What is the most dismal un-passenger friendly large railway station in UK

[Mikey C]

Stratford, not because of the station itself, but rather because it's so overloaded and with Crossrail coming will only get worse. The weird platform numbering doesn't help either!

 

[LOL The Irony]

I suppose you could send Liverpool-Norwich via Victoria and Denton, though the people of Warrington would be unhappy at losing their other fast Manchester train and train beyond Manchester, and there might not be room on Chat Moss for it.

Or just terminate it at Piccadilly but that's for another thread.

8 bay platforms so scores 8, so yes!

7 now but it still counts.

 

[Essan]

I have to say Edinburgh Waverley simply because the platform layout is so confusing ..... Fortunately, I can usually change at Haymarket.

 

[RichJF]

East Croydon.

Glass ramps boxed in with frosted glass - claustrophobic
Passenger bridge with steps facing the wrong way & lifts constantly broken.
Hotch-potch of roofing work that never seems to be finished
Paving slabs that are uneven all over the platforms
General unpleasantness at night sometimes
Myriad of delays on trains when the most minor thing goes wrong at the station
Signs that don't work/show wrong train
Now surrounded by ugly high rise apartment buildings

 

[eMeS]

... The platforms are dingy and grotty, but the concourse is a very nice bit of modernism and generally works pretty well.

I was at Euston a week ago at around 18:30 on, and started getting annoyed with the Muzak being played, and played. I then discovered that this to me very annoying Muzak was "live" and being played by a guy with a keyboard. I hated it.

 

[FtoE]

I hate to say it but Perth is really poor. Leaking canopies, the only coffee option at one end of the disjointed station outside the barriers and the pedestrian bridges in a right state.
I must point out that while the station layout and fabric is ‘unfriendly’ the staff most definately are not - they’re great. Unfailingly friendly and cheerful.

 

[gazzaa2]

Wolverhampton isn't great. Dismal exterior and minimal concourse.

 

[yorksrob]

I know a lot of people still foam at the mouth about the demolition of the old station, but as far as I can tell, it was a nightmare to operate, however nice it looked. I agree - I quite like a bit of brutalist concrete! The platforms are dingy and grotty, but the concourse is a very nice bit of modernism and generally works pretty well.

Yes. I think they could have done with saving a couple of bits of the old station. There was a plan to move the arch at the time, and it would have fitted nicely where the bus station is now, but it was clear that everything was in the wrong place there. The trainshed over the departures side wasn't anything worth saving either.

 

[yorksrob]

Warm in winter, cool in summer, big, impressive, spacious, doesn't stink of human waste like Paddington does. Not only a period classic, but also quite good at its job.

The Euston scrum is an operating policy issue, not an issue with the design of the station. There are a number of ways it could be reduced or stopped, and it occurs (and is just as bad) in other locations as well, such as a number of Scottish stations, though curiously not Manchester Piccadilly, as well as pretty much all other London termini.

With regard to Reading, the mind boggles as to why they spent so much on bringing it up to the sort of standard of the likes of Bern Hbf, but then left the horrid, run-down old concourse in place rather than replace that with something more in keeping too. Other than that, the only criticism of the design to me is that it's been designed with a lot of places that accumulate visible muck but with seemingly no plan to clean those places, but that's a British disease you get in many places, not just there, and many stations (e.g. Manc Vic) are worse in having muck that *is* accessible but is still not cleaned, e.g. the filthy perspex footbridge.

The concourse always seemed very out of the way when I lived there, although I don't have any strong views about it.

I just think that the old station had a nice set of buildings and canopies that made for a pleasent waiting environment.

On a separate subject, Guildford seemed very soulless when I changed there, but I think that style of 1980's architecture leaves me a bit cold.

 

[BigCj34]

Stratford, not because of the station itself, but rather because it's so overloaded and with Crossrail coming will only get worse. The weird platform numbering doesn't help either!

Could do with a heated waiting room. Had an advance ticket and had to wait on the platforms with few seats which got a bit chilly.

 

[yorksrob]

I was at Euston a week ago at around 18:30 on, and started getting annoyed with the Muzak being played, and played. I then discovered that this to me very annoying Muzak was "live" and being played by a guy with a keyboard. I hated it.

At Waterloo they used to play marching band music over the sound system up until the 1980's.

 

[yorksrob]

I was at Euston a week ago at around 18:30 on, and started getting annoyed with the Muzak being played, and played. I then discovered that this to me very annoying Muzak was "live" and being played by a guy with a keyboard. I hated it.

At Waterloo they used to play marching band music over the sound system up until the 1980's.

 

[infobleep]

Gatwick Airport. The Airport might be OK but the station platforms themselves are cold and drafty. Getting from one set of platforms to 5 and 6 can be a pain unless you use the right stairs. You can use an up elsclator and then a down one. Also platform 7 requires one to use lifts of stairs to reach it from other platforms. Only expection is platforms 1 and 2, which has both up and down escalators.

I also don't like Wimbledon with its one footbridge, given the number of passengers that use it in the peak.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Gatwick Airport. The Airport might be OK but the station platforms themselves are cold and drafty. Getting from one set of platforms to 5 and 6 can be a pain unless you use the right stairs. You can use an up elsclator and then a down one. Also platform 7 requires one to use lifts of stairs to reach it from other platforms. Only expection is platforms 1 and 2, which has both up and down escalators.

I also don't like Wimbledon with its one footbridge, given the number of passengers that use it in the peak.

Actually, if we are going south of London - Clapham Jn is rubbish in every possible way.

 

[Ken H]

I have to say Edinburgh Waverley simply because the platform layout is so confusing ..... Fortunately, I can usually change at Haymarket.

I remembering a Scots comedian (Billy Connolly?) explaining that 'to get off at haymarket' was a euphemism for not going 'all the way' with a girl!

 

[Ken H]

Or just terminate it at Piccadilly but that's for another thread.

7 now but it still counts.

I went by the national rail stations map. Think many are really out of date.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I remembering a Scots comedian (Billy Connolly?) explaining that 'to get off at haymarket' was a euphemism for not going 'all the way' with a girl!

In Liverpool that's "gerrin' off a'r Edge 'Ill".

 

[duffield]

...
Bristol Temple Meads is quite poor. The trainshed is stunningly beautiful, but it completely lacks a concourse and has a very poor selection of retail/food. They really need to convert part of the old trainshed into a food concourse as was done at Leeds.

I thought the plan was still to bring the old trainshed back into use as terminating platforms?

 

[LancasterRed]

Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central are confusing to navigate. Now not much can be done about these but they're not great termini.

London Euston for reasons described previously. I'm no fan of Waterloo either although at least you know the platform (and can go on said platform) in advance.

 

[yorksrob]

Waterloo's easily one of my favourites.

All the platforms are logically numbered and easy to get too, nice and light due to the trainshed, and more facilities than you can shake a stick at.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I still dislike new street. Same old horror at platform level and the snazzy new shopping centre doesn't even have a "Tap" type establishment to get a decent beer. A wasted opportunity.

However, New Street has the Post Office Vaults not far away, and whilst it doesn't do food, they do allow you to bring your own in. AND it has one of the most awesome beer selections that I have ever encountered

 

[yorksrob]

However, New Street has the Post Office Vaults not far away, and whilst it doesn't do food, they do allow you to bring your own in. AND it has one of the most awesome beer selections that I have ever encountered

That sounds good, and well worth a try.

However, one of the other issues I have with NS is that I can never work out what direction I'm going in when I leave. That's probably me though

I'll make a note of your suggestion though.

 

[Mordac]

That sounds good, and well worth a try.

However, one of the other issues I have with NS is that I can never work out what direction I'm going in when I leave. That's probably me though

I'll make a note of your suggestion though.

I second that recommendation, the Post Office Vaults is a true gem for the real ale aficionado.

I do have to say that even after using it daily (albeit to interchange) for a few months, I still have that exact same issue on New Street. Always end up coming out the wrong way to what I intended.

 

[yorksrob]

I second that recommendation, the Post Office Vaults is a true gem for the real ale aficionado.

I do have to say that even after using it daily (albeit to interchange) for a few months, I still have that exact same issue on New Street. Always end up coming out the wrong way to what I intended.

Glad its not just me then

 

[transmanche]

[...] the Post Office Vaults is a true gem for the real ale aficionado.
[...] Always end up coming out the wrong way to what I intended.

Perhaps the two facts are linked in some way...

 

[Clansman]

Not large, but Dundee prior to the new entrance opening was as bad as it could get for any passenger.

 

[HowardGWR]

I thought the plan was still to bring the old trainshed back into use as terminating platforms?

There were early plans to stick a bus station and concourse next to the old train shed at Temple Meads (like that at Kings Cross) and make that the main entrance, but the Incline entrance makes it easy for taxis and drop offs. Either way, the new metrobus and many other buses stop way away down on Redcliffe Way / Temple Gate / Bath Road, so access to the station is the challenge rather than the facilities within it. Brunel's station at the end of the old trainshed would perhaps make a good concourse area, as it is more convenient for the main Temple Gate / Bath Road. I haven't seen any recent plans that convincingly dealt with these issues.

 

[PHILIPE]

Newport. An exercise into how not to hire architects. Re-designed in 2010 with everything at one end so trains have to stop at the West End with facilities still at the East End and a huge fancy footbridge.

 

[Busaholic]

In Liverpool that's "gerrin' off a'r Edge 'Ill".

Getting off at Shepherd's Bush used to imply you were more successful.

 

[Ken H]

I still dislike new street. Same old horror at platform level and the snazzy new shopping centre doesn't even have a "Tap" type establishment to get a decent beer. A wasted opportunity.

...

When I lived near brum, I used to favour going to Moor st, rather than New St. A far nicer station. I could drive to Redditch or to a Stratford line station.