Missing platforms / Unused Platforms & other bits

[speckledjim]

Platform at Kings Lynn isn't used, think it used to be Platform 3
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The unused platform was given a makeover a few weeks back - it seems to be used overnight to house stock but cannot see any platform numbers.
Platform 2 is not used much either it seems.

 

[Morgsie]

Bournemouth should be on the list

Platform 1 is the siding on the London bound side, last used by the Connex slam door services to Victoria

Platform 4 is hardly used these days

 

[Crossover]

Stafford has five platforms numbered 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6. I believe platform 2 used to be a bay that is no longer in use.

There is also an unnumbered platform which had something to do with parcels trains.

Yes - platform 2 was a bay at north end of platform 1 that is now a car park.

Surely Stafford's Platform 2 was the south-facing bay (more recently used to stable a Thunderbird) which was used by the Trent Valley locals when they were 304s between Stafford and Nuneaton/Rugby?

Google seems to suggest that is correct, Stafford looked a lot different pre-electrification it seems.

Stafford Platform 2 was indeed a bay at the north end of Platform 1, in what is now the overflow car park. The bays at the south end of Platform 1 never (or at least not since the current numbering was adopted) had platform numbers.

Trent Valley Locals were booked to use Platform 6, but occasionally used 3 and 5 if necessary.

I too have also heard that platform 2 was at the north end of the station - it stands to reason as the canopy extends over what is now the car park and there are photos around of services stood on the old north bay platform.

Me and a friend did once go looking for signs of old infrastructure but I think it has all been removed (barring electrification gantries that extend to such an extent the bay could probably be reinstated without redoing the gantries there

Huddersfield of course has no P3 or P7 (P3 was a Leeds-bound bay behind P1 was last used as a parcels bay and loco-stabling in the 1980s, P7 was a very short West-facing bay on the island which I don't think saw any use since the end of steam- it's now a rather unkempt flowerbed!). P5 at HUD saw very little use until the splitting of the 'Grand Tour' as it's only long enough for a 2-car DMU (it might fit a 3-car 144 at a push) but now that the Wakefield services run as a shuttle, it's rarely more than a 153 or a 2-car pacer. Certainly helps when things go belly-up!

Thanks for that 61653 HTAFC - had wondered about 3 and 7. 7 makes sense as there is something of a platform still remaining there.

I went into platform 5 last night on the service from Leeds via Bradford Interchange and it was a 2 car 142 and I am fairly certain you would get nothing longer into it. Platform 6 I am fairly certain is limited to 3 car Pacers as well. I can't remember if 3 car 158's can use it or not

I thought it odd at the time. Unless there was an over-riding requirement to stable the 'Thunderbird' so as to prevent public access, what they have actually provided seems to have been more expensive than just using a platform face, because they had to include an illuminated safe walking route, at ballast level, for drivers... :roll:

Ah, so that's why it looks like an airport runway!

 

[RichJF]

I heard there's a bay at Redhill that used to be for postal deliveries, is that what Cletus means?

Yes there is an ex-postals bay at Redhill.
It's used to stable a solitary class 455 each night (subsequently shunting into platform 3) which forms the first Victoria train of the morning. Last Friday morning, a class 377 was moved into the parcels bay due to points failure.

I just about remember when I was about 4 or 5 in the early 90's an NSE class 47 with 4 parcels coaches in the bay once.

 

[Eagle]

Platform 1 is the siding on the London bound side, last used by the Connex slam door services to Victoria

It's only just about long enough for a single 450, and those don't tend to terminate at Bournemouth. If it was about eight or ten metres longer you could fit a 220 in there, which would be useful to stick the XC unit to lay over in rather than sending it to the centre sidings.

Platform 4 is hardly used these days

At the moment it's only used when a stopper is caught up by a XC service meaning they arrive within a couple of minutes of each other. The stopper pulls forward to platform 4 to let the XC terminate in platform 3. Currently this scenario only happens once a day.

 

[swt_passenger]

At the moment it's only used when a stopper is caught up by a XC service meaning they arrive within a couple of minutes of each other. The stopper pulls forward to platform 4 to let the XC terminate in platform 3. Currently this scenario only happens once a day.

Except for the other time it is used, half an hour before, (according to RTT)...

 

[Eagle]

Except for the other one, half an hour before...

Oh that's new. Must have escaped my notice one of the last couple of timetable changes.

 

[swt_passenger]

Oh that's new. Must have escaped my notice one of the last couple of timetable changes.

I think it normally might be altered. There doesn't seem to be anything following close behind to require it to use P4.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Crewe has a disused platform which would be platform 13.

Preston has an unnumbered platform (formerly parcels) which was used by golfing specials when the Open was held at Lytham a couple of years ago.

And they built a bay platform at Ellesmere Port when the line was electrified to enable easy interchange with trains on the non-electrified line to Helsby. But track was never laid.

Hooton has a moribund platform which is only used by occasional excursion trains. While this is unnumbered, it does say "Platform 0" inside the lift.

And many many years ago in the 1960s and 1970s, the old Bradford Exchange had 10 platforms but only the middle ones saw much use. There are now no "Exchange" stations left.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Platform at Kings Lynn isn't used, think it used to be Platform 3
---
The unused platform was given a makeover a few weeks back - it seems to be used overnight to house stock but cannot see any platform numbers.
Platform 2 is not used much either it seems.

Platform 2 (old platform 5) is used by Greater Anglia, sometimes FCC use it on a Saturday for the 8 carriage non stopper in the morning

 

[David Goddard]

Platform 2 (old platform 5) is used by Greater Anglia, sometimes FCC use it on a Saturday for the 8 carriage non stopper in the morning

Non stopper? Do you mean the 0930 that's semi fast to Cambridge?

 

[Boothby97]

Polesworth platform 2 is completely unused.

No public access to the platform, the footbridge was removed during WCML upgrades

As far as i know, Rugby has 2 unused bay platforms facing southwards (The northfacing ones are long gone!), not too sure on the numbering though, although i have an hunch that it could be platform 3, as platforms 1&2 are for northwards journeys and platforms 4,5&6 are for southward journeys, and the south facing bays are where the thunderbird is usually stationed but i am not aware if any services leave these platforms anymore.

Rugby platforms are 1,2 northbound. 4,5,6 southbound. The northbound bays are long gone, now filled in with stone. South facing bays I thought saw use but they seem to be unnumbered, just stable a GBRf 92 and DRS/Virgin 57 now. Although on my map, the gap between 2 (north slow) and 4 (south fast ) would suggest there is an option for one of the bays to be numbered 3.

Thanks, Sam

 

[cmjcf]

At Swansea, the old platform 1 face is still there next to the current platform 1. With the electrification coming, maybe it might be a good idea to reinstate it, and generally rework the entrance to the station. Currently, a train departing P3 blocks access to the entire station.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Non stopper? Do you mean the 0930 that's semi fast to Cambridge?

Yes, it doesnt stop at Watlington, Littleport and Waterbeach

 

[swt_passenger]

Rugby platforms are 1,2 northbound. 4,5,6 southbound. The northbound bays are long gone, now filled in with stone. South facing bays I thought saw use but they seem to be unnumbered, just stable a GBRf 92 and DRS/Virgin 57 now. Although on my map, the gap between 2 (north slow) and 4 (south fast ) would suggest there is an option for one of the bays to be numbered 3.

It is numbered 3, I already answered this in earlier post #65. No signage visible in the photo though...

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/SME/html/NRE_RUG/objectvalues/2911-0000100.html

 

[61653 HTAFC]

@Crossover: P6 at Huddersfield CAN take 3x 23m carriages, I've seen 3 car 158s in there and indeed 2x 142s... As for P5, it can take a 2 car 150 but it's pretty tight. The old P7 would be too short to be much use if it was relaid on its original alignment, but an extra West facing bay wouldn't go amiss!

 

[The Planner]

Rugby platforms are 1,2 northbound. 4,5,6 southbound. The northbound bays are long gone, now filled in with stone. South facing bays I thought saw use but they seem to be unnumbered, just stable a GBRf 92 and DRS/Virgin 57 now. Although on my map, the gap between 2 (north slow) and 4 (south fast ) would suggest there is an option for one of the bays to be numbered 3.

Rugby is a fully bi-di station (apart from 3 obviously...) so operationally it is very flexible and it is often planned on weekends as a half station with trains using only one side or the other.

 

[Crossover]

@Crossover: P6 at Huddersfield CAN take 3x 23m carriages, I've seen 3 car 158s in there and indeed 2x 142s... As for P5, it can take a 2 car 150 but it's pretty tight. The old P7 would be too short to be much use if it was relaid on its original alignment, but an extra West facing bay wouldn't go amiss!

I had wondered if a terminating TPE could use P5/6, but when I have been they have gone into 4.

What I have seen of the ex P7 looks about long enough only for a loco! I wonder if they reinstated it, it there would be scope to use P4 as a through platform rather than two bays. That said, there can often be trains for Leeds (via BDI), Leeds (via DEW) and Wakefield Westgate in 4, 5 and 6 respectively anyway, not withstanding the Manchester Vic service stood at the Stalybridge end of P4

 

[plymothian]

Plymouth.

Platform numbers start at 3, which is a west facing bay. The other half of 3 is an east facing bay and not used; there is no 1 or 2. Opposite the used half of 3 is another unused (except for rare stabling) west facing bay and opposite the unused half is the old parcel platform. All the bays have track and platform faces so could in theory be used, though demand is not there for extra capacity.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Plymouth.

Platform numbers start at 3, which is a west facing bay. The other half of 3 is an east facing bay and not used; there is no 1 or 2. Opposite the used half of 3 is another unused (except for rare stabling) west facing bay and opposite the unused half is the old parcel platform. All the bays have track and platform faces so could in theory be used, though demand is not there for extra capacity.

depends on what type of points they have in place leading upto the disused platforms, if they are operated by a lever at the side of the line then passengers aren't allowed to travel over them, so in theory if this is the case it becomes irrelevant whether there is track there and the platform is in good shape

Sometimes on long platforms that aren't needed you will find the signal pushed back which will also cause an issue like at March

 

[Eagle]

According to the Sectional Appendix, none of the three unused bays at Plymouth are cleared for passengers. Also they seem to be called docks 2, 3 and 4. So where is or was dock 1?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I had wondered if a terminating TPE could use P5/6, but when I have been they have gone into 4.

What I have seen of the ex P7 looks about long enough only for a loco! I wonder if they reinstated it, it there would be scope to use P4 as a through platform rather than two bays. That said, there can often be trains for Leeds (via BDI), Leeds (via DEW) and Wakefield Westgate in 4, 5 and 6 respectively anyway, not withstanding the Manchester Vic service stood at the Stalybridge end of P4

I'm not sure when P7 was taken out of use but it might even date back to before the construction of the signalbox (which I think was a 1950s thing), so it's possible it was once longer. The only TPE terminator at Huddersfield is the teatime service from Hull which is a 170, so could probably use P5 as well as P6 which in the past would be ideal as it went to Crofton afterwards. Though it now runs ECS to Ardwick depot so P4 is the only practical solution.

That said, do TPE drivers sign the bays anyway?

 

[speckledjim]

Does anyone know if there are any plans to start using the unused 3rd platform at kings lynn (long platform opposite p1)? It is currently being cleaned up and re painted (along with rest of station). Reason I ask is the shorter platform 2 sign appeared to be missing today. Most likely just a clean I guess.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Does anyone know if there are any plans to start using the unused 3rd platform at kings lynn (long platform opposite p1)? It is currently being cleaned up and re painted (along with rest of station). Reason I ask is the shorter platform 2 sign appeared to be missing today. Most likely just a clean I guess.

Wouldn't have thought so, one reason is the points are trackside which mean that passengers aren't allowed over them

Another is that there are no ticket gates that side, also they dont really have a great need for the short platform anyway

The station is being fitted with retro signs and seats so I guess the sign is in between changing from old to new or the other way round depending on how you look at it

 

[3141]

That also goes for Micheldever (used to have side platforms, I believe, and later turned into an island), though I believe the route forces you directly into the subway (I might be wrong about this). Can't actually remember if the station buildings are still open.

Not sure about the present situation, but four or five years ago the station building was open until about 9.30 as a ticket office. When I used it you could exit the building onto the original platform and walk to the end of it to get to the subway. Looking at the building from the island platform I don't think any of the first floor is in use.

If I understand your remark about the subway correctly - yes, you have to use the subway to get to the island platform. The subway takes you right under the tracks from the station building on the west side over to the east, and as you come up the steps there you see the bricked-up continuation that must in the past have led to the east side (down) platform, now completely vanished.

Going back to the start of the thread and the missing platform 7 at London Bridge, in the 1950s it was platform 5 that was missing. 1, 2 and 3 were platforms for Kent. 4, 6 and 7 were for Cannon Street and Charing Cross. There was a through track between the tracks for platforms 4 and 6, which I never saw being used, which was presumably the line that counted as "platform 5".

 

[Welshman]

Huddersfield of course has no P3 or P7 (P3 was a Leeds-bound bay behind P1 was last used as a parcels bay and loco-stabling in the 1980s, P7 was a very short West-facing bay on the island which I don't think saw any use since the end of steam- it's now a rather unkempt flowerbed!). P5 at HUD saw very little use until the splitting of the 'Grand Tour' as it's only long enough for a 2-car DMU (it might fit a 3-car 144 at a push) but now that the Wakefield services run as a shuttle, it's rarely more than a 153 or a 2-car pacer. Certainly helps when things go belly-up!

Sorry to bounce this thread, but I've just been perusing some old photographs of Halifax station, and was reminded there was a very short bay there, too, between platforms 3 and 4 at the Manchester end. In one of the photographs, there were parked a couple of mineral wagons containing coal, and I wondered if bay 7 at Huddersfield was used for a similar purpose - ie a couple of coal wagons parked there for the staff to feed the station fires in the days when there would be a welcoming coal fire in the waiting rooms and station master's office.

In that case, I suspect that bay hasn't been used since more modern heating was installed, whenever that was.

 

[30907]

Going back to the start of the thread and the missing platform 7 at London Bridge, in the 1950s it was platform 5 that was missing. 1, 2 and 3 were platforms for Kent. 4, 6 and 7 were for Cannon Street and Charing Cross. There was a through track between the tracks for platforms 4 and 6, which I never saw being used, which was presumably the line that counted as "platform 5".

The middle line was taken out in connection with the 10-car emu scheme in the mid 50s, but I don't know what it was labelled as; I don't think the platforms were renumbered after it was removed.

Platforms 8-11 were the old "London Bridge LL" SECR platforms. 8-9, which were short ones mainly used for vans, were taken out of use in the 70's rebuilding when the through line adjacent to Platform 6 was put in (it is designated Up Passenger Loop not numbered 7). 10-11 were renumbered as 7-8 at the same time, but the "new" 7 in turn went with the 12-car alterations on the SE side.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=53665

(Sorry, just realised this is linked on the first page of this thread)

 

[Railsigns]

The middle line was taken out in connection with the 10-car emu scheme in the mid 50s, but I don't know what it was labelled as;

It was referred to as "No.5 Road" in the 1928 resignalling notice.

 

[FGW_DID]

Oxford?

At the north end, you have the bay road,platform 3 (for the Chiltern service to Bicester), next to that is another bay road and on the other side of the 'platform' is the road where the old BR Blue GUV & CCT live.

I'm presuming that it was never used as a platform but as a loading dock for parcels traffic?

 

[30907]

It was referred to as "No.5 Road" in the 1928 resignalling notice.

http://www.kentrail.org.uk/London%20Bridge.htm is a detailed history of the station and this comment in connection with the 1928 resignalling suggests there was a second renumbering of the platforms:
"...the SR unified the two station sites by knocking a hole into the side wall of the ex-LB&SCR structure, and subsequently installing a second enclosed lattice footbridge. This was undertaken in conjunction with reversing platform numbering, 1 to 21 now ascending from north to south (a 22nd platform appeared with the abolition of one of two rolling stock sidings in-between platforms 13 and 14 three years later)"
However, the resignalling notice states that the re-numbering was 1-22 (with 5 "missing") from the start and I've corrected my previous post. Thanks.