Say goodbye to the London Underground’s last wooden escalator

Transport for London is giving Alperton tube station a step-free glow-up by replacing its antiquated (now out-of use) wooden escalator with two brand new lifts.

Taken from the Dome of Discovery at the Festival of Britain, the already-vintage escalator was installed into Alperton station in November 1955 with only one direction, up. It also only benefited commuters heading London-bound, and was decommissioned in 1988. 

Since then, the London Underground's last wooden relic has been hidden behind a closed-off wall, but soon it will be gone forever, as the out of service escalator is going to be removed to make way for lifts, making Alperton fully accessible. 

Brent Council has agreed to team up with TfL to partially fund the station revamp by contributing up to half of the total costs (capping at £5 million). Now, the new lift will make Alperton's eastbound platform completely step-free, except for the step from the train to the platform, where staff members will provide mini-ramps as needed. 

As for westbound commuters, the stairs and tunnel under the railway complicate the renovation designs. TfL has considered adding a new lift for a separate tunnel that's behind the retail space in front of the station, but that would require its current occupiers, a local barber shop, to close. Will they close a local business for the greater good of accessible transit? That is to be determined.

What we do know is that the upgrade will include more ticket barriers and new accessible toilet. 

‘It’s essential that TfL and local authorities continue working together to help achieve a city where the public transport network is open to everyone, with the delivery of schemes being prioritised where there is third party funding available,’ said a spokesperson for TfL. 

With 6,000 new homes expected to be constructed in the area, and at least 10 percent of them designed to be wheelchair accessible, the station glow-up will significantly help meet the new residents’ requirements. 

Costs for the station’s revamp are expected to be between £10 million and £16 million, with construction expected to start next summer for the lifts to open in summer 2027.

You can ride a vintage 1930s train on the London Underground next month.

This new tube map shows Underground trains in real time.