On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 17:15:34 +0000 (UTC), "Brimstone"
wrote:


"Michael Bell" wrote in message
.. .
In article .com, Boltar
wrote:

Michael Bell wrote:
There is (or maybe was) a project to lower the floors of new tube stock
and/or maybe only the trailers of existing stock by redesign and
fitting
smaller wheels - only fitting smaller wheels in the case of existing
stock - to allow wheelchair access, and much more commerically
important,
though with no legal need, to make it easier to use children's
pushchairs
and shopping trolleys.

Can't see how they'd do it. Theres little enough room under the floors
for
the equipment as it is.

I've seen drawings of the proposals. I must look for the book I saw it in.
If you do this only on trailer cars, smaller wheels are not a problem. It
would be quite enough for wheelchair, pushchair and shopping trolley
access
to have only half the vehicles with platform-level floors, and well
distributed along the length of the train. But the plan was for the WHOLE
train be lowered in new stock.

Also , what happens at stations where the platform is already at the
level
of or higher than the trains floor such as the new section of the jubilee
line , the bakerloo north of queens park, some on the piccadily etc..?

Ah yes. There is indeed a problem. But you notice that after a burst of
enthusiasm for raised platforms, things have gone quiet. Second thoughts?
Investigations into other possibilities?


Or alternatively, an appraisal of the system followed by an understanding of
the possibilities?


The only option would make the platforms level with the train doors,
instead of stepping up or stepping down. If you look at the tube
system in Toronto, Canada (Metropolitan Line type stock), the
platforms are level with the train doors and floors to enable
wheelchair users to roll on and off. That is why the tube stock and
surface stock in London needs to have the platforms raised to be level
with the train doors and floors to enable wheelchair users to roll on
and off.

Lowering the floor on the tube stock and using smaller wheels is dumb,
unrealistic and unworkable.

Zermut