[lancastrian]

Originally Posted by 142094

Has anyone heard of something like this being done before in the UK? At present in Stuttgart, they are in the process of changing the layout of the station so that they can run trains through the station, instead of the current situation where trains have to reverse. I'm not aware of anything like this in the UK, apart from say low level platforms at stations such as Liverpool Lime Street, Glasgow Central or St. Pancras.

Well the only one I can think of is the old LSWR terminus of Devonport. When it had been opened it was a tterminus and the LSWR trains from London used to travel down the GWR line from where the LSWR was open to at Lydford. When the Plymouth, Devonport & South Western Juntion railway line through Bere Alston was opened in 1890 and the London trains arrived at Devonport station through what used to be the Terminus End, they actually knocked holes in the back wall. So it became a through station.

[LE Greys]

Originally Posted by Ploughman

York

Totally rebuilt and relocated.

That was done twice. The original station was a semi-permanent structure, facing roughly north-west, on the site of the current one. It then moved inside the walls a couple of years later, which would certainly not be allowed now. The gateway was designed to blend in though. However, trains from the south had to negotiate a tight right-hand curve, then reverse (although the fact that it was an engine change location made things easier). This arrangement lasted 38 years, by which time it was already heavily congested. Then they built the current through station on the site of the original one, or maybe a bit southward. This allowed access for the Scarborough line, did away with the reversal, and allowed a big expansion. The old one ended up as a carriage shed, then as additional storage space for preserved LNER stock before the days of the NRM. It is now the council offices.

[Kryten2340]

Originally Posted by 142094

Has anyone heard of something like this being done before in the UK? At present in Stuttgart, they are in the process of changing the layout of the station so that they can run trains through the station, instead of the current situation where trains have to reverse. I'm not aware of anything like this in the UK, apart from say low level platforms at stations such as Liverpool Lime Street, Glasgow Central or St. Pancras.

I suppose you could argue that Bank Foot on the TW Metro had its layout changed, albeit on a very minute scale by opening the 2nd platform when the line was extended to the Airport however I'm assuming that A) this is not what you meant and B) you're referring to main line only.

[LE Greys]

On thinking about it, Berwick, although that was designed with what they called 'passive provision' for becoming a through station. I can't remember which end was built first, the Newcastle & Berwick or North British, but it involved demolishing the great hall of Berwick Castle, although the station originally had a 'castellated' style.

Actually, Waverley as well. The original Edinburgh & Leith railway involved a massive tunnel leading into what is now Waverley station from the north. The Edinburgh & Glasgow arrived from the west, the North British from the east, then all three met up in a station which was effectively a triangular junction. Eventually, they diverted the Leith line on a big loop and the tunnel ended up as the North British's (later LNER's) main source of mushrooms. I don't know whether it is still safe for access.

[Kryten2340]

Originally Posted by LE Greys

On thinking about it, Berwick, although that was designed with what they called 'passive provision' for becoming a through station. I can't remember which end was built first, the Newcastle & Berwick or North British, but it involved demolishing the great hall of Berwick Castle, although the station originally had a 'castellated' style.

Actually, Waverley as well. The original Edinburgh & Leith railway involved a massive tunnel leading into what is now Waverley station from the north. The Edinburgh & Glasgow arrived from the west, the North British from the east, then all three met up in a station which was effectively a triangular junction. Eventually, they diverted the Leith line on a big loop and the tunnel ended up as the North British's (later LNER's) main source of mushrooms. I don't know whether it is still safe for access.

Wouldn't closing Princess Street and diverging the lines to Waverley from the west be a good shout?

[LE Greys]

Originally Posted by Kryten2340

Wouldn't closing Princess Street and diverging the lines to Waverley from the west be a good shout?

Worth adding, but that came later.

[DXMachina]

Originally Posted by DaveNewcastle

....Watford (though the Croxley link diverges before the terminus).

Watford Met was built as a Terminus that was designed to be made into a through station - which is why the track is at a lower level than the road, to facilitate onward tunnelling.

The Met's Watford terminus station still survives as the Moon Under Water pub, although it is a pre-existing building that was due to be converted to a station booking-hall rather than a new build.

Still looks like a station even now though.

[jopsuk]

Island Gardens DLR was originally an elevated terminus, it is now (on a slightly different site) a deep tube through station.

[trivran]

I did say Blackfriars, which is wrong, I meant City Thameslink (as Ludgate Hill).

[W-on-Sea]

Hounslow West on the Piccadilly line changed from being a ground-level terminus to a cut-and-cover through station when the Heathrow extension opened in the 1970s: although, the platforms apart, the remainder of the existing station building remained (and remains) in use.

[tbtc]

That's an interesting question, I really cannot think of any examples in postwar UK stations, though there are certainly a few termini that I would love to become through stations (Hadfield, Matlock etc!)

[RPM]

High Wycombe was originally a terminus. When the line was extended to Thame and Aylesbury the original Brunel-designed station building, complete with overall roof, was converted into the new station's goods shed. It is still there today, awaiting redevelopment for commercial/retail use. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/5743958265

[Firesprite]

Dorchester South was built as terminus. It was the intent to continue the line westwards towards Exeter. Instead the current route was used instead from Salisbury.

For many years after the line was connected to the Weymouth, Waterloo bound trains had to reverse in to the station to call, This carried on until to 1970 when a platform was built on the curve.

[Welshman]

If narrow-gauge railways can be included, how about the work now going-on at Porthmadog to make it a "through" station, and allow easier access from the Caernarfon line by removing the need to reverse?

[LE Greys]

Originally Posted by tbtc

That's an interesting question, I really cannot think of any examples in postwar UK stations, though there are certainly a few termini that I would love to become through stations (Hadfield, Matlock etc!)

Are we talking NR only? Or would Angel, Euston (Northern Line), Highgate (later Archway), Clapham Common, Golders Green, Finsbury Park (Piccadilly Line), Liverpool Street (Central Liine) and so on count?

Chesham's a bit of a special case as well, since it ended up marooned on a branch having been the Met's original north-western terminus before it diverted west to Aylesbury, Quainton Road and eventually Amersham.