Prompted by the thread about possible connections to/from OOC (https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/hs2-old-oak-common.240858/) and observations about long (unwalkable?) distances, I wonder about the longest platform to platform distances elsewhere on the network. e.g. I changed trains at Nottingham recently and the distance between say platforms 2 and 4b seemed quite a long way. Similarly many London Tube 'connections', up down round down again ..., or between platform and exit, are quite long.
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Longest platform- platform interchange
- Thread starter BrianW
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Kite159
Veteran Member
The Wrexham Central bound platform at Shotton (4?) to the Chester bound platform (1?) probably comes into a shout at being a long interchange between platforms.
YorksLad12
Established Member
It's difficult to measure accurately without walking it, but the western-most ends of platform 0A to 17A at Leeds comes in at over 450m on a rough Google Maps measure.
Edit: 7A to 17A is around 500m.
Edit: 7A to 17A is around 500m.
D6130
Established Member
What about Clapham Junction platforms 1&2 to 17?
D6130
Established Member
....especially since the mid-platform subway was closed.
MadMac
Member
As the subject of Gloucester comes up, what about Central-Eastgate when they were regarded as one station?
Rail Quest
Member
Could St Pancras International be a contender, especially if interchanging from the north end of a Eurostar platform to the EMR platforms? I've never used the station but if you factor in the terminal then surely you're walking a fair distance?
DelW
Established Member
- Joined
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- 4,687
On the tube, the interchange between Bakerloo and Northern lines at Charing Cross is a long one, resulting from its origins as separate stations (Trafalgar Square and Strand). Those in the know change at Embankment instead, where the lines are much closer together.
King's Cross northern ticket hall is quite a walk from most of the tube platforms too.
cjw714
Member
Likewise at Paddington, Elizabeth Line to the H and C platforms is a fair trek.
eastwestdivide
Established Member
Not in the UK, but I had this recently at Stuttgart, where there's a massive detour around the outside between the terminal platforms and the underground ones. 10 mins wasn't enough, as the DB Navigator shows in the attached screenshot "334 yards". I made it over half a mile using mapometer! Making it worse, I was the wrong end of the incoming train and it took nearly 5 mins just to work through the crowds to the buffer stops.
Farnborough
Member
Farnborough Main to Farnborough North is a designated interchange, at 0.8 miles
Likewise, Ash Vale to North Camp is a designated change, at 1.1 miles
Likewise, Ash Vale to North Camp is a designated change, at 1.1 miles
Some fascinating offerings here, so far ...
It seems to me that having some knowledge of such distances is really helpful, especialy before staring the journey.
Taking the Stuttgart example- is there a source of such info when planning a similar UK journey?
Maybe a development of the Tube maps etc which show (with some difficulty) accessibility, eg lifts?
Similarly, is there data about how many people make some of these interchanges?
These replies also put in context the possible connection possibilities at Old Oak Common.
It seems to me that having some knowledge of such distances is really helpful, especialy before staring the journey.
Taking the Stuttgart example- is there a source of such info when planning a similar UK journey?
Maybe a development of the Tube maps etc which show (with some difficulty) accessibility, eg lifts?
Similarly, is there data about how many people make some of these interchanges?
These replies also put in context the possible connection possibilities at Old Oak Common.
RetroCrowe
Member
Crewe platform 2 to 9/10 is a fair trek, although nothing compared to a few other answers already mentioned
Not really in the spirit of the OP but the longest of these fixed links is Yeovil Junction to Pen Mill, at 2.1 miles. 50 minutes is allowed in the journey planners to make the link.
That sign is a massive over exaggeration. In reality it is a five minute walk. It is just at the end of the other main platforms. Presumably they just say fifteen minutes so people do not miss their train if they are slow walkers with lots of luggage or struggle to find that platform.
Iskra
Established Member
Doncaster platform 0 feels very isolated, and given the lengths of some of the main platforms there it must be a fair distance from the South end of those to the North end of 0.
I had a platform alteration of a London Overground train from P1 to P17 at Clapham Junction about six months ago. It probably is the longest walk between platforms of any station. I am struggling to think of any which are further. The footbridge and subway feel like they go on forever.
Liverpool Lime Street high level to low level is simultaneously a long trek or a very short one depending on the route. The Underground platform is multiple escalators and passageways down, or a single poorly signposted lift from the Lime Street concourse.
DynamicSpirit
Established Member
Canary Wharf Elizabeth line to Jubilee line is probably the longest that I regularly use, and has the added difficulty that if you don't know your way, it's extremely easy to get lost en-route - especially if you come out of the Western entrance of either station. Eastern exit from Elizabeth line to the DLR is even worse - and very difficult to find your way if you aren't already familiar with the route.
On the tube I would imagine that Central line to District/Circle at Bank/Monument station would be one of the longest interchanges that's entirely within the ticket barriers. I would suspect it's actually a longer walk than simply exiting the station and walking to Cannon Street to make the same interchange.
Hammersmith District/Piccadilly to Circle/H&C isn't that long to walk (as long as you leave by the correct District/Piccadilly exit) but does involve crossing a very busy road that can easily delay you a bit.
London Bridge national rail to underground would also be quite a trek - especially if you arrive on the far country end of the NR train.
On the tube I would imagine that Central line to District/Circle at Bank/Monument station would be one of the longest interchanges that's entirely within the ticket barriers. I would suspect it's actually a longer walk than simply exiting the station and walking to Cannon Street to make the same interchange.
Hammersmith District/Piccadilly to Circle/H&C isn't that long to walk (as long as you leave by the correct District/Piccadilly exit) but does involve crossing a very busy road that can easily delay you a bit.
London Bridge national rail to underground would also be quite a trek - especially if you arrive on the far country end of the NR train.
Especially so at the moment, where you have to go outside the main station to access the Merseyrail station, due to the down escalator in the main station being shut for maintenance. It's not normally too bad when both escalators are running.
On the Underground, I've had some long interchanges at Green Park in particular.
Western Sunset
Established Member
Were they ever regarded as one station, though?
Western Lord
Member
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No, but there was a long footbridge connecting them.
These were two stations, hence two names.
A similar example now is Hackney Downs and Hackney Central, which have a connecting walking route that is within the barrier lines.
Quite within 'the spirit'. I'm wondering how many people, whether knowing that or not, make that trek! Do any trains actually make that link, which looks possible 'on the map' (and I've seen it feature on amodel railway layout!); would it be worth extending the journey times of Westbury- Weymouth travellers to make a connection from Yeovil Jct to Penn Mill? I guess not; imagining most folk exiting at either station are heading to the town- anyone with insight on this one- or for that matter any of the others, eg Farnborough, or Dorking. I don't imagine timetable planners taking such 'connections' into account- it's hard enough without that!