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Station 'Secrets'

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route:oxford

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Anyone know why the remains of 142059's cab were retained at all?

It's just a bigger scale of the average office stationery cupboard..

People dump stuff in there either because it's easier, or the think it might be needed at some obscure point in the future.

I think this image shows access to a Subway at platforms 9 & 10 Stirling station...

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/images/l/452786/

From the aerial image it is difficult to work out for sure though...

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/images/l/682694/

I can't be sure, but something at the back of my mind tells me that there was also a lift and subway linking platforms 2 & 3 at this point here...

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/images/l/573628/
 
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Scotrail84

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Waverley has an old rifle range under it now disused. There's a warren of tunnels and rooms underneath Waverley which are still in regular use by cleaning staff and for storing stuff. I've been down loads of times and when your on your own at night it is very unnerving as the area covers from near enough platform 4 right up under the main concourse.

There is also what's called the lower basement underneath the basement which is unsafe to enter without breathing apparatus and I have been told the tunnels down there date back many hundreds of years and it's rumoured that a tunnel comes out somewhere near abbeyhill and that the a tunnel runs right up to Edinburgh castle that would have been used as an escape route should the castle have came under attack hundreds of years ago although Waverley would not have been there at the time :) How much truth is in this I dont know. I suspect not a lot. Interesting anyway.
 

route:oxford

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I have been told the tunnels down there date back many hundreds of years and it's rumoured that a tunnel comes out somewhere near abbeyhill and that the a tunnel runs right up to Edinburgh castle that would have been used as an escape route should the castle have came under attack hundreds of years ago although Waverley would not have been there at the time :) How much truth is in this I dont know. I suspect not a lot. Interesting anyway.

Wouldn't that area have been under the Nor Loch until the late 18th century?
 

Scotrail84

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Like I say I don't know how much truth there is in it but it's possible that there could be tunnels under the area where the railway runs through the gardens. They could of course have avoided the nor loch area and run under the royal mile. There was an incident a few years ago where the part of the old motorail sidings subsided leaving a huge hole in the ground which was old caverns from the bygone days that nobody knew about. Sadly they were all filled in with concrete to provide foundations for the council headquarters beside the Waverley in new street car park.
 
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Phil6219

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Hey guys,
Does anyone know how to get to the discarded pacer cab underneath Man Vic station. Thanks, :)

No chance mate :D

The guys that got to it nearly got caught on that occasion and have since been busted whilst on other "urban exploration adventures". All I know is that opposite the main entrance to Victoria (across the road & down the slope) there was a locked & gated entrance to a tunnel. The School of Music's new building has covered over this (hence why I can post it). I am sure access is still possible for authorised personnel from within Victoria itself.

Incidentally according to a book I read last year (British Rail Northern Scene 1970s I believe) there were a few hand drawn old maps of Victoria and a few brief mentions of old cellars and store rooms as well as an underground river which leads out into the Irwell.

As for why the cab was retained, I believe it was because RR wanted to use it to make a cab simulator but it never happened. The bigger question is if they wanted to do that why only have such a small part (unless there was more originally) and why cut the front of it like in the picture.


* As for Urban Exploration, I am a huge fan - from the comfort of my own home that is. As long as nothing is getting damaged or stolen or just general idiocy it is quite intriguing.


Phil 8-)
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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I'm remembering right theres vast swathes of undercroft unused at Manchester London Road (Piccadilly), wonder if we could see some more metrolink appearing in what I believe is currently service yard.

I think that you are referring to the area formerly used by the London Road Goods Depot, which had numerous working capstans.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
As for Urban Exploration, I am a huge fan - from the comfort of my own home that is. As long as nothing is getting damaged or stolen or just general idiocy it is quite intriguing.

I was advised to try to access this website to see photographs taken of the former Dinting locomotive shed that once held major locomotive exhibits and whilst I found these of interest, there are other sections on this website that concern me greatly, as trespass seems to be condoned.
 

ess

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Under leeds station is the 'dark arches' which (not mcdonalds nemesis) is the river aire passing directly beneath the station. you can walk down there and see. Quite terrifying
 

BestWestern

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I was advised to try to access this website to see photographs taken of the former Dinting locomotive shed that once held major locomotive exhibits and whilst I found these of interest, there are other sections on this website that concern me greatly, as trespass seems to be condoned.

I had similar thoughts when I stumbled across these sites initially, as you say trespass is clearly an issue. However, from the narrations accompanying the photo sets, and many of the comments posted in reply, it soon becomes apparent that these people are interested only in 'exploration' of these site, thre seems to be something of an unwritten 'code' amongst them that trashing things is just not on. So I'm less concerned now, though the obvious lack of security at some of the locations does bother me!
 

Hydro

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it soon becomes apparent that these people are interested only in 'exploration' of these site, thre seems to be something of an unwritten 'code' amongst them that trashing things is just not on

I will admit to a bit of exploration myself from time to time. The general attitude of a responsible explorer is the classic "Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs". The whole idea is to see and document, not take, damage or steal. Physically breaking in is a general no-no, you don't cut bolts, fences, break windows to affect entry. The problem is the proliferation of exploration leads to people with a more casual attitude vandalising, leaving mess or stealing.

There are some utterly fascinating places out there, a lot of which had an important part to play in national and local history, that are rotting and dying.
 

Solent&Wessex

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Underneath Huddersfield station Platform 1 there is a row of disused rooms and corridors. Some of the corridors are no longer accessible as new features (such as the boiler room) have been built in the way, but there are still quite a few accessible. Some rooms still have fireplaces and gas lights. Going through these rooms you get to another corridor which in turn leads you into the disused parcels subway. You can see where this is from the platforms. There is also still the remains of the subway which used to pop out into St Georges Square outside the station - complete with its metal gate and white glazed bricks.

As reported previously there are all sorts of things underneath Hull station, including old prison cells. Occasional tours are organised.
 

PR1Berske

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Very interesting thread.

I'd love to know what secrets lay beneath Preston station. You can see hints from just using the subway and lift, obviously, but there must be more
 

tsr

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I once read that there were rudimentary customs and border control facilities at London Victoria in case Waterloo was closed, but since Waterloo in itself wouldn't be used for Eurostar any more, I'm guessing these have either been dismantled or forgotten. I may be wrong - they may never have existed. Feel free to prove me wrong. My friend once saw Eurostar on the Redhill-Tonbridge line, though, proving there could have been a diversion route.

I think Dorking West counts as a station secret in itself.
 

whhistle

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It's not just underground.
Look at Rugby with it's 3 storey building towering above the station. Leicester. . . what IS behind the ticket office?
 

tsr

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And why do all these stations have underground lairs!?!?! :lol:

I'm guessing that since railways are often in naturally strategic places - in terms of where resources and personnel need to be, for example - they have been gradually expanded or even originally designed to have special facilities for storage, command and control, admin or whatever. Plus, for the most part, the land is closer to government control and ownership. It isn't really a surprise, but it's still extremely interesting.
 

Brucey

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On a slightly smaller scale, at Cosham station (Portsmouth), I believe there is a flat upstairs in the station building. You can see curtains through the window and the Royal Mail website lists this as a separate address (Station Flat). Not sure who lives there or who owns the flat?
 

quarella

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The passenger subway at Birmingham New St. As I don't need to use lifts I have always used the stairs. Got off a train yesterday during the evening peak alongside the lift doors so decided to use it rather than battle the hordes. I expected to go up to the concourse but no. Only option from that platform is down to a subway. Using another lift that serves subway, platform and concourse I come out by the taxi rank.
 

Brucey

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The passenger subway at Birmingham New St. As I don't need to use lifts I have always used the stairs. Got off a train yesterday during the evening peak alongside the lift doors so decided to use it rather than battle the hordes. I expected to go up to the concourse but no. Only option from that platform is down to a subway. Using another lift that serves subway, platform and concourse I come out by the taxi rank.

You'll also notice there is no ticket check if you use the lift...

(If you can call the other arrangements a ticket check)
 

Poss Planner

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The former GPO link between New Street and the Sorting Office (now the Mailbox) is quite interesting. The entrance to it is in the subway which runs under the platforms at New Street towards the B end of the platform and is secured by gates. It then runs on a curve upwards to the Mailbox (the entrance at the Mailbox end is also secured). From time to time it has been open to the public (including a laser light show). Also at New Street off the end of Platform 12B are several odd rooms including a Print Room - next to it in the corridor when I went there was a BR International poster on the wall from 1973 (this was about 18 months ago)
 

trc666

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Not quite as grand but I remember a few years back looking through a window on the down platform (2?) at Kemble and seeing the original waiting room and toilets still intact, looks like it hasn't been touched for well over 40 years.
 

barrykas

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I once read that there were rudimentary customs and border control facilities at London Victoria in case Waterloo was closed, but since Waterloo in itself wouldn't be used for Eurostar any more, I'm guessing these have either been dismantled or forgotten. I may be wrong - they may never have existed.

Suspect this may be an urban myth...At one point Victoria had airline check-in facilities with escalators down to the Gatwick Express platforms, and used to host boat trains of course.

The primary London "fallback" location for Eurostar was traditionally Olympia, but that stopped following the move to St Pancras and I believe the Eurostar sets have had their 3rd rail shoegear removed, so presumably the new plan involves disembarking at Ebbsfleet.

Cheers,

Barry
 

Eagle

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Does anyone know any secrets about Newcastle Central? It's my local 'large' station, be nice to know.

Well, legend has it that underneath Newcastle Central is a fully-functional Metro station :P :lol:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Leicester. . . what IS behind the ticket office?

Bizarrely, it's a dry-cleaners actually within the station (last time I was there was a Sunday evening, so it was shut).
 
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102 fan

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Does anybody know if there are any station secrets in Ireland, North & South?
 
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