Stations With Largest Step Down.

[Tractor86]

At Leyland station, the step down to/up from the platform to the new 195s and 331s is quite large. I’m 5ft 6 and have to use the hand rail to yank myself into the train

Where else has a step that requires you to rappel from train to platform?

 

[hexagon789]

At Leyland station, the step down to/up from the platform to the new 195s and 331s is quite large. I’m 5ft 6 and have to use the hand rail to yank myself into the train

Where else has a step that requires you to rappel from train to platform?

Dunkeld is quite low for a fairly well used station

 

[mmh]

Clapham Junction, East Croydon and Colwyn Bay.

 

[AMD]

Salford Central down platform is almost continental.

 

[davetheguard]

There's two things here: stations where the platform is very low; and stations often on a curve, where there's a big gap to step across to reach the train. Both can be difficult. I think mmh's suggestion of Clapham Junction might fall in the second category?

The worst I've ever had with a vertical step was the up platform at Culham in Oxfordshire, where the easiest way for passengers to join the train was via the Guard's van on 1st generation DMU's; you could use the grab rails either side of the Guard's door to climb up.

Fortunately in Network South East days, the platform was replaced by one of standard height a few meters away; the old one is still there in front of the old station building - but out of use.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

New Clee appears to have an enormous vertical gap between the platform and the train:



(Picture taken from this YouTube video)

 

[PeterY]

St Albans Abbey station is quite a step up and down, unless you get on, using the harrington hump.

 

[zwk500]

East Croydon platforms got raised a while ago, are they still quite bad?

My usual candidates for this question are Wolverton or Long Buckby.

 

[Strathclyder]

The step down onto Partick's westbound platform (towards Milngavie/Dalmuir/Dumbarton/Balloch/Helensburgh) has always seemed a tad steep, even for someone over 6' like me. Or maybe it's just me lol

 

[Journeyman]

Loads of stations in the Highlands have platforms so low that sets of steps are provided.

 

[Taunton]

One really does wonder, in a world of Group Standards, how so many of these remain as they are. I was surprised at Hackbridge down platform, on Thameslink, to be getting out both across and down a very considerable difference.

 

[RJ]

Elephant and Castle platform 1, the gap is huge - could fit an elephant in it.

 

[HST43257]

Church Fenton Platform 4

 

[SussexMan]

I was at Gargrave station on Sunday watching the Flying Scotsman go through and was very surprised how low the front section of the up platform was. Doubt many trains use the full platform length but I've never seen such a low platform. Couldn't have been much more than 40cm high.

 

[Halish Railway]

Church Fenton Platform 4

I just got off a 195 there today with a bike which was a bit of a challenge.

 

[Kettledrum]

Tamworth High level? I've seen elderly people drop their hand bags onto the track there as it's quite a struggle for them to get off the train.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Away from the Harrington hump the step down at Whitehaven is rather large. When the class 37s and mark 2s were running it was even worse, from a class 156 it feels like you need a parachute, from the loco hauled it felt like you needed a re-entry vehicle!

That said the train I got from Schipol to Amsterdam Centraal was a real climb down onto the platform.

 

[Halish Railway]

Come to think of it, I seem to remember Manchester Piccadilly platform 13 having a big step down, especially from a 156.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

South Croydon is bad, esp parts of platform 1 which is used only when engineering work closes the slow lines. The slow lines themselves are a bit of a climb/drop. Purley Oaks platform 1 (again a rarely used during engineering work platform) is bad, but the Croydon area champion is I think platform 2 at Selhurst (down fast) where the track cant takes the train away from the platform. Both a vertical and horizontal gap and tackled backwards with assistance by the larger and older folk. It’s not commonly used, but it is used.

 

[philjo]

Dunrobin Castle requires use of a set of steps to get up to the train doors.

Carnforth is a challenge with luggage for trains towards Barrow/Leeds.

 

[childwallblues]

Flimby in West Cumbria

 

[Grumpy Git]

Cressington on the city bound platform was a ridiculous step-up before they raised it for the 777's. Its still a long step-up mind.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Always thought that platform 17 at Clapham Junction was awkward, being both curved and a large step down.

 

[station_road]

Ealing Broadway fast line to Paddington, class 345 stopping there due to engineering works has a big step and gap

 

[Journeyman]

Ealing Broadway fast line to Paddington, class 345 stopping there due to engineering works has a big step and gap

I suspect there's a lot of occasional use only situations like that.

 

[The exile]

One really does wonder, in a world of Group Standards, how so many of these remain as they are. I was surprised at Hackbridge down platform, on Thameslink, to be getting out both across and down a very considerable difference.

Presumably because those standards only apply to new construction or where substantial works are being carried out.

 

[dk1]

Cambridge platform 6 has a very bad drop even with the excellent 755 units.

 

[Killingworth]

Dore & Totley is a big and wide step. Saw a small dog fail to jump it and rescued by owner who held onto the lead and dragged it back up by the collar. Another user proudly tells the story of a similar happening but dog too heavy to drag up. She says she jumped below the train to recover it! In Pacer days.

 

[cosmo]

Away from the Harrington hump the step down at Whitehaven is rather large.

It's a similar affair at Blaydon, felt like I was BASE jumping off a 156 when I allighted there the other day!

 

[Pigeon]

I once got on a DMU at Lancaster with my bike with a crapload of gear on the back. The guard asked where I was going. Giggleswick, I said. "You'll have some fun with that there", he replied...

When we got there I found out what he meant. Looked out of the door into a vast abyss full of swirling mists and the carking of ravens with the occasional glimpse of a platform surface somewhere way off down in the dark dank depths. I thought we were in America or something. The descent was indeed an elaborate and entertaining manoeuvre. These days you see ballast piled higher than that platform was.