Most exhilarating station approach

[43096]

I imagine there are numerous examples over the Settle and Carlisle which meet the requirements of this thread. For example when you're approaching Ribblehead from the North, travelling over Ribblehead Viaduct.

I think Whalley Viaduct is also pleasant- to the South of Whalley Station.

Not sure they fit the designation of “major station”.

 

[2L70]

Used to like going down the bank from Droitwich into Worcester Foregate Street/Shrub Hill with all the GW signals.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Castlefield without a doubt. Always interesting, and as I don't do it every day always something different to see.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Hampstead Heath to Camden Road , at dawn.

Or the approach to Torquay where apparently Kratatoa in full eruption can be seen , along with herds of Wilderbeest majestically striding across the plain (says John Cleese)

 

[Bald Rick]

Or the approach to Torquay where apparently Kratatoa in full eruption can be seen , along with herds of Wilderbeest majestically striding across the plain (says John Cleese)

Also the Sydney Opera House

 

[jopsuk]

Stirling, from the south- as you pop out the cutting at Cowie you get an outstanding panorama of the Ochil hills, Wallace Monument

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Also the Sydney Opera House

Actually the rail approach to Sydney from the north over the Harbour Bridge ain't bad.
You are on the western side on a train though, so the Opera House is on the wrong side.

You get a decent view north of Runcorn too from the Ethelfleda Bridge, even if the Ship Canal and Widnes logistics parks aren't of the same quality.
The cooling towers of Fiddlers Ferry PS will soon be gone.

Shrewsbury is pretty impressive, straddling the river and between castle and prison, not to mention Severn Bridge Jn signal box in the triangle.

 

[DarloRich]

I would say Durham, Berwick, Dawlish, Lancaster, Newcastle for no real reasons other than I like them

Not sure I'll get too much support on this one but there's something I love about the approach into Great Yarmouth

The bit i like about that view is that going the other way means you have left "Great" Yarmouth! The place is a dump.

 

[hwl]

They've just finished the Wherry lines re-signalling a few days ago, pretty much all the 'heritage' features have been removed, I expect.
However, some of the signals etc. may go to a deserving heritage railway.
If not, they will probably be stored for re-use on the (still fairly significant) parts of the national rail network which use 'heritage' signals.

Carefully disassembled for future use in in both categories

 

[ChiefPlanner]

How about downhill from Golders Green to Hampstead on the Northern line with a 59 Tube stock ,with the motorman practising a full Westinghouse brake application ? - no view but spirited driving.

In reality - some good viewing west of Llanelli , especially the view across the Tywi estuary with Llanstephan Castle on the run into Ferryside.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Some lovely ones on the Cumbrian Coast line such as Ulverston from the East or Arnside from the West.

 

[kc_]

Preston

From the North past St Walburge, or from the South over the River Ribble?

Quite like the approach to Manchester Airport - especially if there's aircraft on approach to runway 23R.

 

[The_Train]

I would say Durham, Berwick, Dawlish, Lancaster, Newcastle for no real reasons other than I like them

Now Durham is one I forgot about and that is truly stunning. If you ever want to be on a failed train, it's there because the views are fantastic

The bit i like about that view is that going the other way means you have left "Great" Yarmouth! The place is a dump.

can't really argue with that!! Fortunately my last visit allowed me time to see the approach, see the platforms, take a pic of the 37s that had hauled me and back on the train to see the approach once more

 

[urbophile]

Durham, Newcastle, Alnmouth and Berwick, all from the South.

I agree. Of those, Newcastle is supreme. Durham would be: the view is superb, but the approach from the south comes so quickly it's easy to miss.

I'm always surprised (well, not really, but saddened anyway) by the number of passengers who remain glued to their tablets or phones and never raise their eyes to see the view.

 

[CEN60]

Plockton (along Loch Carron) or further along Kyle is spectacular on approach with Skye in the distance!

 

[Crossover]

Exhilarating - Rugby at 125mph (non-stopping, obviously).

+1! Only really works northbound, coming from Weedon where the line has a double curve (as I recall - it has been a while since I did it) under the Northampton lines. About as close as a train gets to feeling like a rollercoaster in the UK. Used to do it semi-regularly when living in MK for a year and it never got tiresome (unless we got signal checked, wihich somewhat took the edge off it)!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Not sure they fit the designation of “major station”.

Oops- my apologies. I didn't see that requirement.

 

[Bletchleyite]

+1! Only really works northbound, coming from Weedon where the line has a double curve (as I recall - it has been a while since I did it) under the Northampton lines. About as close as a train gets to feeling like a rollercoaster in the UK. Used to do it semi-regularly when living in MK for a year and it never got tiresome (unless we got signal checked, wihich somewhat took the edge off it)!

Through Berkhamsted is better!

 

[nag67]

I would suggest Montrose from the south, with the curving viaduct approach looking over the town and harbour to one side and the expanse of the tidal basin to the other.
It might not be a major station, but being home, it is significant to me.

 

[bramling]

As an antidote to the rather gloomy thread 'Most Depressing Stretch of Line on the Network', which major station on the network has the best approach, either scenically or in terms of railway interest ?

My choices: Edinburgh Waverley for scenic approach; York (approaching from the north) for both criteria.

Depends how one defines exhilarating. Before the resignalling, Brent Cross southbound platform on the Northern Line could be entered with the train doing around 45 mph at the platform ramp, and then achieve a dead stop in about 105 metres thanks to the gradient profile. From a driver's point of view this could be seen as exhilarating!

From a different point of view Carnforth to Settle Junction is an atmospheric run during periods of heavy rainfall with the train passing numerous fast-flowing streams, add to this the jointed track and a DMU with all windows open and it's quite an experience.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

If we extend to overseas, I'd like to nominate Köln Hbf from the opposite bank of the Rhine. Less-well known but similarly dramatic is the approach to Prague Masarykov, which itself is a prime example of "faded grandeur" which we had a thread on a while back.

 

[EveningStar]

Durham, Newcastle, Alnmouth and Berwick, all from the South.

Honourable mention to Whitby and Mallaig in good weather, too.

Trick in the summer with Alnmouth from the south is wait for the tourists to be excitedly noticing and taking photographs of the view, then be walking down the carriage as the guard announces the Alnmouth stop to enjoy the faintly jealous looks that somebody could actually be living close to somewhere so gorgeous. I know, vanity ...

 

[Bald Rick]

Through Berkhamsted is better!

I disagree. Berko was always quick, and nothing but a station. Rugby wasn’t quick, and the route is under flyovers, over numerous junctions, reverse curves and a station.

Besides, Linslade tunnel on the DF is better than Berko.

 

[Crossover]

Through Berkhamsted is better!

I disagree. Berko was always quick, and nothing but a station. Rugby wasn’t quick, and the route is under flyovers, over numerous junctions, reverse curves and a station.

Besides, Linslade tunnel on the DF is better than Berko.

I'm with @Bald Rick on this one. Berkhamsted is very tilty (fun to watch the Pendo's go through there from the platform!) but can't say it ever stood out. I think it probably the fairly 'extreme' reverse curves along with the ducking down under the Northampton lines that makes Rugby more interesting

 

[Doomotron]

I know it's actually when you leave the station and it's not a view, but the incredibly quick acceleration out of Ebbsfleet International coming from Gravesend is certainly exhilarating.

 

[bramling]

How about downhill from Golders Green to Hampstead on the Northern line with a 59 Tube stock ,with the motorman practising a full Westinghouse brake application ? - no view but spirited driving.

This one could be seen as a little dodgy as there's a fairly sharp curve about halfway down the gradient, followed by another one on the immediate approach to Hampstead. Typical practice in olden times was to keep motoring until the first of the two curves but then brake down to somewhere in the region of 35 mph.

Oakwood to Southgate was, and possibly still occasionally still be, another fast one. A 73 stock can be taken well off its speedo on that section (speedo runs out at 60 mph).

As regards scenic approaches, Ilfracombe and Padstow both take some beating. I'd also say Liverpool Lime Street is quite spectacular in a different way.

 

[3141]

This one could be seen as a little dodgy as there's a fairly sharp curve about halfway down the gradient, followed by another one on the immediate approach to Hampstead. Typical practice in olden times was to keep motoring until the first of the two curves but then brake down to somewhere in the region of 35 mph.

Oakwood to Southgate was, and possibly still occasionally still be, another fast one. A 73 stock can be taken well off its speedo on that section (speedo runs out at 60 mph).

I'm pleased to see that put forward. As a child I lived in a house backing onto the railway between those two stations, and trains heading towards Southgate really got up speed.

I used to go to school in central London and timed the journeys between each station. Turnpike Lane to Manor House could be good, if the driver really went all out on the first section, which is downhill, but then there's a long up grade to Manor House, so the train loses some speed. Going the other way the down grade lasts longer so it was always quicker. Another good one was Caledonian Road to Kings Cross, also mainly downhill, and trains would charge through the closed York Road station and the crossover that used to be there. To get up a good speed on the Underground you need a run where the distance between stations is longer than the average of two minutes or less.

 

[bramling]

I'm pleased to see that put forward. As a child I lived in a house backing onto the railway between those two stations, and trains heading towards Southgate really got up speed.

I used to go to school in central London and timed the journeys between each station. Turnpike Lane to Manor House could be good, if the driver really went all out on the first section, which is downhill, but then there's a long up grade to Manor House, so the train loses some speed. Going the other way the down grade lasts longer so it was always quicker. Another good one was Caledonian Road to Kings Cross, also mainly downhill, and trains would charge through the closed York Road station and the crossover that used to be there. To get up a good speed on the Underground you need a run where the distance between stations is longer than the average of two minutes or less.

Yes Manor House to Turnpike Lane is another spectacular run, but is spoiled by a PSR (35 mph I think) about halfway through the section. Having said that, in times past I've had some fine runs through there where the driver as completely ignored the PSR and gone for it all the way. In this situation the car is also liable to filling with dust as the train passed the mid-tunnel fan shaft at Colina Road!

This has reminded me of another fast run - Hounslow West to Hatton Cross in both directions. Having said that, I think the track has been replaced through that section now which has possibly made it smoother.

 

[greyman42]

I'd also say Liverpool Lime Street is quite spectacular in a different way.

Am I missing something with this one. It's just a brick cutting with some tunnels?

 

[2392]

Plockton (along Loch Carron) or further along Kyle is spectacular on approach with Skye in the distance!

You beat me to the Kyle and that view "Over the sea to Skye".......