LU Platforms

[Halsebee]

The Victoria Line famously has more trains than platforms. I doubt this applies to any other lines, but how many platforms do the other tube lines have each? Is there a resource somewhere that has this info? Also what is the peak requirement for trains on all the lines?

 

[bluegoblin7]

You could work out the number of platforms via CartoMetro: https://cartometro.com/.

You can find out the number of trains in service via the TfL Working Timetables: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/working-timetables.

I would argue that it's not as simple as it might seem though - for example, it's very easy to run out of platforms on the top side of the Circle if there's any kind of disruption that blocks up Aldgate, Baker Street or Edgware Road even if 'on paper' there are more platforms than trains. The Victoria line is probably the most acute given the shorter line, but they are problems that exist on all lines to an extent.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The Waterloo at City line has five trains and four platforms; all five can be out at once in the peak.

 

[Dstock7080]

The Waterloo at City line has five trains and four platforms; all five can be out at once in the peak.

Only recently restored to five trains from 27 January 2025.

 

[Horizon22]

I would argue that it's not as simple as it might seem though - for example, it's very easy to run out of platforms on the top side of the Circle if there's any kind of disruption that blocks up Aldgate, Baker Street or Edgware Road even if 'on paper' there are more platforms than trains. The Victoria line is probably the most acute given the shorter line, but they are problems that exist on all lines to an extent.

I would agree and that is relevant for many "core" parts of lines during the high peak. I am pretty certain the Central line has this issue White City - Stratford, and Elizabeth line from Paddington - Whitechapel as examples.

 

[Taunton]

However, is this relevant? Both the Victoria and the W&C have a depot connected, so in the event of a breakdown trains can be taken out of service, allowing others to reach a station and passengers to disembark. The only issue is trains backed up behind the breakdown, and that can happen anywhere.

It also used to be able to get out of trouble by terminating trains and then reversing over crossovers to return to start point, or to sidings, but crossovers seem to be progressively getting taken out (or on the Liz and other new routes not adequately provided in the first place), on the grounds that they are rarely used and a nuisance (ie cost) to maintain. After some major failures I would like to see the risk assessment that goes with this.

 

[edwin_m]

It also used to be able to get out of trouble by terminating trains and then reversing over crossovers to return to start point, or to sidings, but crossovers seem to be progressively getting taken out (or on the Liz and other new routes not adequately provided in the first place), on the grounds that they are rarely used and a nuisance (ie cost) to maintain. After some major failures I would like to see the risk assessment that goes with this.

There's a balance to be struck. Crossovers are themselves a potential source of failures, and if underground it won't be quick to get someone there to fix them. Elizabeth Line central section has a pair of crossovers at Farringdon, but it also has bi-directional signalling so it should be relatively easy to back trains out assuming the power is still on. It also has much better facilities than other lines should it become necessary to evacuate a train.

 

[fgsfds]

@Halsebee
In response to your first question: It depends on how you count platforms. Are we counting platform numbers, or, just physical platforms? Clapham North Station has the famously small "island" platform which you could argue is one (1) physical platform but has two (2) logical platform numbers. Remember to bear in mind many platforms (both physical and logical) are shared between lines and are not representative of the total number of platforms on the system.

Trying to give a result with the above complications makes presentation of the data quite difficult, so I will try to keep it simple and include logical platforms. For example: Clapham North Station has a single island platform but it has platform numbers 1 and 2; therefore, I count this as two (2) platforms on the Northern line.

Bakerloo Line
1 station has 3 platforms (total of 3 platforms)
24 stations have 2 platforms (total of 48 platforms)
Total of 25 stations and 51 platforms averaging 2.04 platforms per station.

Central Line
43 stations have 2 platforms (total of 86 platforms)
4 stations have 3 platforms (total of 12 platforms)
2 stations have 4 platforms (total of 8 platforms)
Total of 49 stations and 106 platforms averaging 2.163 platforms per station.

Circle Line
32 stations have 2 platform (total of 64 platforms)
2 stations have 3 platforms (total of 6 platforms)
2 stations have 4 platforms (total of 8 platforms)
Total of 36 stations and 78 platforms averaging 2.167 platforms per station.

District Line
1 station has 1 platform (total of 1 platform)
46 stations have 2 platforms (total of 92 platforms)
7 stations have 3 platforms (total of 21 platforms)
6 stations have 4 platforms (total of 24 platforms)
Total of 60 stations and 138 platforms averaging 2.3 platforms per station.

Hammersmith & City Line
24 stations have 2 platforms (total of 48 platforms)
2 stations have 3 platforms (total of 6 platforms)
3 stations have 4 platforms (total of 12 platforms)
Total of 29 stations and 66 platforms averaging 2.276 platforms per station.

Jubilee Line
24 stations have 2 platforms (total of 48 platforms)
3 stations have 3 platforms (total of 9 platforms)
Total of 27 stations and 57 platforms averaging 2.375 platforms per station.

Metropolitan Line
1 station has 1 platform (total of 1 platform)
23 stations have 2 platforms (total of 46 platforms)
3 stations have 3 platforms (total of 9 platforms)
6 stations have 4 platforms (total of 24 platforms)
1 station has 6 platforms (total of 6 platforms)
Total of 34 stations and 86 platforms averaging 2.529 platforms per station.

Northern Line
1 station has 1 platform (total of 1 platform)
42 stations have 2 platforms (total of 84 platforms)
3 stations have 3 platforms (total of 9 platforms)
4 stations have 4 platforms (total of 16 platforms)
2 stations have 5 platforms (total of 10 platforms)
Total of 52 stations and 120 platforms averaging 2.3 platforms per station.

Piccadilly Line
1 station has 1 platform (total of 1 platform)
46 stations have 2 platforms (total of 92 platforms)
5 stations have 4 platforms (total of 20 platforms)
Total of 53 stations and 113 platforms averaging 2.13 platforms per station.

Victoria Line
15 stations have 2 platforms (total of 30 platforms)
1 station has 3 platforms (total of 3 platforms)
Total of 16 stations and 33 platforms averaging 2.0625 platforms per station.

Waterloo & City Line
2 stations have 2 platforms (total of 4 platforms)
Total of 2 stations and 4 platforms averaging 2 platforms per station.

If anyone spots any mistakes, let me know.

 

[fairysdad]

Are we counting platform numbers, or, just physical platforms? Clapham North Station has the famously small "island" platform which you could argue is one (1) physical platform but has two (2) logical platform numbers. . . . For example: Clapham North Station has a single island platform but it has platform numbers 1 and 2; therefore, I count this as two (2) platforms on the Northern line.

I'd agree with you here, that it's 'platform faces' that count. However... throwing a spanner into the works, how have you counted those locations where multiple platform faces serve a single track, such as at White City, Stratford, Morden (and others)? Is that one platform or two?

 

[bluegoblin7]

I'd agree with you here, that it's 'platform faces' that count. However... throwing a spanner into the works, how have you counted those locations where multiple platform faces serve a single track, such as at White City, Stratford, Morden (and others)? Is that one platform or two?

Looks like they’ve been counted twice, which I would think skews the results. It also appears that some platforms have been double-counted - particularly on the SSR. Not all trains can use all platforms (eg Baker Street), whilst the combined frequencies have an impact on overall platform occupancy (to relate it to the original question!). It’s very common when there’s issues north of Baker Street to have too many Met trains in the City, for instance, despite being able to stow in the Aldgate and Moorgate bays, and Baker 2. This has a knock-on effect on the C&H, especially as S8s can only use Baker 6 under special procedures.

That said - fascinating stats and some work to compile them!

 

[W-on-Sea]

I was also wondering about platform faces that are effectively disused (and in some cases are inaccessible to the public), as at Golders Green or East Finchley - which, I think , seem to be included in the numbers given.

 

[fgsfds]

My source of information was Cartometro. Not as official as I'd like honestly but it's currently my only source that indicates platform numbers. It took a while to go through each line and count them all.

Some lines like Circle and District share platforms, I counted that as a platform for both lines as mentioned in my first paragraph and why I said it wasn't representative of total number of platforms on the system because of this. I did not include disused platforms highlighted on Cartometro. I put the perspective on each line stopping at a platform, not how many platforms in a station.

how have you counted those locations where multiple platform faces serve a single track

I counted platforms that have a platform number for any line. So, White City I counted 4 for Central, Stratford I counted 3 for Central (platforms 3, 3a, and 6), Morden I counted 5 for Northern, Golders Green I counted 5 for Northern, and East Finchley I counted 4 for Northern. I was thinking to release a spreadsheet showing which stations I counted having X platforms so it could be easily corrected without doing the whole thing but I already felt like I spent way too much time on this.

If anyone has any advice, or a better and more accurate source, let me know.

 

[etr221]

If anyone has any advice, or a better and more accurate source, let me know.

The basic issue is that in the first para of your first post:

It depends on how you count platforms. Are we counting platform numbers, or, just physical platforms? Clapham North Station has the famously small "island" platform which you could argue is one (1) physical platform but has two (2) logical platform numbers. Remember to bear in mind many platforms (both physical and logical) are shared between lines and are not representative of the total number of platforms on the system.

In coming up with an answer, you have to be very careful over what you counting, and how it is defined. In answering the OP's question, the specific definition is (I think) 'positions where a train can be stopped such that it is (wholly) at a platform, on to which passengerscan alight' - and in counting these allowance must be made for when track/platform is shared between multiple lines, or when there is a platform on both sides of the track. So great care needed for Uxbridge, where both apply...
So specify what you've counted, and why, to ensure that 'question' and 'answer' match. As to source, CartoMetro is probably as good as any: to get anything better needs delving into some of the TfL/LU data made available though FoI or Open Data.

 

[fgsfds]

I understand and I was trying to be careful about how I counted a platform.

how many platforms do the other tube lines have each?

I focused on each line as per the original question so I admit that requires some compromises. That's why I went through each individual line, station by station, and counted how many platforms at each station that line stops at. I didn't count positions where any train can stop because that could be multiple lines and I didn't interpret the question that way.

I thought I explained thoroughly what I was counting as a platform, since I put in the time and effort into counting it, I wanted it to make sense. If I've understood it wrong somehow, many the original question can be better phrased and I will do a recount.

 

[bluegoblin7]

I don’t think your intentions were misplaced, but I would suggest you don’t have a full understanding of the Underground.

The original question was very clear, and taking an arbitrary definition of line without appreciating how those lines overlap is always going to skew the results.

As someone who works within SSR Service Control - and has a significant understanding of Service Control across all lines due to my TU responsibilities - you cannot answer the question of “can all trains be accommodated in platforms?” if you view the lines in isolation. Indeed, as far as the SSR is concerned, there are also considerations about what is happening on ‘the other side’ of the Circle.

Likewise, you clearly can’t accommodate two trains on ‘double-sided’ platforms like White City, Arnos Grove, Golders Green etc., and there also need to be sanitised for any useful answer.

“How many platforms does a line have?” and “How many trains can be accommodated in platforms?” are two entirely different questions.