Case Study: Chichester Station, West Sussex
The Southern England Branch of Stannah Lift Services, based in Christchurch, has completed a major lift modernisation project for Network Rail at Chichester Station.
The modernisation programme, to Network Rail specifications, meets the requirements of the Lifts Directive (95/16/EC) 1995, BS5655 and EN81-80. Stannah acted as Principal Contractors for the project that involved extensive building and decorating works in order to replace old goods lifts with two new 23 person, traction drive, 2-stop passenger/goods lifts that now provide direct access to Platforms 1 and 2.
Lift 1 – Platform 1
Before
A goods lift was used by station staff to take goods from one side of the railway line to the other, via an under-track tunnel. The lift had one entrance with shutter gate opening from the goods delivery area up to goods storage area adjacent to the platform, but with no direct access onto the platform.
The existing lift was occasionally used to move disabled passengers across the station. This involved them going through the dark, unwelcoming tunnel that openly carried all services (electrics, water, etc). In good weather the alternative route would be out of the station entrance on one side of the track, across the level crossing (that has no pavement on either side), and into the station to access the opposite platform.
Platform to platform access was via an underground tunnel or across a pedestrian bridge; and for disabled travellers, across the bumpy level crossing.
After
The new lift can be accessed from the platform. The lift car has through access and Stannah had to break through the shaft wall to provide this. One stop down takes you into the newly refurbished underground tunnel with fresh white walls, lighting and all services boxed in with safe maintenance access.
Stannah has also provided an escape route from the tunnel by way of a new laddered shaft that goes up onto the platform. Opposite the escape shaft in the tunnel is a wall-mounted emergency station with phone and CCTV to ensure ease of communication from the tunnel. Before the shaft was created there was no means of escape from the tunnel.
Lift 2 – From Platform 2 to tunnel
This lift car is single entry, taking passengers from the platform to the tunnel below, where they can travel under the lines to the lift that takes them onto Platform 1. The two motor-rooms, the drive systems and shafts were completely refurbished to ensure all Health and Safety criteria were met and often exceeded. Restricted pit depth prompted the installation of automatic safety props to protect engineers from being crushed, when working below the lifts.
“These lifts and the associated building works have made a tremendous difference to the regular train travellers at Chichester Station. Most importantly, the safety of passengers, staff and lift engineers has been assured.”
The lift specification
Internal car dimensions: width 1,600mm, depth 1,220mm
Entrance width: 1,020mm
Travel: 17,800mm
Speed of travel: 1.5m/s
Lift well width: 2,784mm
Lift well depth: 1,669mm
Headroom: 5,950mm
Pit depth: 1,040mm