Northfleet Station – June 27th 2022
This Google Map shows Northfleet station.
Note.
- The two tracks through the station are the North Kent Line.
- The other two tracks are freight sidings.
- The car-parks at Ebbsfleet station are in the South-West corner of the map.
- There appears to be a large cleared site to the North-West of the station.
These pictures show the station.
Northfleet station is best characterised by a series of negatives.
- No step-free access from street-to-platform.
- No step-free access from platform-to-train.
- No train information on the London-bound platform.
- No toilets.
- No ticket office.
- No staff
- Not enough seats.
- Not enough car parking.
- Not enough trains.
The only thing that is ready for Crossrail are the long platforms, which will take a 240 metre long train.
A Crossrail To Ebbsfleet Station
This station will need to be made step-free, if Crossrail is extended to Ebbsfleet station.
The station will be handling ten trains per hour (tph) in both directions, with 4 tph terminating at the station.
I suspect new platforms will be built to accommodate the terminating trains.
Swanscombe Station – June 27th 2022
I went to Swanscombe station today and took these pictures.
Note.
- The station is just two long platforms with steps down from the road, that goes across the bridge, that is shown in the pictures.
- Whilst I was at the station, a couple had great difficulty bringing a baby in a buggy down the stairs on the Eastbound platform.
This Google Map shows the station in detail.
This station is a real insult to anybody with reduced mobility.
A Second Visit To Swanscombe Station
As it was so bad, I went back again today.
As it’s Tennis Time – You Cannot Be Serious!!
A Crossrail To Ebbsfleet Station
This station will need to be made step-free, if Crossrail is extended to Ebbsfleet station.
The station will be handling ten trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
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.
West Drayton Station – 22nd June 2202
I passed through West Drayton station today and took these pictures.
Note.
- The rebuilding of the station is almost finished.
- There are three platforms that can be used by the Elizabeth Line.
- The new Platform 5 is still to be completed
The station is fully step-free between street and platform, but not between train and platform.
Step-Free Provision On Elizabeth Line West Of Paddington
The stations may be step-free between street and platform, but West of Paddington, there does not appear to be step-free access between the platform and the train.
These pictures show a selection of stops.
Compare these steps of a few inches, with those I showed in Step-Free Access Between Train And Platform On The Elizabeth Line.
These pictures were taken between Woolwich and Paddington stations and show first class step-free access between train and platform.
The step-free access on the Western branch of the Elizabeth Line does not appear to be up to the standard expected of a world class railway.
Is The Current Arrangement Only Temporary?
I took these pictures at Padding Station today of a Class 345 train alongside Platform 10.
Note.
- There are large gaps.
- I had a chat with a station guy, who’d just unloaded two wheelchair passengers from the train using a ramp.
- He felt things could be improved.
- I feel that level access for the Elizabeth Line at Paddington is important.
But when the Elizabeth Line is fully connected, it will be connected to a series of Central London stations, including Paddington, that will have full step-free access between the train and the platform.
So the current arrangement will be improved dramatically in a few months.
The Visitor To London In A Wheel-Chair
The Central London section of the Elizabeth Line between Paddington and Whitechapel or Woolwich stations is step-free between street and train.
So a visitor to London in a wheel-chair might choose to stay in a hotel on this easy section of the Elizabeth Line to make the most of their stay.
But because of the lack of step-free access between train and platform outside of the Central London section, would they have trouble visiting places like Windsor, which would require a change of trains at Slough?
Would It Be Possible To Separate Elizabeth Line and Great Western Railway Services?
Consider.
- Great Western Railway services between Paddington and Didcot Parkway use the Elizabeth Line platforms at Ealing Broadway, Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Slough, Maidenhead, Twyford and Reading.
- In addition, some express trains stop at Slough and Ealing Broadway.
- There are also freight trains passing through.
It might be sensible to move the Paddington and Didcot Parkway service to the Elizabeth Line and adjust platform heights appropriately.
Westbound Elizabeth Line To Northbound Thameslink At Farringdon Station
This journey is the reverse of the one I did earlier today in Southbound Thameslink To Eastbound Elizabeth Line At Farringdon Station.
These pictures show my walk at Farringdon station.
Note.
- This route starts at the Western end of the Elizabeth Line platforms in Farringdon station.
- I took the escalator there to the top.
- I then walked to the left of the second bank of stairs and escalators.
- This took me directly on to the Northbound Thameslink platform.
This route also works if you’re going East on the Elizabeth Line and want to go North on Thameslink.
This second set of pictures show the walk in the reverse direction.
Interchange with the Northbound Thameslink platform is very easy in both directions, as most of the walk between platforms is done on the escalator.
Conclusion
There would appear to be an imbalance of quality between the connections between the Elizabeth Line and the two Thameslink platforms.
- Those going between the Elizabeth Line and the Northbound Thameslink platform will find it easy, as most of the route is on an escalator.
- On the other hand, those using the Southbound Thameslink platform at busy times could find it congested and slow.
I suspect that regular users of the station, will develop their own routes through the station.
Elizabeth Line To Northern Line At Moorgate Station
In Elizabeth Line – Moorgate Station – 27th May 2022, I took the recommended step-free route at Moorgate station between the Northern Line and the new entrance to the station.
It is a rather underwhelming and long route and this was my conclusion.
The rat-up-the-drainpipe route is acceptable to me, but I don’t feel the step-free route via the long tunnel will be acceptable for all those, who need to use it.
It’s just too long to walk for many!
Perhaps the addition of seats for a rest would help.
I wrote about the rat-up-the-drainpipe route to the surface, in Up From The Depths At Moorgate Station and in my view, if you can manage an escalator it is a better route between the Northern and Elizabeth Lines. Once at the surface, there are lifts and stairs to the new entrance, where there are escalators and a lift to the Elizabeth Line.
This morning, I was coming the other way, as I’d just off an Elizabeth Line train from Canary Wharf. These pictures show my route to the Northern Line.
Note.
- The signing at the start of the route, which is shown in the first picture is dreadful.
- I suspect, it leads to some of those in wheel-chairs ending up at the main escalators to Moorgate.
- The main route to the Northern Line includes a double set of stairs, but there is a by-pass lift.
- The connecting tunnel is overly long.
- At the end of the tunnel, there is a choice of a lift or long stairs.
- At least the tunnel is fully air-conditioned.
I took the lift and then used the escalator to the Northern City Line opposite.
Step-Free Access To The Northern City Line
It hasn’t been added.
Conclusion
Routes between the Northern and Elizabeth Lines at Moorgate need to be improved.
The Barbican Entrance To The Elizabeth Line – 10th June 2022
This series of pictures shows the route between the Westbound platform at Barbican station to the Elizabeth Line at Farringdon station.
Note.
- There is only a single lift between the Western end of the Westbound Platform 2/3 at Barbican station and the lobby between the two banks of escalators and inclined lifts, that give access to the Barbican end of Elizabeth Line platforms.
- Currently, there is no access between the Elizabeth Line and the Eastbound Platform 1 at Barbican station.
- If you lived in one of the towers of the Barbican estate, if might be a marginally shorter walk to walk along Platform 2/3 and up the stairs to the street.
When C and myself, lived in Cromwell Tower in the Barbican, in the 1970s, we must have walked that route with our three children hundreds of times. It really isn’t very different.
I have a few thoughts.
Is The Route Really For Passengers?
Consider.
- A journey, where you might need to use the route could be one like Barking and Heathrow.
- But you have a wide choice, as you could alight at Whitechapel, Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Farringdon and Ealing Broadway on the sub-surface lines and have step-free access to the Elizabeth Line.
- I suspect most customers will choose Whitechapel or Liverpool Street.
This picture shows the comprehensive control panel in the lift.
Could it be, that the main purpose of the lift is for staff access to hard to reach plant rooms?
Or perhaps it is designed to get a stretcher or wheelchair to the island platform at Barbican station?
Is The Connection Incomplete?
It could be that there is more work to do and the connection is incomplete.
There is a section, which is entitled Elizabeth Line, in the Wikipedia entry for Barbican station, where this is said.
Farringdon’s Barbican ticket hall for the Elizabeth line is just to the west of Barbican station along Long Lane. This construction involved significant changes at the western end of the station, including the demolition of the former signal box to construct a lift shaft from the Elizabeth line station to the westbound Underground platform only. The original plan of a new footbridge spanning the tracks to the eastbound platform was not proceeded with on the grounds of engineering difficulties. Work was anticipated to be completed in 2018, but was completed in May 2022.
It does look like, that the best that was possible was built.
First Order In For Revolutionary Modular Railway Footbridge
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on New Civil Engineer.
Greater Anglia seem to have ordered the footbridge for Stowmarket station, without seeing a real one.
A prototype is also being installed at the former Widmerspool station on the Old Dalby Test Track.
I wrote about the proposed footbridge at Stowmarket in Stowmarket Station To Go Step-Free.
Elizabeth Line – Moorgate Station – 27th May 2022
I took these pictures as I walked between the Northern Line and the Moorgate entrance to the Liverpool Street station on the Elizabeth Line.
Note.
- There is a lift and stairs at the Northern Line end.
- I would estimate that the tunnel is about two hundred metres long.
- There are resting bars at intervals.
- There are two help points along the tunnel.
- There are two lifts to get to the Elizabeth Line ticket hall, at the other end.
I was able to walk it today, but when my damaged knee is playing up, I will not use this route.
However, the rat-up-the-drainpipe route to the surface, that I described in Up From The Depths At Moorgate Station is still available.
But this route is not wheel-chair and buggy friendly.
In this route, a single escalator is taken from the Northern Line platforms to the National Rail platforms, from where there is a double escalator to the ticket hall level.
Conclusion
The rat-up-the-drainpipe route is acceptable to me, but I don’t feel the step-free route via the long tunnel will be acceptable for all those, who need to use it.
It’s just too long to walk for many!
Perhaps the addition of seats for a rest would help.
The Anonymous Widower 