Trivia: Ridiculously long platforms?

[Poolie]

Billingham has a 10 car stop sign on the down platform! When was the last time a 10 car train stopped there? :cry:

 

[crosscity]

My favourite station with long platforms is Preston. I wouldn't say they were 'ridiculously' long, but certainly they can accommodate far in excess of an 11-coach Pendelino, presumably the longest scheduled trains to call currently.

It's stood the test of time since 1880, broadly in its current form. A fantastic legacy left by the Victorian railway builders, and perfectly adequate for the 21st Century.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ravensthorpe deserves a mention here, as the total length of the Huddersfield bound platform including the disused section is far longer than I could ever imagine would be needed given the low use of the station.

 

[D1009]

I would suggest City Thameslink as a relatively new station with longer platforms than necessary, though not ridiculous.

 

[SeanG]

Bolton's 3 & 4 are quite long.

Some might say Damens' are long, surely its perspective?

 

[Ianno87]

My favourite station with long platforms is Preston. I wouldn't say they were 'ridiculously' long, but certainly they can accommodate far in excess of an 11-coach Pendelino, presumably the longest scheduled trains to call currently.

It's stood the test of time since 1880, broadly in its current form. A fantastic legacy left by the Victorian railway builders, and perfectly adequate for the 21st Century.

Don't forget that the Highland Sleeper calls.

 

[Controller1701]

New Hythe, 10 car(ish) platforms and currently served by 2 car networkers although these are only operating to release 375 stock due to the Folkestone blockade

Paul

 

[416GSi]

Hampton in Arden.

The platforms were extended in the 1960's as an intermediate stop between Birmingham and Coventry, for the new electric Inter-City expresses to/from London Euston. In 1975 the then new Birmingham International station opened and Hampton in Arden lost its express service to/from London and reverted to its previous role as a local station. The result being that there is now two platforms capable of taking a c.14 coach train only used by the local 4 coach local in semi-fast services. The ends of the platforms nearest London have now been closed to passengers

 

[Minilad]

Hampton in Arden.

The platforms were extended in the 1960's as an intermediate stop between Birmingham and Coventry, for the new electric Inter-City expresses to/from London Euston. In 1975 the then new Birmingham International station opened and Hampton in Arden lost its express service to/from London and reverted to its previous role as a local station. The result being that there is now two platforms capable of taking a c.14 coach train only used by the local 4 coach local in semi-fast services. The ends of the platforms nearest London have now been closed to passengers

We do get 8 coaches on a daily basis.
There is nothing stopping someone walking to the ends of the platforms

 

[ASharpe]

Billingham has a 10 car stop sign on the down platform! When was the last time a 10 car train stopped there? :cry:

Really? I don't remember Billingham having a platform that long.

 

[416GSi]

We do get 8 coaches on a daily basis.
There is nothing stopping someone walking to the ends of the platforms

I stand corrected.....it been a while since I regularly caught a train from Hampton (they were operating class 310 at the time!)

The fence that was built around 2/3rds of the way along the platform is still there, but I guess you right it would not be too difficult to walk around it, ignoring the signs.
Its visible on Google, at the point the yellow line stops.


https://www.google.com/maps/@52.4275381,-1.6985573,61m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[colchesterken]

Depends how you look at if for Colchester, Platform 3 & 4 are all one construction with a walk between where trains do not stop, so in effect you have 2 x 12 car and a bit in the middle in effect about the length of 30 coaches
but they are on different lines so a fast train can pass or stop in 3 while another is loading in 4 . ie 2 tracks in and one out!

 

[kkong]

Scottish entries (>350m):

Perth (P4): 473m
Aberdeen (P6 through): 460m
Perth (P7): 433m
Aberdeen (P7 through): 421m
Dundee (P1): 362m
Nairn (Up): 356m

 

[bnm]

Many places mentioned regarding long platforms. Usual suspects in threads like this. Gloucester, Cambridge, Colchester, St Pancras International...

No one has yet named the location with the longest platforms in the UK though.

 

[satisnek]

At one point on the Railscene Cardiff-Birmingham cab ride video (1988) there's a conversation about the length of the platforms at the then brand new Birmingham Snow Hill station (13 coach lengths according to Quail) and why? Bearing in mind that 1980s BR would never have constructed anything bigger and more expensive than absolutely necessary, what was the reason for Snow Hill being built the way it is?

 

[M7R]

Supposedly my local station Attenbough had the longest platforms in Europe during WWII due to it being the closest station to Chetwynd Barracks. Never been able to confirm this but you can still see where the old platforms were as you leave the station and it does take a while to reach the end,

 

[theageofthetra]

Thought the longest platforms in the UK were at Cheriton on the Eurotunnel?

 

[swt_passenger]

I would suggest City Thameslink as a relatively new station with longer platforms than necessary, though not ridiculous.

They were built with about 10 - 11 car operational length and used for 8 car trains, and a few years ago they were extended slightly to 12 car just in time for the introduction of 12 car trains. The latter needed expansion into the passive provision space at the north end.

I think that was good planning rather than 'longer than necessary', given the air rights buildings were already in place. Any platform built to the recent rules will appear longer than absolutely necessary as the ideal design seems to include signal stand back distance on the platform.

The Shoreditch High St box is similar to City Thameslink in that it has been built with unused areas beyond the current platform ends. Sensible provision for any possible future lengthening, even if unlikely due to other constraints.

 

[AndyW33]

At one point on the Railscene Cardiff-Birmingham cab ride video (1988) there's a conversation about the length of the platforms at the then brand new Birmingham Snow Hill station (13 coach lengths according to Quail) and why? Bearing in mind that 1980s BR would never have constructed anything bigger and more expensive than absolutely necessary, what was the reason for Snow Hill being built the way it is?

Possibly so that two separate 6 coach trains could be in the same platform at the same time? Bear in mind that the reopening of Snow Hill was simultaneous with the closure of the terminal platforms at Moor Street.

 

[bnm]

Thought the longest platforms in the UK were at Cheriton on the Eurotunnel?

Bingo! We have a winner!

791m. Comfortably the longest platforms in the UK.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Bingo! We have a winner!

791m. Comfortably the longest platforms in the UK.

I would disagree on that

 

[Busaholic]

No, a man refused to give up his seat so she poured water over his head.

Seems reasonable to me, only the source of the water an issue.

 

[furnessvale]

Bingo! We have a winner!

791m. Comfortably the longest platforms in the UK.

But are they PASSENGER platforms?

 

[NoMorePacers]

Bingo! We have a winner!

791m. Comfortably the longest platforms in the UK.

Well, Cheriton station was only classed as a 'halt' so it wouldn't be a very long platform and the station closed in 1947. The station with the longest platform that is actually being used is Colchester, at 620 m long.

 

[Keith]

Taunton was meant to have the longest platforms on the original GWR network. Platform 4 is listed in Quail as being able to handle 19 coaches!

 

[D1009]

Taunton was meant to have the longest platforms on the original GWR network. Platform 4 is listed in Quail as being able to handle 19 coaches!

I thought at least one of the platforms at Temple Meads is longer than that.

 

[bnm]

But are they PASSENGER platforms?

OP mentioned nothing about passengers. However they are platforms which are used by the public to board trains.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I would disagree on that

But not bother to say why? :roll:

 

[cf111]

Platform 1 at Nairn is very long considering the longest trains using it are 6 coaches long, although I have the feeling that it is this length because it has disused signal boxes at either end. The line is operated using tokens and the signaller(s) are now located in the east end of the station building.

 

[D6975]

Well, Cheriton station was only classed as a 'halt' so it wouldn't be a very long platform and the station closed in 1947. The station with the longest platform that is actually being used is Colchester, at 620 m long.

No, Gloucester is the longest.
Colchester does not have a 620m platform. The island is 620m long, but doesn't have a platform edge that is continuous along the full length.

 

[bnm]

No, Gloucester is the longest.
Colchester does not have a 620m platform. The island is 620m long, but doesn't have a platform edge that is continuous along the full length.

No. Folkestone Eurotunnel Terminal (Cheriton) is the longest. 791m.