Why does London Underground Lower it's ceilings by using fake ceilings making its stations even more cramped

Question

These Ceilings look cheap and tacky and are not an improvement on what was there before. Also at Kings Cross it is making the platforms smaller by putting fake walls along the original ones and loosing about a foot of space along the platform, why?

Answer 1

It's all about noise control. The panel and walls are designed to absorb noise.

Answer 2

Three part answer:

1. The underground system is over 100 years old in some sections, and they were not built with the idea of being expandable and providing space for future work but to provide enough room for the equipment needed at the time, hence why Kennington is claustophobic compared to Canary Wharf

2. In underground stations you have to have the following systems, fire, electrical (lighting, low & high voltage, power outlets etc.), PA, CCTV, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) signalling, radio communication hard wiring, help points and so on. Of these systems most are new or upgraded from old due to increased capacities, changes in requirements & standards.

3. The underground system was not very well funded in the past few decades, and hence the delapidated feel of some stations (Baker Street being the worst I have seen, so many nice features and some of the worst). Now there is a PPP contract in place with two companies (Tube Lines & Metronet) who are carrying out refurbishment & modernisation works on all stations, which hopefully will greatly improve the ambience of the stations.

So in general there is not that much room in the stations to install all the new services that are needed to run a modern day tube system, as most of the sub-surface have little room for expansion and so false ceilings, false walls, trenching out the floors and other methods are used to meet these requirements - for example on a normal station upgrade you would be installing around 50km of new cabling, 50 cameras, 250 speakers, auxillary equipment and that is just the PA & CCTV systems!

Hope that answers your question

Answer 3

Because it is less disruptive to commuters to do a paper over the cracks job rather than remove the old ceiling and start again from scratch. It would cost millions and they would have to close each station they worked at. Maybe even entire lines while the work was carried out. Can you imagine the chaos if Victoria Underground had to be closed for a few weeks while this happened?

Answer 4

By creating smaller more cramped spaces they have cleverly calculated that everyone who suffers from any degree of claustrophobia will never use the system again which will save them millions they would otherwise have to spend expanding the network.
On a serious note, I wonder what the effect would be on a bomb blast and where that blast would be directed as a result.

Answer 5

I miss Ceiling Cat!

Answer 6

Big Kens answer to congestion, he has messed up the roads, now starting on the rail network with the airways next.

Answer 7

Acoustics is the aim, which benefits the traveler. Easy to route piping and duct work as well, which is cost effective.

Answer 8

those walls are there to reduce the noise effect the train produces .
those waves shakes the original wall there for making them weaker, the new walls are designed to protect the old original walls .
hope that helps

Answer 9

becuase the whole thing is extremely badly managed and they dont want to spend too much money...

Answer 10

Saves cleaning all the crap off - just cover it up instead!