London Underground

Keeping the tube on track

The London Underground, more commonly called the Tube, celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013, but it’s showing no signs of its age. KONE and the world’s oldest underground railway system work closely together to ensure a smooth and seamless transit experience for one billion commuters annually.

Description

As visitors to the UK capital know, the easiest way to get around London is to ride the Tube. With three and a half million journeys made each day on 11 lines serving 270 stations, it is paramount that all stations within this complex logistical network are operating at full efficiency. As part of the Tube Improvement Plan initiated by Transport for London (TfL), owner of the London Underground, KONE secured an order to fully replace fifteen elevators and modernize a further four elevators at six busy Tube stations. Further modernization packages will be provided when the need for upgrades arises. The new order marks the continuation of a long-term partnership between KONE and TfL, which began in 2000 with the extension of the Jubilee line, the London Underground’s biggest expansion project in over 20 years. The installation of 118 escalators and 34 elevators was followed by an order for 35 KONE MonoSpace® elevators, all enhanced to meet the London Underground’s specifications as part of its Step Free Access project at a number of stations.

  • #Airport & Transit
  • #Elevators
  • #Escalators & Autowalks
  • #Europe
  • #Maintenance
  • #New equipment

Building facts

  • Project completion: ongoing (until 2034)
  • Flow: 3.5 million passengers daily
  • Coverage: 11 lines serving 270 stations
  • Owner: Transport for London

KONE solutions

New equipment for 11 stations:

  • 34 KONE elevators
  • 118 KONE escalators
  • 2 KONE autowalks
  • KONE E-Link™ monitoring system

New equipment for Crossrail:

  • 54 KONE elevators
  • KONE Care™ Maintenance Service

London Underground

London Underground

ChallengesSolutions
  • To meet extreme demands for smooth passenger flow in a complex logistical network
  • To maximize equipment availability and avoid station closures and equipment shutdowns at all costs
  • To provide flexible maintenance at times when the Tube is closed to the public
  • Customized elevators can carry up to 50 passengers at a time and accommodate over 4,000 people per hour
  • KONE E-Link™ remote monitoring helps to guarantee that all equipment is functioning at all times
  • KONE service technicians available 24/7, carrying out most of their work between 1AM and 5AM

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