Escalators on the Central Line

[Geoffram]

I notice that at both Bank and Liverpool Street stations, the escalators are able to come right down to platform level. Since escalators hadn't been invented when the Central London opened in 1900, it was obvious these would have had to be put in later. Is it because the station is built on such a steep curve that there was enough space between the two lines that they were able to excavate, something that wasn't possible when certain other stations were converted to escalators. Are there any signs of the original passageways to the lifts (like grilles) at Bank CLR still around?
And what about Liverpool Street? Was that fitted with escalators from the start? Even though the very first escalator had only been fitted at Earl's Court a year before opening? Surely designs for Liverpool Street must have been started before Earl's Court?

[Deleted]

I am fairly certain that the shaft at Earl's Court was there from day one and fitted with steps for interchange to the DR platforms. It also had lifts to and from the ticket hall level.

Liverpool Street CLR opened in 1912 with two escalators from platform level, each in single shafts. A third shaft contained a fixed stairway which later had an escalator installed. In 1913 the Broad Street entrance opened and two escalators were provided in single shafts to the ticket hall. These were taken out of use in the early 1950s and the shafts used for cables to a new substation. Also when the Broad Street entrance opened, there were two lifts provided, which went directly to the main line station concourse. However, because Broad Street was a quiet station in off-peak periods (reminded me of Liverpool Exchange at quiet times) the lifts were little used. At least one lift out of service for passenger use c.1915. Lifts still accounted for 13.05.21. The February 1926 “Appendix to the Working Timetable” includes Broad Street lifts although the upper landing was one-way only through the entrance gates. When finally taken out of passenger use they were retained for conveyance of rubbish and stores until ? Over 30 years ago I did have the privilege of walking around the disused areas, which included the lower lift landings and the escalator shafts. I believe that some of the area was swallowed up by the Broadgate development and certainly when Broad Street main line station was demolished the lift tower was left standing for a short while for all to see.

[abe]

According to The Engineer (2 June 1911), the shaft and upper and lower concourses at Earl's Court were all excavated specifically for the escalators. The lower concourse was the first part excavated, by breaking through the platform walls and creating a cross-heading at the very start of 1911. Then in February work commenced on the upper concourse by excavating down from the District line platforms. The escalator shaft was then mined downwards to meet a small heading excavated upwards, down which the spoil was deposited for removal.

At Bank, the area between the Central line platforms into which the escalators descend was originally occupied by the lift shafts. There was some careful choreography needed to maintain access whilst the escalator shafts were dug.

Liverpool Street has the claim to fame that it was the first tube station in London to be opened with escalators - hence the space for them between the platforms has always existed.

[Deleted]

Jun 14, 2015 19:45:49 GMT abe said:

According to The Engineer (2 June 1911), the shaft and upper and lower concourses at Earl's Court were all excavated specifically for the escalators. The lower concourse was the first part excavated, by breaking through the platform walls and creating a cross-heading at the very start of 1911. Then in February work commenced on the upper concourse by excavating down from the District line platforms. The escalator shaft was then mined downwards to meet a small heading excavated upwards, down which the spoil was deposited for removal.

Thanks for this abe. I was sure I had read they were always there but am obviously mistaken. On that basis interchange between the Picc and the DR at Earl's Court until the escalators came into use would have only been via the lifts and then stairs from the ticket hall down to the DR platforms (or via the spirals, of course, which didn't go up to the upper lift landing).