Non-unique platform numbering

[telstarbox]

Stratford station has a mixture of National Rail, Underground and DLR services but all the platforms are numbered uniquely from 1 to 19. TfL signage shows the various routes, destinations and platforms together.

Stratford Poster Frames_Platform Finder by Zone7, on Flickr

However, some interchange stations such as Tottenham Hale have NR platforms and Underground platforms with the same numbers which can cause confusion.

On the Underground platform numbers are less important at most stations as they are also signed Northbound/Southbound etc but there is still room for confusion in this example.

Does this situation occur at other stations and if so, should renumbering take place?

 

[jopsuk]

I'm not convinced Tottenham Hale's platform numbering is confusing- to transfer between the sets of platforms you have to go through two barrier lines, it is quite clear whether you're at the mainline or Underground and quite clear if it is a mainline or Underground train you need.

At Stratford, there's cross platform interchange between NR and LU, and NR, LO, LU and DLR are all within a single barriered area. It does however have the utterly baffling situation of 10 and 10A being platforms that face across a pair of tracks with different services, 3 and 3a facing across a single track and accesssing the same services and 4A and 4B being two sides of a single island with a single "service" using them

 

[ac6000cw]

It does however have the utterly baffling situation of 10 and 10A being platforms that face across a pair of tracks with different services, 3 and 3a facing across a single track and accesssing the same services and 4A and 4B being two sides of a single island with a single "service" using them

....especially when everywhere else I can think of a/b/c are just subdivisions of a single platform face. I don't understand why Stratford hasn't been completely renumbered now that they seem to have stopped changing the layout.

 

[telstarbox]

I'm not convinced Tottenham Hale's platform numbering is confusing- to transfer between the sets of platforms you have to go through two barrier lines, it is quite clear whether you're at the mainline or Underground and quite clear if it is a mainline or Underground train you need.

With respect I think that's the viewpoint of a seasoned rail user (I would also consider it 'obvious') but it might be less obvious to tourists etc.
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At Stratford, there's cross platform interchange between NR and LU, and NR, LO, LU and DLR are all within a single barriered area. It does however have the utterly baffling situation of 10 and 10A being platforms that face across a pair of tracks with different services, 3 and 3a facing across a single track and accesssing the same services and 4A and 4B being two sides of a single island with a single "service" using them

4A and 4B isn't too bad (although they do seem a bit 'hidden away' at first!) because all the trains head in the same direction. The others are a bit of a mes though.

 

[jopsuk]

With respect I think that's the viewpoint of a seasoned rail user (I would also consider it 'obvious') but it might be less obvious to tourists etc.

I've not really paid attention- but I don't think there's much obvious reference, certainly at upper level, to the underground platforms having numbers. There's no "combined" departure screens. The announcements in each part are entirely separate.

 

[Busaholic]

Duplication of platform numbers at the same station may be stupid, even if there are 'historical' reasons for it, but duplication of station names is even more so, especially where it occurs on the same system i.e. Edgware Road on London Underground. Yes, it would cost lots of money to effect a change and which station would have to change its name(?) but it needs doing because it's irrational and could lead to lives being unnecessarily put at risk in an emergency.

 

[rogger13]

Altrincham has platform 1 & 2,Metrolink and 3 & 4 are network rail.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Tottenham Hale's tube station and heavy rail stations are separate, and are clearly separate. It's the same with most stations where there is a heavy rail station and a separate tube station. Anyone who gets confused is a moron.

Stratford needs to be numbered the way it is because it is all one station. Platforms 15 and 16 at Paddington are numbered in that way for the same reason (although it is no longer the same station).

 

[Railsigns]

....especially when everywhere else I can think of a/b/c are just subdivisions of a single platform face.

There are a few other stations where they aren't, for example:
- Platforms 3c and 4c at Preston are separate faces from Platforms 3a/3b and 4a/4b.
- Platform 4c at Birmingham New Street is a separate face from Platforms 4a/4b.
- Platforms 3 and 3a at Stockport are separate faces.
- Platforms 2 and 2a at Milton Keynes Central are separate faces.
- Platform 2c at Sheffield is a separate face from Platforms 2a/2b.
- Platforms 1 and 1a at Upminster are separate faces.

 

[southern442]

There are a few other stations where they aren't, for example:
- Platforms 3c and 4c at Preston are separate faces from Platforms 3a/3b and 4a/4b.
- Platform 4c at Birmingham New Street is a separate face from Platforms 4a/4b.
- Platforms 3 and 3a at Stockport are separate faces.
- Platforms 2 and 2a at Milton Keynes Central are separate faces.
- Platform 2c at Sheffield is a separate face from Platforms 2a/2b.
- Platforms 1 and 1a at Upminster are separate faces.

There also used to be 4a and 4b at Reading.


Wimbledon also has platforms numbered 1-10 with no interruptions or anomalies, as with Elmers End.

The fact that Stratford's platforms are uniquely numbered is a massive help to all customers.

 

[SeanG]

Newcastle can be confusing. Working away from the Building there is:
12
11
10
9
2
3
4
5
6
7&8 (same platform face)

Not to mention platform 1 which is a seperate north facing bay level with 12&11

Plus there are the T&W Metro track underneath...

 

[andymcl74]

Lime Street is one, although the underground Merseyrail platform is sometimes referred to as 'Lime Street Lower Level'. This was the case for the ME network's LED Boards for quite a while, before changing from the somewhat-confusing 'Liverpool Ls Ll' to simply 'Liverpool Lime Street'.

Due to the lack on unique numbering though it does mean National Rail have a permanent 'Service Updates' message on their Live Departure Boards for Lime Street saying "Merseyrail services to and from Chester, Ellesmere Port, West Kirby and New Brighton use the Lower Level Wirral platform, not Ground Floor platform 1."

 

[Kite159]

IIRC Glasgow Central & Queen Street carries on the platform numbering for the low-level platforms (16/17 at Central, 8/9 at Queen Street)

 

[edwin_m]

I suspect this is down to whether the "station" counts as one or two stations for emergency planning purposes. As stated, LU platform numbers are really for operational purposes rather than public consumption, and the type of passenger who is unfamiliar with the station is far more likely to follow "Bakerloo Southbound" or whatever rather than the platform number which sometimes appears in small type next to it.

Incidentally the complexes of merged main line plus RER stations in Paris seem to have unique platform numbers throughout, even when different parts have different names. This can give rise to platform numbers in the thirties and fourties, though they seem to start each group on the next multiple of ten (or one more than a multiple) so there are probably some gaps in the sequence. Paris Metro doesn't seem to use platform numbers.

 

[jon0844]

....especially when everywhere else I can think of a/b/c are just subdivisions of a single platform face. I don't understand why Stratford hasn't been completely renumbered now that they seem to have stopped changing the layout.

They do have announcements for people standing on platform 10a waiting for trains that seemingly never arrive (as they're coming and going from the platform opposite).

I know, I've been there and see people wait and moan - totally oblivious. I was waiting for platform 11 and just wandering about and wondering why people were there.

So, yes, they should fix things. And signing things for platform 11 (and 10a) to be reached by lift wouldn't go amiss either.

 

[Julia]

Bedford Midland has 1a (Bletchley branch) as the opposite face to 1.