Minding the Gap on the Victoria Line
The Victoria line is unusual in London’s Underground lines in that many of the stations are hump-backed. This means that the slope up into the station, slows the train and the descent out of the station, speeds it up. I took some pictures as I rode the line this morning.
Note the variable step-up into the trains,which is also partly explained by the humped-backing of the platform, which was done a couple of years ago,to ease entry for wheelchair users and buggy pushers. All stations except Pimlico have these humps and they are at the middle of the station.
As to the hump-backed designs of the stations, this saves energy. In fact 5%, according to Wikipedia, which also says it makes the trains 9% faster. So why isn’t this simple idea used on other lines?
Anthony Caro At Canary Wharf
Jubilee Park in Canary Wharf is being used this summer for a series of sculpture exhibitions. The first is of Anthony Caro’s work.
I wonder how many sculpture exhibitions are held on the roof of a station.
Could the London Overground Call at Brixton?
The London Overground extension of the East London Line to Clapham Junction station goes on a viaduct across a lot of South London and before flying right over the top of Brixton tube station to reach its destination by way of Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road stations. This picture show the two bridges that cross Brixton Road to the north of the tube station.
The Two Rail Bridges Over Brixton Road
The high bridge in the foreground will carry the London Overground, whereas the one just visible behind takes the main line trains to and from Victoria. The picture was actually taken from the entrance tro the tube station and you can see how difficult it would be to get passengers between the two levels.
Turn the corner into Atlantic Road and you see how difficult the problem is.
The Overground Flies Over Brixton Station
The track that will take the Overground extension, now flies over Brixton railway station. It is almost as if, the designer of the rail lines in the area, went out of his way to make connecting them difficult, To further complicate matters, there used to be an East Brixton railway station on the line that the Overground will use. This was closed in 1976 and demolished soon afterwards.
If the East Brixton station was to be rebuilt, it does give some interesting connection options, albeit with a bit of a walk.
I tend to think that the only solution would be to spend millions to create a proper interchange station, that connects all of the three lines; Victoria, East London and main line together. But in the present financial climate that is impossible.
One point is that today, after seeing Brixton, I took a 35 bus to Clapham Junction station. It is obvious, that one of the UK’s busiest stations needs a proper connection to the Underground network. It is possible the Northern Line extension will eventually deliver this. At present the best you can do is to take a train to either Waterloo or Vauxhall stations and get the Underground from there.
The Missing Escalator at St.Paul’s Station
For the last few weeks, there has been no down escalator at St. Paul’s Station on the Central line, as one is being replaced.
So you have to walk down 99 steps.
However, there is space by the steps to put in a slide, which would be much more interesting. But would Health and Safety like it?
Wot No Rails!
This picture was taken at Whitechapel station on the Metropolitan and District lines.
Wot No Platforms!
The gap will be filled in, to create a big island platform and escalators will be put there to get to the Crossrail platforms below.
A Bendy Train
London of course, has got rid of its bendy buses, but now it has bendy trains on the Metropolitan line. I travelled on one on Friday.
These seem to be doing the job they were designed for, which the buses didn’t do too well.
Thoughts of Angel on the Drought
I’ve posted before about Thoughts of Angel at Angel station on the Northern line.
Thoughts of Angel on the Drought
This was their comment on the drought.
More Views of the Gibson Square Temple
I put a view up of the temple-like air extract from the Victoria line earlier, when it was still being finished.
It now is and good it looks too.
Why can’t we disguise functional buildings in this excellent manner more often.
An Unusual Flower Container at Southfields Station
As I walked past it, I thought it contained herbs.
A Flower Tub at Southfields Station
On closer inspection it did and they were all labelled.
Offering Pineapple on the Tube
Coming back from Oxford Street today, I took a bus to Euston, where I picked up my supper in the Marks & Spencer there.
I had read somewhere that pineapple chunks are good when you have a dry mouth like I have, so I bought some to have with my supper and keep in the fridge to snack on.
There were signalling problems when I got to the Victoria line and by the time the train moved off it was very hot. So I took out the pineapple chunks and ate a few.
I offered them round and there were no takers.
When I got home, I then had a thought that they might react with my warfarin. They don’t.
The Anonymous Widower 