• Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Underground trains on adjacent platforms

Kevin51

Member
Joined
12 Dec 2019
Messages
78
Location
Herts
Is there any rule about first train arriving has to wait if a second train arrives while first train is still in the platform? Or can first train depart as soon as it is ready. eg Met to Jubilee and vice versa at Finchley Road.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

rmHawk765

Member
Joined
8 Apr 2025
Messages
772
Location
ECML South
Some stations have boards reminding drivers to wait for people making cross-platform interchanges - other than that I'm not sure there is a formal rule.

Also, looking out to see if there's a train on the other platform wouldn't be particularly feasible at underground stations where visibility is limited (e.g Pic to Vic at Finsbury Park).
 

bramling

Veteran Member
Joined
5 Mar 2012
Messages
20,399
Location
Hertfordshire / Teesdale
Is there any rule about first train arriving has to wait if a second train arrives while first train is still in the platform? Or can first train depart as soon as it is ready. eg Met to Jubilee and vice versa at Finchley Road.

Not really. There are some places where there are signs up (which generally were only ever intended to apply at off-peak times), and Finchley Central has an illuminated sign for Mill Hill connections.

But the general view is no. Most LU lines run a frequent service, and the problem is that waiting for adjacent trains can end up adding a minute or so to dwell times, which many of LU’s timetables cannot sustain, especially at peak times.

Additionally, if you take somewhere like Stockwell, the numbers changing from one to the other are often quite substantial. Many northbound Northern Line trains really empty out to the Victoria Line at Stockwell, and same in reverse. There just isn’t the dwell time to accommodate this, and with a very frequent service it really isn’t necessary.
 

Mawkie

Established Member
Joined
17 Feb 2016
Messages
1,274
Not really. There are some places where there are signs up (which generally were only ever intended to apply at off-peak times), and Finchley Central has an illuminated sign for Mill Hill connections.

But the general view is no. Most LU lines run a frequent service, and the problem is that waiting for adjacent trains can end up adding a minute or so to dwell times, which many of LU’s timetables cannot sustain, especially at peak times.

Additionally, if you take somewhere like Stockwell, the numbers changing from one to the other are often quite substantial. Many northbound Northern Line trains really empty out to the Victoria Line at Stockwell, and same in reverse. There just isn’t the dwell time to accommodate this, and with a very frequent service it really isn’t necessary.
Excellent comment.

I don't do dead lates anymore, do they still "Lamp Out" the last trains of the night with connecting services? Or has that died a death like everything else with LU?
 

Tube driver

Member
Joined
7 Jan 2018
Messages
134
Used to have illuminated ‘J’ and ‘M’ lamps at Finchley Road back in the day for the very reason to notify drivers of another service coming in alongside. Was handy on the southbound as view was restricted for the driver and would illuminate when the train was entering the platform (I think, it’s been a while!)

Got rid of them around the time the Jubilee went ATO where every second did count as you’d soon have a another train waiting behind you if you waited (although usual caveat of safety first and only close doors and depart when it’s safe to do so and not when several hundred people are running over to your service!).
 

Top