Stations which need to be re-sited.

[InkyScrolls]

I have also long thought that Saltaire is in the wrong place which no-doubt was chosen when the station was rebuilt simply because it was the site of the orignal station. Personally I think it would be much better slightly closer to Shipley, behind back Saltaire road. If money was no object I would clear the buildings between it and the A657 to make a car park and so that the station is visible from the road. Have a proper drop off/pick up point and somewhere for coaches too. It would also make the route to Saltaire Mill much more attractive as then you could approach it from the front rather than what feels like the tradesman entrance.

It's only half a mile from Shipley as it is; moving it any nearer and you might as well get rid of it altogether!

 

[Grumpy]

It's only half a mile from Shipley as it is; moving it any nearer and you might as well get rid of it altogether!

Dont say that!
It cost little over £100k to build and handles over 600k passengers/year. Money well spent.

 

[InkyScrolls]

Don't say that!
It cost little over £100k to build and handles over 600k passengers/year. Money well spent.

I agree, but I'm saying there's no point moving it nearer Shipley. The station is fine (and very well indeed indeed!) where it is.

 

[brad465]

Highbridge & Burnham could do with being further north towards the B3140: its currently at the very southern tip of Highbridge, well away from Burnham, the larger settlement, and poorly linked to it. If it was placed just to the north of Highbridge on currently undeveloped land, both towns would be better linked to the station, plus Jct 22 on the M5 would be closer too.

 

[Halifaxlad]

It's only half a mile from Shipley as it is; moving it any nearer and you might as well get rid of it altogether!

How about get rid of P3/4/5 at Shipley instead ?

 

[InkyScrolls]

How about get rid of P3/4/5 at Shipley instead ?

That would make changing trains at Shipley, as many people do, a little less inviting.

 

[I'm here now]

Vanishingly unlikely, but the line in Looe, Cornwall could be continued past the police and petrol stations to a much more convenient site for a station adjacent to the river bridge and town.

In St. Ives, also in Cornwall, the station could revert back to its former (more convenient) location - with the possibility of a second platform - on this now very busy line.

And get rid of the car park while you’re at it!

 

[lachlan]

Resisting Blackpool Pleasure Beach station to be adjacent to the current Pleasure Beach entrance and extending the terminus further north will make the line a lot more convenient.

Rebuild Pilning to be close to Pilning itself.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Vanishingly unlikely, but the line in Looe, Cornwall could be continued past the police and petrol stations to a much more convenient site for a station adjacent to the river bridge and town.

In St. Ives, also in Cornwall, the station could revert back to its former (more convenient) location - with the possibility of a second platform - on this now very busy line.

Though the end of a branch line is just about the least helpful place (from a capacity standpoint) to add a second platform.

 

[The Planner]

Resisting Blackpool Pleasure Beach station to be adjacent to the current Pleasure Beach entrance and extending the terminus further north will make the line a lot more convenient.

That is an awful lot of money that doesn't solve the capacity problem of 1tph at 2 cars.

 

[Whistler40145]

Lostock would be better sited before the junction, thus enabling services on the Wigan line to serve

 

[AlastairFraser]

Lostock would be better sited before the junction, thus enabling services on the Wigan line to serve

Or just add platforms on the Wigan line.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2024 ==

I'm less familiar with Portsmouth; would resiting Fratton be of any use? Moving it half a mile north to St. Mary's Road would put it closer to St. Mary's Community Health Campus and not much further away from Eastney, as well as moving it closer to the part of Portsmouth which doesn't look particularly well-served by Fratton or Hilsea.

The issue is Fratton station is close to Portsmouth FC's stadium at Fratton Park, so you risk losing football traffic if you relocate it.
What Portsmouth and its metropolitan area really needs is the light rail system it was promised. That was cancelled in the 2000s, but could be reinstated.

 

[nlogax]

Pokesdown always struck me as a little out of the way from the main footfall of central Boscombe. The old Boscombe station next to Ashley Road was closed back in 1965 but I fear with Travis Perkins and other businesses now occupying that land to the south of the tracks it wouldn't be feasible.

 

[Halifaxlad]

That is an awful lot of money that doesn't solve the capacity problem of 1tph at 2 cars.

Perhaps and extension and a station much closer to the front would encourage more people to use it ?

I certainly think it should be electrified so that the line can be ran by either 3 car 323s or 331s!

Personally I would go for 331s as this would feel transformative compared to the sprinters.

Resite the station, electrify the line with passive provision for either loops or double tracking! I would certainly resite the station to at least adjacent to the stadium and put in a second platform.

 

[The Planner]

Perhaps and extension and a station much closer to the front would encourage more people to use it ?

I certainly think it should be electrified so that the line can be ran by either 3 car 323s or 331s!

Personally I would go for 331s as this would feel transformative compared to the sprinters.

Resite the station, electrify the line with passive provision for either loops or double tracking!

Why electrify it before the capacity enhancements? that makes no sense. No one is going to extend it back to Central either, especially when millions was spent on the upgrade to North from Preston.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Perhaps and extension and a station much closer to the front would encourage more people to use it ?

I certainly think it should be electrified so that the line can be ran by either 3 car 323s or 331s!

Personally I would go for 331s as this would feel transformative compared to the sprinters.

Resite the station, electrify the line with passive provision for either loops or double tracking! I would certainly resite the station to at least adjacent to the stadium and put in a second platform.

If we were to find ourselves in a world where the cost of electrification had collapsed to a level that would make wiring this route viable, you'd want to add a loop at least to allow a 2tph service...

If that unlikely set of circumstances were fulfilled, 323s would absolutely be the better stock for the route than the 331s, not least because running 6-car formations elsewhere on the network is easier with the 331s due to the selective door opening. For routes such as South Fylde where 3-car is close to the upper limit of demand, the 323s would be ideal. The higher density layout is more suited to handling crowds, too. Pretty much any EMU (apart from the ones which share bodyshell design with 150s) would be "transformative" compared to Sprinters.

Is your point about resiting the station referring to Blackpool South station itself rather than Pleasure Beach? Because if you're adding a second platform to any station on a mostly (or entirely) single-track branch, the terminus is just about the least efficient place to expand.
I'm not convinced it needs to be any closer to the stadium either. Most away supporters use North station due to the more frequent service, many don't even realise South station exists. For events like football matches where everyone leaves at pretty much the same time at the end, having a bit of distance between the venue and the transport hub is actually preferable as it allows the crowds to spread out a bit and avoids services being swamped.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm generally of the opinion that Warrington Central would be better moved east of its current position closer to the roundabout where the four track sections are. Then, it could be rebuilt with four platforms to allow passing or frequent termination from each direction, splitting the stopping services in half.
It would be marginally less convenient for the town center but not greatly.

It would be even worse for the traipse to Bank Quay though !

Dont say that!
It cost little over £100k to build and handles over 600k passengers/year. Money well spent.

I agree, but I'm saying there's no point moving it nearer Shipley. The station is fine (and very well indeed indeed!) where it is.

We need to relearn how to build £100k stations.

 

[AlastairFraser]

If we were to find ourselves in a world where the cost of electrification had collapsed to a level that would make wiring this route viable, you'd want to add a loop at least to allow a 2tph service...

If that unlikely set of circumstances were fulfilled, 323s would absolutely be the better stock for the route than the 331s, not least because running 6-car formations elsewhere on the network is easier with the 331s due to the selective door opening. For routes such as South Fylde where 3-car is close to the upper limit of demand, the 323s would be ideal. The higher density layout is more suited to handling crowds, too. Pretty much any EMU (apart from the ones which share bodyshell design with 150s) would be "transformative" compared to Sprinters.

Is your point about resiting the station referring to Blackpool South station itself rather than Pleasure Beach? Because if you're adding a second platform to any station on a mostly (or entirely) single-track branch, the terminus is just about the least efficient place to expand.
I'm not convinced it needs to be any closer to the stadium either. Most away supporters use North station due to the more frequent service, many don't even realise South station exists. For events like football matches where everyone leaves at pretty much the same time at the end, having a bit of distance between the venue and the transport hub is actually preferable as it allows the crowds to spread out a bit and avoids services being swamped.

It's also important to mention that there is a proposal to convert the Fylde Coast line from Squires Gate, east to a rail tram interchange at Kirkham & Wesham, and close the line from Squires Gate to Blackpool South.

The tram would be able to provide a much better frequency into Blackpool at a lower cost than upgrading the railway (with the potential for cheap infill stops around Lytham St Annes/Wrea Green), and the seafront tram stops are way closer to most of the attractions.

It would also mean a possible direct link to Blackpool North station for the intercity and regional services available there.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Why electrify it before the capacity enhancements? that makes no sense. No one is going to extend it back to Central either, especially when millions was spent on the upgrade to North from Preston.

Did you read my last comment ?

I would rather just start running 3 car diesel trains on the line although most of the services around the area are electric and getting hold of a couple of spare 3 car 195s will be hard to come by. Electrifying the line and you easily run a couple 323s for which most drivers have already been trained. If neccessary you may need to lease another couple although thats no biggy since about 7 are currently homeless.

Most away supporters use North station due to the more frequent service, many don't even realise South station exists.

Perhaps thats an argument for moving closer to front and closer to the stadium. Im not comments on exactly where!

For events like football matches where everyone leaves at pretty much the same time at the end, having a bit of distance between the venue and the transport hub is actually preferable as it allows the crowds to spread out a bit and avoids services being swamped.

Swamped by people on their way to Blackpool North ?

Manchester City has a station right next to the ground. Man City has a tramstop as part of the campus where the stadium is. In Leeds I think there are still aspirations to build a station near Elland road.

 

[The Planner]

Did you read my last comment ?

I would rather just start running 3 car diesel trains on the line although most of the services around the area are electric and getting hold of a couple of spare 3 car 195s will be hard to come by. Electrifying the line and you easily run a couple 323s for which most drivers have already been trained. If neccessary you may need to lease another couple although thats no biggy since about 7 are currently homeless.

Yes, why would you electrify to keep the same quantum of service? Do the capacity increases and get it to 2tph which is vastly more appealing to passengers.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Yes, why would you electrify to keep the same quantum of service? Do the capacity increases and get it to 2tph which is vastly more appealing to passengers.

Naturally I would also believe in running services every half an hour but Im just of the opinion that the priority should be to get some modern 3 car trains on the line. Its no good running an attractive timetable only for customers to be dissapointed by the rolling stock nor do I believe in attracting use then going 'Sorry folks, we having to close for a few days to upgrade the line'

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Swamped by people on their way to Blackpool North ?

Manchester City has a station right next to the ground. Man City has a tramstop as part of the campus where the stadium is. In Leeds I think there are still aspirations to build a station near Elland road.

When I attended a game at the Etihad a few years ago, the tram stop was closed after the game due to crowds- being right next to the Stadium meant it was difficult to organise a queueing system, though I hope things have improved on that front with all the money sloshing around Eastlands.
If a station is right next to the stadium, crowd control is more difficult and therefore more expensive. The nearest operational railway to Elland Road is the Leeds branch of the ECML, and whilst it's probably just about far enough to make crowd control manageable, it's a busy bit of railway with multiple long-distance services passing. You'd probably only stop the locals there, and they're not exactly quiet at the sorts of times football matches start and end.
The disused Holbeck viaduct is nearby, and I can't see that ever seeing trains again- one of the reasons it closed, even as just a headshunt in the later years, was an inability for Mk4 sets to negotiate the curves- 80x sets would be even worse. It may work as a tram route, though the council seem more attached to a "linear park" idea.

 

[The Planner]

Naturally I would also believe in running services every half an hour but Im just of the opinion that the priority should be to get some modern 3 car trains on the line. Its no good running an attractive timetable only for customers to be dissapointed by the rolling stock nor do I believe in attracting use then going 'Sorry folks, we having to close for a few days to upgrade the line'

If you suddenly upped their ability to get places at a decent frequency, people will deal with the rolling stock.

 

[Meerkat]

For example my old home station of Scunthorpe. While it is fairly close to the town centre, it could be better. By building a new station about a quarter to half a mile eastwards, it makes it more convenient for the town centre and bus station, compared to the current location.

What is Scunthorpe station used for - are people coming in by train to go to the town centre, or is it more for locals to go elsewhere? If its the latter then moving it east would move it further away from the residential areas. Move the bus station to the train station.....
With the unfortunate industrial situation all that railway land must be due for a rationalisation and use the space for a multi-storey car park and blocks of flats between the station and the town centre. Moving the passenger lines south to the goods lines would be best, but building a new station would be expensive (sets off against not needing bridges for the development)

Stranraer perhaps, although the previous plans, a few years ago, to re-site the station a little nearer to the town, seem to have permanently hit the buffer stops.

Stanraer's station needs moving to an improved Girvan, electrified and with a slick cross-platform interchange to electric coaches to Stranraer via a new Girvan bypass and the Cairnryan ferries.

Morecambe's present station is to be fair more convenient for the centre than the old one was. However with Eden Project and the theme park set to potentially reopen, I think there'd be a strong case for returning it to the old site and making it more attractive than the present very basic station. There's enough space there now only taking from car parking, and you'd just have to slightly rejig the road system and remove a couple of fast food sheds to do it.

It would cost a fair bit, just to save 300m and move the station further away from the town centre and residential.
Council would probably prefer to move the station backward toward the Lancaster Road and force visitors to walk through the town centre rather than just directly train in and out of the attraction!

 

[duffield]

What is Scunthorpe station used for - are people coming in by train to go to the town centre, or is it more for locals to go elsewhere? If its the latter then moving it east would move it further away from the residential areas. Move the bus station to the train station.....
With the unfortunate industrial situation all that railway land must be due for a rationalisation and use the space for a multi-storey car park and blocks of flats between the station and the town centre. Moving the passenger lines south to the goods lines would be best, but building a new station would be expensive (sets off against not needing bridges for the development)

Stanraer's station needs moving to an improved Girvan, electrified and with a slick cross-platform interchange to electric coaches to Stranraer via a new Girvan bypass and the Cairnryan ferries.

It would cost a fair bit, just to save 300m and move the station further away from the town centre and residential.
Council would probably prefer to move the station backward toward the Lancaster Road and force visitors to walk through the town centre rather than just directly train in and out of the attraction!

Morecambe should have the original station back as "Morecambe Promenade" and a new "Morecambe Town" station as well! (Yes, I know this is probably financially nonsensical)

 

[xotGD]

While Manchester Oxford Road doesn't need to be moved, it does need an entrance pointing in the direction of Deansgate for those (like me) who need to head in that direction.

 

[BazingaTribe]

Don't think it got that far - the buffers are beyond the present station

Struggling to think of UK cases (Falmouth back in the 70s...) but Central Europe (CZ/SK, but also DE) has plenty of towns where the station is supplemented by a passenger "halt" nearer the centre - sometimes modern, sometimes almost as old as the original station.

The ferry port at Stranraer is a fond memory. For me it's filed away in that drawer called 'Things the way they used to be' like my grandparents being at the other end of the boat ride at Larne, floppy disks, and reading the letters section in magazines.

Speaking of central and eastern Europe, the ur-example is Białystok, which served as a centre for the various Polish uprisings of the 19th century against Russian rule, and was subsequently punished with the railway station being sited several miles outside the town. The station is still not terribly central, but the town has grown out to meet it. I was the quintessential lost tourist that time because it's not a place with a lot of attractions, but I had an interrail ticket and fell on my feet when a couple of passing students realised I spoke English and I exchanged a day of conversation practice for them for a bed for the night. It could have been worse -- I could have ended up in Belarus. No shade on that country and its people, but I later had a flatmate whose dad was on Lukashenka's Most Wanted list and they don't mess around.

Closer to home, Reading Green Park was something I was awaiting with excitement because I hoped it might become a stopping point for buses along the Basingstoke road/old A33 through the villages south of Junction 11 where my parents live or at least the Park and Ride at Mereoak. Unfortunately the position of the track going round the back of Reading means that Green Park is a long way off the IDR and thus a large detour for either bus route. At least the Park and Ride bus now has an hourly service to my parents' village -- for a year or so during the pandemic it was hanging by its fingertips.

I don't know how you'd re-site it, though. The aim was, at least theoretically, to put a station at Chineham (outside Basingstoke, close to a large shopping park) but I'm not sure whether that's even on the radar. The line is far more efficient than a bus service would be, but with Reading West at the right place for me to have used regularly as a commuter, it's one of those things that fall under 'can't complain'.

At least it wasn't ordered from on high by Moscow. And at least we HAVE a railway at the end of it all -- the Baltic States had to recreate their network after the Russians grubbed up the inter-city links between Rīga, Tallinn and Vilnius to make collusion amongst the subjugated peoples less easy (didn't work, obviously). Don't get me wrong -- I love Russia and her people and culture (though not the madmen in charge). They just make Dr Beeching look like one of us.

 

[yorkie]

Reopened to enable @brad465 to post

 

[brad465]

Digby & Sowton is one I think should be re-sited further north. It's located towards the southern end of Sowton Industrial Estate, meaning the northern parts are far from any station, and a number of housing estates are also north of the station. If it was moved to somewhere close to Honiton road, there are a couple of fields that could be used for it, and/or utilising the car park of the Police & Crime Commissioner offices. This would be more central, with the housing estates to the west closer, and the centre of the Industrial estate being an easier walk to the station. There also appear to be some new houses being built around the Met Office HQ, which itself is equidistant from D&S and Pinhoe stations at a 25-30 minute walk either way.

In addition, if D&S being further north does cause some customers to lose out, maybe Newcourt could move slightly further north as well, which itself is located at one extreme end of the town/village, but could gain some passengers that would lose out from a re-siting of the former station.


(Google Map screenshot of the Digby & Sowton area, with the station towards the south end of the map)

 

[Northumbriana]

'Resite' Chathill station in Northumberland to Belford.

And move Cramlington station a bit further South so it's next to Manor Walk retail park.