Biggest gap and/or step down to the platform nomination thread.

[Jimini]

Clearly none of you have stopped at Selhurst Platform3 on the Down Might as well be stepping down onto the ballast.

Yep, I'll second that, had to get off there once when the stoppers were running down the fast lines one Sunday. Had to take a running jump!

Clapham Junction plats 15-17 also deserve a mention.

 

[Mintona]

Clearly none of you have stopped at Selhurst Platform3 on the Down Might as well be stepping down onto the ballast.

I was going to say Selhurst as well. I actually had to hold onto the support bars by the doors and pull myself up onto the train, it is such a huge step up from the platform.

 

[pendolino]

Another vote for the fast platforms at Selhurst (especially the London end of the up fast), where a parachute is definitely needed to alight from the train. The slow platforms are being resurfaced at the moment (new tactile copings + tarmac), maybe the fast platforms will follow.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Epsom, platform 4, roughly at the 3rd / 4th carriage point...

 

[googolplex]

The far end of the southbound platform at Dundee has quite a gap when getting onto the HSTs, I'm 6' and almost felt like I had to haul myself onto the train

Clapham Junction's also not that great, I remember changing trains there with some friends and their kids, who we ended up having to help across the gap.

Ages ago, Millbrook on the Bedford - Bletchley line was pretty bad, and had wooden steps positioned along the platform. I seem to recall somebody commenting that they got off there and, not realising how big the drop was, had to run halfway along the platform to avoid falling over!

 

[sulli_os]

Platform 3 at Meadowhall (Sheffield). The line is curved and tilted away from the platform edge - not only is the gap quite far horizontally, but the step up/down is huge!

 

[cyclebytrain]

Not the biggest, but the one that surprises me the most is St Pancras low level -the gap between the door and platform (on the curved part) is massive. I'm usually don't travel in that part of the train, so the first time I did, I opened the door expecting the usual virtually level step and did this massive double take at the size of the gap!

 

[TUC]

The gap at Alexandria Station (near Glasgow) is so wide that my wife's guide dog fell through it onto the track!

 

[DarloRich]

Darlington North Rd has a big step down!!

I was going to mention that one - it is a canny step down. If you get a 156 in there you feel you have to use the grab handles to climb up!

 

[northwichcat]

Northwich is bad but they've given it a hump.

 

[starrymarkb]

Exton is very low. Dawlish used to be bad if it was a 150...

 

[sutty]

Smethwick Galton Bridge (lower level) platform 4.

I got off a 158 there last week and the track is canted and curved away from the platform. More forward than downward motion was called for.

 

[TEW]

Exeter St Thomas on the down platform has a huge step down, the platform is straight so the train isn't far from the platform, just far above it.

 

[LE Greys]

I remember Settle having wooden step-blocks so that people could climb in and out of trains. The platform was about eighteen inches below solebar level. Has that changed much? Anywhere where HSTs stop on the inside of curves provides a very big gap. Temple Meads is one, with the GWR's lower-than-normal platforms.

 

[TukayAway]

Cricklewood, Platform 1. Large gap and a steep cant doubles the problem.

 

[Fincra5]

Another vote for the fast platforms at Selhurst (especially the London end of the up fast), where a parachute is definitely needed to alight from the train. The slow platforms are being resurfaced at the moment (new tactile copings + tarmac), maybe the fast platforms will follow.

Its funny when you are working it, mainly nights, when you basically jump down. Everyone who is seated looks at you oddly

 

[ab]

Raynes Park, Platform 1 at the rear of the train is a ridiculously large gap between the platform and the train.

 

[SS4]

On the Tube, Piccadilly Circus (southbound..?) on the Bakerloo Line is pretty large. A good foot and a half I'd guess.

If you're talking about the tube what about the Central line at Bank at the back of a Westbound train? It is curved to the extent you can't see the other end of the platform. They installed white chevrons where there is a big gap

I'm not sure on the NR network, nothing springs immediately to mind./

 

[The175]

Hopton Heath on the Heart of Wales line... the platform isn't far off being at ballast level!!

 

[PaulLothian]

... one of the smaller stops on the Highland Mainline (can't think which one right now) ...

That'll be Dunkeld & Birnam (although there may be others)

 

[Mark_1987]

I nominate Platform 7B in Chester when getting off the MerseyRail Units

 

[snail]

Staveley and Dalston (Barrow) where the curves tilt the trains away from the platform. TPE 185s employ SDO at both stations by having the conductor operate a single door in the centre of the train.

 

[BestWestern]

Lawrence Hill, Bristol, is a very long way down, particularly bad when boarding/alighting a 143! Nasty gaps also at Bath Spa and Bristol TM platform 3, the curves make for hard work when a 150 turns up.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Possibly any station served by a TPE 170 when the wrong side doors open due to wiring being done by a 10 year old.....

Would you care to elaborate slightly?!

 

[cointreau_rove]

I have experienced a few of the above but for me one of the worst and potentially most dangerous is alighting from a FGW HST set at Platform 1 (westbound) at Bath Spa Station - specifically Coaches A, B and the front door in C. The curve in the station cants the train away from the platform and therefore you get the long drop and a wider gap .... difficult boarding too. Many the occassion I have helped people get off with luggage and in a couple of cases physically lifted people down onto the platform. It is well known and the TM always mentions the platform height/gap problem to passengers. Not sure whether much can be done about it this side of electrification.

C

 

[LE Greys]

I have experienced a few of the above but for me one of the worst and potentially most dangerous is alighting from a FGW HST set at Platform 1 (westbound) at Bath Spa Station - specifically Coaches A, B and the front door in C. The curve in the station cants the train away from the platform and therefore you get the long drop and a wider gap .... difficult boarding too. Many the occassion I have helped people get off with luggage and in a couple of cases physically lifted people down onto the platform. It is well known and the TM always mentions the platform height/gap problem to passengers. Not sure whether much can be done about it this side of electrification.

C

And eastbound isn't much better. The cant makes the body lower, but the length of a MkIII means that there is a lot of outward displacement on the curve, so the rails have to be wider from the platform edge to prevent the underfloor equipment hitting the face. Therefore, the doors are a good foot from the platform. It's also hard to open them westbound (they open uphill, and can close themselves very forcefully) and hard to close them eastbound (but they can swing out very rapidly downhill). GWR platforms are also a few inches lower than everywhere else, not sure why.

This is probably not solvable ever, unless new trains have retractable steps as well as sliding doors.

 

[island]

The Curragh in Ireland is pretty amazingly bad, as is platform 5 at Dublin Connolly.

 

[cointreau_rove]

And eastbound isn't much better. The cant makes the body lower, but the length of a MkIII means that there is a lot of outward displacement on the curve, so the rails have to be wider from the platform edge to prevent the underfloor equipment hitting the face. Therefore, the doors are a good foot from the platform. It's also hard to open them westbound (they open uphill, and can close themselves very forcefully) and hard to close them eastbound (but they can swing out very rapidly downhill). GWR platforms are also a few inches lower than everywhere else, not sure why.

This is probably not solvable ever, unless new trains have retractable steps as well as sliding doors.

Very true on the eastbound side but westbound is a real killer for anyone infirm. Just got back home after a day in London andI tend to use Carriage A for the supposed "Quiet Zone"...
Tonight there was a woman in her 70s (I guess) with a huge case getting off the front of Carriage B - she just froze so I grabbed her case and helped her down - couldn't find a step ladder....

I can't think of an answer to the problemother than when the electrification comes perhaps we will have better rolling stock and a rebuild of the site - its an awful station at its best and the recent bus station works and new shopping centre should have been a time when the station could have had a better makeover than the nonsense they have committed - the place is a death trap with the ticket hall being a melee of people all trying to cross each other and the taxi rank/car drop off vying for position with people trying to cross that area..... (as often said on here - rant over).
C

 

[rmt-driver]

Hanwell platform one (up fast line) is very very gappy.. doesn't even have warning signs IIRC .

Once got off a Heathrow Connect train there that was diverted due to a problem on the relief line. It was quite scary

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Cradley Heath P1 is about a foot from the front 150 carriage to platform edge. And P2 ain't far off!!!

Old Hill is Gap Hell!

 

[phil281]

Trains don't stop there very often but Platform 1 at Vauxhall, you have to jump to get off the train!