Is the Victoria Line escalators leading up to the Old ticket hall in Victoria always exit only?

[Whiggism]

Hi all, I was wondering whether or not they occasionally let passengers going on the victoria line go directly down the escalators to the platform rather than the long way round.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I've never seen that - but there's a short cut down via the Circle / District entrance a bit further along to the left from the escalators you are talking about.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Hi all, I was wondering whether or not they occasionally let passengers going on the victoria line go directly down the escalators to the platform rather than the long way round.

Very much exit only at all times now, although there may occasionally be one running in the down direction for staff access. As mentioned, the 'quickest' way to the Victoria platforms is via the C&D, else follow the signs along the new passageways.

 

[Hadders]

I’ve never seen anyone allowed to take the ‘short cut’. In addition to staff access I assume the escalators are sometimes run in the down direction (albeit closed off to passengers) is so that they remain capable of operating in the down direction in case of escalator works etc.

 

[BJames]

I've never seen that - but there's a short cut down via the Circle / District entrance a bit further along to the left from the escalators you are talking about.

I don't know why but I'd never thought to do this. And I usually take a little short cut going to the district line from Victoria (as I board at the front at Seven Sisters and there's usually a train waiting to leave) - straight up the escalators and out of the barriers, back on yourself to the district line. Much quicker and I walk fast anyway - but the downside being this is only suitable for people with either high-value passes/capped/travelcards as you'd touch out and in (I assume this doesn't count as 'one journey' as it isn't necessarily a logical way to do it)

 

[Blindtraveler]

Usually one out of that set of three is running in the down direction from my observations

 

[DavyCrocket]

Usually one out of that set of three is running in the down direction from my observations

Yes for staff purposes

 

[Wolfie]

Hi all, I was wondering whether or not they occasionally let passengers going on the victoria line go directly down the escalators to the platform rather than the long way round.

They brought in a one way system during building/engineering works and lockdown and it has never been removed since.

I've never seen that - but there's a short cut down via the Circle / District entrance a bit further along to the left from the escalators you are talking about.

Yup, that's the option l use.

I’ve never seen anyone allowed to take the ‘short cut’. In addition to staff access I assume the escalators are sometimes run in the down direction (albeit closed off to passengers) is so that they remain capable of operating in the down direction in case of escalator works etc.

Go in through the C&D entrance, head over towards the east bound platform and there is a signed route to the Victoria line.

I don't know why but I'd never thought to do this. And I usually take a little short cut going to the district line from Victoria (as I board at the front at Seven Sisters and there's usually a train waiting to leave) - straight up the escalators and out of the barriers, back on yourself to the district line. Much quicker and I walk fast anyway - but the downside being this is only suitable for people with either high-value passes/capped/travelcards as you'd touch out and in (I assume this doesn't count as 'one journey' as it isn't necessarily a logical way to do it)

Yup, l do that one too. I have an annual Travelcard and will have an over-60 Oyster in the New Year.

 

[thomalex]

I put a post about this recently. Judging by the signage there's clearly been a different layout with changeable routing for peak flows planned for Victoria on completion of the new tunnels but it doesn't seem to have been implemented. You'll notice lots of the signage is temporary and the changeable signage is covered.

I hope one day they'll turn it on as you really do have to go on some unnecessarily long diversions at present, notably when accessing the Victoria line from the new Cardinal Place entrance and when changing from Victoria line to District. The temporary signage also looks messy for a newly extended and refurbished station.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Victoria has exceeded my expectations in terms of badly run mess since refurbishment and covid, I would say that it could quite happily go on my list of avoid where possible interchanges but now living rare I do I find myself using it on average once or twice a week. It has therefore as a result gained necessary evil status

 

[BJames]

I put a post about this recently. Judging by the signage there's clearly been a different layout with changeable routing for peak flows planned for Victoria on completion of the new tunnels but it doesn't seem to have been implemented. You'll notice lots of the signage is temporary and the changeable signage is covered.

I hope one day they'll turn it on as you really do have to go on some unnecessarily long diversions at present, notably when accessing the Victoria line from the new Cardinal Place entrance and when changing from Victoria line to District. The temporary signage also looks messy for a newly extended and refurbished station.

I agree that there are some windy routes, but if coming in from Cardinal Place I'd consider taking the lift to the Victoria line - saves the long diversion round, the lift is located directly opposite the escalators coming up from the Victoria Line (and thus no entry). You may well already know and do this but was just a thought I had passing through the other day.

 

[Wolfie]

I agree that there are some windy routes, but if coming in from Cardinal Place I'd consider taking the lift to the Victoria line - saves the long diversion round, the lift is located directly opposite the escalators coming up from the Victoria Line (and thus no entry). You may well already know and do this but was just a thought I had passing through the other day.

Still quite a walk at the bottom! I go through that station regularly.

 

[Timmyd]

I agree with everyone that the new routes are painfully convoluted and like others here I take the route via the EB C&D to the Victoria Line, or board at Brixton. The other problem that the Victoria line Northbound platform becomes very congested because all passengers arrive at the same point. Previously those entering the station boarded at the rear and those interchanging arrived midway along

 

[Whiggism]

I put a post about this recently. Judging by the signage there's clearly been a different layout with changeable routing for peak flows planned for Victoria on completion of the new tunnels but it doesn't seem to have been implemented. You'll notice lots of the signage is temporary and the changeable signage is covered.

I hope one day they'll turn it on as you really do have to go on some unnecessarily long diversions at present, notably when accessing the Victoria line from the new Cardinal Place entrance and when changing from Victoria line to District. The temporary signage also looks messy for a newly extended and refurbished station.

Which way was the intended route for peak flows?

 

[c1995]

Early on Sunday mornings they seem to run the escalators in the down direction.

 

[Kumquat]

Many commuters now know about the lift being being the quickest way to the Victoria line, to the extent that it can be a pain if you really need the lift, and sometimes crowds waiting for the lift spread out and block the corridor, causing a right mess.

 

[Snow1964]

I remember using it in 1980s when only one set of escalators to ticket hall, in those days morning peak was 2 down, 1 up.

Possibly centre one has been downgraded and is no longer reversible