What is the stubby platform at Sheffield for?

[sprinterguy]

Regarding the short platform, I think it's there simply because of the wide area between the two roads. If it wasn't there, just a drop, then something would have to be in place to stop people falling over the edge. A railing could give way, especially if there was a surge of people against it or lots of people leaning/sitting on it. The short platform is just a safer alternative.

There is a railing obstructing public access to the platform stub, fronted by a fairly large cycle storage area.

I have difficulty seeing how there could be a sudden "surge" of people large enough to impact on the barrier on such a wide and clear section of the station, and I think that metal railings are usually capable of withstanding the effects of even a large number of people leaning against them.

 

[Eccles]

Found this... is that a set of steps from the now non-existent bridge?


Sheffield Station in the snow, 1986. by Lady Wulfrun, on Flickr

Question is, was that the original purpose?

 

[TomJ93]

P7 is an odd one too. In theory all doors could be opened on a service in this platform.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Parcels could be loaded easy enough using CCT. Saw in the 70's, parcels being wheeled down the train with all the end doors open in Penzance.
http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brcct/h3175ae3c#h3175ae3c

 

[jopsuk]

P7 is an odd one too. In theory all doors could be opened on a service in this platform.

Tracks with platform faces on both sides are really quite common. Much safer for dispatch to only open doors on one side.

 

[Mugby]

Found this... is that a set of steps from the now non-existent bridge

Question is, was that the original purpose?

Congratulations. I think you may have solved it!

P7 is an odd one too. In theory all doors could be opened on a service in this platform.

The doors always seem to be opened on the side of Platform 8. Is it because there is slightly more space on that side?
Is there any specific reason why all doors cannot be opened in a straight one road bay platform?

 

[gerryuk]

Congratulations. I think you may have solved it!



The doors always seem to be opened on the side of Platform 8. Is it because there is slightly more space on that side?
Is there any specific reason why all doors cannot be opened in a straight one road bay platform?

Was there not 2 bay platforms there at one time?

 

[jopsuk]

To safely dispatch you'd sort of have to dispatch one side then the other. This would be confusing for passengers running late. Far simpler for everyone to just standardise on one face. Ideally the second side would, these days, get fenced off, but I guess there's no major safety need thus no need to spend the money.

 

[YorkshireBear]

It is because if a 5 car 222 goes into p7 the platform does not cover all the doors on the p6 side but does on the p8 side.

 

[Crossover]

The doors always seem to be opened on the side of Platform 8. Is it because there is slightly more space on that side?
Is there any specific reason why all doors cannot be opened in a straight one road bay platform?

There is another parallel discussion about this on RUK - it is partly because pressing a door close button on a lot of mainline stock (as in local door, not each passenger door) would close all doors on both sides, not the corresponding side, so the train couldn't be locked up safely

 

[Aictos]

Tracks with platform faces on both sides are really quite common. Much safer for dispatch to only open doors on one side.

Like Platforms 4 and 5 at Finsbury Park, doors only open on Platform 5