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.

There has been silence on this lately. What has happened?

In new stock it would also allow the ceiling to be raised, which
would be a good idea for tall men. I am 6ft and the coaches are tight for
me, and there are many much taller than me, and we must expect the number
to grow.

It is also going to be hard work to raise platforms, there is the
building work itself, and to keep slopes from getting too steep, it may be
necessary to raise passageway roofs - very messy, expensive and disruptive.

All in all, lowering the floors of the coaches looks an attractive
option.


If I may get off the heavy stuff for a while:

Whem my little ones were 3 & 7 I took them to London, and we went
about on the tube. When we got back I overheard them talking about "the pipe
trains".

It shows the other meanings of words that we adults don't see.


Michael Bell

--

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. 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..?

B2003

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?

Michael Bell

--

"Michael Bell" wrote in message
...

Whem my little ones were 3 & 7 I took them to London, and we went
about on the tube. When we got back I overheard them talking about "the
pipe
trains".

It shows the other meanings of words that we adults don't see.


Amongst Undergroound staff the single track tube tunnels are known as "the
pipe".

"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?

New Vic line trains will have smaller wheels....the disabled acces wasn't a
reason though....makes it bigger inside.

"Brimstone" wrote in message
...

"Michael Bell" wrote in message
...

Whem my little ones were 3 & 7 I took them to London, and we went
about on the tube. When we got back I overheard them talking about "the
pipe
trains".

It shows the other meanings of words that we adults don't see.


Amongst Undergroound staff the single track tube tunnels are known as "the
pipe".

In article , Malcolm & Nika
wrote:
New Vic line trains will have smaller wheels....the disabled acces wasn't
a reason though....makes it bigger inside.

Whatever the reasons, does it lower the floor to normal/standard/traditional
platform level?

Michael

--

Malcolm & Nika wrote:
New Vic line trains will have smaller wheels....the disabled acces
wasn't a reason though....makes it bigger inside.

How will it make it bigger? The floor will have to be the same height.
Do you mean there will be more standing room and less seating?

--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

Michael Bell wrote:
In article , Malcolm & Nika
wrote:
New Vic line trains will have smaller wheels....the disabled
acces wasn't a reason though....makes it bigger inside.

Whatever the reasons, does it lower the floor to
normal/standard/traditional platform level?

Since the current Victoria Line trains have the floor at the same level
as the platform, I'm not sure why you think
"normal/standard/traditional" level should be lower than that.

Incidentally, either your computer's clock is slow or your ISP is
delaying your posts.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

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