Euston overcrowding

[Bletchleyite]

What is this tunnel that's been mentioned?

The area under the departure boards with a low ceiling that you use to get to/from the platform ends. It's not really a tunnel but it's a bit tunnel esque.

 

[saismee]

Is the tunnel the ramp area? And if possible could someone post an image for a little more context? I'm a very infrequent user of Euston.

 

[tfw756rider]

The area under the departure boards with a low ceiling that you use to get to/from the platform ends. It's not really a tunnel but it's a bit tunnel esque.

Ah, thanks.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is the tunnel the ramp area? And if possible could someone post an image for a little more context? I'm a very infrequent user of Euston.

This area:

Google Maps

Explore a place through a 360° photo.

www.google.com

(Google Streetview link shows a view from the P16 end of the area under the departure board at Euston).

I have no idea if it is an official name or not, that's just what I've always called it as it is a bit like a tunnel.

 

[saismee]

This area:

Google Maps

Explore a place through a 360° photo.

www.google.com

(Google Streetview link shows a view from the P16 end of the area under the departure board at Euston).

I have no idea if it is an official name or not, that's just what I've always called it as it is a bit like a tunnel.

That makes it far clearer. I was a little lost as I have only used the platforms 8-11 section which is a lot more open in comparison.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interestingly that Streetview is a bit back in time, showing retail units removed a long time ago!

 

[Dr Hoo]

This area:

Google Maps

Explore a place through a 360° photo.

www.google.com

(Google Streetview link shows a view from the P16 end of the area under the departure board at Euston).

I have no idea if it is an official name or not, that's just what I've always called it as it is a bit like a tunnel.

Why not call it a ‘corridor’, given that it is above ground and within a building? Then you could qualify it by adding “transverse dispersal [corridor] above the platform ramps” or similar.

I expect that most people would recognise that if they have been to Euston.

 

[Russel]

This area:

Google Maps

Explore a place through a 360° photo.

www.google.com

(Google Streetview link shows a view from the P16 end of the area under the departure board at Euston).

I have no idea if it is an official name or not, that's just what I've always called it as it is a bit like a tunnel.

Interesting link, it's strange to see just how much has changed and how many of the retail units have gone.

 

[martin butler]

The only experience I had of Euston was at christmas 2024, when returning from a christmas break from Swindon, we were being diverted into Euston because Paddington was closed.

The NR side was busy but ok, the Underground though was chaos, found a lift saying disabled access, I had a large suitcase, and a dog, I therefore assumed thare would be access to the Northern line, but no, there is no step free access and no way I could get down to platform level, unlike Paddington

The only advice the station staff could give was you will have to catch a bus, as a result, i missed my connection at Charing Cross.

 

[DelW]

Is the tunnel the ramp area? And if possible could someone post an image for a little more context? I'm a very infrequent user of Euston.

I was confused too, because to me the "tunnel" implied the low-level connection between the tube concourse and the suburban platforms - though that didn't fit the context.

 

[rmHawk765]

But it would be a waste of managers' time to enforce no chit-chat because they would have no way of distinguishing why collegues were talking. I'd much prefer higher-ups to be spending their time also trying to crowd manage, keep the station running safely, cascading as much information to frontline staff as possible rather than eavesdropping on staff to enforce a primary school type of rule.

Increase the trust in the front line staff and then manage the situation through proper debriefs and training afterwards rather than punishing people for trying to stay positive during what is a stressful situation for staff?

To be completely honest I do agree that trying to enforce this not only doesn't work but makes little sense even if it did.

 

[plugwash]

I therefore assumed thare would be access to the Northern line, but no, there is no step free access and no way I could get down to platform level, unlike Paddington

Indeed, it's pretty appalling that some major London terminals still lack step-free access to the underground. I think the only metro system in the UK that is worse than the London underground in this regard is the glasgow subway.

I seem to recall accessibility improvements at Euston tube station being planned as part of HS2, but I've no idea if they survived the many rounds of cutbacks.

The only advice the station staff could give was you will have to catch a bus, as a result, i missed my connection at Charing Cross.

The circle line westbound from Euston Square is apparently accessible, but you would have to change at Edgeware road to continue round the Circle past paddington. Also the map claims that Charing cross tube statoin is not accessible on any line.

 

[Class 170101]

Indeed, it's pretty appalling that some major London terminals still lack step-free access to the underground. I think the only metro system in the UK that is worse than the London underground in this regard is the glasgow subway.

Unfortunately all built at a time when it wasn't important to worry about such people.

I seem to recall accessibility improvements at Euston tube station being planned as part of HS2, but I've no idea if they survived the many rounds of cutbacks.

I thought I read somewhere that someone, maybe the DfT were trying to removing the Underground part of the scheme to save money

The circle line westbound from Euston Square is apparently accessible, but you would have to change at Edgeware road to continue round the Circle past paddington. Also the map claims that Charing cross tube statoin is not accessible on any line.

Highly likely most stations will have some limit on their accessibility possibilities.

 

[Mikey C]

No way can HS2 plug into Euston without a major rebuild of the Underground station. Even without HS2, the Underground station is inadequate, and needs the total rebuilds that Kings Cross St Pancras and London Bridge have had, with step free entrance, and additional entrances.

 

[Russel]

No way can HS2 plug into Euston without a major rebuild of the Underground station. Even without HS2, the Underground station is inadequate, and needs the total rebuilds that Kings Cross St Pancras and London Bridge have had, with step free entrance, and additional entrances.

Indeed, Euston Underground is a maze of narrow corridors that seem to cross the flow of other passengers at 90 degrees...

To omit any work to accommodate HS2 would be foolish.

 

[Class 170101]

They need to sort Euston sooner rather than later. I was there last week and people heading for Northern and Victoria Lines were being routed via stairs, near to the exit taking you to Sainsburys. Were the escalators not working or something?

 

[bramling]

They need to sort Euston sooner rather than later. I was there last week and people heading for Northern and Victoria Lines were being routed via stairs, near to the exit taking you to Sainsburys. Were the escalators not working or something?

There’s been constant issues with these escalators for years. I seem to remember all three were replaced fairly recently, yet still give issues. The lifts aren’t much better.

 

[styles]

Interesting link, it's strange to see just how much has changed and how many of the retail units have gone.

Back when they were still charging for the bogs! Another form of overcrowding that one..

 

[DelW]

Indeed, Euston Underground is a maze of narrow corridors that seem to cross the flow of other passengers at 90 degrees...

IIRC the escalators below ticket hall level originally had an up and a down in each shaft, one pair serving the Charing Cross branch platforms and the other pair serving the City branch. At some time (possibly when gate lines were installed?) they were changed to being both down in the CX shaft and both up in the City shaft. That had benefits at ticket hall level, but it generated a lot more traffic in the cross-tunnel joining the bottoms of the escalators and at the junctions where that meets the escalator tunnels.

(Edit, see next post)
I don't think the layout was much added to when the Victoria was built, and the tube station must now be carrying far more passengers than it was ever designed for.

 

[dosxuk]

I don't think the layout was much added to when the Victoria was built, and the tube station must now be carrying far more passengers than it was ever designed for.

The station was effectively rebuilt when the Victoria line was added.

There's a good diagram on Wikipedia showing the alterations - details on the Euston Tube Station article.

 

[DelW]

The station was effectively rebuilt when the Victoria line was added.

There's a good diagram on Wikipedia showing the alterations - details on the Euston Tube Station article.

Ah, thanks, that's the danger of working from hazy memories.

I use the Charing Cross platforms, which look and feel more or less original, but I should have remembered that widened platform on the City branch. It was a much more comprehensive rebuild than I was thinking.

 

[bramling]

Ah, thanks, that's the danger of working from hazy memories.

I use the Charing Cross platforms, which look and feel more or less original, but I should have remembered that widened platform on the City branch. It was a much more comprehensive rebuild than I was thinking.

It’s quite sobering to think that prior to the Victoria Line, the station was served by just two pairs of lift shafts and a spiral staircase - albeit there were two further surface buildings which had been taken out of use as early as 1914.

Whilst the low-level passageways are congested and awkward, IME they do just about cope. It is the ticket hall area which really struggles, along with the access between surface and ticket hall. The main problem times are weekends and if there are problems on national rail.

 

[Skie]

The ticket hall helps slow the flow of passengers into the station and makes the volume of passengers going through those narrow corridors safe (though with lots of people darting each way and everyway). Though it also slows the flow of passengers out, so I'd expect that to be the first thing to be fixed if anything.

 

[Russel]

The station was effectively rebuilt when the Victoria line was added.

There's a good diagram on Wikipedia showing the alterations - details on the Euston Tube Station article.

Interesting map, though I still can't get my head around the layout, despite using Euston more times than I care to remember.