When is an underground station an underground station?

[HSTEd]

Well, my understanding that underground railway stations must be manned 24 hours a day, for evacuation purposes.

But when is an underground station actually underground?

If you have a station in an open topped trench, is this underground?
What if the trench is covered in a lightweight roof?
What if the roof is a green roof?

I am pretty sure the first case is not an underground station, whilst a station buried underground is. But what about the intermediate cases I just listed?

 

[WatcherZero]

Probably easier to approach it from the other side, an underground station is a station that's not on the surface (i.e. Ground level or above).

 

[Joseph_Locke]

You need The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) (England) Regulations 2009

3.—(1) These Regulations apply to any premises where—

(a)the premises are used as a railway station;

(b)members of the public have access to the premises (whether on payment or otherwise); and

(c)there is a railway platform in the premises which is an enclosed underground platform.

(2) A railway platform is an enclosed platform if the platform and the permanent way to which it is adjacent are situated wholly or mainly in a tunnel or wholly or mainly within or under any building.

(3) A railway platform is an underground platform if the level of the roof or ceiling immediately above the platform and the permanent way to which it is adjacent is below the level of the surface of the ground adjacent to any exit from the railway station providing a means of escape from the station in case of fire.

(4) A railway platform is situated mainly in a tunnel or mainly within or under a building if the platform and the permanent way to which it is adjacent are covered by any part of a tunnel or building for more than half the length of the platform.

 

[sciisfun]

You need The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) (England) Regulations 2009
"

Would New St fall under section 2 then?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Would New St fall under section 2 then?

Yes, and Manchester Victoria platforms 5 and 6 under section 4.

 

[swt_passenger]

City Thameslink is an example of a station that is “underground” by virtue of being almost wholly contained within other buildings. Even so, some of the fire escape doors on the northbound platform provide level egress to local ground level.

 

[HSTEd]

You need The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) (England) Regulations 2009

Thanks.....

So if a trench is roofed over, it is not an underground station if that roof is positioned above ground level?

 

[Elecman]

Would New St fall under section 2 then?

Yes it does

 

[74A]

IIRC London Liverpool Street is an underground station. Smoking was banned earlier than elsewhere as a result of this.