Freedom of Information request - Information regarding short platforms and the amounts of doors and coaches that get released at each station you serve.
Request ID: FOI-1716-2425 Date published: 20 September 2024
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
I wish to make an FOI request to you please about short platforms. Could you please provide full details of how many coaches are released at each station (and at each platform if different amounts of coaches are released at different platforms at the same station). Please provide full details regarding all stations and all platforms and all classes.
So essentially i require the following details:
• On the London Underground S Stock (Circle Line and District Line and Hammersmith & City Line and Metropolitan Line) i would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
• On the London Underground 1995 Stock (Northern Line) i would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
• On the Elizabeth Line Class 345 (the Reading to Shenfield route) i would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
• On the London Overground Class 378 (the East London Line route) i would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
• On the Docklands Light Railway (i think the Lewisham route) i would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages are released or are not released at these stations.
Thank you very much for any data and information you can provide regarding to this information request.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-1716-2425
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 26 August 2024 asking for information about short platforms.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy.
I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. You asked:
Could you please provide full details of how many coaches are released at each station (and at each platform if different amounts of coaches are released at different platforms at the same station). Please provide full details regarding all stations and all platforms and all classes.
So essentially, I require the following details:
• On the London Underground S Stock (Circle Line and District Line and Hammersmith & City Line and Metropolitan Line) I would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
Please find attached ‘List of SSR SDO Stations August 2024’.
Please note, the tinted items in the first column are for Metropolitan line S8 trains. The descriptions define S7 and S8 differences where both use the same platforms. For Circle line, District line and Hammersmith & City line the trains are always S7 (7 cars). For Metropolitan line, the trains are always S8 (8 cars).
• On the London Underground 1995 Stock (Northern Line) I would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
Please find attached ‘NL MTG and EDCO - FDCO platforms’.
• On the Elizabeth Line Class 345 (the Reading to Shenfield route) I would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
The Automatic Selective Door Opening (ASDO) system on our trains will release the doors based on the shortest platform at each station. Some platforms may be long enough to accommodate the train, but some doors may still not open. The system utilises a Global Positioning System (GPS) which is able to confirm where the train is but is not accurate enough to correctly identify the platform number. Therefore, where we have short platforms or large steps between train and platform (such as Paddington due to curvature) certain doors will not open, but this is applied for all platforms at that station.
All trains are 9 carriages long, with three sets of doors on each side of each carriage. Restrictions are in place at the following locations:
Shenfield Route
Maryland
7 carriages will open their doors (21 doors open out of 27).
Forest Gate
7 carriages, and one set of doors on carriage 8, will open (22 doors out of 27).
Manor Park
7 carriages will open their doors (21 doors open out of 27).
Seven Kings
8 carriages will open their doors (24 doors open out of 27).
Reading / Heathrow Route
Twyford
7 carriages, and two sets of doors on carriage 8, will open (23 doors out of 27).
Maidenhead
7 carriages, and two sets of doors on carriage 8, will open (23 doors out of 27).
Taplow
8 carriages will open their doors (24 doors open out of 27).
Burnham
8 carriages will open their doors (24 doors open out of 27).
Langley
7 carriages, and one set of doors on carriage 8, will open (22 doors out of 27).
Iver
8 carriages will open their doors (24 doors open out of 27).
Hayes & Harlington
8 carriages will open and two sets of doors on carriage 9 will open (26 doors open out of 27).
Hanwell
6 carriages will open, and one set of doors on carriage 7 will open (19 out of 27).
Paddington (National Rail station)
7 carriages will open their doors (21 doors open out of 27). This is due to platform curvature.
• On the London Overground Class 378 (the East London Line route) I would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages and doors are released or are not released at these stations.
The East London line operates only the class 378 fleet 5 car units which this answer responds too.
East London line Route
Canada Water
Both directions 8 door release (front 4 cars).
Rotherhithe
Both directions 8 door release (front 4 cars).
Shadwell
Southbound (Platform 2) only 9 door release (just the last set of doors in the rear car).
Surrey Quays*
Southbound (Platform 2) only 8 door release (front 4 cars).
Wapping
Both directions 8 door release (front 4 cars).
*This is a temporary measure while the works at Surrey Quays are taking place.
• On the Docklands Light Railway (I think the Lewisham route) I would like a list of which platforms and which stations have short platforms and which doors and which carriages are released or are not released at these stations.
There are 4 stations on DLR that have short platforms where “selective door opening” is used for 3-car trains (2-car trains fit fully in all platforms and all doors are enabled).
The 4 stations are Gallions Reach, Royal Albert, Cutty Sark, and Elverson Road. Selective door opening applies to both platforms at each of these stations, i.e., 8 platforms in total. At each of these stations, a 3-car train will have the first two sets and the last two sets of doors inhibited, i.e., four of the twelve sets of doors on the train will remain closed.
If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
