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The Main Station, Platforms 1 to 13 The Low Level, platforms 14 and 15 |
The platforms are numbered 1 to 13 from east to west. (see the General Description Page for more details).
There are three entrances from street level into the main concourse:
Since the starts of the platforms, beyond platform 5, are not in line and there's no tactile paving near the edges, we cannot recommend any short cuts, entailing right to left (eastward) movement across the ends of the platforms. In general, whilst you're on smooth tiles, as opposed to rougher concrete, you're in the concourse, rather than on a platform. We therefore offer the following suggestions.
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Platforms 1 to 10 Platforms 11 to 13 |
Go to the left-hand (east) sside of the concourse, turn right and continue to the wall in front of you. This is the end of track 1. Turn right, passing platforms 1 - 2. Starbucks, platforms 3 - 4, West Cornwall Pasty Co. and platforms 5 - 6. Beyond here is a building housing Upper Crust, go to your left of this and continue (west) past platforms 7 - 8. The end of track 8 is about four metres left of that of track 7.
As you continue from here, you return to the tiled surface of the concourse, whose left-hand side has retreated considerably, a building housing Franco's Italian Cuisine is in front of you to your left. Turn left, passing two rows of pay phones on your left, this brings you onto platform 9.
The first part of the middle of the island platform 9 and 10 is occupied by the Left Luggage and Lost Property office (entrance on platform 10). There is a gap between the north end of this and a building housing a lift (not for public use). You can either go through here, or round the Left Luggage office then turn right onto platform 10.
Move to the right-hand (west) side of the concourse and follow this beyond the shops and police station. The building front veers right (southwest) beyond WH Smith. Continue, past the gap with railings beside the road, beyond the building housing steps and escalators to the low level, then past the Virgin Trains customer lounge. You're now on platform 11. For platforms 12 and 13, turn right after the access to the low level and continue, across the road, (traffic comes from your right, pedestrians have priority). There is no tactile paving either side of this road, though there are bollards between the parking spaces and the platform.
For platform 13, we suggest you turn right (north) and continue to the railings between you and the road, which has now turned left. Turn left, continue, past the lift to the low level, to the west wall of the station then turn left. You're now on platform 13.
It's probably easier to find and use the Argyle Street or low level Hope Street entrance than to find the escalators or lift within the main concourse.
Continue east into the concourse.
Continue (north) into the concourse.
Visit the Lifts Page for Details
Go down a flight of steps, turn right (180 degrees) and down another flight to the intermediate level.
There are two sets of steps and a lift between here and the island platform 14 and 15. At the time of our survey, the first (east) steps were behind the westbound and before the front of the eastbound train. As the signage didn't indicate which of these sets of steps was entrance or exit, we suggest you take the second (west) steps.
>From the foot of the steps, go forward about two metres and turn left into the passage leading away from the foot of the escalators. Continue to the corner, turn left and take the turning right, down two flights of steps onto the platform. Platform 14, eastbound is to your right, you're about in the middle of the train.
Continue forward from the foot of the escalator into the passage in front of you. Turn left at the end, then take the turning right, down two flights of steps onto the platform. Platform 14, eastbound is to your right, you're about in the middle of the train.
Leave the lift at the intermediate level, turn right, continue to the end then turn left. Take the turning left and locate the lift in front of you. Go down to platform level and leave via the same door, facing west. Platform 14, eastbound is to your right, you're near the front of the eastbound, rear of the westbound train.
© 2004, Terry Robinson