Case Study: Edinburgh Haymarket: Vertical access success in a major rail revamp

As part of Network Rail’s £25m revamp of Haymarket Station in Edinburgh, the Stannah Major Projects team has installed three 16-person, scenic, hydraulic passenger/goods lifts to help bring step-free Access for All (AfA) between the platform and footbridge to the travelling public, whatever their level of mobility.

The refurbishment forms part of the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme, a £650m comprehensive package of improvements to Scotland’s railway infrastructure being delivered by Network Rail.

The station

Haymarket Station is a Category A listed station located near the city centre.

It is the second largest railway station in Edinburgh and the fifth busiest in Scotland. With a footfall of over 2 million, it is one of the most congested stations in the Scottish rail network.

The constraints

Any site has constraints that may require lifts to be designed and manufactured to suit these idiosyncrasies. In this case, at 2100mmW x 2675mmD, the lift shafts were narrower than usual, so the lifts had to be tailored to non-standard dimensions, yet still achieve the

16-person capacity required by Network Rail. They incorporated a rucksack arrangement with the sling and hydraulics, rather than the usual twin rams, which as well as allowing for a larger lift car, also enables more light travel through the lift shaft and onto the atrium.

Three passenger/goods lifts – one specification

Apart from different travel distances, the lift trio enjoy an identical specification:

Drive: Hydraulic, VVF with energy accumulator, direct acting with single Ram to the side

Load/capacity: 16 person/1200kg

Speed: 0.63m/s

Travel: 5742mm/5765mm/5645mm

Stops: 2

Entrances: Through entry

Floor designation: Platform and footbridge

Shaft size: 2100mm W x 2675mm D, minimal internal plumb

Headroom: 4000mm underside of lifting beam minimum

Pit depth:1400mm minimum

Lift car:

Car size, internal: 1300mm W x 1900mm D x 2300mm H

Clear door dimensions: 1100mm W x 2100mm H

Interior: Fully glazed

Front returns: Raltex pattern 6WL black

Handrail: 45mm diameter, powder-coated new gardenia

Bump rail: Black rubber

Door finishes: Glazed panels with 75mm frame

Door tracks: Bronze

Lighting: Vandal-resistant, with back-up

Flooring: Altro Atlas

Door operator: AC VVVF

Safety edge: Full height infra-red

Car station: Powder-coated new gardenia

Push type: Square braille, tactile and half illumination

Clear opening: 1100mm W x 2100mm H

Landing:

Door type: Side opening

Door operator: Automatic

Door finish: Fully glazed, with stainless steel trims and anti-finger trapping

Architraves: Raltex pattern 6WL black

The Stannah Major Projects Team

This dedicated team exists to provide all aspects of a project at one single point of contact. Individuals within the team are skilled in project planning and management, estimating, technical operations, logistics, product design and engineering, field managers, installation engineers, health and safety and quality control that together drive the project.

“The Haymarket Rail Station project went to plan, completing on time and budget. Access for everyone, including wheelchair-users, has been substantially improved between two busy areas. This enables the station to function more efficiently, an important factor in Network Rail’s part in the creation of a multi-modal transport hub fit for the 21st century.”Jerry Sutton, Project Manager, Stannah Major Projects

The full service

All the Stannah lifting equipment at Haymarket Station is supplied with guarantees and will be maintained by the Scotland branch of Stannah Lift Services Limited as part of the nationwide service and maintenance contract with Network Rail.

The Stannah promise

Stannah is committed to delivering:

  • The best quality products
  • Superior service
  • Good value for money
  • And, last but not least, reliability

All backed by a 150-year lift manufacturing pedigree.