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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2013 21:38:07 GMT
Due to severe delays on the Jubilee line this week I found myself having to change at Farringdon from the Met to First Capital Connect. I wanted to change from an Aldgate-bound Met train to a southbound FCC train. I used the main staircase to the concourse on Cowcross Street, and then attempted to access the southbound FCC platform. Naturally I assumed as per the old layout that if I used the stairs to the Westbound Met/Cir/H&C platforms I'd be able to cross over to the southbound FCC platform. To my irritation (especially considering a southbound train was in the platform), this was not possible, and the only way to get to the southbound platform was to go up to the new footbridge and then walk down again. Is this right? Is there no link between the two platforms anymore at all?
Cheers,
TSM
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Post by norbitonflyer on Mar 2, 2013 22:32:38 GMT
Station layout here www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/ZFD/plan.htmlAs long as I can remember, access between platforms 2 and 3 has not been strictly cross-platform but by several short flights each of 6-8 steps parallel with the tracks- necssary beacuse the Thameslink platform 3 is about three feet lower than the Underground Platform 2. Have these steps been removed? On the link above you can see photos of these steps by hovering your cursor over the relvanet part of the plan. |
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Post by crusty54 on Mar 2, 2013 23:57:24 GMT
You could have gone down to platform 2 and walked along to the stairs to the southbound Thameslink platform.
The easiest way is to use the footbridges at the north end of the platforms.
If it was working you could have used the lift.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2013 0:10:22 GMT
As far as I could see, the first 4 sets of stairs between platforms 2 and 3 had been removed, and as crusty54 pointed out, the easiest way I could see to access platform 3 would have been via the northern footbridges. However, I'm not even sure that the link between platforms 2 and 3 is there anymore, it's utterly incomprehensible to me now. If you access the wrong platform by accident, it seems like the only way to get back to the correct platform is to go all the way to the footbridge again! And another thing, I think access to platform 4 was also closed off from the main concourse on Cowcross St. Is this the case?
Many thanks in advance,
TSM
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Post by crusty54 on Mar 3, 2013 7:00:43 GMT
The steps at the old south end of the platforms 2/3 have gone but you can walk to the steps at the north end.
There is another way which is to turn back at the bottom of the stairs on 2. There is a new link to the new southern end of the Thameslink platforms. This takes you under Cowcross Street.
The signing is awful - implemented by Network Rail.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2013 18:01:50 GMT
The steps at the old south end of the platforms 2/3 have gone but you can walk to the steps at the north end. There is another way which is to turn back at the bottom of the stairs on 2. There is a new link to the new southern end of the Thameslink platforms. This takes you under Cowcross Street. The signing is awful - implemented by Network Rail. Have just revisited Farringdon, and confirmed the changes for myself. As you have said, there is a new staircase at the far southern end of the platform, behind the main stairs to the cow cross street exit. The 4 stairs to the north of this one have all been removed, leaving 2 staircases at the northern end of the staircase next to the new northern footbridge. This would be why I was so confused because none of the remaining stairs were visible and as others have mentioned, the signage does not help very much! Cheers, TSM |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2013 11:52:22 GMT
I use Farringdon station every day and whilst it is certainly better than it was they really haven't solved some of the congestion problems. The design of it is just awful - it's full of confusing staircases that seem to have been inspired by Hogwarts. I swear they move about when I'm not looking.
I use the tube from Chesham and come into the eastbound platform each morning. The staircase up to the main ticket hall from this platform is way too narrow, meaning that there is always a scrum to get up it (although the staircase on the westbound platform is twice the width and therefore much better). You can also take a new (wider) staircase from the eastbound platform up to the brand new concourse which they've built on the side of the station that runs along Turnmills. They've put in new barriers off this concourse at the rear of the station which is great if you work in Clerkenwell Road, however as I work in Fleet Street I still need to go the main ticket hall at the front of the station, otherwise I need to double back on myself once I get outside. You can walk round to the main ticket hall from this new concourse but doing so is no quicker than waiting and walking up the original narrow staircase. What is ridiculous is that the new concourse that runs alongside Turnmills easily has space for some extra barriers but instead it is effectively a glorified 50 metre wind tunnel or glass corridor. It has no other exits so you still have to walk to one end or the other to get out. The main ticket hall itself has been refurbished and looks nice but they've not put enough new barriers in to deal with all the passengers. I really think they've missed a trick - you'd think with all the millions being spent they would have sorted it and put in more exits - instead I have to queue for several minutes everyday just to get out of the station.
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Post by crusty54 on Mar 21, 2013 19:09:12 GMT
I use Farringdon station every day and whilst it is certainly better than it was they really haven't solved some of the congestion problems. The design of it is just awful - it's full of confusing staircases that seem to have been inspired by Hogwarts. I swear they move about when I'm not looking. I use the tube from Chesham and come into the eastbound platform each morning. The staircase up to the main ticket hall from this platform is way too narrow, meaning that there is always a scrum to get up it (although the staircase on the westbound platform is twice the width and therefore much better). You can also take a new (wider) staircase from the eastbound platform up to the brand new concourse which they've built on the side of the station that runs along Turnmills. They've put in new barriers off this concourse at the rear of the station which is great if you work in Clerkenwell Road, however as I work in Fleet Street I still need to go the main ticket hall at the front of the station, otherwise I need to double back on myself once I get outside. You can walk round to the main ticket hall from this new concourse but doing so is no quicker than waiting and walking up the original narrow staircase. What is ridiculous is that the new concourse that runs alongside Turnmills easily has space for some extra barriers but instead it is effectively a glorified 50 metre wind tunnel or glass corridor. It has no other exits so you still have to walk to one end or the other to get out. The main ticket hall itself has been refurbished and looks nice but they've not put enough new barriers in to deal with all the passengers. I really think they've missed a trick - you'd think with all the millions being spent they would have sorted it and put in more exits - instead I have to queue for several minutes everyday just to get out of the station. If you use the new stairs that are by the lift and signed as way out you can turn back to the Cowcross Street exit. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2013 13:18:56 GMT
I've tried that Crusty but it's no quicker. The stairs take you in the oppposite direction of the Cowcross Street exit so yes, you can turn back, but by the time you've done so you might as well have just queued at the other staircase.
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Post by crusty54 on Mar 22, 2013 22:44:55 GMT
I've tried that Crusty but it's no quicker. The stairs take you in the oppposite direction of the Cowcross Street exit so yes, you can turn back, but by the time you've done so you might as well have just queued at the other staircase. But the stairs are wider |
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