What’s your least favourite station in Hampshire to visit?

[Pompey00]

Thing is a lot of them need refurb paint and scrub as old and tacky .

 

[PedroHav]

Havant is definitely looking very shoddy. Rusty footbridges etc. However most stations in the area need modernisation after decades of neglect but I doubt it'll happen sadly

 

[Pompey00]

Havant is definitely looking very shoddy. Rusty footbridges etc. However most stations in the area need modernisation after decades of neglect but I doubt it'll happen sadly

Havant is one of the worse and it’s shame really because it really does need it.

 

[jackot]

Havant is one of the worse and it’s shame really because it really does need it.

Yes, Havant is a real case study of what years of neglect can do to a station, even with it being quite a big interchange along the Coastway. The huge gap in the middle (after the fast line was removed circa 2006 IIRC) between the two platforms doesn't help its ambience either; it leaves the station feeling somewhat abandoned and gives it a bit of a soviet feel.

 

[Pompey00]

Yes, Havant is a real case study of what years of neglect can do to a station, even with it being quite a big interchange along the Coastway. The huge gap in the middle (after the fast line was removed circa 2006 IIRC) between the two platforms doesn't help its ambience either; it leaves the station feeling somewhat abandoned and gives it a bit of a soviet feel.

You’d thing because it’s an inter change they would make it look better and brighter for those who are changing there .

 

[jackot]

You’d thing because it’s an inter change they would make it look better and brighter for those who are changing there .

Yes, it isn't exactly a nice place to change, and certainly doesn't paint a good image of Havant to passers by.

 

[Pompey00]

Yes, it isn't exactly a nice place to change, and certainly doesn't paint a good image of Havant to passers by.

Exactly but tbh Havant it’s self isn’t nice and it’s up the road from rough estate Leigh park.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Some of my least faves

Mortimer - could really do with a lick of paint as it’s very tired, I was sitting in the shelter last time there was a blood rain and my suit was RUINED

Portsmouth & Southsea - it’s really annoying having to climb the stairs to the high level for nearly every train, not to mention the jet lag from the 4 hour time difference between high and low

Sway - it used to be nice but ever since SWR took over the marimba rhythms NEVER start to play

Winchester - the gateline staff here are SO poorly trained, they let the poorly dressed scroat in front of me even though they had TRAINERS ON, unacceptable!!! (I have never known joy or emotional intimacy please help me)

Liphook - stinks of Liss

Mottisfont & Dunbridge - I’ll always be grateful for their work, Here’s to You, Mrs Romseyson was the first dance at my wedding, Bridge Over Troubled River Test Water is one of the greatest albums of all time and 500,000 people in Central Park speaks for itself, but there’s obviously a huge tension there, Mottisfont sees himself as far more successful than Dunbridge who for me has the better voice (despite the haircut), so I don’t feel comfortable listening to their work any more, it’s not relaxing knowing they hate each other

Woolston - More like POOlston amirite rAwr XD

Blackwater - sat on one of the benches and suddenly felt a sharp pang in my back, then I was transported into an alternate dimension with monstrous creatures that were a representation of my Freudian Id, which the guard of the next train made me pay for tickets for

Micheldever - nobody ever pronounces it correctly, it’s not micheldeeeever, it’s *grunting noises in praise of Cthulu*

St Denys - spooky scary St Denys, shivers down your spine

Botley - We are the Bot. Resistance is futile. Lower your shields and surrender your ships

Bologna Centrale - not 100% if it’s in Hampshire or Dorset but it’s got such an ominous vibe I put it down anyway, plus one of the gateline staff said I was a dinlo who’d ackled my ticket so there we are shag, clearly Hampshire

Fleet - *shakes head disapprovingly, not angry, just disappointed*

Hilsea - are you from Hilsea cause yours are the only hills I see

Overton - bread, milk, butter, chilli flakes, bog roll, prawns, some of those cakes the kids like, pile cream, washing up liquid (not the cheap stuff), squash

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I can't really offer an opinion as I don't know Hampshire and its stations that well, but a few years ago I found myself waiting for a train at one of the local Southampton stations when I was on a work trip to the area, having visited a firm on a nearby industrial estate. I can't now remember which one, but it could have been Romsey. Possibly Millbrook.

There was no bench, so I sat myself down on the bottom step of the footbridge with my laptop and proceeded to tap away. There was no one else about.

After about ten minutes or so, a British Transport Police officer turned up in a car, took one look at me and my computer and said: "Be careful round here; people have been mugged."

Then he got back in his car and drove off...

 

[PedroHav]

I think that's a bit harsh. Havant has some very nice catchment around which attracts a lot of travellers, not just those interchanging.
A more modern looking station and the removal of the old signal box, which is covered in ivy, would really make the station attractive.

 

[jackot]

Some of my least faves

Mortimer - could really do with a lick of paint as it’s very tired, I was sitting in the shelter last time there was a blood rain and my suit was RUINED

Portsmouth & Southsea - it’s really annoying having to climb the stairs to the high level for nearly every train, not to mention the jet lag from the 4 hour time difference between high and low

Sway - it used to be nice but ever since SWR took over the marimba rhythms NEVER start to play

Winchester - the gateline staff here are SO poorly trained, they let the poorly dressed scroat in front of me even though they had TRAINERS ON, unacceptable!!! (I have never known joy or emotional intimacy please help me)

Liphook - stinks of Liss

Mottisfont & Dunbridge - I’ll always be grateful for their work, Here’s to You, Mrs Romseyson was the first dance at my wedding, Bridge Over Troubled River Test Water is one of the greatest albums of all time and 500,000 people in Central Park speaks for itself, but there’s obviously a huge tension there, Mottisfont sees himself as far more successful than Dunbridge who for me has the better voice (despite the haircut), so I don’t feel comfortable listening to their work any more, it’s not relaxing knowing they hate each other

Woolston - More like POOlston amirite rAwr XD

Blackwater - sat on one of the benches and suddenly felt a sharp pang in my back, then I was transported into an alternate dimension with monstrous creatures that were a representation of my Freudian Id, which the guard of the next train made me pay for tickets for

Micheldever - nobody ever pronounces it correctly, it’s not micheldeeeever, it’s *grunting noises in praise of Cthulu*

St Denys - spooky scary St Denys, shivers down your spine

Botley - We are the Bot. Resistance is futile. Lower your shields and surrender your ships

Bologna Centrale - not 100% if it’s in Hampshire or Dorset but it’s got such an ominous vibe I put it down anyway, plus one of the gateline staff said I was a dinlo who’d ackled my ticket so there we are shag, clearly Hampshire

Fleet - *shakes head disapprovingly, not angry, just disappointed*

Hilsea - are you from Hilsea cause yours are the only hills I see

Overton - bread, milk, butter, chilli flakes, bog roll, prawns, some of those cakes the kids like, pile cream, washing up liquid (not the cheap stuff), squash

Some very in depth comments there, especially the Freudian Psychoanalysis of Blackwater

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I think that's a bit harsh. Havant has some very nice catchment around which attracts a lot of travellers, not just those interchanging.
A more modern looking station and the removal of the old signal box, which is covered in ivy, would really make the station attractive.

Well, as I said, my knowledge of Hampshire stations is limited. I could say: Sorry, I Havant a clue...

 

[Pompey00]

I think that's a bit harsh. Havant has some very nice catchment around which attracts a lot of travellers, not just those interchanging.
A more modern looking station and the removal of the old signal box, which is covered in ivy, would really make the station attractive.

Na it defo needs paint and refurb .

 

[adamello]

Na it defo needs paint and refurb .

I agree, just looked on Google Streetview, I think the main station just needs a bit of a freshen up. It's a reasonably decent art-deco style building, and it's too small for an all singing and dancing fancy new interchange.

The signal box, if still utilised by the railway, again a bit of a refurb would be good, otherwise if not could be disposed.

 

[WesternBiker]

It's a reasonably decent art-deco style building, and it's too small for an all singing and dancing fancy new interchange.

I agree: the bones of the station are fine, but it needs a thorough refurbishment. They could start doing something about the two horrible shelters (they look like bike shed roofs but are for passengers) either side of the main entrance, and provide something in sympathy with the clean lines of the original.

 

[themeone]

Indeed, I think if it got a more frequent service (say half-hourly) it might pick up custom, but as it is, I can see why it doesn't get so much use.

In fact that's a general problem for all the smaller stations in the area, all of which could do with a half-hourly service to be more useful.

Very true. One reason Millbrook and Redbridge are poorly used is the hourly service they have on the Salisbury/Romsey loop isn't really that useful, plus it's unreliable and always seems the first to be cancelled when there are problems as though the route is not regarded as that important.

Almost none of the Bournemouth line trains stop at these two stations (I think maybe one a day - it's a while since I checked) so if you want to go from Millbrook or Redbridge to Totton the only way is to double back changing at Southampton Central, thus ensuring the bus is always quicker!

Southampton has quite a lot of suburban stations for a city its size, and I've always felt they deserved a better service. I assume the service is constrained by capacity.

 

[MikePJ]

I grew up in Liss, and during the nineties I commuted to school in Portsmouth by train. I think my least favourite station was probably Cosham, but not for the reasons you might think...

My train home left Portsmouth Harbour at 1613 (the time's still etched into my mind despite 30 years since...) and there was a cluster of trains that left around that time. A couple of my friends lived in Cosham and Fareham and they would take the oh-so-glamorous Cardiff Central train: a brand-new Class 158, with its shiny automatic doors, carpet, air conditioning and a card-swipe payphone that worked on the early-generation mobile phone network. It was quite a step up from the electric slam-door CIGs and CEPs that took me home. Wanting a ride on this lovely machine, I realised that I could travel with my mates as far as Fratton, then get off and get one my train which would always be the one behind. I did it a few times until inevitably... I forgot to actually get off at Fratton while talking to my mate. The next stop was Cosham, so I got off there, took a train back to Hilsea, changed again and got home an hour late to a bollocking from my Mum who was picking me up from the station!

 

[nw1]

I grew up in Liss, and during the nineties I commuted to school in Portsmouth by train. I think my least favourite station was probably Cosham, but not for the reasons you might think...

lol. I went through a phase of using Cosham in the (late) evenings (after 2100, so dark for the majority of the year), but it was never as bad as its reputation suggests. Inevitably deserted.

My train home left Portsmouth Harbour at 1613 (the time's still etched into my mind despite 30 years since...)

Sounds like the classic "82" departure time, as it was roughly that point in the hour for a very long time, certainly in the 80s too. Not exactly xx13 but roughly around then.

and there was a cluster of trains that left around that time. A couple of my friends lived in Cosham and Fareham and they would take the oh-so-glamorous Cardiff Central train: a brand-new Class 158, with its shiny automatic doors, carpet, air conditioning and a card-swipe payphone that worked on the early-generation mobile phone network. It was quite a step up from the electric slam-door CIGs and CEPs that took me home. Wanting a ride on this lovely machine, I realised that I could travel with my mates as far as Fratton, then get off and get one my train which would always be the one behind. I did it a few times until inevitably... I forgot to actually get off at Fratton while talking to my mate. The next stop was Cosham, so I got off there, took a train back to Hilsea, changed again and got home an hour late to a bollocking from my Mum who was picking me up from the station!

But you did get to travel in the 158, I guess....

Some of the stations along the line from Southampton to Brighton have a style that reminds of French station buildings. St Denys is one along with Netley.

Southampton Central certainly lacks character, decent catering etc.

I guess it doesn't help that there aren't so many secondary routes into Southampton these days. The Test Valley line from Andover is gone, the Watercress Line is gone for regular service trains, the DN&S is long gone, Hythe is gone for now - so there is little need for the large numbers of terminating bays that many large regional stations have.

To be fair most of those routes went into Terminus, I think.

Not in Hampshire, but Oxford is probably one of the most underwhelming stations for a significant city.

 

[Pompey00]

I agree, just looked on Google Streetview, I think the main station just needs a bit of a freshen up. It's a reasonably decent art-deco style building, and it's too small for an all singing and dancing fancy new interchange.

The signal box, if still utilised by the railway, again a bit of a refurb would be good, otherwise if not could be disposed.

Yh freshen up would be good.

 

[MikePJ]

Sounds like the classic "82" departure time, as it was roughly that point in the hour for a very long time, certainly in the 80s too.

Yup, that was my train!

But you did get to travel in the 158, I guess....

It was worth it, but I never did it again. Ironically I now live in Cardiff and see the other end of the service. And of course a 158 is not the delight it used to be!

 

[Graham H]

Yes, Havant is a real case study of what years of neglect can do to a station, even with it being quite a big interchange along the Coastway. The huge gap in the middle (after the fast line was removed circa 2006 IIRC) between the two platforms doesn't help its ambience either; it leaves the station feeling somewhat abandoned and gives it a bit of a soviet feel.

Its a slightly odd situation though as its managed by South Western but served mainly by Southern. 4 per hour on SW but 10 per hour for Southern. Wonder if Suuthern chips in any funds for paint ?

 

[nw1]

Its a slightly odd situation though as its managed by South Western but served mainly by Southern. 4 per hour on SW but 10 per hour for Southern. Wonder if Suuthern chips in any funds for paint ?

I guess the most important line it's on is the Portsmouth Direct, so it makes sense that it's managed by South Western.

Certainly for a good while, notably under late BR days including NSE, the South Western (as a division) was either the leading operator or equal to the Central.

For example in 1983, 3tph South Western, 3tph Central. Later in the 80s from 1985-88 the Central services were cut to 2tph (no Arun Valleys any more) while the SW remained 3tph. By 1990 it once again became equal, 3tph each, with the restoration of the Arun Valley service.

 

[WizCastro197]

Its a slightly odd situation though as its managed by South Western but served mainly by Southern. 4 per hour on SW but 10 per hour for Southern. Wonder if Suuthern chips in any funds for paint ?

Just because an operator serves more trains than the manager, doesn’t mean the responsibility of management it should automatically go straight to the operator who serves more. There are plenty of examples where TOCs operate a station, but don’t even serve it at all.

 

[baza585]

Millbrook is pointless and windswept. I agree with what has been posted about Havant, Hilsea and Swaythling.

Others to mention include Hamworthy which is a dump and not nice to wait at. The pond life from Turlin Moor don't help.

However, my vote would go to Pokesdown; grotty and unpleasant, particularly after dark.

 

[miklcct]

Hamworthy is in Dorset not Hampshire.

 

[BarryD]

Hamworthy is in Dorset not Hampshire.

Ditto Pokesdown.

 

[WizCastro197]

Millbrook is pointless and windswept. I agree with what has been posted about Havant, Hilsea and Swaythling.

Others to mention include Hamworthy which is a dump and not nice to wait at. The pond life from Turlin Moor don't help.

However, my vote would go to Pokesdown; grotty and unpleasant, particularly after dark.

Pokesdown is also in Dorset

 

[yorksrob]

I wasn't that impressed with Southampton Central to change trains at.

Fairly standard SSP chains inside and not much for food and drink in the concrete jungle outside.

I gather it once had a rather attractive Southern Railway station building before the office block squashed it !

 

[themeone]

I wasn't that impressed with Southampton Central to change trains at.

Southampton Central is dire - poorly located in relation to the City Centre and the port and unimpressive in design.

 

[WizCastro197]

Southampton Central is dire - poorly located in relation to the City Centre and the port and unimpressive in design.

I agree, as I said in post #2, it is well served and convenient but is generally rather rubbish.