'72 '92 Stock trains to be modified to improve accessibility

Actually, if every C car in the B-C units was modified then you would end up with every train having two wheelchair cars in the middle of the train, since almost every train is A-B-B-C-C-B-B-A. This would work out quite nicely, and it would not affect flexibility.

However, the few trains with a middle cab would end up only having one wheelchair car, unless some of the middle cabs were permanently relegated to the middle and also fitted with a wheelchair space.

I think you could just treat B-C and B-D units the same in this regard

Surely the obvious thing to do is put it in the NDM car of every AB unit. Then every train will have an accessible area in cars 2 and 7, with a handful of trains having an extra area. This would be roughly consistent with other lines, and avoids the hump being at the platform end which I believe is considered undesirable.

The central line does have sloped platforms at the ends which is a legacy of lengthening for 8 car trains so I can understand why this would not be popular.

It is good to see plenty of interesting observations in this thread about the possible direction of these modifications. One thing seems clear they seem to emphasise there is a need for joined up strategic thinking from someone at TFL.

For instance there would be no point putting wheelchair accessible cars only at the end of trains, if the platforms only have wheelchair accessible humps in middle. Things need to line up, indeed pretty much the same issue applies to wherever accessible provision is installed on a train.

To be honest in an ideal world every car in every train would be fully accessible, even if that ideal may not be immediately attainable. It would be sad to see TFL only aim in the longer term to deliver just the absolute minimum required by DDA even if it means the actual accessible bits do not line up. OK there is a short term compliance issue - but personally I think it is time for TFL to really embrace this challenge and go beyond the minimum.

Inherently, even if every car "lost a few seats" to make room for wheelchairs/buggies the actual consequence (especially during peak hours) would be almost certainly increase the actual space available for standing passengers when they are not being used - and inherently add to the capacity of the train. Whilst we all prefer a seat - the reality is that for those who have to travel during peak hours, many passengers already have to stand in sardine like conditions, so liberating a bit of extra space by removing some seats will actually make that experience better for those forced to stand too.

Given the risk of different solutions being adopted for different lines, I hope that at the very least TFL consider applying some sort of clear external marking to be applied to accessible cars. This would help those needing an accessible car to locate and board them quickly. (Perhaps some sort of painted colour line along the top of relevant cars like some mainline stock mark their first class carriages would work).

Didn't LOROL (the old Overground operator) do this on the North London Line? They removed seats from the units so rather than 3+2 they became 2+2 with more standing room.

The platform would end up looking like a big dipper, which would probably be more dangerous than the current step down/up!

Very long term you might be able to segregate the Watford DC from other National Rail services and build stock with the same floor height as the Bakerloo line trains and change the platforms to match. Boarding ramps could be used on the occasion step-free access was required to standard height stock was required.
Given that new trains are currently being built for the line though, this is at least a generation away if it ever were to happen.

Possibly, but then what would happen at Watford High Street if the Croxley link ever happens? It would also require dedicated platforms at Euston (at present LM services can use the same platforms, although they rarely do so)

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Not necessarily, in these strange times.

You gents have all been members long enough now to know where the Fantasy RIPAS board is!

Well Euston is due a rebuild at some point, and on the timescale we're talking about here a dedicated platform at Euston is not out of the question. Certainly it wouldn't be practical today.
I hadn't thought about Watford High Street re Croxley, but I do now recall a previous discussion (probably in the context of extending the Bakerloo to Watford Junction again) that raised the possibility of either side platforms at a different height or extending the platforms to two-trains long with different stopping places for the different trains. I don't remember how feasible they were thought to be though.

Hmmm, an interesting point NF.

The 73 stock has already been amended during refurbishment so will be easier to do.

I'd like to see what the plans are though.