Station Area ID codes

[Antje]

Earlier today I wondered what the tiny ID plates scattered around the corridors of stations meant other than identifying a location. They look like this:

2

672

I know that the top one might be the level below ground but for the bottom half is it some kind of coordinate or something else? It could be useful for mapping stations in OpenStreetMap.

They are not just on the doors, by the way.

Thanks.

[Deleted]

Aug 11, 2013 20:39:26 GMT Antje said:

Earlier today I wondered what the tiny ID plates scattered around the corridors of stations meant other than identifying a location. They look like this:

2

672

I know that the top one might be the level below ground but for the bottom half is it some kind of coordinate or something else? It could be useful for mapping stations in OpenStreetMap.

They are not just on the doors, by the way.

Thanks.

As you say the first number relates to the level within the station and the second one is a room or structure number such as a passageway or machine room.

There were from my recollection, introduced as a result of the recommendations following the Kings Cross fire. These numbers are cross referenced on the Station Plans which are accessible to London Fire Brigade. These are numbered originals (known as Controlled Copies) and are changed if ever there is an alteration.

So in the event of a fire – the LFB can check the maps and locate the areas they need to work in or access.

Station staff often had uncontrolled copies, and these were very useful for staff familiarisation training and so on. I used to refer to the numbers during PGI’s (Planned General Inspections), as it helped eliminate any confusion as to which room you were referring to during the inspection.

Dean

[rincew1nd]

Is there a pattern to the lower number, or is it just arbitrary?

[crusty54]

The lower numbers do follow a pattern.

This also helps the fire brigade identify rooms that may have people inside in the event of a fire.

For security reasons it is probably better not to disclose full details.

[Chris M]

I have often wondered whether the number identifies the type of location, particularly as the numbers seen on adjacent doorways in the recent quiz picture of Sudnbury Hill are clearly not sequential.

[rincew1nd]

Aug 12, 2013 18:22:12 GMT crusty54 said:

For security reasons it is probably better not to disclose full details.

Absolutely. However, sensible discussion is fine within the Forum Rules.

Looking at Chris's photo of Sudbury Hill - doors to gents and station supervisor's office in ticket hall...


(click for a larger version)

...there are three location plates visible:

001 - presumably the ticket hall (not on a door)
053 - SS office
427 - Gents Lav'

Which makes me wonder, how big does a room have to be to warrant a plate inside it rather than on the door to it? It also occurs to me that all of the above rooms could contain people; is the numbering system linked to a seach pattern, are lower numbered rooms more likely to contain persons? Taking it to the extreme, what happens in a station with more than a thousand rooms or structures on one level?

[Chris M]

Presumably there is also a standard for where the plates are placed? Those on the doors seem to be in the top corner of the opening side, but the ticket hall at Sudbury Hill is a large space so what determines where its plate is located within it?

[crusty54]

50mm margin from door frame on opening side. There are also standards for the spacing and order of the other door signs.

Spaces such as ticket halls you find a sensible spot where it can be spotted.

Every room/space has a plate particularly on sub surface stations.

[Deleted]

Not sure how the (non-negative) floor-level scheme is applied to above ground structure identities. The following planning application seems to suggest that the Structure ID elevation levels max out at "1", with the stairs going down from the entrance being 1/601, 1/602, …

• planreg.towerhamlets.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Other-706190.pdf…

So Bow Road footbridge has:

• Asset Number: D 051

• SID No(s): 1/601, 1/602, 1/603, 1/636

    
Whereas Chiswick Park has stairs going up from the entrance as A/601, A/602, …

• www.adgoddard.com/casestudies/chiswickparkstation.pdf

And rincew1nd's noting of "1/001" for the principal circulation area seems to be fairly consistent.

[crusty54]

Ground level is 1 and down to 13 (at Westminster)

A B C is above ground level with A first floor etc

[Deleted]

Does anybody know what these signs are for? You usually find them at stations...

[class411]

Gradients?

I remember a Central Line driver friend of mine giving me a very thorough explanation of the importance on knowing the gradients, entering and leaving stations.

[programmes1]

You find those signs all around they identify what level you are on and the number tells you what the room is used for or where you are.

[domh245]

I believe that they are used to denote specific rooms/areas in a station. They were discussed a while ago as an offshoot of a quiz thread, but i can't remember when, or where to find it. Perhaps someone else might be able to find it.

[Tubeboy]

Yes, they are called SID (Station identification) number/ code. Every room/lobby/corridor has a SID number. On the station fire plans, alongside the drawing plans of the station, the SID numbers show which area that it is. Very handy when raising a fault repair. It identifies a very particular area of the station. Handy as some stations have multiple switch rooms, signalling equipment rooms etc.

[crusty54]

1 to 13 going down, A,B & C going up.

Bottom number starts from 001 for ticket hall.

[Chris M]

From observation, I beleive 00x are the main circulation paces, 2xx (or just 20x?) numbers are passageways and 6xx (or maybe just 60x) are stairwells.

The old thread is districtdavesforum.co.uk/thread/22464/station-area-codes

[rincew1nd]

Thanks Chris M for pointing to the old thread, I'd had a quick look but couldn't see it. I've merged the two threads and unlocked the old one.