• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Stations in the UK with more platforms than they need

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

colchesterken

Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
764
Horstead Keynes...But I love it. P 4 has had exhibition coaches parked up for years
One day hopefully it will be used for the Ardingley 3 rail electrics ( with Gordon in charge )
will only cost about a million I would think
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

B

BurtonM

Member
Joined
3 Feb 2014
Messages
823
Location
Manchester
New Cross Gate is sort of overkill. I was also going to suggest Tring.
Wedgwood and Barlaston definitely have too many platforms.

You could argue possibly that Stalybridge has too many, but the fact the station acts as a passing loop is useful.
If it wasn't for the junction to the west end the station wouldn't be nearly as big.
 
W

whhistle

On Moderation
Joined
30 Dec 2010
Messages
2,636
HLE said:
How do you work that one out? Only platforms 3/4 could be considered underused, as they’re normally only used in the peaks - but that’s a result of the VHF timetable since the WCML upgrade.
Click to expand...
Discounting the additional handful of Virgin services, there aren't many trains per hour.
I suppose the large layout and flyover for the Leicester to Birmingham line are what encourages thinking into Nuneaton having too many platforms.
But during the day, there's what, the Coventry once an hour, a London Midland to London once an hour in each direction and the two Leicester-Birminghams - so that's 7 trains an hour. 8 platforms is a lot for that, but as I say, having a whole platform that gets used twice an hour is a little strange comparing it to other close-by stations such as Rugby, which has a lot more using one platform.
 
I

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
BurtonM said:
New Cross Gate is sort of overkill. I was also going to suggest Tring.
Wedgwood and Barlaston definitely have too many platforms.

You could argue possibly that Stalybridge has too many, but the fact the station acts as a passing loop is useful.
If it wasn't for the junction to the west end the station wouldn't be nearly as big.
Click to expand...

Don't follow the logic for New Cross Gate (all 5 platforms in regular, intensive use*) or Tring (3 Slow Line platforms of which 1 used for turnbacks, plus 2 Fast Line platforms for when Slow Lines are under posession.

*There are two Up Slow platforms, but this is necessary to manage punctual presentation from the ELL onto the Down Slow towards Brockley, plus it enables ELL trains to turn back to the north if necessary.
 
class387

class387

Established Member
Joined
9 Oct 2015
Messages
1,525
Hatfield P2 (up fast) is rarely used and there isn't a platform on the down fast to go with it so seems a bit pointless.
 
A

A0wen

On Moderation
Joined
19 Jan 2008
Messages
7,479
I'd suggest Knebworth - as it has platforms on the fasts yet it is rare for them to be used and Brookmans Park - because I don't think I've ever known a Moorgate service to be run on the fasts !
 
tsr

tsr

Established Member
Joined
15 Nov 2011
Messages
7,400
Location
Between the parallel lines
Streatham Hill (the Bay siding has a platform face which is entirely accessible to the public and is, to all extents and purposes, another platform - but has no practical passenger train uses as the signalling doesn’t really permit it, and the timetable of passenger movements currently doesn’t really need it)

Great Yarmouth (aside from cruel jokes about it being better not having any platforms there, 4 are not really necessary)
 
G

gg1

Established Member
Joined
2 Jun 2011
Messages
1,906
Location
Birmingham
Platform 6 at Wolverhampton is only used for a few early morning and late night services to/from Shrewsbury and platform 3 at Wellington isn't currently used at all as far as I'm aware.
 
S

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,437
Spankthemonkey said:
Guildford could survive off less too i'm sure.
Click to expand...

You perhaps ought to tell NR where they are going wrong, because the Wessex route study includes proposals for more platforms at Guildford in CP6 or CP7...

Three additional through platforms would be achieved in two phases, firstly a completely new island Platform 9/10, and secondly a rebuild of Platform 7 and 8 to allow for an additional track so that P6 and P7 could both be used.
 
Last edited:
bramling

bramling

Veteran Member
Joined
5 Mar 2012
Messages
17,774
Location
Hertfordshire / Teesdale
A0wen said:
I'd suggest Knebworth - as it has platforms on the fasts yet it is rare for them to be used and Brookmans Park - because I don't think I've ever known a Moorgate service to be run on the fasts !
Click to expand...

Both Knebworth and Hatfield do get used. Hatfield has some purpose in that if a down semi-fast train ends up on the DF going northwards from Potters Bar then it allows the service to still call at Hatfield. Originally there were crossovers between fast and slow lines at the London end of Hatfield station, however the presence of the DF platform was no doubt a factor in allowing the down crossover to be removed, the up crossover being replaced by a high-speed one at Marshmoor. Hatfield's DF platform was used a lot following the Potters Bar derailment when the DF-DS crossover there was out of commission for some time after.

A lot of early morning and late evening stopping trains use the fast lines through Knebworth at the discretion of the signaller (0522 KX-Peterborough is a favourite for this). Less common nowadays than in the past though, and no real *need* to do so, apart from the fact that it allows trains to run slightly faster on the fast lines, which can be a useful way of making up a minute or so.
 
John Luxton

John Luxton

Established Member
Joined
23 Nov 2014
Messages
1,657
Location
Liverpool
Blaenau Ffestiniog the FR platform face opposite the Conwy Valley Line platform never sees regular use. The other year during the May Gala weekend footplate rides were being offered but it isn't used by service trains.
 
C

cle

Established Member
Joined
17 Nov 2010
Messages
4,033
STKKK46 said:
Aren’t the Queens Park (London) slow line platforms practically redundant, since LM stopped calling there? Cue someone mentioning Alliance Rail turning round their Blackpool services there. :lol::lol:
Click to expand...

Once upon a time this saw 1-2tph from Euston... I think they'd be very well used as it's the busiest Bakerloo and LO station north of Paddington/Euston. Could relieve the tube at Euston - there is some capacity on the Bakerloo as many start there. For certain places, it'd be quicker than via Euston - for example Paddington, Baker St, Piccadilly Circus...
 
S

STKKK46

Member
Joined
5 May 2010
Messages
326
Location
Anywhere but here...
cle said:
Once upon a time this saw 1-2tph from Euston... I think they'd be very well used as it's the busiest Bakerloo and LO station north of Paddington/Euston. Could relieve the tube at Euston - there is some capacity on the Bakerloo as many start there. For certain places, it'd be quicker than via Euston - for example Paddington, Baker St, Piccadilly Circus...
Click to expand...

I’d guess that paths may not to be negotiate. I know some LM trains have 7 minute turnarounds at EUS.
 
S

Stopper

Member
Joined
11 Nov 2017
Messages
651
Stopper said:
Stirling has a lot of platforms just used for stabling units, however in terms of passenger trains it has far too many. It only really needs 2, 3, 6 & 7. I’ve hardly ever seen 8 used and 9 isn’t necessary given that 6 is bi-directional. I’ve barely seen 10 used since the Alloa link was reopened and I’m sure 4&5 aren’t open to passengers.

Springburn platform 4 is never used, and 3 is barely used now. I think that’ll change soon though.
Click to expand...

Springburn bays seem to be back in regular use now. I’ve not seen Platform 4 used in a long time before today.
 
Steddenm

Steddenm

Member
Joined
2 Mar 2017
Messages
790
Location
Clane, Co. Kildare
whhistle said:
Discounting the additional handful of Virgin services, there aren't many trains per hour.
I suppose the large layout and flyover for the Leicester to Birmingham line are what encourages thinking into Nuneaton having too many platforms.
But during the day, there's what, the Coventry once an hour, a London Midland to London once an hour in each direction and the two Leicester-Birminghams - so that's 7 trains an hour. 8 platforms is a lot for that, but as I say, having a whole platform that gets used twice an hour is a little strange comparing it to other close-by stations such as Rugby, which has a lot more using one platform.
Click to expand...

Nuneaton only has 7 platforms:

1 - WMT to Coventry
2 - LNWR to Crewe
3 - VT to Manchester/Liverpool/Holyead
4 - VT to London
5 - LNWR to London
6 - XC to Birmingham
7 - XC to Leicester/Stansted Airport
 
J

jyte

Member
Joined
27 Oct 2016
Messages
670
Location
in me shed
Preston, which I think has 4 bay platforms?

I sometimes wonder what would happen to the station's arrangement if NR ever decided they wanted to raise line speeds around the station.

Other contenders - Carlisle, also has a lot of Bay platforms. Here an argument can definitely be made for keeping Bay platform 2, but I don't think it needs 2 North facing bay platforms.
 
Esker-pades

Esker-pades

Established Member
Joined
23 Jul 2015
Messages
3,767
Location
Beds, Bucks, or somewhere else
jyte said:
Preston, which I think has 4 bay platforms?

I sometimes wonder what would happen to the station's arrangement if NR ever decided they wanted to raise line speeds around the station.

Other contenders - Carlisle, also has a lot of Bay platforms.
Click to expand...

All 3 south bays are used regularly throughout the day. 2 north bays is probably overkill, but it's really the minimum one can have with that station layout.
 
J

jyte

Member
Joined
27 Oct 2016
Messages
670
Location
in me shed
FelixtheCat said:
All 3 south bays are used regularly throughout the day. 2 north bays is probably overkill, but it's really the minimum one can have with that station layout.
Click to expand...
Definitely true. I think when BR remodelled it they actually removed a North facing bay platform. I think what Carlisle could do with is an extra through platform - anyway, that's not what this thread is for.

Another station that suffers from the 'too many bays' problem is Doncaster, even though Platform 0 was a must have.

I'm not fully aware how much use 9-12 get at Newcastle, but I've seen the odd 185 stashed there. How good they'll be when TPE is running 802s I don't know. According to simsig they're all about 110m long, so not that useful for a 5*26m Class 802.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top