Trivia: Largest gap between the train and the platform

[NSE]

Raynes Park platforms 1 and 4 is particularly bad. Especially platform 1 at the country end.

 

[philjo]

Elephant and Castle - one of the southbound platforms has a large gap (unless it has been upgraded recently - not used it for at least 18 months)

Dunrobin Castle (far North line, request stop) - this is a very low platform. there is one set of movable steps but if you alight from any other doors it is a long jump down - you are looking at the top of the wheels. I had to reach upwards to press the button to open the doors on the 158!
Much lower than Aberdovey (which also has the ramp anyway)

Poole - due to the sharp curve I remember a pushchair being lifted by staff over a gap at least 12 in (if not wider) - as the Guard's compartment door was in the centre or the carriage making the gap even larger than normal.

Carnforth - sharp bend on the platform - I had to lift my suitcase over a large gap whilst also climbing up on to the train to board the 156 towards Barrow recently.

There is also a large gap at the rear of the northbound Thameslink platforms at Farringdon and St pancras due to the curve

Waterloo - Bakerloo line has a sharp curve - there is a large gap but OK if you use the doors at the ends of the carriage but the middle doors have a huge gap.

There used to be a large vertical step up at Hampton court but I think the platform height has been raised now ?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Dorchester South station is on quite a sharp curve

 

[Phil.]

Don't know if it's among the biggest but folks are forever moaning about the gap at pl 1 & 2 at East Croydon.

Why shouldn't they, they're enormous and not a little daunting for a short elderly person.

 

[Deepgreen]

Don't know if it's among the biggest but folks are forever moaning about the gap at pl 1 & 2 at East Croydon.

There is work going on at the moment which involves adding a layer to the existing platform surface incorporating tactile strips. This new layer is modular and is being laid in sections.

 

[Phil.]

Why are the platforms at Winsford so low? When I travelled there fairly regularly it was always noticeable what an enormous step up and down from the train it was and I'm 6' 3".

 

[Deepgreen]

Middle of platform 4 at Epsom; there was been at least one case a few years ago of the unwary vanishing down it which made the local paper.

Yes, that has always struck me as a very odd one - it's straight there except at the country end of the platform and it would be easy to close the gap considerably by a slight tweaking of the track alignment on an overnight possession.
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It's rarely used (only during disruption) but the middle and north end of Selhurst's up fast platform have seemingly slumped considerably to about half of their original height, leaving a huge step.

 

[BestWestern]

I once had to take a flying leap from a 150 in Platform 7 at Bristol Temple Meads, holding a walking stick as well due arthritis. This was almost at the most extreme point of the curve.

Fortunate you didn't arrive on Platform 3 then, where it is significantly worse! I'd have to suggest that as a contender the worst big gap at any 'major' station, particularly when travelling on 1/3 and 2/3 doored stock (so Class 150s).

Staying in the Bristol area, there is a *very* steep drop at Lawrence Hill, and a nearly as severe one next door at Stapleton Road.

 

[hassaanhc]

Southall used to have a large horizontal and vertical gap on P4, but that has been mostly rectified as far as possible now and it is much easier to board trains there. Platform is on the outside of a curve.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

Virtical gap at Kew Bridge London bound.

 

[PHILIPE]

Fortunate you didn't arrive on Platform 3 then, where it is significantly worse! I'd have to suggest that as a contender the worst big gap at any 'major' station, particularly when travelling on 1/3 and 2/3 doored stock (so Class 150s).

Staying in the Bristol area, there is a *very* steep drop at Lawrence Hill, and a nearly as severe one next door at Stapleton Road.

I've not had a problem with Platform 3, but Platform 4 is worse in my opinion. I don't like alighting at the Avonmouth bound platform at Clifton Down

 

[ComUtoR]

It was by no means unsafe but is definitely the largest gap I've come across in the UK.

The size of the gap is a significant factor in PTI incidents.

 

[ijmad]

Platform 1 at Wandsworth Town is terrifying. It's seldom used but occasionally has a stopper.
I took this photo a few years ago, it's been a while since I alighted there, so perhaps it's been fixed, but it doesn't look like it when I go through.

 

[gazr]

Dorchester has a decent sized gap due to the curved platform.

Raynes Park platforms 1 and 4 is particularly bad. Especially platform 1 at the country end.

You beat me to it. Platform 1 is just plain scary and has my vote.

 

[Kite159]

Lapworth to a 168 heading towards Birmingham was a large gap IIRC

Basingstoke P4 is quite a step into a Voyager or other SWT services which might use it.

Ealing Broadway, main-line up platform, got a mention from the driver on a stopper that to be extra careful and was quite a gap from the 165 to the platform

 

[Ianno87]

The step up at Salford Central is probably the worst for a city centre/commuter station.

 

[47271]

Considering it's one of the longest, and busiest, on the station including northbound Chieftain and the sleeper, P7 at Perth isn't a great deal better than Dunkeld.

 

[RichardN]

Witley has a big drop from coach 8 on a down side..

 

[onlinespotting]

Lichfield Trent valley mainline platforms and LM 350's have to be up there!

 

[WatcherZero]

Wallgate ones are bigger than the Irlam ones.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...llgate_railway_station_(geograph_4531374).jpg

 

[najaB]

Considering it's one of the longest, and busiest, on the station including northbound Chieftain and the sleeper, P7 at Perth isn't a great deal better than Dunkeld.

Speaking of Perth, the curve on P2 can make for quite a gap as well.

Edit: Ever have that feeling of deja vu?

 

[Clansman]

Perth platform 7 is about as far as you can go before you need steps. As said, platform 2 can also prove a nightmare as it's a tight curve and super elevated.

This Youtube video (not mine) shows the Highland Chieftain on platform 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dedk5tjfDx0

 

[urbophile]

I'm amazed at the number of busy commuter stations that seem to have this problem. Clapham Junction is notorious. Gargrave, on the Leeds - Carlisle/Morecambe line, used to have platforms that were not much higher than a roadside kerb; there were a couple of sets of wooden steps that were fine when the station was staffed but more recently were useless or dangerous. A few years ago somebody came up with the money (probably a local community group rather than BR/Network Rail) to bring the platforms up to standard height.

I've always wondered why British railways have had high platforms and trains with no steps, whereas most continental countries have had the opposite (though there seems to be a tendency towards higher platforms at least on commuter lines in some places). Certainly the British system is more passenger friendly except in the many cases mentioned so far in this thread.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Why shouldn't they, they're enormous and not a little daunting for a short elderly person.

Not saying they shouldn't complain, though remedying these things is never easy.

 

[kevjs]

I'm amazed at the number of busy commuter stations that seem to have this problem. Clapham Junction is notorious. Gargrave, on the Leeds - Carlisle/Morecambe line, used to have platforms that were not much higher than a roadside kerb; there were a couple of sets of wooden steps that were fine when the station was staffed but more recently were useless or dangerous. A few years ago somebody came up with the money (probably a local community group rather than BR/Network Rail) to bring the platforms up to standard height.

I've always wondered why British railways have had high platforms and trains with no steps, whereas most continental countries have had the opposite (though there seems to be a tendency towards higher platforms at least on commuter lines in some places). Certainly the British system is more passenger friendly except in the many cases mentioned so far in this thread.

Are there any plans to make it more friendly in the long term by standardising the platform height on new rolling stock and platform rebuilds?

 

[Iskra]

Carnforth on the southbound platform is really bad laterally due to the curved platform, the conductors always announce to be careful on Northern trains that call.

 

[Jamesb1974]

Deleted

 

[Crossover]

Horizontally, P3 at Scarborough can be a bit of a gap due to the curvature on the platform towards the departure end and the 1/3 2/3 door layout on the 185's

Vertically, Horton-in-Ribblesdale where, away from the bolt-on hump (hill in this case), there may almost as well be no platform!

Worcester Foregate Street platform 1 sometimes feels like a chasm when alighting a train.

Never got off a train there, but have mis-stepped getting on one and nearly ended up down the side of a 158!

 

[route:oxford]

Perth platform 7 is about as far as you can go before you need steps. As said, platform 2 can also prove a nightmare as it's a tight curve and super elevated.

This Youtube video (not mine) shows the Highland Chieftain on platform 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dedk5tjfDx0

Just wait until the Scottish HSTs call there en-route to Aberdeen.

I'll have to nominate a platform at Bristol. I cannot say which one it is though.

My elderly parents have a rule with public transport. They've been married for 50 years so feel it is unnecessary to sit next to one another - and it's either man or woman for themselves when it comes to grabbing a seat.

After my dad (6'2") had clambered onto an HST, my mum (5'1) with the stretch of her leg onto the step, she didn't have the "oomph" to clamber up - so had to invite a couple of young gentleman who were behind her to make a seat with crossed hands between them to give her a bit of a boost.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Once the IEPs start to enter service, will that create any really large gaps?