Tube’s only wooden escalator to carry last passengers
00:01 11 March 2014
The wooden escalator at Greenford (Picture: R/DV/RS/Flickr)
Archant
London Underground’s last wooden escalator, dating back to 1947, will carry passengers for the last time today.
The relic, at Greenford Tube station in west London, will serve out its last day of operation alongside a brand spanking new escalator at the station – meaning today London Underground’s youngest and oldest will run side by side.
Replacing the wooden structure forms part of a Transport for London plan to make the station step-free by 2015.
By the end of next year, TfL promises to have installed a special new transparent “incline lift”, which will be the first of its kind on the network.
The “up” escalator opening today is a temporary measure designed to allow the station to remain open while work takes place to install the new lift.
London Underground’s director of capital programmes, David Waboso, said: “As part of our commitment to make the Tube more accessible, work is on schedule to make Greenford Tube station step-free by next year. In order to keep the station open during the works we have to have an ‘up’ escalator and stairs, which is why we installed a new escalator first, then we will widen the centre staircase and finally we can remove the escalator on the right and install the new incline lift.
“The innovative glass incline lift will go up and down right by the newly widened staircase and the other new escalator, with users able to see out as well as being seen.”
The new lift makes things easier for wheelchair users and passengers with buggies because entry and exit doors are on opposite sides, meaning users do no have to turn round when they leave.
