in Riding Birmingham’s New Hydrogen-Powered Buses.
I feel as the route is very similar to the West London Tram, which was probably extensively researched, that there won’t be too many changes to this route.
Parking Along The Route
I wouldn’t be surprised to see more parking restrictions along the route, to speed up the buses in the crowded shopping streets like Acton, Ealing Broadway and Southall Broadway.
The Buses
The buses are Egyptian-built eVoSeti diesel buses, which use a Volvo chassis.
- I don’t like these buses as they don’t have a flat floor and I’ve seen some passengers struggling with the stairs on the lower deck.
- At least the stairs to the upper deck aren’t too bad.
We used to have them locally in Dalston and I used to avoid them, if there was another bus close behind.
This new route, though should be served by zero-carbon buses, so that pollution and carbon emissions are reduced.
- Between White City and Uxbridge takes over an hour.
- A battery-electric bus would need recharging during the day.
- It looks like there’s not much space at White City and Uxbridge stations, to install charging stations.
- A hydrogen-powered bus could probably manage all day on one filling.
For these reasons, I suspect that hydrogen buses would be the preferred option.
Shenfield To Heathrow – 21st May 2023
Today, is the first day, when Elizabeth Line trains are running direct between Shenfield station and Heathrow.
I took the 10:41 train from Shenfield and it arrived at Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 station at 12:02.
I took these pictures on the route.
Note.
- The busiest section of the journey was between Ilford and Liverpool Street, when all seats were taken.
- It was also reasonably busy after Ealing Broadway.
- Are passengers going to Heathrow Airport with a change at Ealing Broadway?
Given the crowds of passengers, that I keep seeing on the Elizabeth Line, I keep thinking that the sixteen trains per hour (tph) Off Peak frequency needs to be increased.
A Trip Along The Central Line – 26th January 2023
Today, I took a trip on the Central Line from Leyton station in the East to Ealing Broadway station in the West.
The trip was about eleven this morning and one aim was to assess how busy the line was.
For much of the journey between Leyton and Marble Arch, the train had about half the seats taken, but by the time we got to Ealing Broadway, there were only two of us in my carriage.
After arriving, I had a short chat with the cheery Scots lassie, who had driven us across London.
- She said, that passenger levels had held up on the Central Line, despite the competition from the Elizabeth Line.
- But she also said that large numbers of passengers transfer from the Elizabeth Line to the Central Line at Stratford in the Morning Peak.
- She didn’t say, but there is probably an opposite change in the Evening Peak.
With the exception of a couple of ladies with babies in buggies, most passengers were not travelling with any heavy luggage.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Piccadilly Line To Ealing Broadway
Transport for London have proposed a reorganisation of the Piccadilly and District Lines in the Ealing area.
I first wrote about this in Is There Going To Be More Change At Ealing Broadway Station?, but now the Elizabeth Line is on the verge of being connected across London, I feel that this post needs to be replaced.
A Possible Proposal
Ealing Broadway station is being upgraded for Crossrail.
In the November 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, there is a Capital Connection supplement, which discusses London’s railways.
On Page 7 in a section about the sub-surface lines, this is said.
One possibility being discussed is that the Piccadilly should take over the District’s Ealing Broadway service. This would free up space on the South side of the inner-London circle for more City trains off the Wimbledon branch, one of the sub-surface network’s most-crowded routes.
On Page 15 in a section about the Mayor’s plans, this is said.
It is suggested Piccadilly Line services run to Ealing Broadway instead of the District Line, enabling increased frequencies on the latter’s Richmond and Wimbledon branches.
As the plan is mentioned twice, certainly the proposal is being thought about.
The Lines At Ealing Broadway Station
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the lines at Ealing Broadway station.
Note how the Piccadilly and District Lines share tracks from Ealing Common station, which then split with District Line trains going to Ealing Broadway station and Piccadilly Line trains going to Rayners Lane and Uxbridge stations.
If the change happened and Ealing Broadway station was only served by the Piccadilly and Central Lines of the Underground, then there might be opportunities to improve the efficiency of the Underground side of the station.
Capacities And Lengths Of London Underground Trains Serving Ealing Broadway Station
I’ll express these as a table.
- Central Line – 1992 Stock – 930 passengers – 130 metres – 7.15 pass/m.
- District Line – S7 Stock – 1209 passengers – 117.45 metres – 10.29 pass/m.
- Piccadilly Line – 1973 Stock – 684 passengers – 106.8 metres – 6.40 pass/m.
- New Tube for London – 1076 passengers – 113.7 metres – 9.46 pass/m.
Note.
- The New Tube for London is the shortest train, with the second highest capacity and the highest passenger density.
- The New Tube for London will be replacing the Piccadilly Line trains first.
- The New Tube for London will be replacing the Central Line trains second.
It looks like there will be no platform-length problems running the New Tube for London to Ealing Broadway station.
The District Line Platforms At Ealing Broadway Station
These pictures show the District Line at Ealing Broadway station.
Note.
- There are three platforms for terminating District Line trains, which are numbered 7 to 9.
- The service frequency is six trains per hour (tph).
- The bridge to the far platform 9, is not step-free.
- It appears to be possible to walk between platforms 8 and 9 behind the buffer stops, but it wasn’t signed.
- As a comparison the Central Line runs 9 tph to East London from two platforms, that are numbered 5 and 6.
- There was also a 3 tph Night Tube service before the pandemic, which appears to be running again.
- Platforms 8 and 9 seem to be covered by a building of very little architectural merit.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the detailed platform layout.
Note.
- Platforms are numbered from 1 to 9 from the South.
- Underground tracks are shown in blue.
- Elizabeth Line tracks are shown in orange.
- Great Western ~Main Line tracks are shown in red.
I believe that the three District Line platforms could be upgraded into an excellent terminus for another branch of the Piccadilly Line.
Consider.
- Two platforms would probably be enough, but a third would be useful for service recovery.
- As the Piccadilly and Central Line trains are the same size, could Platform 7 be a platform be available to both Underground services when needed?
- The New Tubes for London are a few metres shorter than the current District Line trains, so would this help in creating a step-free level walkway between Platforms 8 and 9, behind the buffer stops?
- Platforms 8 and 9 may need to be lengthened.
- Is there any scope for any appropriate oversite development?
I certainly believe that a much better replacement could be created.
Changing Between The Underground Lines And The Elizabeth Line At Ealing Broadway Station
Ealing Broadway station is now step-free and changes between the Eastbound Elizabeth Line and the Underground are a walk on the level.
Only when changing to or from the Westbound Elizabeth Line do you need to use stairs and/or a lift.
Elizabeth Line Effects On Access To Heathrow
The Elizabeth Line will change the way a lot of passengers go to and from Heathrow Airport.
Elizabeth Line To Heathrow
At present, the service will be.
- 4 trains per hour (tph) between Paddington and Heathrow Central and Heathrow Terminal 4 or Heathrow Terminal 5 via Ealing Broadway.
After November 6th, 2022, the service will be.
- 4 tph between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Central and Heathrow Terminal 4
- 2 tph between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Central and Heathrow Terminal 5
In addition these services will serve all station including Canary Wharf, Liverpool Street, Bond Street, Paddington and Ealing Broadway.
Effect On Heathrow Express
It will be difficult to predict what will happen to Heathrow Express, but I suspect several groups of passengers will desert it.
- Passengers wanting to go anywhere East of Paddington without changing trains.
- Passengers wanting any Elizabeth Line station.
- Passengers, who don’t like the prices of Heathrow Express.
- Passengers using Oyster or contactless cards.
- Passengers who want to ride on London’s spectacular new Elizabeth Line.
- After Old Oak Common station is opened for High Speed Two, the numbers could further decrease.
Will Heathrow Express survive?
Effect On Piccadilly Line
The current Piccadilly Line route to the Airport will not be closed, as for many it will still be a convenient route to the Airport
- Passengers who live on the Piccadilly Line and don’t want to change trains. Think Southgate, Knightsbridge, Hammersmith and Osterley!
- Passengers to the West of Acton Town station.
- Passengers, workers and others needing to go to Hatton Cross station.
If the Elizabeth Line connected with the Piccadilly Line at say Holborn, it would be all so different.
Effect On District Line
When Crossrail opens, the District Line will become a loop from Crossrail, between Ealing Broadway and Whitechapel running along the North Bank of the Thames via Earls Court, Victoria, Charing Cross and Monument.
The step-free interchange at Ealing Broadway could become busy with passengers travelling to and from the Airport.
Effect On Piccadilly Line Overcrowding
Heathrow trains on the Piccadilly Line can get very overcrowded with so many passengers with heavy cases.
It must sometimes be very difficult to get on a Piccadilly Line train between Heathrow and South Kensington stations.
The Elizabeth Line should take the pressure from these trains, by allowing passengers to use the District Line with a change at Ealing Broadway.
The New Tube for London will also help to reduce the overcrowding.
Effect On My Personal Route
My personal route to the airport is to take a 141 bus to Manor House station and then get the Piccadilly Line. It takes 94 minutes.
After the Elizabeth Line fully opens, if I take the East London Line from Dalston Junction to Whitechapel and then used Crossrail, I’d take 57 minutes.
Conclusion
The Elizabeth Line will affect the way many get to and from Heathrow Airport.
But there are large areas of London, who still will need to change trains twice to get to the airport. But for many, one of those changes will be a step-free one at Ealing Broadway, Paddington or Whitechapel stations.
Piccadilly Line To Ealing Broadway Effects
Adding Ealing Broadway station as a fourth Western terminus to the Piccadilly Line will have effects, but not as important as the opening of the Elizabeth Line.
Some Improved Journey Times To Heathrow
Some Piccadilly Line stations will see improved journey times to Heathrow.
Hammersmith to Heathrow currently takes 37 minutes by the Piccadilly Line.
Taking a Piccadilly Line train to Ealing Broadway and then using the Elizabeth Line could save a dozen minutes.
The District Line Connection To The Elizabeth Line At Ealing Broadway Is Lost
Passengers along the District Line from Monument to Hammersmith will lose their direct access to the Elizabeth Line at Ealing Broadway.
Cross-platform access to the Piccadilly Line at Hammersmith and other stations will probably be provided or improved, but it will be a second change.
Note that until the Piccadilly Line gets upgraded and new trains arrive around 2023, the District Line with new trains and the soon to be installed new signalling may well be a better passenger experience.
More Trains To Richmond
This will certainly be possible, if some Ealing Broadway trains are diverted to Richmond.
But the Elizabeth Line has another delight in its cupboard for Richmond.
Old Oak Common station is scheduled to open in 2026 and will offer an interchange between the Elizabeth Line and the North London Line.
Richmond will certainly be getting a better train service to Central and East London.
More Trains To Wimbledon
This will certainly be possible, if some Ealing Broadway trains are diverted to Wimbledon.
The Ealing Common Problem
At Ealing Common station, the Piccadilly and District Line share the same tracks and platforms.
Some commentators have suggested that the new trains on the Piccadilly Line will be designed to work with platform-edge doors for improved safety and dwell times.
So if platform-edge doors were to be fitted to all stations on the Piccadilly Line as has been suggested, there would be no way the doors would fit the new S7 Stock of the District Line.
Swapping Ealing Broadway from the District to Piccadilly Lines would solve this problem and give more flexibility, but it might give London Underground other problems with regard to access for District Line trains to Ealing Common depot.
These pictures show Ealing Common station.
Note the difference in levels between the Piccadilly and District Line trains.
There would be no way to provide level access for both types of train using a Harrington Hump.
So is making a station that serves both deep-level and sub-surface lines, step-free, a problem that is still to be cracked?
This Google Map shows Ealing Common station.
It doesn’t look that it is a station, where two extra platforms could be squeezed in, so both lines could have their own platforms.
Could Ealing Common station be one of the main reasons to serve Ealing Broadway station with the Piccadilly Line?
Acton Town Station
These pictures show Acton Town station.
Note.
- The two central tracks appear to be Piccadilly Line trains only.
- The two outer tracks appear to be able to be used by both District and Piccadilly Line trains.
- There is quite a step-down to Piccadilly Line trains on some platforms.
Making Acton Town station, a Piccadilly Line-only station, would ease making the station step-free, as it would only be served by one type of train.
Chiswick Park And Ravenscourt Park
This section is shown in this map from cartmetro.com.
Note.
- The District Line is shown in green.
- The Piccadilly Line is shown in blue.
- The two Piccadilly Line tracks are in the middle and generally trains go straight through the four stations.
- The two District Line tracks are on the outside and trains stop at most stations.
It appears that the tracks have been laid out so that Piccadilly Line trains can get a real shift on between Acton Town and Hammersmith.
This could save a few minutes on some Piccadilly Line journeys.
But there is a problem!
- District Line trains serve all stations.
- Piccadilly Line trains serve none.
- How is Chiswick Park station going to be served, as there are no District Line trains passing?
- Passengers for intermediate stations, would need to get on the District Line trains before entering the Acton Town and Hammersmith section.
- Passengers may want to change between Ealing Broadway and Chiswick Park.
There will also be no trains running on the current District Line tracks between Acton Town and Turnham Green Junction. The only ones that do now, go to Ealing Broadway and they’re being changed to Piccadilly Line trains.
Serving Chiswick Park Station
Chiswick Park station only has platforms on the District Line, which will not see any passing trains if the District Line doesn’t go to Ealing Broadway.
One suggestion I found was to add two new District Line platforms to the Richmond branch.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note the Richmond branch passing South of the station.
This second Google Map shows the tracks between Chiswick Park station and Turnham Green junction.
Note.
- The four tracks between Acton Town and Hammersmith stations.
- The current District Line tracks are the outside two of the four tracks.
- The Piccadilly Line tracks are the middle two.
- The two tracks at the South-West corner go to Richmond station.
- The Eastbound track from Richmond goes under the four-track railway, before joining the current Eastbound District Line track.
- The Westbound track to Richmond runs along the South side of the four-track railway, before joining the current Westbound District Line track.
These pictures were taken from a train approaching Chiswick Park station from the East.
Note, that there is enough space for a platform along the single track.
These pictures are of Chiswick Park station.
Note.
- The distinctive architecture of London Transport stations of the period.
- The two fast lines in the middle, with Piccadilly Line trains speeding through.
- The two District Line trains on the outside with platforms.
- The Richmond Branch passing to the South of the station and between the station and Sainsburys.
I would suspect that a pair of platforms could be built on the two tracks of the Richmond branch.
- District Line trains to and from Richmond would stop at the new platforms at Chiswick Park stations and Turnham Green, Stamford Brook, Ravenscroft Park, Hammersmith, Baron’s Court and Earl’s Court stations.
- Passengers between Ealing Broadway and Victoria stations would change at Hammersmith, Baron’s Court or Earl’s Court stations.
- The car park at the bottom of the map is for a large Sainsbury’s. Perhaps, they would like a station entrance?
- Chiswick Park station is Grade II Listed.
I’m sure that a good architect can find a more than acceptable solution.
Turnham Green Station
As I passed through Turnham Green station, I got off and took a few pictures, before catching the next train to Ealing Broadway.
Note.
- Piccadilly Line trains don’t generally stop, although they do at times to provide a service when the District Line is not running.
- The station is not step-free, with stairs to the entrance.
- It has some nice features.
- Herbs are provided for passengers
If required a step-free interchange between District and Piccadilly Lines could be arranged.
Hammersmith Station
I arrived at Hammersmith station on a Piccadilly Line train and left on a District Line train, after taking these pictures.
Note.
- The change is on the same island platform.
- There is plenty of space on the platform.
- The District Line trains are level with the platform.
- The Piccadilly Line trains require a step-down from the platform.
- The District Line trains run at a frequency of 12 tph.
- The Piccadilly Line trains run at a frequency of 21 tph.
- Hammersmith is also a big bus interchange and shopping centre.
There should be no problem changing between Piccadilly and District Lines at Hammersmith, with a wait of no more than five minutes.
Baron’s Court Station
In a brief stop at Baron’s Court station, I took these pictures.
Note.
- The change is on the same island platform.
- There is less space on the platform, than at Hammersmith station.
- The District Line trains are a step-up from the platform.
- The Piccadilly Line trains require a step-up from the platform.
- The District Line trains run at a frequency of 12 tph.
- The Piccadilly Line trains run at a frequency of 21 tph.
There should be no problem changing between Piccadilly and District Lines at Baron’s Court, with a wait of no more than five minutes.
Earl’s Court Station
I arrived at Earl’s Court station on a Piccadilly Line train and left on a District Line train, after taking these pictures.
Note.
- The change means that platforms have to be changed
- The District Line trains are a step-up from the platform.
- The Piccadilly Line trains require a step-up from the platform.
- The District Line trains run at a frequency of 12 tph.
- The Piccadilly Line trains run at a frequency of 21 tph.
There should be no problem changing between Piccadilly and District Lines at Earl’s Court, but Hammersmith and Baron’Court don’t need a change of platform.
What Is The Best Station To Change Between Piccadilly And District Lines?
It appears that the best place to change would be Hammersmith, or failing that Baron’s Court.
- Earl’s Court requires a change of platform.
- Turnham Green requires a change of platform and two sets of steps.
- Hammersmith has a shopping centre and a lot of buses.
- I’ve used Hammersmith before to get home from Heathrow, with a change to a 141 bus at Monument station.
I would always for preference use Hammersmith.
Conclusion
It appears to me, there are three opposite forces on either side of a possible proposal to serve Ealing Broadway station with the Piccadilly Line, rather than the District Line.
- The District Line will form a loop South of Crossrail between Ealing Broadway and Whitechapel stations.
- The loop of the District Line serves Victoria, Embankment, Blackfriars, Cannon Street and Tower Hill stations for access to National Rail services.
- Making a station step-free that handles both deep-level and sub-surface lines, is not an easy undertaking.
Running the Piccadilly Line to Ealing Broadway means that a change is required at Hammersmith or Barons Court stations to use the loop described in point 1.
But this change would enable the step-free access to be created in all stations in the area.
I think that the change of terminus will go ahead, with the following additions.
- Improved access to Ealing Common depot.
- Improved cross-platform access at Hammersmith or Barons Court stations.
- Possibly two extra platforms on the District Line at Chiswick Park station.
What started out as a simple change could end up as a substantial project.
But overall, because it sorts out step-free access in the area, I think it is a good proposal.
Ealing Broadway Station – 31st May 2021
This article on Rail Technology Magazine, which is entitled Transport for London Completes Step-Free Access At Ealing Broadway, alerted me that the station might be worth a look.
I took these pictures this morning.
This map from cartometro.com shows the station layout.
Note.
- The black lines in Platforms 1 and 2 are the Great Western Railway main line platforms.
- The black/blue lines in Platforms 3 and 4 are the Great Western Railway slow line platforms, which are also used by Crossrail.
- The red tracks in Platforms 5 and 6 are the Central Line platforms.
- The green tracks in Platforms 7, 8 and 9 are the District Line platforms.
These are my thoughts.
Step-Free Access
Consider.
- Access between platforms 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 is on the level, as it has been for years.
- There are a pair of lifts to access these six platforms from street level.
- There are also two other lifts to Platform 1 and Platform 2/3.
- There are three typical Network Rail stairs to the platforms, with double-handrails, which at 73, I can still manage.
I’ve certainly seen much worse stations with supposedly step-free access.
I also wonder if another lift will be added to directly serve the District Line platforms.
It could be one of those additions, that has been catered for, so it can be added if necessary.
Crossrail And Routes Into And Out Of London
Crossrail will change commuting and leisure routes, into and out of London.
- Crossrail serves the West End, the North of the City and Canary Wharf directly.
- Crossrail has good connections to the Central, Circle, District and Jubilee Lines.
- Crossrail has a direct connection to Thameslink.
- All Crossrail interchanges will be step-free.
After it has been opened for a few months, I can see that direct connections and ducking and diving will have seriously changed London’s well-established commuting and travel patterns.
Using Ealing Broadway Station As An Interchange
It will certainly be easier with all the new step-free access, but I suspect some passengers, who previously changed at Ealing Broadway station, will go straight through on Crossrail.
In Will Crossrail Open To Reading in 2019?, I said that Ealing Broadway station will get the following total number of Crossrail trains.
- 12 tph in the Peak
- 10 tph in the Off-Peak
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- Six tph would go between London Paddington and Heathrow.
- Two tph would go between London Paddington and Reading.
It will be interesting to see what Crossrail timetable is delivered.
The Overall Design
It is a fairly conservative design, that follows the principles of good step-free access.
Interchange is level and good between Crossrail and the tube lines.
There are still a few details to be finished and I suspect it will be a well-thought of station.
A Few Questions
These are a few questions.
Will The Station Be A Gateway To Heathrow?
I suspect it could be, as the station is well-connected by bus and tube to large numbers of places.
Conclusion
Ealing Broadway will be a busy interchange and I’m sure, it’s been designed to handle a lot of passengers.
Ealing Broadway Station – 12th October 2020
I took these pictures, as I passed through Ealing Broadway station yesterday.
Note.
- It looks to be a large posh shelter on the platform.
- Ealing Broadway seems to be joining the group of Crossrail stations, with means to cross the tracks at both ends of the trains.
I took the pictures from a train with a full nine car Class 345 train! They have a capacity of 1,500 passengers and are 200 metres long.
Crossrail And Ealing Broadway Station
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the track layout at Ealing Broadway station.
These are lines from North to South through the station.
- The lines shown in green are the District Line, which terminates in platforms 9, 8 and 7.
- The lines shown in red are the Central Line, which terminates in platforms 6 and 5.
- The lines shown in dark blue are the slow lines through platforms 4 and 3, which carry Crossrail and other slow services. Platform 4 is the London-bound platform.
- The lines shown in black are the fast lines through platforms 2 and 1, which carry all fast services. Platform 2 is the London-bound platform.
These are my thoughts on the layout.
Eastbound Crossrail Trains
Passengers travelling East on Crossrail, will be able to walk across from Platform 4 to any of the terminal platforms numbered 5 to 9, for the Central and District Lines.
This picture taken from a London-bound train in Platform 4 shows a Central Line train in Platform 5.
They are only a short walk apart and passengers who are changing trains will probably position themselves in the rear of the Crossrail train.
Passengers entering the station will just walk across to Platform 4 to use Crossrail to Central London and beyond.
I doubt there will be many passengers arriving on the Central and District Lines, who will want to go back on themselves to Central London. If say they lived near a station between West Acton and Marble Arch, and wanted to go East on Crossrail, they’d probably change between the Central Line and Crossrail at Bond Street station.
Westbound Crossrail Trains
Passengers needing to access the Westbound Crossrail trains in Platform 3, will have to use the bridge over the slow lines carrying Crossrail.
Because of the multiple interchanges between the Central Line and Crossrail, depending on where you join the Central Line, you will probably change to Westbound Crossrail trains at different points.
- Start a journey between West Acton and Marble Arch and you’ll probably change to the Westbound Crossrail at Ealing Broadway.
- Start a journey at Oxford Circus and you’ll probably change to the Westbound Crossrail at Bond Street.
- Start a journey between Bank and Holborn and you’ll probably change to the Westbound Crossrail at Tottenham Court Road.
- East of Bank, there are two interchanges at Liverpool Street and Stratford.
It is very much a ducker and diver’s paradise.
Escalators And Lifts Could Be Needed At Ealing Broadway Station
There could be quite a number of passengers needing to cross to and from Platform 3, who will mainly be in two categories.
- Westbound passengers leaving the station.
- Westbound passengers arriving on the Central and District Lines wanting to continue West on Crossrail.
In addition, there will be a large number of passengers entering the station, wanting to catch trains to Central London.
To cater for these passenger flows, there must be a full set of up-and-down escalators and lifts for the following.
- Platforms 4 to 9 in the main station.
- Platform 3 on the Westbound slow line for Crossrail and other slow services.
Wikipedia says four lifts will be added.
It should be noted, that Dlston Junction station handles similar numbers of passengers to Ealing Broadway with one lift and one wide double staircase.
Escalators would future proof the station for more services.
Will District Line Services Be Replaced By Piccadilly Line Services?
There are rumours, that the District Line services at Ealing Broadway station will be replaced by Piccadilly Line services.
Reportedly, this will do the following.
- Allow frequency increases on the District Line to Richmond and Wimbledon.
- Allow a frequency increase on the core section of the Piccadilly Line.
Consider
- Whatever service uses Ealing Broadway will have little effect on the operation of the station.
- Acton Town, Hammersmith, Barons Court, Earl’s Court, Gloucester Road and South Kensington stations are all served by both the District and Piccadilly Lines.
- The Piccadilly Line could be an alternative to Crossrail 2 between Green Park and Kings Cross.
- The Piccadilly Line will have new high-capacity trains in a few years.
Will the change, which means the Piccadilly Line has a capacity increase, allow Crossrail 2 to be delayed by a couple of years?
- This would ease, Transport for London’s cash flow.
- It might also allow a better plan for building Crossrail 2
It will be interesting to see the full details of the swapping of lines.
Network Rail Awards Final West London Station Upgrade Contracts For Crossrail Project
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Professional.
The stations are Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Southall, Hayes & Harlington and West Drayton.
New buildings and step-free access is planned to be completed by December 2020.
Conclusion
About time!
Ealing Broadway Station – 19th April 2019
These pictures show Ealing Broadway station.
There’s still a lot of work to be done, to make the station, look like Crossrail’s image on the hoarding.
These are the proposed train frequencies at the station in the Off Peak, when Crossrail opens.
- Four trains per hour – Great Western Railway.
- Ten trains per hour – Crossrail.
- Six trains per hour – District Line
- Nine trains per hour – Central Line
There will be extra services in the Peak.
Crossrail To Reading In December 2019
As current rumours are that Crossrail will open in December to Reading, it looks like the station will be usable, if the architects have got the design right.
It is planned that Ealing Broadway station will have a Crossrail train every six minutes.
The Anonymous Widower 