Quite. In case of emergency the emergency stop can be pressed on the escalator and/or reversed. I can't believe that is a good reason. And they ought to consider that the crush round the single down escalator may itself create an emergency .. For an agency that is so risk averse, it's amazing what a risk they run with that single escalator.. That perhaps might require a bit too much lateral thinking.
This post was last modified: 02-01-2015 05:23 PM by Nick M.
But surely if the crush gets much worse it'll lead to more people going "the long way round", and thus alleviate the problem? I always go up and then down - not sure if it's quicker (I reckon it might be) but it's definitely less frustrating than waiting, and for sure is better for my health/pedometer count!
As for Crossrail, yes, it might alleviate some of the crowding at Canada Water, but I suspect it'll make the trains themselves much busier. I work in Paddington, and right now choose to get the Southern trains where possible as they're usually a better experience - there's not much in the timing as to whether I get them or the Overground, as I can transfer to the Jubilee on both. With Crossrail, I'd definitely be getting the Overground to connect to Crossrail as it will hack great lumps time-wise off the whole journey. Can't help feeling that connection also opens up this area as a potential place to live for a heck of a lot more commuters...
Mind, with a bit of luck I'll be living (and probably working) elsewhere by then.
Re the Escalators, I'm guessing, but I'm assuming if they are form of emergency exit they have to be working in the direction required all the time in much the same way a fire door can't be locked.
My feeling is that they won't hold trains up but will end up with trains not stopping at Canada Water and make people come back the other way if the platform is not clearing.
Medley - there are TWO escalators in the bank in the centre of the northbound Overground platform. One up, one down. They quite widely separated so there's a good chance that you can't see the up escalator in the crush.
This post was last modified: 02-01-2015 11:44 PM by rshdunlop.
Yes, but you asked which escalator could be reversed. Well, the escalator on the right of that picture could be reversed so it goes down. So then BOTH those escalators would go down from Overground northbound to Jubilee.
The escalator on the left of my picture is the one that goes down from northbound Overground and is usually rammed and causes the queues.
When you say there is only one escalator, I'm confused. There are two, but only one currently goes down. Yes?
I am talking about northbound Overground to Jubilee line. There is famously just one, horrendously crowded escalator. It goes down. There is no escalator to go up, so no other escalator to reverse to go down. I only asked about which escalator could be reversed as I couldn't understand your proposed solution. Now I realise it isn't a solution to the biggest problem at C Water, so we're clear at last.
Getting down that one down escalator is like feeding time at the fish farm. It takes minutes - not tens of seconds, but minutes - for a northbound Overground train load of people to get onto the escalator, to the extent that I've seen the last train load still draining down it when the next northbound Overground train comes in.
And this is with a substantial number of people not using this escalator but going the wrong/long way round via the ticket hall - i.e. starting their interchange by heading in exactly the wrong direction (but it's still usually quicker, such is the crush on this one escalator).
I'm also talking about Northbound Overground to Jubilee. Seriously.
Can someone else chime in here? Am I imagining things? Are there two escalators there, or just one? The photo I posted is from the bottom of the problem escalator, on the Jubilee line platform, looking up to the Overground. But it's the same escalator. Look at the signs - it points up to the Overground Northbound. The escalator on the left is the one everyone shuffles down.
I asked my husband who uses the interchange several time a week, in case I'm going mad. He says yes, there are two. If you approach the escalators from the front of the train when you get off a NORTHBOUND Overground train, you are corralled along the barriers so as not to collide with the people coming UP the OTHER escalator.
If there isn't another escalator there, why does a quick google search show lots of people on SE forums complaining to TfL and asking for this apparently non-existent escalator to be reversed, along with replies from TfL explaining that they can't because (as Michael said above) it forms part of the emergency exit routes?
This post was last modified: 05-01-2015 05:30 PM by rshdunlop.
THANK YOU lacb! This photo, taken from your link shows the escalators in question when there are no people, signs or barriers blocking the view of the second escalator. From northbound Overground to Jubilee, for avoidance of confusion.
This post was last modified: 05-01-2015 05:50 PM by rshdunlop.
Sorry, I take it all back - that shows you're quite right. Amazing how I'd blanked that out. I still can't quite believe it's there, but the photo shows it is.
Switching that to downwards would be a help for sure.
No worries, Medley. It's quite funny when you think about it, like panto.
Oh no, there isn't.
Oh yes there is.
Oh no there isn't!
Where?
It's behind you! ;-)
Overground platforms to Jubilee line reversing the escalator
This will never happen. It's already been requested numerous times. The response is that they fear the bottom of the escalators will have too many people and cause accidents (ie: people walking from the right escalator, to go to the left side, and the left escalator to go to the right side etc.) Which will cause a build up.
Their solution is for people to go up to the ticket hall, then back down. Which I've noticed lots and lots of people are already doing. It also disperses people to the other end of the Jubilee platform. So it's already working perfectly in their eyes.
Crossrail
I've had another think about this. I think coming home could be worse once Cross Rail comes in. Because there's a huge cross section of people who work around the Liverpool Street/Bank/Tottenham Court/Farringdon/Moorgate area who would never consider living down here. With CrossRail, it's <5 minute ride to Whitechapel and hop on to the Overground.
Crossrail 1 - £15bn
Crossrail 2 - £27.5bn
s***ty [/b][/u]Bakerloo Line extension ?? - £3bn. That just shows you how much lobbying power the South East has. Not much at all.
Was there anything odd on the Overground tonight? I got to Canada Water about 6.45 pm, and the West Croydon train that arrived then was heaving (left many behind), which meant the Crystal Palace train behind it was also crammed. Had some trains been cancelled? I'm sure it's not normally this crazy-busy at this time of night. Or has everyone (like me) abandoned Southern Trains from LB, using the Overground instead?
The sooner 5 carriages become the norm, the better.