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Trivia: Stations where a platform has been built on the actual site of a ex running line (e.g. fom previous rationalisation/singling)

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swt_passenger

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Hi again - right, I cycled up there earlier, and indeed the long-disused railway bridge [well, long-disused as a bridge for trains, not so long for other purposes; though a bit of it seems now to be used as a bike park] does point at a place where the archway is no longer open. As you say, it's more or less where the station office entrance is, by the head of the taxi rank. When I have more time, I'll pace it out as between the nearest two archways which are open, and go onto the concourse and get my bearings on that side. Then I'll know what I'm talking about next time...
The main thing is, there wouldn’t have ever needed to be an arch in that building, because it wasn’t put up until after the route was removed. When access to Waterloo East for passengers was at ground (concourse) level, did they even walk through the building in line with the bridge at all, or do a sort of dog leg outside, under the canopy?

BTW, I found a picture of the original building taken from outside, as can be seen it was right on Waterloo Rd, and completely different location from the more modern office range we see today:
 
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nuneatonmark

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What about stations on the former GWR route into Birmingham, aren't the current stations at Olton and Solihull partially built over former running lines as they were once 4 tracks?
 

delt1c

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When the Bathgate line was reopened to passengers ( pre electrification) Livingston North was a single platform station built over one of the former lines. During electrification it was rebuilt as double track with 2 platforms. So we have a platform built over a former running line, then a running line later built where a former platform was. Cant think of any other currently open stations where this has occurred.
 

zwk500

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What about stations on the former GWR route into Birmingham, aren't the current stations at Olton and Solihull partially built over former running lines as they were once 4 tracks?

The current platforms are just 1 of the 2 islands from when it was 4 track - the former trackbeds are largely intact. There may have been some limited realignment, and of course depending on how it was widened to 4 tracks in the first place one of the islands may be in the track bed of the 1st layout.

Olton station shows the 4 track layout quite nicely
1600771999963.png
 

DorkingMain

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One of the platforms at Battersea Park was extended over the junction where the South London line used to run to Victoria.
 

AlbertBeale

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The main thing is, there wouldn’t have ever needed to be an arch in that building, because it wasn’t put up until after the route was removed. When access to Waterloo East for passengers was at ground (concourse) level, did they even walk through the building in line with the bridge at all, or do a sort of dog leg outside, under the canopy?

BTW, I found a picture of the original building taken from outside, as can be seen it was right on Waterloo Rd, and completely different location from the more modern office range we see today:

Rather stupidly, I wasn't taking account of the fact that the through connection to Waterloo East stopped before the new station buildings were all in place. Thanks for that picture - do you know roughly when it dates from?
 
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swt_passenger

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Rather stupidly, I wasn't taking account of the fact that the through connection to Waterloo East stopped before the new station buildings were all in place. Thanks for that picture - do you know roughly when it dates from?
Yes, I found it again on another site, and they source it as “Feb 1911, Getty Images”.
 

Geno

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Wavertree Technology Park station on the Liverpool to Manchester line was opened in 2000. The route had been quadruple tracks from Lime Street to Huyton Jct, but was reduced to double track about 1971. The station was built in the cutting between the sites of Edge Hill MPD and the marshalling yard, with the Tech Park built on both sites.
 

edwin_m

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Is Platform 0 at London Kings Cross built on the former widened lines chord?
No. The York Road chord going towards Moorgate diverged north of the station building and the tunnel mouth is still visible I think. The chord in the other direction came out in the area where the concourse now is. Platform 0 was a cab road at one time I believe.
 

Gonzoiku

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Forres would have qualified until the 2017 rebuild/relocation, as the 1955 station occupied the trackbed of the Grantown-on-Spey line. Not sure if it is now disqualified, since the trackbed has been built over by housing since 1955!

GZ
 

swt_passenger

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No. The York Road chord going towards Moorgate diverged north of the station building and the tunnel mouth is still visible I think. The chord in the other direction came out in the area where the concourse now is. Platform 0 was a cab road at one time I believe.
I suspect its use as a cab road is pretty much historic? I don‘t remember ever seeing modern vehicles either going in or coming out at the front corner of the station, maybe someone knows when it was last used? 50s or 60s perhaps?

It must have needed a fairly steep ramp at the north entrance which I think was off York Way, and just beyond the main roof, but it must have been steep enough to immediately get above the York Way curve’s tunnel?

Ah, I found some pics of the former cab road on rmweb, their discussion suggests it was later used for parcels?

Is Platform 0 at London Kings Cross built on the former widened lines chord?
The disused stations article on York Way platform, especially the 2nd page of photos, shows how far away from the main station the portal is. Looks like a fairly steep gradient just off the platform end: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/k/kings_cross_york_road/
 
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YorksLad12

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I suspect its use as a cab road is pretty much historic? I don‘t remember ever seeing modern vehicles either going in or coming out at the front corner of the station, maybe someone knows when it was last used? 50s or 60s perhaps?

The disused stations article on York Way platform, especially the 2nd page of photos, shows how far away from the main station the portal is. Looks like a fairly steep gradient just off the platform end: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/k/kings_cross_york_road/

I'm sure it was used as an actual cab road (taxi rank) during the various improvements around Kings Cross and St Pancras, before P0 was built. The normal rank outside the station was out of use because of roadworks.

If you're on the left side of a train pulling in to a low-numbered platform you can see the portal clearly as it's both open and lit. Once you know it's there you can't miss it. It does remind me of being at the top of a helter-skelter though!
 

AlbertBeale

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I'm sure it was used as an actual cab road (taxi rank) during the various improvements around Kings Cross and St Pancras, before P0 was built. The normal rank outside the station was out of use because of roadworks.

If you're on the left side of a train pulling in to a low-numbered platform you can see the portal clearly as it's both open and lit. Once you know it's there you can't miss it. It does remind me of being at the top of a helter-skelter though!

Yes, the ramp from York Way down to near the the north end of what is now Platform 0 is still visible. Remember that the York Road platform for services to the City Widened Lines was straight after the trains came out of the tunnel, and the route then zig-zagged to the left to disappear under York Way for a bit, before curving under what the locals have for generations called the Bravingtons Block (bounded by Caledonia Street, Caledonian Road, Pentonville Road and York Way). The ramp and taxi road ran from immediately south of the tunnel mouth heading under York Way, and went virtually the whole length of the main train shed.

During the time it was used as a taxi road in recent decades, the taxis joined from the York Road ramp, and exited via a sharp right-angle turn left onto York Way near its south end. But going further back, I believe the roadway continued straight on, emerging from the extreme right-hand arch as you face the front of the station - where there's now something like a First Class passenger lounge I think. The original exit from that road is seen (I seem to remember) in a scene from one of the old Ealing Comedies (classic post-war black-and-white films) - it must have been The Ladykillers?
 

CBlue

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Platform 1/4 at Cambridge was extended over the original running line dating from when the station was built at some stage in it's early life. As part of that the rear colonnade that matched the one out the front of the station was demolished - before that, trains stopped inside it.
 

fishwomp

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Gorton (and Fairfield?) haven't but have had plenty of infrastructure (station buildings and ramps) built into the old 4 ft.

One of the annoying drags of Guide Bridge to Piccadilly on an express, is following a stopper, or being held by something where the Marple branch comes in.. those two would need changing to re-establish the four track from Guide Bridge - it would be great for improving reliability of TPE.
 

steamybrian

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South Bermondsey, Queens Road Peckham, and Peckham Rye- island platforms on the site of the centre line which was abandoned in the 1920s.
Balham- down and up slow line island platform replaced earlier side platforms
 

Taunton

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Dorchester South, I think? Hard to see on the map
Not so I believe. The running lines are just where they always were. The arrangements for Up trains until 1970 were they passed where the platform was built, then reversed straight back into the old terminus dead-end platform where the Costa coffee shop and the frightful new post-modern architecture flats now are (these last should never have been allowed in such a fine historic town, I suspect they are by the same imbecile architect as at Firepool east of Taunton station - but I digress). The new Up platform was built and trains made the transition one weekend; the station buildings took much longer to make the gradual transition to nearer the running lines.
 

noddingdonkey

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There was a temporary section of platform added at Leeds over what is now Platform 11d during the Leeds 1st rebuild. That allowed trains on the centre line to call at the extended platform and turned the rest of 11 into a long bay, presumably while the route further east was blocked.
 

edwin_m

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The temporary terminus of the Edinburgh tram at York Place comprised (not sure if it's still there) a platform laid over what will become the track for trams from Leith.
 
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Liverpool Lime street short bay platforms between arrival platform 3 and 5 was filled in for some years.
It has now of course been reinstated as a much longer platform
 

janahan

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The concourse between the two tracks was the site of a bay platform that was too short to be used by most trains.

What is now the westbound platform tunnel originally contained both tracks, when the station was further east alongside the former Kings Cross Thameslink. The eastbound platform tunnel was built for a rail connection to Euston that never materialized. The present track positions date from 1940 when the station moved to its current site.
Not correct, Mikey B (whome you replied to) was correct. The current concourse was the original running lines when the original Met Kings Cross station was located next to the old Thameslink one. When the staion was moved to where it is now, a new "Westbound" running tunel was created, and the eastbound tunnel was built within a tunnel originally created as an extention to the Widened lines, but never used. these new tunnels link up with the old running tunnels just before and after the station, and the original running tunnel converted into a concorse and a rarely used bay platform. That bay is now taken out of use and the concourse extended into the site of the old bay platform.

The original alignment can be easily seen on approach to the station from a train.

Clives site shows the history more clearly. https://www.davros.org/rail/culg/hammersmith.html

EDIT: Spelling + added link
 
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Steve Harris

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There was a pair of fully signalled running loops in that area, plus a pair of double-ended sidings with just ground signals to the east of those.
That is correct. The 2 fully signalled loops were Reception Road 1 and 2 respectively. Platform 7 sites on the site of Reception Road 2. Luckily for me I got to track bash them when I was a lad !

Although fully signalled they still used to be used as stabling sidings for 317's and before that 308's and before that 101's.
 

mcmad

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When the Bathgate line was reopened to passengers ( pre electrification) Livingston North was a single platform station built over one of the former lines. During electrification it was rebuilt as double track with 2 platforms. So we have a platform built over a former running line, then a running line later built where a former platform was. Cant think of any other currently open stations where this has occurred.
One of the Stations on the Chiltern line had this for a similar reason. The station name escapes me though, Haddenham and Thame?
 
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