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Tuesday 11 Apr 2023

No crane, no gain – Network Rail engineers install wider staircase to improve accessibility for passengers at Clapham Junction station

Region & Route:

Southern

| Southern: Sussex

This Easter, one of the biggest cranes in Europe visited Clapham Junction station in south west London to install a brand new and wider staircase.

Over the Easter weekend Network Rail engineers and supply chain partners successfully removed and replaced the staircase on platforms 13 and 14 at Clapham Junction station using an 80m, 700 tonne hydraulic crane. 

A new and wider staircase was installed to improve capacity and reduce overall congestion in the station, providing a more comfortable experience for passengers travelling through.  

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said: “It’s fantastic to see the progress the teams have made over the Easter weekend across the Sussex region. 

“At Clapham Junction, the new staircase will mean more comfortable journeys for passengers especially those using busy platforms 13 and 14 which serve passengers travelling on Southern services to and from London Victoria and the south coast.

“The work down in Streatham also sees the last of nine major junction rebuilds which have been delivered as part of the two year, £160m investment in track and signalling on the lines between Balham, Clapham Junction and London Victoria as part of the London Victoria resignalling programme. 

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience whilst we carried out these works. The upgrades will keep people moving safely and reliably for decades to come.” 

Engineers also worked around the clock to renew a set of outdated switches and crossings (the moveable sections of track that guide trains from one track to another and allow them to cross paths) at Streatham North Junction to improve safety and reliability.