What is your favourite station in the UK?

[61653 HTAFC]

Birmingham Moor Street is a very nice station, though the suburban/through platforms leave a lot to be desired.

 

[TRAX]

Essex Road

 

[Mordac]

Both Antrim and Portrush of course, in the UK.

I know, that's why I said the post I was replying to reminded me the title was "in the UK" not "in the NR Network" or something to that effect.

 

[Harold Hill]

Difficult Q but Great Malvern is quite something

 

[E100]

Glenfinnan - lovely restored station. The opportunity to see 2 scheduled steams trains passing on the national network, nearby bridge and a fantastic snowplough and signal box.

Dunrobin Castle - just a fantastic piece of architecture (the station not the house though that's nice too!). Bit of interest in the old bay platform too.

Rogart - lovely location and a nice bit of interest from the Sleeperzzz coaches and other railwaynaria

Altnabreac - It's the middle of nowhere and has a nice old water tower

Quite fond of my local Newcastle station too alongside other big stations in Crewe / Carlisle and York as there's always something happening.

 

[jtuk]

Tap + no barriers = win for Sheffield here

 

[coradiafan2000]

My favourite station has always been London Paddington. I still remember the childlike wonder I felt when I first visited it, and still feel it to this day.

York is probably my second favourite because of how beautiful the roof is, followed by Lincoln for nostalgia.

 

[Western Sunset]

1. Spondon - where I had a misspent youth sitting on the railings at the bottom of the footbridge watching the trains go by. Where I also saw a proper derailment, when wagons coming out of the sidings came off the track, blocking the mainline. Made a hell of a noise.

2. Teignmouth - where I saw (and heard) my first diesel-hydraulics.

3. Castle Cary - where my son saw his first trains.

4. Pilning - in the back of beyond.

 

[Busaholic]

Penzance has not been totally ruined by 21st Century obsessions with fare evasion and other passing fads (yes, I know this'll get a response from the usual quarters!) and you can't take away the background of Mounts Bay and St Michael's Mount. The juxtaposition of a bus station still hosting a decent bus service is a definite plus too.

 

[Cowley]

Penzance has not been totally ruined by 21st Century obsessions with fare evasion and other passing fads (yes, I know this'll get a response from the usual quarters!) and you can't take away the background of Mounts Bay and St Michael's Mount. The juxtaposition of a bus station still hosting a decent bus service is a definite plus too.

Penzance is a lovely station and has a real ‘that’s as far as you go’ feel about it.
I also love Kyle of Lochalsh, and Paddington.
Probably my favourite station anywhere though is Dawlish. I said my first word on that station, and I’ve been through or got off more trains there than any other place I reckon. Amazing on a beautiful sunny day, but even more so when there’s a big storm a comin...

 

[Howardh]

For me it was Helensburgh Upper: gas lights, roaring fire in the ticket office, rising steam from the Mk 1s at the platform(s), paraffin lamps and the clatter of 29s and 27s on their purposeful way toward moor and mountain.

Sounds perfect, how many stations still have roaring fires?

 

[Howardh]

Penzance is a lovely station and has a real ‘that’s as far as you go’ feel about it.

You would think that Thurso would have that feel, as in next stop the North Pole, but somehow it hasn't. Possibly as it's on the outskirts of town and some distance from the coast, but it's just a barely functional station.

 

[Cowley]

You would think that Thurso would have that feel, as in next stop the North Pole, but somehow it hasn't. Possibly as it's on the outskirts of town and some distance from the coast, but it's just a barely functional station.

Somewhat to my shame I’ve never actually been there. It looks nice in photos, I didn’t realise that it was a long way from the town centre.

 

[Howardh]

Mine would be Oxford Road, if the cafe was open until the last train and if they had a warm waiting area...so it can't be then. Round these parts Preston (some hate it, dunno why) and obviously Huddersfield, never hung around York long enough but sounds great.

 

[Cowley]

Mine would be Oxford Road, if the cafe was open until the last train and if they had a warm waiting area...so it can't be then. Round these parts Preston (some hate it, dunno why) and obviously Huddersfield, never hung around York long enough but sounds great.

Yeah I quite like Preston station, there’s always been something interesting to look at when ever I’ve been there.

 

[Howardh]

Somewhat to my shame I’ve never actually been there. It looks nice in photos, I didn’t realise that it was a long way from the town centre.

Only comparitavely. It's about 400m from the coast, but there's the town in the way so it doesn't have that coastal feel. It feels like the line went on a bit longer, got shortened and the blocked the rest off with a wall...if anyone does that trip I'm sure they will be slightly disappointed at the end. Interesting in Geoff's All the Stations they finished at Wick, not Thurso.

Think British/Scottish rail really miss a trick there. But they are there to serve the locals, not misty-eyed enthusiasts like me I suppose.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Penzance has not been totally ruined by 21st Century obsessions with fare evasion and other passing fads (yes, I know this'll get a response from the usual quarters!) and you can't take away the background of Mounts Bay and St Michael's Mount. The juxtaposition of a bus station still hosting a decent bus service is a definite plus too.

The bus station, while practical, is somewhat scabby, though. Mind you the town itself is a little rough and ready compared with other Cornish towns, I suppose.

Last time I used Penzance they did manual ticket checks - OK, no barriers, but still the same "obsession with fare evasion"!

 

[Howardh]

Oxenholme - especially when the little coffee trolley is around!

 

[XC victim]

In my younger days I spent a lot of time around Reading and Leeds. Both great stations for seeing a wide variety of trains.

but I have always loved Lancaster station, I don’t know why but I think it was the mix of local and intercity services, you really got to see how stations work. It also had a real charm and friendliness (I think that was down to the announcements always starting with “This is Lancaster, this is Lancaster.....”

Such a shame there are no CrossCountry services there now

 

[Mike99]

Somewhat to my shame I’ve never actually been there. It looks nice in photos, I didn’t realise that it was a long way from the town centre.

Thurso station is about 3/4 mile down a street to where the shops sort of start, I can appreciate the difference between Penzance and Thurso as I've been to both, but Thurso like Penzance has that feeling of being at the very start or end of the country and journey, I quite like the train shed type building at Thurso. A few years back 2013ish I B&B'd in Inverness, (Melrose Villa Hotel, very comfortable, the owner said my breakfast was short of fried bread so got an extra sausage to make it up!! fair do's) and managed to do the following in a day, 09:00 ish Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and returned on it to Dingwall then got the afternoon Inverness to Wick service up to Thurso (I had done Wick to Thurso previously) had a hour or so to wait for the last X99 Citylink coach of the day, Thurso back to Inverness which is a very nice ride back.

 

[xc170]

Oxenholme - especially when the little coffee trolley is around!

Possibly one of my favourites too, it has a bit of a time warp feel to it.

 

[FtoE]

Waverley. Always has a busy buzz about it - through and terminal platforms surrounding a magnificent central waiting area, direct trains to most of the country. And of course the exit (now via escalator - hurrah!) onto Princes Street and one of the finest cityscapes in the world.

 

[BrumKev]

Birmingham Moor Street, Leamington Spa and Great Malvern are the three standouts for me. Sorry I cant pick just one

 

[yorksrob]

In my younger days I spent a lot of time around Reading and Leeds. Both great stations for seeing a wide variety of trains.

but I have always loved Lancaster station, I don’t know why but I think it was the mix of local and intercity services, you really got to see how stations work. It also had a real charm and friendliness (I think that was down to the announcements always starting with “This is Lancaster, this is Lancaster.....”

Such a shame there are no CrossCountry services there now

Yes, it is a very pleasent medium sized station. Nice architecture, plenty of cover and a good range of destinations. Also remarkably well sited for the City.

I believe it's facilities are soon to be improved as well ......

 

[yorksrob]

Penzance has not been totally ruined by 21st Century obsessions with fare evasion and other passing fads (yes, I know this'll get a response from the usual quarters!) and you can't take away the background of Mounts Bay and St Michael's Mount. The juxtaposition of a bus station still hosting a decent bus service is a definite plus too.

Indeed. I love the way it feels 'holiday' with the approach along the coast and palm trees in the car park, as well as 'end of the line'

 

[Kingspanner]

Penzance is a lovely station and has a real ‘that’s as far as you go’ feel about it.
I also love Kyle of Lochalsh, and Paddington.
Probably my favourite station anywhere though is Dawlish. I said my first word on that station, and I’ve been through or got off more trains there than any other place I reckon. Amazing on a beautiful sunny day, but even more so when there’s a big storm a comin...

Agree about Dawlish, as a small child I sat on the sea wall in 6 AM sunshine waiting to go home to York after 13 days at the Golden Sands holiday camp. Not 14 days because we had to leave early as I had contracted measles and had to be spirited out of Devon bearing my reportable disease as we couldn't afford to be quarantined so far from home. This was 1971. There was "no measles in York" according to the GP. Until
I got back...

 

[Busaholic]

The bus station, while practical, is somewhat scabby, though. Mind you the town itself is a little rough and ready compared with other Cornish towns, I suppose.

Last time I used Penzance they did manual ticket checks - OK, no barriers, but still the same "obsession with fare evasion"!

You should have seen the bus station 25/30 years ago - today's is a definite improvement and, more importantly imo, we still have a semblance of a decent bus service here. Penzance has always been a 'working town' without the frills of some which could be named (fur coat, no knickers) and you've always been hard pushed to find a cream tea here, thankfully. If you want roughness, though, try Redruth or Camborne.

You'd have been lucky/unlucky (depending on your perspective) to find a ticket check at the barrier: mind you, they may weigh up with binoculars when a train arrives and they spot suspicious looking characters ambling down the platform. Suffice to say, i'm never stopped or challenged.

 

[Steddenm]

For me it has to be Hollywood in Northern Ireland. Stunning views over Belfast Lough and airport arrivals into Belfast City.

Then
2. Teignmouth
3. Glasgow Central
4. Brighton
5. Leicester

 

[cactustwirly]

I love St Pancras, I love the architecture, of the Midland railway roof.

Paddington is really nice as well with the Brunel arches.

London Bridge, clean efficient and modern, kinda reminds me of the new Vienna Hbf.

If it was a bit cleaner, then Bristol Temple Meads.
Bath Spa is really nice as well.

I like Nottingham a lot as well

 

[The Prisoner]

Penrith. The curve, randomly used northbound loop, sandstone buildings (listed I believe) and general atmos with the castle in the background.

Think it was the last main line station with no electronic departure system (only got one in 2006) - until then all departures were hand written on a whiteboard in the booking hall - including whether there were any delays....a sort of hand written realtimetrains

Also had the oddity of a crossing at the north end of the station until quite recently which had a light which went out when a train was approaching which was always useful for getting bags, children etc ready. Went a few years ago when they finally got a footbridge.