Can big stations put up notices showing which platform for which destinations, like small stations?

[miklcct]

I've seen smaller stations where the signage can be misleading in edge cases.

One case i've seen in at least two places (Oxenholme and Par) is stations with a platform for a branch, where the mainline platforms are signed for the mainline destinations and the branch platform is signed for the branch but there is no indication that some trains for mainline destinations will use the branch platform because they are coming off the branch.

In such case, the route diagram on the branch platform can use a dash line, denoting limited service, to the mainline destinations, while using solid line for branch destinations.

 

[plugwash]

At Eastleigh a train to London that has come from Southampton will almost certainly be platform 1. A train to London from Portsmouth cannot go to platform 1.

There must be loads of stations like this where the station is on the split side of the junction, so for trains in the merging direction the platform depends on where the train has come from rather than where it is going to.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I thought at one stage there was a train from Newquay to Penzance, but perhaps i'm misremembering

There was indeed

 

[edwin_m]

Another issue, for small stations as well as large ones, is when the destinations of trains change. Before and after privatisation there were lots of chops and changes to routes, and the destinations shown on the signs were often out of date.

 

[QueensCurve]

At Carlisle, regular users will know which platform their train usually departs from

Glasgow/Edinbugrh: 1 or 3.
Whitehaven/Barrow: 2
Euston/Brum/Manchester: 4
Newcastle: 5
Leeds: 6
Glasgow via G&SW: 7

There are however exceptions and alterations and it would be foolish to label these platforms as such.

Sleepers to Euston were historically boarded at P8 but these are no longer a thing. The connection to the OHLE to supply their ETH was removed during the recent roof refurbishment.