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Best Station (London)

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TheJRB

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As a resident of Bedford I use St Pancras quite often. I find it a real pain to get from the FCC platforms to the LUL platforms.
At least you get dropped closer to the sub-surface lines. Seriously unless anybody knows something I don't, the walk from the Southeastern platforms to the Circle/H&C/Met lines seems to go on forever. That said at least over on the SE side, there's a lift which goes direct to -1 level which saves on a walk to the deep level lines.

The first time I used King's Cross St Pancras, I entered from King's Cross and followed signs for the Victoria line. I really didn't know it was possible to squeeze so much tunnel down there! It was like a maze and just when you thought it couldn't go on any longer, another tunnel appeared. There most definitely are shortcuts to be learnt in that place.
 
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kjhskj75

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At least you get dropped closer to the sub-surface lines. Seriously unless anybody knows something I don't, the walk from the Southeastern platforms to the Circle/H&C/Met lines seems to go on forever. That said at least over on the SE side, there's a lift which goes direct to -1 level which saves on a walk to the deep level lines.

The first time I used King's Cross St Pancras, I entered from King's Cross and followed signs for the Victoria line. I really didn't know it was possible to squeeze so much tunnel down there! It was like a maze and just when you thought it couldn't go on any longer, another tunnel appeared. There most definitely are shortcuts to be learnt in that place.

There's a 3-D model of Kings Cross Underground which may interest you here:

http://stations.aeracode.org/#kxx
 

Retorus

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That map makes Kings Cross St Pancras look like an underground military base or something.
 

jopsuk

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At least you get dropped closer to the sub-surface lines. Seriously unless anybody knows something I don't, the walk from the Southeastern platforms to the Circle/H&C/Met lines seems to go on forever.

I take it you go through the Underground station? Much quicker to go along the main shopping mall part of St Pancras, past Eurostar.
 

TheJRB

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I take it you go through the Underground station? Much quicker to go along the main shopping mall part of St Pancras, past Eurostar.
I walk through the shopping mall, but it's still a long walk. I don't really care about the distance to be honest; it's my grandfather who I feel bad for making walk all that way!
 

Cherry_Picker

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Nobody ever loves Victoria do they :D

Marylebone, because it is small, has a good selection of shops and you can get in and out quick, including onto the Bakerloo or to Baker St. Also, it has a dog toilet. What other station can boast that?

Downsides of Marylebone: Can't hear announcements over 67's idling. Walk from gate to platform 5/6, or even on a disruption day, the gate to 5/6 and then back to 1 (much groaning and tutting). Burger King does not accept Bite cards


The 67s are all at the north end of rakes since power doors were fitted. That probably helps with the noise drowning out announcements, as does the fact that drivers get complained at bitterly if a 67 idles in the platform for more than ten minutes.
 

DarloRich

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Charing Cross I can't stand. The tube concourse below the station is horrible. A real disgrace.

The station itself feels quite cluttered but I guess people aren't there to linger. Very scenic though and ultimately the only terminus which is truly central.

Harsh i think - the tube station is odd because of the shopping units and the number of exits but it is easy to find your way around, has good circulating space and i find it a good interchange between NR/LU

I don't get any sense of clutter - i think it is just small!

Although it hasn't been mentioned before, I quite like Charing Cross. It's got plenty of facilities and a handy set of steps down to Villiers Street for SSL Underground connections at Embankment. The lighting on the platforms is pleasant and it's not so big that it's a pain to move from one platform to another.

I agree it is a great little station which deals with large volumes in a very small time. It has five platforms and is right in the heart of London. I think it works very well

The Embankment link is often overlooked and provides Charing Cross with access to 4 tube lines and the river boat services. You could also say it is a joint station with Waterloo East because of the bridge link!

.
Dunno about Charing Cross or Cannon Street - they're South-Eastern(shudder!).


Point of order - They are served by South Eastern they are managed by NR


I think i would split this into two categories (i am looking at terminus stations only):

1) Small Station - Charing Cross, Marylebone, Fenchurch Street or Cannon Street

2) Large Station - Kings Cross, Euston, St Pancras, Paddington, Waterloo, Victoria, Liverpool Street
 

STEVIEBOY1

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RE CHARING CROSS

Harsh i think - the tube station is odd because of the shopping units and the number of exits but it is easy to find your way around, has good circulating space and i find it a good interchange between NR/LU

I don't get any sense of clutter - i think it is just small!



I agree it is a great little station which deals with large volumes in a very small time. It has five platforms and is right in the heart of London. I think it works very well

I thought it had 6 platforms, maybe one is out of use.? It is a small cramped station, but does seems to cope well and the staff there were very helpful the other day when I was there. It certainly retains it's hstoric atmosphere.
 

Nym

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Can I nominate myself for the "You Make Me Sick" award and say King's Cross because its where special people will arrive to visit me?
 

MidnightFlyer

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Anywhere but St Pancras, I can't stand it.

Small I would say Fenchurch St, Marylebone or Charing Cross all equally.

Large would be Paddington, but I like London Bridges Vaults too.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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There are, of course, 6 platforms! Sorry shift work is killing me!

@ Stevieboy1 When were you there?

@ DarloRich, I was at Charing Cross last Friday evening 03 August at about 1725 hours, then later about 1935 hours. Rgds Stevieboy1
 

user15681

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Architecturally it has to be one of the older, larger stations such as Kings Cross, Marylebone or St Pancras.

I must admit though, I love the fact that Blackfriars is literally on the Thames. I think it's brilliant you can enter the station from the south and north of the river.
 

jopsuk

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I walk through the shopping mall, but it's still a long walk. I don't really care about the distance to be honest; it's my grandfather who I feel bad for making walk all that way!

Then it is barely any further from the SE platforms than it is from the FCC platforms...
 

Requeststop

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Paddington - but I'm biased as it's my home London Station. Journeys back to the South West always memorable. I liked Fenchurch Street when I was working in Essex - very easy to use and a decent stroll down to Tower Hill Underground. Not been there for a while but I am told it is still very user friendly.

Pet hate. Victoria and the new St Pancras. I got hopelessly lost trying to get from the Underground to the HS-1 area - went around in circles for 25 minutes trying to find the way. Signage (if there is such a word) bloody aweful.
 

LE Greys

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If I didn't say King's Cross, I'd have to hang myself as a traitor! ;)

But seriously, out of all the various London stations, the intermediate ones as well as the big termini, there cannot really be a 'best' station. In terms of archetecture, Paddington and the old part of St Pancras stand out. In terms of where I would most like to be, I'd go for the new King's Cross with the old facilities, to avoid the extortionate prices and pretentious shops many stations are crammed with today. Underground access has also become a lot easier. Euston has its problems (it looks hideous, Underground access is bad and the concourse it a bit small) but it certainly has an excellent level of service. Marylebone is a very nice station, but its service is a shadow of its former self. Of the various Southern termini, Waterloo stands out as the best looking and easiest to use, but falls down on having all those unused platforms stuck on and the current ones being overcrowded. Victoria has a split personality, it desperately needs platform extensions on the Chatham side and the Brighton side is hideous. I used to like London Bridge, but its now being 'Eustonised' in the name of modernisation. I don't really know enough about Charing Cross and Cannon Street to say anything. Blackfriars is too soon to say. I have virtually no experience of Liverpool Street, although it looks nice enough, and even less of Fenchurch Street. Moorgate is basically a Tube terminus, but it's useful for what it is.

And that's just the termini. Include all the others in Greater London, especially if it covers such places as Watford Junction, Clapham Junction and Stratford, and you have a book's worth of discussion.
 

Deerfold

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The few times that I've been through, a couple of gates next to the York Way entrance are set up for departures.

Unfortunately they seem to have generally stopped doing that - and if you don't know if it's going to be there or not I generally change my travel plans when travelling with luggage to come in on the other side.

Its most annoying arriving on the bus right next to your departure platform and having to pass 16 platforms to get back to it. Are there any other London stations this happens at?

The new bit of KGX is all very fancy but this seems to have been at the expense of usability - the route from the First class lounge to 1st class EC coaches means you have to travel along the platform in the opposite direction to most of the Standard Class passengers - and entering for a low numbered platform when 7 or 8 certainly isn't smooth flowing. The information boards are very high up if you're on the ground level.

In its favour there is now a lot more room for waiting in - I'll probably appreciate that more next time there's sever disruption or just before Christmas.
 

LE Greys

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Unfortunately they seem to have generally stopped doing that - and if you don't know if it's going to be there or not I generally change my travel plans when travelling with luggage to come in on the other side.

Its most annoying arriving on the bus right next to your departure platform and having to pass 16 platforms to get back to it. Are there any other London stations this happens at?

That is indeed a major annoyance, which hopefully will be fixed by moving bus stops before too long. A new entrance on York Way with a tiny ticket office might work (along the lines of the old one on the Suburban side) but it seems unlikely.
 

Deerfold

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That is indeed a major annoyance, which hopefully will be fixed by moving bus stops before too long. A new entrance on York Way with a tiny ticket office might work (along the lines of the old one on the Suburban side) but it seems unlikely.

I'm not entirely sure where they'd move them too - most services are continuing North whereas the terminating ones go round the back before restarting at St Pancakes.

There's a perfectly good entrance on York Way - it's just all the gates have a habit of being set to exit only.
 
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