Weirdest Oddities Still on the UK Network?

Dr_Paul · 12 Feb 2019

lewisf said:
The platform numbers go 1, 2, 12, 11, 10A, 10, 9, 8, 6, 5, 3, 3A, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. 10 and 10A serve different tracks and 3 and 3A serve the same track.

I've found Stratford a rather confusing station; does anyone know if there are any plans afoot to make it more convenient to use, at least in respect of the platform numbering?

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Tim_UK · 13 Feb 2019

matacaster said:
There is a (disused) wagon hoist which used to facilitate goods being raised into the vast railway warehouse by Huddersfield station.

As an aside, the goods warehouse is a very large building which was being restored to convert to offices?, but that seemed to have stalled once the vast roof had been fixed and all the windows replaced (literally hundreds). If someone is looking for Brexit warehouse space, it might be worth considering!

I've been inside. It is amazing. Owned as an investment. Sometimes used for events. Recently (3 years ago ish) re-roofed and bits of waterproofing done.

I don't think great for warehouseing. You wouldn't be able to drive modern fork lifts on the different levels. Presume no working lifts.

Lots of plans for renovation, offices, hotels, shopping. Various anchor tenants with long term interest. Needs a tunnel under the railway to be amazing.

6Gman · 13 Feb 2019

bishdunster said:
There used to be (1960s/early 1970s) both a stuffed dog and an aluminium printing machine at Bournemouth Central.

This seemed to be a bit of a Southern Railway/ Region thing. Dogs (alive) were used to collect money from passengers to support the Woking Children's Home. When the dogs shuffled off their mortal coil they were stuffed, put in a glass case, and continued to garner donations.

On a similar theme there was a model steam locomotive at Crewe. It was housed on the front of the Crewe Works Office building on Market Street, Crewe and was then moved to a glass case at the station. You inserted a coin and the wheels revolved for a few seconds. I suspect it raised money for the Webb Orphanage. Not sure when it disappeared - during the 1980s remodelling?

EDIT: Understand the loco is now at Shildon.

ArchieWoodbine · 13 Feb 2019

6Gman said:
This seemed to be a bit of a Southern Railway/ Region thing. Dogs (alive) were used to collect money from passengers to support the Woking Children's Home. When the dogs shuffled off their mortal coil they were stuffed, put in a glass case, and continued to garner donations.

On a similar theme there was a model steam locomotive at Crewe. It was housed on the front of the Crewe Works Office building on Market Street, Crewe and was then moved to a glass case at the station. You inserted a coin and the wheels revolved for a few seconds. I suspect it raised money for the Webb Orphanage. Not sure when it disappeared - during the 1980s remodelling?

EDIT: Understand the loco is now at Shildon.

There’s still a cased castle (might be a king?) model locomotive at Bristol Temple Meads. Insert 20p and the wheels spin around for a good minute. Proceeds go to a railwayman’s charity of some kind.

Modron · 13 Feb 2019

Dr_Paul said:
I've found Stratford a rather confusing station; does anyone know if there are any plans afoot to make it more convenient to use, at least in respect of the platform numbering?

I found it a confusing station as well, was tempted to shout 'Numberwang!' at one point.

I have been told that if you look at Newport (Gwent) station from above it resembles a giant moustache!

cf111 · 13 Feb 2019

Modron said:
I found it a confusing station as well, was tempted to shout 'Numberwang!' at one point.

I have been told that if you look at Newport (Gwent) station from above it resembles a giant moustache!

It does a bit!

Cowley · 13 Feb 2019

cf111 said:
It does a bit!

I like that. :lol:

algytaylor · 14 Feb 2019

sprunt said:
Drifting off-topic, but no discussion of swing bridges (especially unusual ones) is complete without a mention of the Barton Swing Aqueduct, a marvel to compete with any of the wonderful engineering achievements of the railway!

How have I gone through life unaware of that? Thanks - that’s an after-work trip sorted when the days get a bit longer

Kingston Flyer · 14 Feb 2019

ArchieWoodbine said:
There’s still a cased castle (might be a king?) model locomotive at Bristol Temple Meads. Insert 20p and the wheels spin around for a good minute.

I am fairly certain it is a model of 6000 King George V. I do pass through Bristol from time to time, mainly because it seems to be the nearest place to here (S. Wales) that railtours start.

It is at the top of the stairs to other platforms once you have entered the station, so pretty prominent and noticeable.

si404 · 14 Feb 2019

Dr_Paul said:
I've found Stratford a rather confusing station; does anyone know if there are any plans afoot to make it more convenient to use, at least in respect of the platform numbering?

If there was a time it would be done, it would have been 7 years ago, in prep for the 5-ring circus coming to town...

Andrew Nelson · 14 Feb 2019

paulravuslante said:
Wow, using sweets to control trains! Lol

Medication surely?

JonasB · 15 Feb 2019

JHurcum said:
Now I know there is nothing quite as odd as horse powered traction used today on our Rail Network but I was wondering what information people have for strange railway happenings on the UK Network that can be witnessed today.

Diesel-hauled intercity trains on mainlines…

xotGD · 15 Feb 2019

JonasB said:
Diesel-hauled intercity trains on mainlines…

I would say that 4-car DMUs working intercity services is more of an oddity.

High Dyke · 15 Feb 2019

I appreciate that a timetabled service can be amended at some point and destinations of services altered; however is the 17:13 ex-Kyle of Lochalsh unique in the fact that it bypasses Inverness station on the inward journey from the Kyle, uses the route from Inverness Rose Street Junction - Welsh's Bridge Junction and then sets back into the station so as to continue it's journey to Elgin.

cf111 · 15 Feb 2019

High Dyke said:
I appreciate that a timetabled service can be amended at some point and destinations of services altered; however is the 17:13 ex-Kyle of Lochalsh unique in the fact that it bypasses Inverness station on the inward journey from the Kyle, uses the route from Inverness Rose Street Junction - Welsh's Bridge Junction and then sets back into the station so as to continue it's journey to Elgin.

Yes, it is the only passenger service via Inverness to do that.

The late service from Inverness to Wick used to originate in Edinburgh and would do the same except obviously in the opposite direction, this was back in National Express days.

Dai Corner · 15 Feb 2019

cf111 said:
Yes, it is the only passenger service via Inverness to do that.

The late service from Inverness to Wick used to originate in Edinburgh and would do the same except obviously in the opposite direction, this was back in National Express days.

Isn't this odd manoeuvre done purely to avoid going through closure procedures for that short length of track?

Dougal2345 · 23 Feb 2019

JHurcum said:
Yes I do beleive I have noticed it still in place, think it provides wheelchair access to platforms now rather than luggage

Sad to report, the Brockenhurst "oddity" has gone:

Laurencew · 23 Feb 2019

Rail replacement buses leave from the 'horse landing' at Crewe. Announced routinely and automatically for the RRBs to Stockport today.

Doomotron · 23 Feb 2019

There are two stations at Westenhanger stations, 250m apart on the same line. One is the current station and the other was Westenhanger Racecourse. What makes this an oddity, however, was that they may have open at the same time. Not sure, though.

STEVIEBOY1 · 24 Feb 2019

Doomotron said:
There are two stations at Westenhanger stations, 250m apart on the same line. One is the current station and the other was Westenhanger Racecourse. What makes this an oddity, however, was that they may have open at the same time. Not sure, though.

Was one of those called "Folkestone Racecourse"?

yorksrob · 24 Feb 2019

Doomotron said:
There are two stations at Westenhanger stations, 250m apart on the same line. One is the current station and the other was Westenhanger Racecourse. What makes this an oddity, however, was that they may have open at the same time. Not sure, though.

Yes, they would have been, as the current station has been open since the construction of the line.

Dai Corner · 24 Feb 2019

yorksrob said:
Yes, they would have been, as the current station has been open since the construction of the line.

The Racecourse platforms were regarded as part of the main station according to

https://www.kentrail.org.uk/westenhanger_2.htm

Of importance to this station was the establishment of Folkestone Racecourse in 1898, which partly absorbed land once belonging to ‘’Westenhanger House’’. In response to the vast amounts of traffic generated on race days, it was left to the 1899-formed SE&CR to substantially upgrade the station’s capacity. The solution to this was interesting: in about 1905, construction of two completely new island platforms, situated to the west of the existing Westenhanger site, was undertaken. These virtually formed their own self-contained station, for they commanded their own signal box and lattice footbridge. The islands combined had four platform faces, and a footpath directly connected the railway with the racecourse. The provision of outer loops at these platforms ensured that race day trains did not block the main running lines for non-stop services. Re-signalling of the general Westenhanger station area brought a swift end to the aforementioned SER ‘’up’’ side signal cabin. As part of the expansion works, Saxby & Farmer was commissioned to erect a larger replacement cabin on the site of the very first signal box, at the western end of the ‘’down’’ platform. The station’s third signal box was virtually identical in design to the upper half of the cabin which still survives at Ryde St Johns Road, on the Isle of Wight, and its increased size saw that it occupied the entire section of the ‘’down’’ platform located west of the road bridge. This resulted in the removal of the ‘’down’’ side waiting shelter, and the erection of a new timber affair east of the road bridge. During the same works, the flat-roofed ‘’up’’ side platform canopy was replaced with an example with a downward-sloping roof.

yorksrob · 24 Feb 2019

Dai Corner said:
The Racecourse platforms were regarded as part of the main station according to

https://www.kentrail.org.uk/westenhanger_2.htm

That might partially explain why the station building is so in excess of what the SER would normally have provided at a small wayside station.

306024 · 24 Feb 2019

Dr_Paul said:
I've found Stratford a rather confusing station; does anyone know if there are any plans afoot to make it more convenient to use, at least in respect of the platform numbering?

The automatic route setting controlled from Liverpool St IECC relies on the line codes and platform numbers in the data to route trains through Stratford. Renumber the platforms and you’d have to recode a lot of that data, at a considerable cost.

Highlandspring · 24 Feb 2019

High Dyke said:
I appreciate that a timetabled service can be amended at some point and destinations of services altered; however is the 17:13 ex-Kyle of Lochalsh unique in the fact that it bypasses Inverness station on the inward journey from the Kyle, uses the route from Inverness Rose Street Junction - Welsh's Bridge Junction and then sets back into the station so as to continue it's journey to Elgin.

Since the December 2018 timetable change it has terminated at Inverness, running directly into platform 6.

Esker-pades · 24 Feb 2019

Highlandspring said:
Since the December 2018 timetable change it has terminated at Inverness, running directly into platform 6.

Save for Saturdays, when it still reverses at Welshs Bridge.

Doomotron · 24 Feb 2019

STEVIEBOY1 said:
Was one of those called "Folkestone Racecourse"?

I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure it was just Westenhanger Racecourse, though.

Nicks · 25 Feb 2019

Norbury Station still has long ramps to the platforms which are said to have been used for horses to be off loaded from trains.

aar0 · 25 Feb 2019

Modron said:
I have been told that if you look at Newport (Gwent) station from above it resembles a giant moustache!

I always thought it was quite fallopian...

davmet · 25 Feb 2019

Doomotron said:
I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure it was just Westenhanger Racecourse, though.

Westonhanger was the station you used for millstone racecourse

Weirdest Oddities Still on the UK Network?

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