North End station

[Mikey C]

Watching the "Secrets of the London Underground" programme this week, where they visited the site of North End station, they mentioned that it's still kept "in use" as an emergency exit

Has this ever been used for an emergency? I've never heard of an evacuation using this exit, it's a massive climb out and filthy!

 

[bramling]

Watching the "Secrets of the London Underground" programme this week, where they visited the site of North End station, they mentioned that it's still kept "in use" as an emergency exit

Has this ever been used for an emergency? I've never heard of an evacuation using this exit, it's a massive climb out and filthy!

I think the answer is a fairly firm no. Few of the various exit facilities across the network have ever been used for that purpose, it would only happen in dire emergency.

It’s generally a lot easier to walk to a station, one reason for that is that’s where staff are based.

Disused stations and the like are heavily used for contractor access though.

 

[Mojo]

As above, it’s extremely rare to do any sort of detrainment outside of a station (except via the front/rear cab to another train that is fully or partially platformed), probably only a couple per year. There’s a bit of a reluctance because once you’ve started you can’t really stop, and few incidents are likely to last a prolonged period of time.

Detrainments via disused stations are often considered, if you have a train in the right place, but often the staff required are better utilised dealing with the incident, bearing in mind the time taken to get to the key holding station, then to the disused station, then to locate the train and start the detrainment, probably doesn’t make it worth it.

 

[Mikey C]

I think the answer is a fairly firm no. Few of the various exit facilities across the network have ever been used for that purpose, it would only happen in dire emergency.

It’s generally a lot easier to walk to a station, one reason for that is that’s where staff are based.

Disused stations and the like are heavily used for contractor access though.

As above, it’s extremely rare to do any sort of detrainment outside of a station (except via the front/rear cab to another train that is fully or partially platformed), probably only a couple per year. There’s a bit of a reluctance because once you’ve started you can’t really stop, and few incidents are likely to last a prolonged period of time.

Detrainments via disused stations are often considered, if you have a train in the right place, but often the staff required are better utilised dealing with the incident, bearing in mind the time taken to get to the key holding station, then to the disused station, then to locate the train and start the detrainment, probably doesn’t make it worth it.

Thanks. It would have to be a massively bad situation to detrain passengers there, rather than finding a way of getting the train back to Golders Green or Hampstead, as the walk up the North End stairs would be a killer, and the walk along the tunnels not much better...

 

[greyman42]

Thanks. It would have to be a massively bad situation to detrain passengers there, rather than finding a way of getting the train back to Golders Green or Hampstead, as the walk up the North End stairs would be a killer, and the walk along the tunnels not much better...

For some passengers, the walk up the stairs would be physically impossible.

 

[Ex LT]

I finally watched the North End episode I had to laugh when they said emergency exit I think most fit people would find it difficult to use the stairs. As far as I can remember it is know as an intervention point for the emergency services. I'm sure there is a lift but don't think it is very big and more than likely does not work. No mention of the headquarters that was supposed to be provided so those that would have operated would not have been alone if it was constructed.

12 floodgates at Embankment I don't think so.

I had to laugh though towards the end when they were in the depot museum and the control desk which the engineer said controlled the gates was total rubbish it was where the Central line controller sat and the mention of tunnel telephones well that panel was fitted in the early 1970s!