172212
Member
I have been in some really nice train stations, but I have also been in some equally bad ones, which stations do you think could do with a refurb?
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Railway stations that need to be refurbished
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VTPreston_Tez
Member
Preston looks too much in the past. It needs modernisation and to look more bright, and a First Class lounge.
GNERman
Established Member
Wakefield Kirkgate is an obvious one, and by refurb I mean full, top to toe refurb to completely sort it out.
Cherry_Picker
Established Member
In before Wakefield Kirkgate!
Birmingham New Street has been a dump for years too. Thankfully the refurbishment is well under way.
Birmingham New Street has been a dump for years too. Thankfully the refurbishment is well under way.
172212
Member
Yeah, Birmingham New Street is a nightmare
Proud Salopian
Member
Shrewsbury.
The Informer
Member
Beat me to it!!!! The outside looks good but stand on platform 3 and look around for a few mins and you soon realise its very tired and very mid 90s in a Regional Railways sort of way!
MidnightFlyer
Veteran Member
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Water Orton, when I was there last year the entrance / former booking office (that you must walk through) / staircase was in a shocking, shocking state.
GNERman
Established Member
I was there in April, it hasn't changed!!!
Proud Salopian
Member
The tiny waiting room for the main four platforms is ridiculous, and the toilets are also small and rather naff.
Really they need to spend a good wad of money and do justice to the listed building, the general historic setting of the area and the old-fashioned feel of the station. Shrewsbury could be an awesome station with some money and attention thrown at it... but ATW just don't care. Why? Because it's not in Wales! Pathetic really, especially considering it's the ATW network's second station, after Cardiff.
lewisf
Member
Most of the minor stations on the SWML in London and Surrey. New Malden and Raynes Park have loads of flaking paint. Similar stations on the Brighton Mainline are in much better nick.
It has now - half of the canopy on platform 1's now missing.
172212
Member
Water Orton doesn't look good at all, but it is rarely used by commuters, about 6 or 7 trains call there either way, it is mainly used by train spotters and rail enthusiasts for its high level freights. But I agree, a refurb is required.
GNERman
Established Member
Correct, and has some from P3 disappeared as well??? (there was construction work on the Leeds end when I was last there...)
They seem to be digging around a lot on platform 3, but as far as I could tell none of it was missing as of last Sunday.
tsr
Established Member
Polesworth.
Put the footbridge back and install a couple of help points and a ticket machine. Give it a good lick of paint and resurface the platforms as necessary. Increase frequency as much as possible.
The first point will not be too hard but will be expensive, but the latter will be prohibitive.
I can think of rather a lot more little-used stations that may only be so under-patronised due to a lack of investment.
For example, Teesside Airport could do with a massively upgraded service combined with infrastructure improvements (a staffed station building with a shelter for a bus shuttle to the airport would be good).
Put the footbridge back and install a couple of help points and a ticket machine. Give it a good lick of paint and resurface the platforms as necessary. Increase frequency as much as possible.
The first point will not be too hard but will be expensive, but the latter will be prohibitive.
I can think of rather a lot more little-used stations that may only be so under-patronised due to a lack of investment.
For example, Teesside Airport could do with a massively upgraded service combined with infrastructure improvements (a staffed station building with a shelter for a bus shuttle to the airport would be good).
GNERman
Established Member
Agreed, especially after Sky Express was axed. Under the Tees Valley Metro plans it would be relocated entirely to be closer to the airport, which may be a better solution.
LadyDeltic
Member
Coatbridge Central, for one. Quite a depressing place:
Also, the state of the entrance to Dumbarton East station is a disgrace:
(Image of Coatbridge Central by G Laird on Geograph; image of Dumbarton East by Stephen Sweeney on Geograph.)
Also, the state of the entrance to Dumbarton East station is a disgrace:
(Image of Coatbridge Central by G Laird on Geograph; image of Dumbarton East by Stephen Sweeney on Geograph.)
blakey1152
Member
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I'm going to vote for Erith....
desperately needs an upgrade with better access to the London bound platform!
desperately needs an upgrade with better access to the London bound platform!
There are several stations on the merseyrail network. All of the underground stations need refurbished (although this has already started with Liverpool central) but the worst station on the network by a mile has to be Green Lane over the Mersey in birkenhead by Cammel laird ship yard (a subsidiary of metro cammel) it is shockingly bad!
172212
Member
Coatbridge Central, for one. Quite a depressing place:
Also, the state of the entrance to Dumbarton East station is a disgrace:
(Image of Coatbridge Central by G Laird on Geograph; image of Dumbarton East by Stephen Sweeney on Geograph.)
Oh dear, it looks abandoned, not suitable for passengers
It's not that bad. A bit miserable and could do with decent lighting but it's in an awkward space and really there's worse stations.
Gwenllian2001
Member
Shrewsbury could be an awesome station with some money and attention thrown at it... but ATW just don't care. Why? Because it's not in Wales! Pathetic really, especially considering it's the ATW network's second station, after Cardiff.
If you mean the numbers using it, then it is some way down the list after Cardiff Central; Cardiff Queen Street; Swansea and Newport. In fact, Pontypridd is not far behind Salop.
The tiny waiting room for the main four platforms is ridiculous, and the toilets are also small and rather naff.
Really they need to spend a good wad of money and do justice to the listed building, the general historic setting of the area and the old-fashioned feel of the station. Shrewsbury could be an awesome station with some money and attention thrown at it... but ATW just don't care. Why? Because it's not in Wales! Pathetic really, especially considering it's the ATW network's second station, after Cardiff.
I would point out in mitigation that the stations are OWNED by Network Rail, not ATW, and as such any refurbishment/upgrades are their responsibility. Certainly NR are taking credit for "refurbishing" Newport station if their posters outside it are anything to go by.
As for ATW's apparent neglect of stations due to their being in England, I would remind the honourable Salopian that
1 - Shrewsbury has a new lift on platform 3
2 - Leominster has just received lifts for its footbridge as well as a new ticket office/window,
3 - Chester railway station has just received £10m worth of regeneration
Physically, Shrewsbury isn't in a bad condition. I've never seen the waiting room full and the close proximity of the cafe and all the benches/seating being under cover negates any prolonged passenger discomfort. Any work that needs doing is largely aesthetic - the lift works well, most services depart from platforms 4-7 which are all on one island, and there is adequate cycle storage and a information desk. Not too bad really.
shedman
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With all this talk about Wakefield Kirkgate, I thought the thread was for stations in need of refurbishment and not ones currently under refurbishment
SprinterMan
Established Member
Weeley station on the Clacton-on-Sea line is pretty poor with it's boarded up old station building. I have only ever been there once and despite it being a sunny day, I felt very uneasy there, like I was being watched by something evil. Or perhaps I'm just being fanciful, but it's spooky at the best of times.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Weeley_Train_Station_-_August_2011.jpg
Adam
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Weeley_Train_Station_-_August_2011.jpg
Adam
junglejames
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- 2,069
Am I the only one who likes New Street? Ive never had any problem with it. Always the best place to change trains. Look at the screen. Platform 5000, brilliant, off I trot!
OK I admit its a lot lot worse than it used to be, but thats down to the influx of pendys and vomiter voyagers, and nothing to do with the station.
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