Station Buildings

[MidnightFlyer]

The good, the bad, and the ugly?

Good - Hartford (on stilts), Battersea Park

Bad/Ugly - Warr BQ/Wigan NW - those ugly 1960s stuff

Anyone else?

 

[StoneRoad]

good - well maintained train sheds - such as the original part of St Pans, or York, or Newcastle/tyne, or BTM.

Bad/ugly - BNS before they started the latest refurb. the new bit at St Pans (flat roof against arched train shed - give me a break....)

The tiny "waiting" shelters that look like bus stops......

enough from me...

 

[142094]

Think we had a vote on this before, some of the worst were naturally Wakefield Kirkgate and Manchester Victoria.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Think we had a vote on this before, some of the worst were naturally Wakefield Kirkgate and Manchester Victoria.

Think that was on the overall station (service, staffing, number of druggies around etc)... this is on architechtrial merit only.

Man Vic got wrecked with the conversion of Bury to tram, and the building of the MEN Arena.

 

[142094]

Well if it is architecture only, Wakefield Kirkgate could actually be quite nice if it had a bit of a cleanup. I actually quite like the 60s and 70s type stations, they are unique in their own ways. Maybe not to some people's taste but still important examples of architecture at that time.

 

[CarterUSM]

Good-Wemyss bay. Bad- Dalmarnock. Ugly-Gourock.

 

[EM2]

Bad/ugly - the new bit at St Pans (flat roof against arched train shed - give me a break....)

Done for a reason. Because St P is Grade One listed, *everything* has to be agreed by English Heritage. Part of EH giving the go-ahead for the extension was that the view of the Barlow Shed from the North London Line wasn't obscured.

 

[yorksrob]

Think that was on the overall station (service, staffing, number of druggies around etc)... this is on architechtrial merit only.

Man Vic got wrecked with the conversion of Bury to tram, and the building of the MEN Arena.

Man Vic actually still has quite a bit of atmosphere AFAIK. Needs some work but it could still be really good. For me it's:

The Good - Lewes, Sussex - nice atmosphere, good architecture, disused platforms for interest etc.

The Bad - Wakefield Kirkgate - for obvious reasons - plus, the subway is laid out in such a way as to make it even more difficult to catch connecting trains.

The Ugly - Hastings - not ugly in itself, it just seems ugly to me as it seems wrong without the Southern Railway booking hall. It's just not right without it.

 

[trickyvegas]

Manchester Victoria has some architechtural gems:-

The War Memorial with the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway map above, the wooden ticket office and also the domed roof of the station bar.

I also agree with the atmosphere comment, in no small part down to the soothing tones of the station announcer as a opposed to the robotic ones you get at most large stations.

 

[yorksrob]

Manchester Victoria has some architechtural gems:-

The War Memorial with the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway map above, the wooden ticket office and also the domed roof of the station bar.

I also agree with the atmosphere comment, in no small part down to the soothing tones of the station announcer as a opposed to the robotic ones you get at most large stations.

Yes, I wish they'd put some more East facing bays in so you could still stand on the concourse and see lines of trains.

 

[Aictos]

Both Hertford stations would look quite nice with some TLC, which is probably a issue with most stations including Westfield Kirkgate which with some investment actually would be quite a nice station.

 

[A0wen]

Good - a number of the stations at the south end of the GN mainline which are still fairly original - Hitchin, Letchworth, Welwyn North, Welwyn GC (to an extent). Wellingborough, Kettering on the MML.

Bad / Ugly - anything on the MML north of St P and south of Wellingborough (horrible 60s/70s/80s "modernisations".)

Also WCML south of Crewe - again lots of "modernised" stations all of which are pretty hideous - think Northampton, Tamworth, Hemel Hempstead, Bletchley etc.

 

[asylumxl]

Bad / Ugly - anything on the MML north of St P and south of Wellingborough (horrible 60s/70s/80s "modernisations".

I couldn't agree more and I live on the Thameslink route!

 

[Aictos]

The canopies at Bradford Foster Square could do with a clean, the dirt's so thick it looks like roofing felt has been used rather the actual glass.

Kirkgate from the train is a slum, just use some tlc and it would probably be quite nice.

 

[yorksrob]

Bad / Ugly - anything on the MML north of St P and south of Wellingborough (horrible 60s/70s/80s "modernisations".)

Fortunately there do seem to be some rather nice Victorian smaller stations on that route.

 

[RPM]

Many examples of attractive stations but a few personal favourites are Gobowen, Barnes, Wye, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesford, Berkhamsted, Charlbury.

Notable horrors include Luton, Wembley Central, Walsall, Hemel Hempstead

 

[caliwag]

Excellent stations on the York to Knaresborough line. Unmodernised line, still semaphore signals with tablet exchange at Hammerton from a cute hut on the platform giving the impression a staffed rural station, which I suppose it is really. Cattal and Poppleton controlled by traditional little crossing boxes.

Check out the horticultural narrow gauge system (formerly part of the BR civils before Jarvis generally screwed things up, err, in more ways than one), to the South of Poppleton station on the Harrogate side.
But I digress, Knaresborough has a unique end-of-terraced-house box which controls the crossing and signals, by semaphore, platform change movements for Leeds to Knaresborough trains...you can sit in the fine Mitre tavern, virtually on the platform, and observe said movements...usually a 155 bolted to a 153 having said that.
But the the theme...the stations are delightful examples of The East and West Yorkshire Junction Railway, modified and canopied by the NE. Knresborough was built by NE architect, Thopmas Prosser, he of York station.

Much more to be found in the most excellent surveys of North Eastern Railway architecture, Vols 1-3 by Bill Fawcett.

At the next upturn in the economy (err 2024) expect the line to be turned into some sort of tram route with, as has been proposed, on street running in York...I will not be around!!

 

[daccer]

Thankfully BR never had enough cash to modernise all the network so we still have many original and wonderful stations. My local station is Kettering which is virtually as built except for a massive new lift system!

Adonis seemed to understand the value of the network's stations and the need to keep them up to standard or they let the system down. I would physically develop a model for replacing all the 60's and 70's 'rebuilds' even if needed with the new modular type of station that NR are developing and which I think is actually ok. My trips home tend to involve flying via Heathrow and travelling via Paddington, St Pancras and Kettering and I believe my trip is enhanced not just because of the new trains on the route but also because those stations are a combination of Victorian beauty and modern day convenience.

Oh Luton and Peterborough - not fit for purpose! and Crewe - could be a gem with some TLC

 

[Railsigns]

Excellent stations on the York to Knaresborough line. Unmodernised line, still semaphore signals with tablet exchange at Hammerton from a cute hut on the platform giving the impression a staffed rural station, which I suppose it is really. Cattal and Poppleton controlled by traditional little crossing boxes.

I took a run out to Knaresborough yesterday. Another point of interest is the German semaphore signal arm on Platform 1.

By the way, the single line sections are worked by key-token, not tablet.

 

[yorksrob]

Thankfully BR never had enough cash to modernise all the network so we still have many original and wonderful stations. My local station is Kettering which is virtually as built except for a massive new lift system!

Adonis seemed to understand the value of the network's stations and the need to keep them up to standard or they let the system down. I would physically develop a model for replacing all the 60's and 70's 'rebuilds' even if needed with the new modular type of station that NR are developing and which I think is actually ok. My trips home tend to involve flying via Heathrow and travelling via Paddington, St Pancras and Kettering and I believe my trip is enhanced not just because of the new trains on the route but also because those stations are a combination of Victorian beauty and modern day convenience.

Oh Luton and Peterborough - not fit for purpose! and Crewe - could be a gem with some TLC

Yes indeed, one of the few things that Network SouthEast did which annoyed me was to demolish quite a few old South Eastern Railway Clap-board stations in Kent which had a very charming rural quality. Fortunately there are still a few around, noteably Pluckley and Hildenborough.

 

[Aictos]

I took a run out to Knaresborough yesterday. Another point of interest is the German semaphore signal arm on Platform 1.

By the way, the single line sections are worked by key-token, not tablet.

So did I!

That pub looks quite nice though there, still some of the views especially from the viaducts are amazing.

 

[Railsigns]

So did I!

That pub looks quite nice though there, still some of the views especially from the viaducts are amazing.

It's a lovely place. A couple of pics from yesterday:

1. The viaduct over the River Nidd. You can see the unusual signal box immediately to the right of it.

2. At the station, looking under the German signal arm.

 

[caliwag]

Ah...key token, thanks. Seems to work well though. Visit the line while you can peeps...it is an experience. Old Bell in Harrogate is the only decent hostelry there mind...great lunch menu. The line from York is a forgotten backwater really, I think the authorities are just waiting for funding, which luckily ain't gonna happen, so enjoy while you can.

 

[RPM]

I actually quite like the 60s and 70s type stations, they are unique in their own ways. Maybe not to some people's taste but still important examples of architecture at that time.

I do agree. Coventry and Stafford, whilst generally unloved, are really quite impressive and iconic. Cheddington is a charming example of a wayside station from the late 1950s/early 1960s. I particularly like the old OS map of the area over the waiting room fireplace.

 

[route:oxford]

Wemyss bay is a quite beautiful station.

Stirling had a natural appeal until the opening of the new bridge. Looking across from the main passenger bridge, it has really spoilt the look making the platforms and roof look a bit "stubby".

 

[BrummyBoy]

One of the best stations has to be Birmingham Moor Street, another would be Smethwick Galton Bridge.

The worst have to be Warrington BQ and BNS

 

[Glen0210]

Good: Wemyss Bay, York, Marylebone, St Pancras

Bad: Clapham Junction

Ugly: Birmingham New Street, Euston, Dunbar

 

[daccer]

It will be interesting to ask the same question in three or four years time - many of the top ten worst will have been refurbed into modern 'palaces' and there will be new contenders for bad stations on a new poll. For exmaple BNS, Man Victoria, Sunderland, Gourock etc are all receiving expensive work to bring them up to date. Even Kirkgate has had some work done on the subway - just need another ten million quid to do the rest!!

Many of the Virigjn stations in the North West are a bit run down and need some cash - WBQ, Wigan, Crewe, Stockport etc. I wouldn't be surprised if station investment doesnt play a key role in the franchise battle when it starts next year.

 

[The Snap]

good - well maintained train sheds - such as the original part of St Pans, or York, or Newcastle/tyne, or BTM.

Bad/ugly - BNS before they started the latest refurb. the new bit at St Pans (flat roof against arched train shed - give me a break....)

The tiny "waiting" shelters that look like bus stops......

enough from me...

Done for a reason. Because St P is Grade One listed, *everything* has to be agreed by English Heritage. Part of EH giving the go-ahead for the extension was that the view of the Barlow Shed from the North London Line wasn't obscured.

You answered my question before I even had chance to post it! Cheers for that .

 

[daccer]

It will be interesting to ask the same question in three or four years time - many of the top ten worst will have been refurbed into modern 'palaces' and there will be new contenders for bad stations on a new poll. For exmaple BNS, Man Victoria, Sunderland, Gourock etc are all receiving expensive work to bring them up to date.