Stations where an inclined lift could be installed

[AY1975]

AFAIK at present the only stations within Greater London, and maybe even the only ones in the country, with inclined lifts are Greenford (where an inclined lift was installed in place of one of the escalators a few years ago) and the Elizabeth Line stations at Farringdon and Liverpool Street, although I believe that Transport for London has been investigating other potentially suitable locations.

As an aside, I believe that Greenford is also the only station in Greater London, or at least the only one on the Underground (and again maybe the only one in the country) with an escalator going up from the ticket hall to the platforms.

Can anyone think of any other stations that might be suitable to install an inclined lift, either on the National Rail network, the London Underground or any other UK rail network? I believe that East Putney, on the Wimbledon branch of the District Line, is planned eventually to get step-free access (the nearby Putney National Rail station already has lifts), though don't quote me on that. I would suggest that East Putney could have a conventional lift to the City-bound platform and an inclined lift in place of one of the two staircases to the Wimbledon-bound platform (which I presume has two staircases as a legacy of the days of a regular Waterloo-East Putney-Wimbledon service before World War 2).

 

[The exile]

Presumably they are cheaper than normal lifts - otherwise, what’s the point?

 

[Ken X]

I suspect an inclined lift would only be cheaper if it was installed by replacing an existing escalator or staircase which may not be desirable as it reduces flow capacity. The journey time would be longer than a conventional vertical lift travelling at the same speed which again reduces throughput at busy times. May be a workable solution in niche cases if the existing tunnel capacity is excessive and there are not periods of very large flows where queuing for the lift would be impractical.

 

[Mikey C]

I suspect an inclined lift would only be cheaper if it was installed by replacing an existing escalator or staircase which may not be desirable as it reduces flow capacity. The journey time would be longer than a conventional vertical lift travelling at the same speed which again reduces throughput at busy times. May be a workable solution in niche cases if the existing tunnel capacity is excessive and there are not periods of very large flows where queuing for the lift would be impractical.

If replacing an existing staircase, it still might be cheaper and easier to just install a conventional lift. That's what happened at Golders Green tube station for example where there were spare stairwells.

 

[Basil Jet]

A robotic platform which can hold a wheelchair level while carrying it up or down a moving escalator doesn't seem that hard to imagine.

 

[Thirteen]

Putney Bridge doesn't have step free access but I wonder where one could be built without redoing the entire station.

 

[The exile]

If replacing an existing staircase, it still might be cheaper and easier to just install a conventional lift. That's what happened at Golders Green tube station for example where there were spare stairwells.

At underground (particularly tube) stations yes. Seems like a potential winner for lower footfall NR stations though, especially if stair access is currently over generous but they’re not being installed so there’s presumably a reason why not.

 

[higthomas]

If replacing an existing staircase, it still might be cheaper and easier to just install a conventional lift. That's what happened at Golders Green tube station for example where there were spare stairwells.

I think 90% of the time this will be true; normal lifts are cheaper and more reliable than custom built incline lifts. Incline lifts are only sensible when there isn't space to do that isn't available. This is probably most common in ex-stairwells where there are obstructions either side of the diagonal, often that'll be soil when underground.

 

[BJames]

I have a vague memory that to one of the platforms at Alperton station there is a (very old) disused escalator behind the wall heading up to the eastbound platform. Is this the case? Perhaps that could provide a good candidate for an incline lift, there are a lot of steps at Alperton!

Edit: I've found an old thread from the District Dave Forum site that suggests this is the case, but that there isn't one on the westbound: https://districtdavesforum.co.uk/thread/1947

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2023 ==

As an aside, I believe that Greenford is also the only station in Greater London, or at least the only one on the Underground (and again maybe the only one in the country) with an escalator going up from the ticket hall to the platforms.

This website: https://innsidetrack.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/alperton/ suggests that Alperton was the second, and only other, station with an escalator up to its platforms, so suggesting Greenford is the only other on the underground.

So while it's the only on the underground, it isn't the only station in Greater London to have an escalator up to the platforms - Seven Sisters has an escalator up to the London Overground northbound platform running parallel to the staircase. It does not have an escalator on the southbound/London-bound platform.

 

[swt_passenger]

So while it's the only on the underground, it isn't the only station in Greater London to have an escalator up to the platforms - Seven Sisters has an escalator up to the London Overground northbound platform running parallel to the staircase. It does not have an escalator on the southbound/London-bound platform.

London Bridge now has numerous escalators up to platforms. Odd that it’s gone unmentioned…

 

[BJames]

London Bridge now has numerous escalators up to platforms. Odd that it’s gone unmentioned…

Ah goodness of course! I had Seven Sisters on my mind only having been through there, and on that escalator, an hour before I wrote that post.

 

[Basil Jet]

London Bridge now has numerous escalators up to platforms. Odd that it’s gone unmentioned…

Fenchurch Street main entrance has had escalators for years, although I can't remember when they worked.

Various platform groups have escalators up from St Pancras concourse.

I can't remember if Blackfriars has escalators at either end.

 

[zwk500]

Fenchurch Street main entrance has had escalators for years, although I can't remember when they worked.

Various platform groups have escalators up from St Pancras concourse.

I can't remember if Blackfriars has escalators at either end.

Fairly sure there aren't any at the South End - it's been ages since I used the North end though so can't remember if there are any from street level to the platforms. St Pancras has escalators outside the gateline for EMR and SE, but inside the gateline for Thameslink (I think, northbound might not) and Eurostar.

 

[SynthD]

Presumably they are cheaper than normal lifts - otherwise, what’s the point?

The Dean Street ticket hall of the Tottenham Court Road station has vertical lifts, even though it’s a pair with a corridor in the middle. Are incline lifts only cheaper as a refit, not as a newbuild?

 

[zwk500]

Are incline lifts only cheaper as a refit, not as a newbuild?

It may also depend on the carrying capacity - a vertical lift tends to be slightly bigger as well as faster between the two floors.

 

[BJames]

It may also depend on the carrying capacity - a vertical lift tends to be slightly bigger as well as faster between the two floors.

The incline lift at Liverpool Street seemed to travel at a similar speed to the escalator. It doesn't therefore have a great capacity - if lots of people are waiting with buggies for instance, as is often the case, it could quickly become quite a wait.

 

[zwk500]

The incline lift at Liverpool Street seemed to travel at a similar speed to the escalator. It doesn't therefore have a great capacity - if lots of people are waiting with buggies for instance, as is often the case, it could quickly become quite a wait.

The diagonal having a longer length than the vertical, of course. So a vertical lift will arrive before an incline lift if door cycle and transit speed are the same time.

 

[Trainguy34]

The incline lift at Liverpool Street seemed to travel at a similar speed to the escalator. It doesn't therefore have a great capacity - if lots of people are waiting with buggies for instance, as is often the case, it could quickly become quite a wait.

I think It was meant to travel at the same speed as the escalator.

 

[Basil Jet]

I think It was meant to travel at the same speed as the escalator.

If it was faster than the escalator, everyone would try to use it!

 

[Silenos]

London Bridge now has numerous escalators up to platforms. Odd that it’s gone unmentioned…

Several DLR stations have escalators up to the platforms too.

 

[RailWonderer]

The incline lift at Liverpool Street seemed to travel at a similar speed to the escalator. It doesn't therefore have a great capacity - if lots of people are waiting with buggies for instance, as is often the case, it could quickly become quite a wait.

A lot of people with suitcases just use the escalator as the lift is too slow. Although the same speed as the escalator, it takes a good 10-15 seconds between doors opening/closing and the lift moving.

When it's busy at the bottom, you have to wade through a thick crowd of commuters to move from the right side where the lift lands to the left with the crowd flow and when you have baggage or pushchairs it is not fun. The whole station is a chaotic mess frankly, with crowds coming horizontally, vertically, and diagonally due to the different exits.

 

[Mikey C]

The incline lift is good fun if you're not in a hurry

 

[Blindtraveler]

Had I been the person designing platform 10 at Edinburgh Waverley I would have put in an incline lift with a higher capacity rather than the tiny little cupboard of a vertical bog standard station spec stanner that is simply incapable of clearing the platform of the number of people with buggies or luggage or frail etc passengers

Given that this platform accommodates anything from a Glasgow Central via Livingston and the entire West Lothian and Lanarkshire universe stopper to a hilariously overloaded five coach Lumo from London the situation on this platform is quite frankly dangerous