When it was first planned, Liverpool Street Central Line station was
to have direct-to-platform lifts (which is why the platforms are so
far apart), but just before it was built the plans were changed to use
escalators instead (these are probably the middle set of escalators,
each in their own shaft). However, they kept one of the lift shafts in
the plans, built it, but fitted it out with a spiral staircase.

Where is that spiral staircase?
Does it still exist?


I'm also curious about the connection to Broad Street. The surface
building would have been to the SW of the platforms, slightly beyond
the southern headwall and then to the west. So how was the connection
made to it?

There are escalators between the two platforms heading south, but
presumably these were added when Liverpool Street mainline station was
rebuilt, so was there previously some access to broad street in their
place?

Or perhaps the two passages through the platforms' southern headwalls,
which seem to have a couple of steps further down them, are something
to do with the access?

On 13 Jan, 16:32, lonelytraveller
wrote:
When it was first planned, Liverpool Street Central Line station was
to have direct-to-platform lifts (which is why the platforms are so
far apart), but just before it was built the plans were changed to use
escalators instead (these are probably the middle set of escalators,
each in their own shaft). However, they kept one of the lift shafts in
the plans, built it, but fitted it out with a spiral staircase.

Where is that spiral staircase?
Does it still exist?

I had a feeling I'd used one there, but it could be a figment of my
imagination.



I'm also curious about the connection to Broad Street. The surface
building would have been to the SW of the platforms, slightly beyond
the southern headwall and then to the west. So how was the connection
made to it?

The stations were at very different levels (Liverpool Street in a
cutting and Broad Street on a viaduct). I can't remember there being
any route between the two except via the street.

If I remember rightly, there was a continuation of Eldon Street which
passed the front of the station, and there were steps leading up into
the concourse. That bit of street is now obliterated.


There are escalators between the two platforms heading south, but
presumably these were added when Liverpool Street mainline station was
rebuilt, so was there previously some access to broad street in their
place?


There were always escalators at that end, but that exit wasn't always
open. There used to be single escalators, each in its own passage.

As I remember, the external exits were in Liverpool Street (from the
Circle, as now), at the back of LS station concourse ( from the West
end of the Central, or the Circle, as now) and another one near the LS
ticket barriers (similar to now I guess, from the East end of the
Central). I don't remember any direct exit from the Underground to
Broad Street.

But my memory is a bit confused, because I also remember coming out in
a subway with signs to different platform number ranges at LS, which
related to the fact that two middle platforms went much further back
into the concourse, so to proceed between the platforms either side of
them you had to either walk round the buffers, go through the subway
or go over the top (on a raised walkway).


Or perhaps the two passages through the platforms' southern headwalls,
which seem to have a couple of steps further down them, are something
to do with the access?

On 13 Jan, 16:49, MIG wrote:
On 13 Jan, 16:32, lonelytraveller

wrote:
When it was first planned, Liverpool Street Central Line station was
to have direct-to-platform lifts (which is why the platforms are so
far apart), but just before it was built the plans were changed to use
escalators instead (these are probably the middle set of escalators,
each in their own shaft). However, they kept one of the lift shafts in
the plans, built it, but fitted it out with a spiral staircase.

Where is that spiral staircase?
Does it still exist?

I had a feeling I'd used one there, but it could be a figment of my
imagination.



I'm also curious about the connection to Broad Street. The surface
building would have been to the SW of the platforms, slightly beyond
the southern headwall and then to the west. So how was the connection
made to it?

The stations were at very different levels (Liverpool Street in a
cutting and Broad Street on a viaduct). *I can't remember there being
any route between the two except via the street.

If I remember rightly, there was a continuation of Eldon Street which
passed the front of the station, and there were steps leading up into
the concourse. *That bit of street is now obliterated.



There are escalators between the two platforms heading south, but
presumably these were added when Liverpool Street mainline station was
rebuilt, so was there previously some access to broad street in their
place?

There were always escalators at that end, but that exit wasn't always
open. *There used to be single escalators, each in its own passage.


Rereading that bit, the escalators I was talking about were heading
northish, ie in the line direction towards Bethnal Green. I am sure
that they merely led to an exit nearer the Liverpool Street ticket
barriers, and nothing to do with Broad Street.

On 13 Jan, 16:56, MIG wrote:
On 13 Jan, 16:49, MIG wrote:
On 13 Jan, 16:32, lonelytraveller wrote:
When it was first planned, Liverpool Street Central Line station was
to have direct-to-platform lifts (which is why the platforms are so
far apart), but just before it was built the plans were changed to use
escalators instead (these are probably the middle set of escalators,
each in their own shaft). However, they kept one of the lift shafts in
the plans, built it, but fitted it out with a spiral staircase.

Where is that spiral staircase?
Does it still exist?
I had a feeling I'd used one there, but it could be a figment of my
imagination.
I've found this pictu http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/...76/9865076.jpg
which seems to show some sort of stairs, but I can't work out how that
fits into the modern layout, or what it actually represents

There were always escalators at that end, but that exit wasn't always
open. There used to be single escalators, each in its own passage.

Rereading that bit, the escalators I was talking about were heading
northish, ie in the line direction towards Bethnal Green. I am sure
that they merely led to an exit nearer the Liverpool Street ticket
barriers, and nothing to do with Broad Street.

That's the middle set of escalators, until the 90s that side of
liverpool street mainline station didn't begin until much further
north, roughly where the northern ticket hall for the central line is
now (which is why that ticket hall is in that position). Here's a
photograph of the exterior before the 90s:
http://www.oldukphotos.com/graphics/England%20Photos/London,%20Liverpool%20Street%20Station%201920's.jp g
and the same view afterwards (at night) from a very similar point:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:L...rior_night.jpg

I don't remember any direct exit from the Underground to Broad Street.
Here's a picture of the entrance at the surface:
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/s.../index50.shtml
Here's what it looked like from the inside:
http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/...70/9865070.jpg
and also (from the other direction): http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/best/72/9865072.jpg
I don't know how it fits together at platform level.

On 13 Jan, 21:14, lonelytraveller
wrote:
On 13 Jan, 16:56, MIG wrote: On 13 Jan, 16:49, MIG wrote:
On 13 Jan, 16:32, lonelytraveller wrote:
When it was first planned, Liverpool Street Central Line station was
to have direct-to-platform lifts (which is why the platforms are so
far apart), but just before it was built the plans were changed to use
escalators instead (these are probably the middle set of escalators,
each in their own shaft). However, they kept one of the lift shafts in
the plans, built it, but fitted it out with a spiral staircase.

Where is that spiral staircase?
Does it still exist?
I had a feeling I'd used one there, but it could be a figment of my

imagination.
I've found this pictuhttp://www.ltmcollection.org/images/...76/9865076.jpg
which seems to show some sort of stairs, but I can't work out how that
fits into the modern layout, or what it actually represents

There were always escalators at that end, but that exit wasn't always
open. *There used to be single escalators, each in its own passage.

Rereading that bit, the escalators I was talking about were heading
northish, ie in the line direction towards Bethnal Green. *I am sure
that they merely led to an exit nearer the Liverpool Street ticket
barriers, and nothing to do with Broad Street.

That's the middle set of escalators, until the 90s that side of
liverpool street mainline station didn't begin until much further
north, roughly where the northern ticket hall for the central line is
now (which is why that ticket hall is in that position). Here's a
photograph of the exterior before the 90s:http://www.oldukphotos.com/graphics/...ndon,%20Liverp...
and the same view afterwards (at night) from a very similar point:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:L...tion_exterior_...

I think this is roughly where the bus station is now, above the arcade
below, but further west than the platforms. So it looks as if the
taxis went down the side of the station, as at Paddington, rather than
the station starting further back.

Broad Street is on the viaduct on the left.



I don't remember any direct exit from the Underground to Broad Street.

Here's a picture of the entrance at the surface:http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/s.../index50.shtml
Here's what it looked like from the inside:http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/...70/9865070.jpg
and also (from the other direction):http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/best/72/9865072.jpg
I don't know how it fits together at platform level.

The main Underground ticket hall is not that different from how it
was, in that you went in facing south and then straight on towards the
circle line clockwise platform, from which you could take a bridge
over to the anticlockwise and also to the exit on the opposite side of
Liverpool Street.

You turned right and right again, as now, to go down the main Central
Line escalators.

This was also the main Broad Street exit as well. I'd forgotten that
there must have been a subway linking down the road to Broad Street,
but this would have been just below the surface and not related to
anything at the Central Line platform level.

I am sure that the escalators at the north end of the Central were
just for peak access to the main Liverpool Street platforms. The
picture you have found shows an Underground exit at the front of Broad
Street, just to the West of the main Underground ticket hall.
Escalators at the north end of the Central Line wouldn't have got you
any nearer to this.

In article
,
(MIG) wrote:


I think this is roughly where the bus station is now, above the arcade
below, but further west than the platforms. So it looks as if the
taxis went down the side of the station, as at Paddington, rather than
the station starting further back.

Broad Street is on the viaduct on the left.

....

The main Underground ticket hall is not that different from how it
was, in that you went in facing south and then straight on towards the
circle line clockwise platform, from which you could take a bridge
over to the anticlockwise and also to the exit on the opposite side of
Liverpool Street.

You turned right and right again, as now, to go down the main Central
Line escalators.

This was also the main Broad Street exit as well. I'd forgotten that
there must have been a subway linking down the road to Broad Street,
but this would have been just below the surface and not related to
anything at the Central Line platform level.

I am sure that the escalators at the north end of the Central were
just for peak access to the main Liverpool Street platforms. The
picture you have found shows an Underground exit at the front of Broad
Street, just to the West of the main Underground ticket hall.
Escalators at the north end of the Central Line wouldn't have got
you any nearer to this.

The taxis went in and out as in one of the photos,
http://www.oldukphotos.com/graphics/...,%20Liverpool%
20Street%20Station%201920's.jpg, roughly where the escalators are now.

So, instead of direct cycle access to the platforms from the street, you
now have to get up a few steps and down a substantial staircase (or
escalator), or else go on a detour equivalent to the frontage of Broad St
station and back walking through the Broadgate shopping centre, instead.

This great planning success was for the London terminal at the time still
the principal one for services to Britain's premier cycling city,
Cambridge. Pillocks!

--
Colin Rosenstiel