Trivia - stations with too many platforms

[willgreen]

We seem to have a lot of threads on here about stations that could do with another platform, or a line that needs reopening, or a new service that needs creating. What about the opposite - stations that are overprovided for in terms of platforms?
Most excess platforms have been rationalised away now, but there's definitely a few examples. Some of the old seaside resorts seem particularly over-equipped.
P.S. you can't close any stations!

 

[Glenn1969]

Skegness

 

[NSE]

Like you say, Skegness would be one of those seaside ones. I don’t know of many, but I guess you could close Platform 1 at Orpington and the world would carry on. I was at Sheerness the other week and that’s two platforms, I would imagine that could still function on one.

 

[Kilopylae]

Contentious one, but Exeter St Davids, which would work just fine with four platforms. Platform 6 is redundant and spends most of its time either empty or housing a train ticking over to do a northbound departure in a few hours; Platform 2 is basically a reversing siding and they could use New Yard for that (it works well enough for the 159s and there appears to be space going spare).

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Contentious one, but Exeter St Davids, which would work just fine with four platforms. Platform 6 is redundant and spends most of its time either empty or housing a train ticking over to do a northbound departure in a few hours; Platform 2 is basically a reversing siding and they could use New Yard for that (it works well enough for the 159s and there appears to be space going spare).

You've obviously not been at Exeter late of an evening when all the space for overnight stabling is needed - you will find DMUs in bay platform 2 and New Yard Full.

 

[D365]

Huntingdon

 

[30907]

Like you say, Skegness would be one of those seaside ones. I don’t know of many, but I guess you could close Platform 1 at Orpington and the world would carry on.

An oddity, because 7/8 are only about 30 years old (ISTR done to keep terminating trains off the through lines when Eurostar was first opened).

A thought - are there any where more than one platform could be removed?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Like you say, Skegness would be one of those seaside ones. I don’t know of many, but I guess you could close Platform 1 at Orpington and the world would carry on. I was at Sheerness the other week and that’s two platforms, I would imagine that could still function on one.

Skegness only has 3 platforms in use these days (platforms 2 to 4) numbers 5-7 are long term out of use and network changes have been out at various times for their removal.

 

[Parallel]

Perth seems to have quite a few, many of them are very long too. You could definitely close at least one platform, possibly another without affecting services too much.

Taunton seems to have quite a few for the amount of services that call there. I know some trains do terminate there but again, it could probably get by with fewer.

 

[NSE]

Skegness only has 3 platforms in use these days (platforms 2 to 4) numbers 5-7 are long term out of use and network changes have been out at various times for their removal.

I mean I say Skegness as it’s always given as an example, haven’t used it for over 15 years

I think there are a few of bay platforms that are now redundant/could be worked around if they went. Is Wolverhampton another? Doesn’t it have that funky P6(?) at a stubby angle that’s barely used. Arguably Battersea Park could lose its bay and the world would carry on.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Taunton seems to have quite a few for the amount of services that call there. I know some trains do terminate there but again, it could probably get by with fewer.

Certainly the one West-facing bay (P1) is very rarely used (departed and arrived there several years ago during engineering works to the East) and could probably go. Even if, say, the West Somerset got permission to run into Taunton you wouldn't really want them terminating on the wrong side of the formation. For quite some time in the 1980s and 1990s the island platform was out of use, which did cause problems as services increased.

Mirfield clearly doesn't need all three of the platforms it has, as it will be reduced to two when the upgrade happens. P2 was used once per day prior to COVID, something which caused nothing but confusion!

 

[GLC]

I wouldn’t say that it has “too many”, but are all platforms at Crewe in regular use?

 

[martinsh]

I wouldn’t say that it has “too many”, but are all platforms at Crewe in regular use?

Quite definitely all used regularly now that TfW Shrewsbury service has moved to platform 8.

 

[snowball]

Blackpool North was reduced from 8 to 6 as part of the electrification (having of course been many more in the past) but some of the 6 probably don't get much use?

 

[Ianno87]

Plymouth's 5 through platforms are relatively generous for the level of service it gets.

 

[rower40]

Platforms 3&4 at Ashford International are a bit sparse these days...

 

[SteelWeelApeal]

Barnetby could easily manage with two platforms, with generally an hourly TPE and two hourly EMR service (as well as some freight, but they don’t need platforms).

Also, a lot of smaller stations on mainlines have platforms on the fast lines which aren’t generally used, but are useful for when the slow lines are closed.

 

[JohnRegular]

Aberdeen has an abundance of platforms, of which at least a couple aren't signed off for passenger use anymore (I believe). They are used for stabling but I strongly doubt all are needed.

 

[Kite159]

I wouldn’t say that it has “too many”, but are all platforms at Crewe in regular use?

Probably the least used platform at Crewe is platform 2 in terms of passenger services.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Lincoln's remaining bay platforms see little use. It used to have eight - four east-facing bays and four through platforms, but now has five, of which two are bays. These see little use these days, as they face east but nearly all terminating trains come from the west (Nottingham, Sheffield, London) and return the same way. Services to/from the east included the direct Grantham line (for connections for London),which went in 1966, and the extensive network of branch lines in Lincolnshire which mainly disappeared in 1970. Conversely, services from London, Newark and Nottingham which used to use St Marks station have all added to those entering and leaving at the west end.

 

[SargeNpton]

Perth seems to have quite a few, many of them are very long too. You could definitely close at least one platform, possibly another without affecting services too much.

Taunton seems to have quite a few for the amount of services that call there. I know some trains do terminate there but again, it could probably get by with fewer.

Does Taunton need some spare for terminating services when engineering work blocks the line between there and Exeter?

 

[apinnard]

Bletchley.

 

[D365]

Bletchley.

Ironic that it’s getting more! Necessary they are, though.

 

[Purple Orange]

Do stations have too many platforms? I think Manchester Victoria has a word of warning to tell us all here.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

There seems to be lots of comments about platforms seeing little use - if that platform is required for overnight stabling even its the only use that platform sees then it is necessary as there won’t be anywhere else for the train to go!

 

[Ashley Hill]

The thing is whilst some through platforms seem extraneous because of a perceived lack of use they can be useful. Take Plymouth and Taunton as they're mentioned above. If something fails on Hemerdon then trains can be turned around at Plymouth. Without that capacity there would be trains backed up waiting platforms. Also passengers can be transferred to buses if necessary. Same at Taunton any problems West and things are terminated and turned around. A signalled east end facing crossover would enable the bay to be used by Bristol terminaters instead of plats 2 and 3.

 

[Highlandspring]

Aberdeen has an abundance of platforms, of which at least a couple aren't signed off for passenger use anymore (I believe). They are used for stabling but I strongly doubt all are needed.

Aberdeen is actually a nightmare for docking and could really do with another through platform - it's already on the wish list for the 'Cities Deal' Aberdeen - Central Belt Improvements funding. Two of the south facing docks (1 and 2) haven't been in use for passenger services since 1982 and are classed as a yard.

 

[vlad]

I can't help feeling Inverness can lose a couple, given platform 1 has the sleeper in it for most of the day and platform 7 sees a handful of trains a week.

 

[CBlue]

Huntingdon

Does anything use P1 at Huntingdon any more?

Seem to recall there was a FCC service that started from there once upon a time. I imagine Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth also fit into the category of overprovision of platforms especially outside the summer months.

 

[Ianno87]

Seem to recall there was a FCC service that started from there once upon a time. I imagine Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth also fit into the category of overprovision of platforms especially outside the summer months.

They both lost a platform in the recent resignalling (4 to 3). Still plenty.