Escalators at angel Station

[sharpinf]

I know the current expectation is that new stations should include step-free access. Is Angel, perhaps, the last major station redevelopment where the lack of step-free access was accepted without falling foul of regulations?

From a Hidden London tour I recall them saying that when Shepherds Bush Central line station was redeveloped in 2008 for the arrival of Westfield lifts, although planned, didn't get added due to costs so it remains non step-free

 

[Mikey C]

From a Hidden London tour I recall them saying that when Shepherds Bush Central line station was redeveloped in 2008 for the arrival of Westfield lifts, although planned, didn't get added due to costs so it remains non step-free

That was a less comprehensive rebuild, as the escalators and passageways down below were there already. It was just the building on top that was completely rebuilt! A shame though, seeing that when it was rebuilt, funds were relatively flush.

 

[Recessio]

I know the current expectation is that new stations should include step-free access. Is Angel, perhaps, the last major station redevelopment where the lack of step-free access was accepted without falling foul of regulations?

If memory serves, wheelchairs weren't even allowed on deep level trains until 1993, after the Angel was rebuilt (and years after the design was fixed). Obviously lifts aren't only just for wheelchairs access - they are useful for luggage, pram, and passengers with restricted mobility - but I think this gives a sense of how little consideration was given to accessibility even up to thirty years ago, and why there was considered to be less of a need for step-free access, as everyone else was expected to be able to use stairs, even if slowly.

 

[bramling]

That was a less comprehensive rebuild, as the escalators and passageways down below were there already. It was just the building on top that was completely rebuilt! A shame though, seeing that when it was rebuilt, funds were relatively flush.

I suspect there was also an issue with how it could actually be done. The platforms are close together, so it’s unclear how lifts would reach the final platform level. It’s awkward enough as it is with the narrow stairways finishing on the platform ends, with no changes having been made at platform level.

 

[londontransit]

There are a couple more. York Road and King’s Cross also had lifts which went down to platform level. Ironically, the original C&SLR stations tended to have step-free or minimal steps to platforms when the railway first opened. The odd remnant of this still survives, for example at Borough.

Indeed Borough is one!

Elephant and Castle is another!

That's four, not two, stations, that still have the original arrangement.

The CSLR started out with step-free from platform to street. (Kennington and Elephant were half and half though - meaning just one platform was step-free).

As for not being able to build extra lifts at Angel, they built a shaft from City Road in order to build the new station platform. Digging shafts is extremely expensive but at least more effort could have been made on how the whole thing could have been put together.

LRT didn't want the cranky old lifts anyway, nor did it want new ones. Escalators yes, lifts no - and the mindset at the time was, well, 'we're not building lifts for the disabled.'

 

[Mojo]

Indeed Borough is one!

Elephant and Castle is another!

That's four, not two, stations, that still have the original arrangement.

Both Borough and Elephant only offer access to one of the Northern line platforms as step-free. It is not the same as Caledonian Rd or Earls Court.

 

[Mikey C]

If memory serves, wheelchairs weren't even allowed on deep level trains until 1993, after the Angel was rebuilt (and years after the design was fixed). Obviously lifts aren't only just for wheelchairs access - they are useful for luggage, pram, and passengers with restricted mobility - but I think this gives a sense of how little consideration was given to accessibility even up to thirty years ago, and why there was considered to be less of a need for step-free access, as everyone else was expected to be able to use stairs, even if slowly.

The DLR had step free and level access from the start, so I guess at the time they just saw it as something that could be incorporated on brand new systems, rather than the legacy deep level tube. Was the Bank extension of the DLR the first deep station with wheelchair accessibility?

 

[londontransit]

Both Borough and Elephant only offer access to one of the Northern line platforms as step-free. It is not the same as Caledonian Rd or Earls Court.

You are right 'its not the same' but then the size of the stations on the Piccadilly are gigantic compared to the very small CSLR ones. Big stations - easy no doubt! Very small ones, well, they tried ever so hard!

Borough once had level access to both platforms and it was formerly the same at Oval and Stockwell (both now lift free and disability free too). At some point stairs were put in for the n/b at Borough - probably during the CLSR rebuild in the 1920s. Elephant and Kennington were built with just one platform accessible because of the wayleaves.

The CSLR ones were once the smallest stations on the tube system. Even one accessible platform is exemplary because the stations were about a third the size of those on the Piccadilly line and it shows one doesn't have to think big in order to provide accessibility even to two platforms. That could have been done at Kentish Town, but hey, its TfL, remember? What was done on the CSLR can be done elsewhere too but TfL, they evidently need to build a grand tour of their tube stations because disabled people simply don't get stressed out enough trying to find the lifts let alone the platforms. The designs are terrible and quite a few of us are getting fed up with TfL.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jan 2025 ==

The DLR had step free and level access from the start, so I guess at the time they just saw it as something that could be incorporated on brand new systems, rather than the legacy deep level tube. Was the Bank extension of the DLR the first deep station with wheelchair accessibility?

As a deep level tube station Bank DLR was the first for accessibility. Heathrow Central was the first to have lifts installed but that was for people with heavy luggage.

 

[Mojo]

What year was that rogue stairlift “for manual wheelchairs only” installed at Hounslow West; I have a feeling that’s quite old?

Also worth mentioning that even if platforms were theoretically accessible by lifts, boarding a train would have been difficult as manual boarding ramps at stations that don’t have humps or overall level access such as on the Jubilee line extension or S-stock routes, were only introduced in 2012 (and even then only at a very limited number of 16 stations - it was years later that the remainder were installed).

 

[Dstock7080]

Heathrow Central was the first to have lifts installed but that was for people with heavy luggage.

Hounslow West (1975), Hatton Cross (1975) and Heathrow Central (1977) were opened without lifts.
Heathrow Central only gained lifts to platform level in 2012.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Hatton Cross Which I use regularly. Always feels like a major own goal for not having had lifts installed as built or had them installed more recently.

 

[londontransit]

Hounslow West (1975), Hatton Cross (1975) and Hounslow Central (1977) were opened without lifts.
Heathrow Central only gained lifts to platform level in 2012.

The detailed plans from 1977 show the lift shafts were already there, so it actually took 35 years to install the lifts at 1, 2, 3! Typical!

 

[Tetchytyke]

The CSLR started out with step-free from platform to street. (Kennington and Elephant were half and half though - meaning just one platform was step-free).

They did- but only in one direction. Step-free from the station building down to whichever platform was closest to the station building, then stairs to cross over to the other platform.

Kentish Town could have had lifts installed to the northbound platform, IIRC the (re-purposed) shafts are still there. Is step-free in one direction better or worse than no step-free access, and is partial access worth the significant cost?

As for not being able to build extra lifts at Angel, they built a shaft from City Road in order to build the new station platform. Digging shafts is extremely expensive but at least more effort could have been made on how the whole thing could have been put together.

Any lift shaft from the platform would come out in the middle of the City Road/Goswell Road junction. Definitely sub-optimal unless you want your wheelchair users to be squashed by the number 4 bus.

 

[alf]

There is a lift that runs at a thirty degree angle alongside the escalators on a high above ground Central line station near Ruislip.
When it opened I made a special trip to ride it 10(?)years ago & was very impressed & hoped it might be a protype for more lifts on stations that were not step free. But no more have been installed.

Would a non vertical lift solve a step free problem at Angel or elsewhere mentioned above?

 

[0nlySam]

There is a lift that runs at a thirty degree angle alongside the escalators on a high above ground Central line station near Ruislip.
When it opened I made a special trip to ride it 10(?)years ago & was very impressed & hoped it might be a protype for more lifts on stations that were not step free. But no more have been installed.

Would a non vertical lift solve a step free problem at Angel or elsewhere mentioned above?

There's at least 1 more of these now, on the Elizabeth Line at Liverpool Street, but I'm not sure one has ever been added to an existing station before!

 

[Dstock7080]

but I'm not sure one has ever been added to an existing station before!

Incline lift at Greenford Tube station is UK first

UK first as incline lift opens at Greenford Tube station

tfl.gov.uk

Greenford station inclined lift opened 2015, so that station became step-free for first time since 1947.