A specially commissioned, aluminium, double leaf floor access door, manufactured by Bilco UK, has been installed at King’s Cross Station as part of a major refurbishment programme. The bespoke floor access door, which measures more than 3 metres by 1 metre, has been installed at ground floor level at the top of a flight of stairs. It provides an emergency exit for staff working in the basement floor.
Manufactured to the exact specifications of its designers, Design Rationale Ltd, the type JD-AL door was supplied by Bilco with a grating, panic lock and handrail which were also fitted. Jon-Pierre Booree, Projects Team Manager for Design Rationale Ltd, commented, “Bilco were recommended to us by the architects and did not disappoint. The product they manufactured is excellent, with reliable, spring-loaded doors that met our specification exactly. On top of this, Bilco were helpful, friendly, reliable, and gave us good service.”
Throughout the USA, Bilco emergency evacuation doors have an exemplary track record for use in railway applications as they have been supplied to many major metro systems throughout the United States. In key cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, DC, Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas and Seattle Bilco’s floor access doors are widely used to provide an easily used exit from underground rapid transit tunnels and platforms in emergency situations.
Bilco’s JD-AL range features lightweight reinforced 6mm diamond pattern aluminium plates, fabricated to withstand up to 1464 kg/m2 live loads; however, alternative loading capacities are available. This makes them extremely durable and hard wearing when closed. A specially designed debris gasket and anti corrosion hardware ensures their longevity and efficient opening when required. Bilco floor doors also have a versatile anchoring system which makes installation trouble-free.
Bilco UK is a specialist supplier of roof hatches, smoke vents, floor doors and fixed vertical and retractable ladders, and provides CPD presentations tailored to enable architects and specifiers to keep up to the minute with industry best practice.
The installation of the Bilco floor door is part of a complete transformation of King’s Cross Station, the first phase of which, including a new concourse, waiting areas and shopping experience, was completed in March 2012 in plenty of time for the London Olympics. The second phase will be completed in late 2013.
