Leeds station improvement updates

[43367]

The escalators on platforms 6/8 are the wrong way round, the one on platform 8 should go down and the one on platform 6 should go up. At present passengers going up the escalator walk right into the path of passengers coming from platforms 9-17.
If they were swapped passengers going up from platform 8 would be on the outside track avoiding passenger from 9-17 should could use the inside track, rather than having to cross over as the do now.

 

[anothertyke]

The escalators on platforms 6/8 are the wrong way round, the one on platform 8 should go down and the one on platform 6 should go up. At present passengers going up the escalator walk right into the path of passengers coming from platforms 9-17.
If they were swapped passengers going up from platform 8 would be on the outside track avoiding passenger from 9-17 should could use the inside track, rather than having to cross over as the do now.

Wouldn't that mean swapping the entry and exit gates which would have consequences for the exit flow from Pls 0 to 6? I suspect there are no good solutions on that plaza.

 

[YorksLad12]

Wouldn't that mean swapping the entry and exit gates which would have consequences for the exit flow from Pls 0 to 6? I suspect there are no good solutions on that plaza.

The current gate configuration dates from the pandemic, to keep people apart. Previously, the centre block of gates had been exits, with the 25% or so either side as entry gates.

Before the southern entrance opened they evaluated the ped flow and left it as it was. I think the idea is that you start left and keep left after turning, which is where the steps down to the platforms are. Unfortunately, the steps down come after the escalators up, so you end up on the right trying to get around them.

 

[43367]

Wouldn't that mean swapping the entry and exit gates which would have consequences for the exit flow from Pls 0 to 6? I suspect there are no good solutions on that plaza.

Am sure the direction of the gates can be changed as required, on a morning there are more used for exit, so swapping them round is just a matter or pressing a few buttons on the controlling screen

 

[anothertyke]

Am sure the direction of the gates can be changed as required, on a morning there are more used for exit, so swapping them round is just a matter or pressing a few buttons on the controlling screen

My point was not about the gates themselves but about managing the exit flows from Pls 0-6 and 8-17. I wonder if it is possible to have two banks of exit gates to left and right with the entry gates in the middle. I think the flow management is a tricky problem.

 

[xotGD]

It isn't so much the flow of passengers that is the problem, it is the blockade formed by those stood staring at the boards waiting for the platform of the next LNER to be announced.

 

[thomalex]

Presumably the new Greggs inside the station will be charging circa 50p extra per item more than the two existing outlets just outside the station …?

Will be, you see similar in London

 

[Iskra]

Interestingly, today Northern are using P16 to have a 4 carriage 158 formation on Nottingham-Sheffield-Leeds services. Makes you question why they can’t do it as standard?

XC also have some strong formations through Leeds today.

 

[D6130]

Interestingly, today Northern are using P16 to have a 4 carriage 158 formation on Nottingham-Sheffield-Leeds services. Makes you question why they can’t do it as standard?

XC also have some strong formations through Leeds today.

Can they fit in their turnarounds between the Eastbound TPE services?

 

[YorksLad12]

Where are they putting the Knottingleys?

A couple of weeks ago some of the Knottingleys were doubled as well. I wonder if there's engineering work somewhere so that there's fewer TPE services around on Saturdays to use platforms 15 & 16?

 

[1D53]

You can only get 4 cars on the Nottingham by moving the Knottingley to 13, doing so means retiming them to be after the 2Jxx leaves which in turn reduces the turnaround so it's is often bare minimum or not compliant with the Train Planning Rules. Some of the Knottingley are booked 4 anyway so already have this move to 13 so it's easier to make the respective Nottingham diagrams 4 car. However as there is something like 9 diagrams across the Leeds - Nottingham - Leeds - Lincoln - Leeds circuit there isn't the units to make many 4 cars.

 

[yorksrob]

The 10:49 Leeds to Carlisle reduces to two carriages around this time of year, so I expect that's one source of the spare units.

 

[317 forever]

Presumably the new Greggs inside the station will be charging circa 50p extra per item more than the two existing outlets just outside the station …?

They might. When I worked near Manchester Victoria I noticed the prices a bit higher at the station branch than outside.

 

[ChrisC]

Interestingly, today Northern are using P16 to have a 4 carriage 158 formation on Nottingham-Sheffield-Leeds services. Makes you question why they can’t do it as standard?

Thats good to hear. Some of the Leeds-Sheffield-Nottingham trains are very overcrowded on Saturdays both north and south of Sheffield. Hopefully the situation between Sheffield and Nottingham on Saturdays mornings will be improved as the new timetable restores a mid morning EMR train which has been missing from the timetable since Covid.

 

[Iskra]

Thats good to hear. Some of the Leeds-Sheffield-Nottingham trains are very overcrowded on Saturdays both north and south of Sheffield. Hopefully the situation between Sheffield and Nottingham on Saturdays mornings will be improved as the new timetable restores a mid morning EMR train which has been missing from the timetable since Covid.

I caught a Northern 4-car service yesterday and it was still very busy even as 4 carriages. It would undoubtedly have left people behind if it was 2 carriages. It also ended up going into P17 which caused chaos on that platform which can’t cope with such a volume of passengers.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Many Sunday Leeds Nottinghams are four cars and have been for at least 5 years, additional platform capacity in Leeds allows it.

 

[J-2739]

Many Sunday Leeds Nottinghams are four cars and have been for at least 5 years, additional platform capacity in Leeds allows it.

Though this additional capacity is from another platform altogether, not platform 17, right?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Though this additional capacity is from another platform altogether, not platform 17, right?

Yes, as in less trains so more spare capacity on other platforms to avoid having to always double stack in 17.

 

[Iskra]

…On a related note, Holbeck depot seems to be being upgraded, and more sidings seems to have appeared on the opposite side of the access points to the depot.

 

[skyhigh]

…On a related note, Holbeck depot seems to be being upgraded, and more sidings seems to have appeared on the opposite side of the access points to the depot.

I think the ones you are referring to are the Annex roads - they have been there for a long time, the change is that a fence has been removed so they are more visible now.

There are additional roads going in across from the fuel point as well as a lot of other upgrade works.

 

[59CosG95]

I think the ones you are referring to are the Annex roads - they have been there for a long time, the change is that a fence has been removed so they are more visible now.

There are additional roads going in across from the fuel point as well as a lot of other upgrade works.

All of which are doubtless in advance of the great Neville Hill shutdown for TRU...

 

[Elecman]

They might. When I worked near Manchester Victoria I noticed the prices a bit higher at the station branch than outside.

The dreaded SSP franchise rather than Greggs themselves ??

 

[YorksLad12]

What's happening with the BAM compound? We "railway neighbours" haven't been informed of any noisy work over Christmas, and the signs they've put up just seem to be the usual site safety ones.

 

[mm333]

Regarding the escalator, at a certain point, you have to wonder if there is a secret plot to increase the exercise of the railway users.

I can certainly imagine that if the LNER services departed from platforms that required using the bridge that it would have been permanently fixed many many months ago

Exhibit A this morning: The 0946 to London comes in from Neville Hill and is booked from platform 9. There was probably about 8-10 people plus luggage queueing for the lift on platforms 6-8 so - with only a few minutes to make my connection - I lugged my luggage up the stairs.

 

[Freemo]

Exhibit A this morning: The 0946 to London comes in from Neville Hill and is booked from platform 9. There was probably about 8-10 people plus luggage queueing for the lift on platforms 6-8 so - with only a few minutes to make my connection - I lugged my luggage up the stairs.

I have not found it uncommon at Sheffield when travelling with luggage for the only lift to the footbridge from the foyer to not be working at all, with no escalators either.

 

[yorksrob]

I still don't understand why they can't just reverse the down escalator and have it as the up escalator while the works go on.

 

[Grumpy]

I still don't understand why they can't just reverse the down escalator and have it as the up escalator while the works go on.

Agreed. But don’t worry.This week I noticed a sign on the hoarding by the escalator saying that the job would be finished by November.

 

[yorksrob]

Agreed. But don’t worry.This week I noticed a sign on the hoarding by the escalator saying that the job would be finished by November.

We'll get strong legs then !

 

[duffield]

I still don't understand why they can't just reverse the down escalator and have it as the up escalator while the works go on.

Can't locate it at present but I think I read here that some types of escalators can't be set to reverse operation apart from some sort of emergency mode (presumably ultra slow or something).

 

[yorksrob]

Can't locate it at present but I think I read here that some types of escalators can't be set to reverse operation apart from some sort of emergency mode (presumably ultra slow or something).

Oh that's interesting. I assumed they were all like LU.