Different rail stations but sharing the same platform?

[Lukeo2311]

Not different stations but Enschede in the Netherlands has a platform split in half due to one half being for trains operating into Germany and one half for domestic NL trains (I believe it was a through platform at one point)

 

[duffield]

Not quite the thing perhaps, but at Rotherham Central the tram stop and the railway station effectively share (split height) platforms.

 

[Gloster]

Flensburg use to have what was effectively a long island platform with a building taking up the full width part way along. Trains from Denmark would stop at the eastern end: local passengers would get out and walk through customs and passports in the building and on to the German station. Passengers in through coaches would be dealt with on the train before it pulled forward to the German part of the platform. It was all Flensburg station, but the east end was only available to passengers who had left Germany or not yet entered it.

 

[Rescars]

Not quite the thing perhaps, but at Rotherham Central the tram stop and the railway station effectively share (split height) platforms.

Memories are blurred, but was there a similar arrangement with a shared platform at Wimbledon when Tramlink first opened?

 

[AndrewE]

Broadening the OP slightly, are there any locations where a standard gauge and narrow gauge line meet head on and a single platform connects both?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Apr 2025 ==

Zweisimmen, where (some) trains run in on one gauge and leave on another... https://www.thedrive.com/news/see-this-train-change-track-gauges-without-stopping

 

[steamybrian]

Memories are blurred, but was there a similar arrangement with a shared platform at Wimbledon when Tramlink first opened?

At Wimbledon tramlink always used platform 10 and Thameslink services on the Sutton-Wimbledon- Tooting loop use platform 9 - the other side of the same island platform

 

[DelW]

Hmmm, I'd like to see a map/diagram of those and where one station ends and the other begins!

This is Carto Metro's coverage of the area. One of the Farringdon/Barbican Liz Line platforms isn't coloured, presumably to avoid obscuring the Met/Circle/H&C line which seems to be above it.


(Map of eastern central London lines from the Carto Metro website https://cartometro.com/metro-london/?r=cmf )

 

[steamybrian]

Before final closure of Kings Cross Thameslink in 2007 the station had many name changes but in the 1920s-1930s when the station also had platforms on the Metropolitan Line there was a curosity. The later Thameslink platforms were originally called Kings Cross Metropolitan but the platforms serving the Metropolitan lines were called Kings Cross & St, Pancras.
Thus different names for platforms at the same station.

 

[Howardh]

This is Carto Metro's coverage of the area. One of the Farringdon/Barbican Liz Line platforms isn't coloured, presumably to avoid obscuring the Met/Circle/H&C line which seems to be above it.

View attachment 179222
(Map of eastern central London lines from the Carto Metro website https://cartometro.com/metro-london/?r=cmf )

Thanks, I'm currently on my mobile, I'll explore that map when on PC!

 

[Kingston Dan]

Would Waterloo East Count? It's the overground station for both Waterloo and Southwark underground stations with access to each at different ends of the platforms.

 

[edwin_m]

Would Waterloo East Count? It's the overground station for both Waterloo and Southwark underground stations with access to each at different ends of the platforms.

Many years ago it also had a connecting line that ran straight across the concourse at Waterloo.

 

[Bevan Price]

Until 1981 the station on the line to Wrexham Central, now Platform 4, was a separate station, Wrexham Exchange. This reflected its history as part of the Wrexham, Mold & Connah’s Quay, Great Central, and London & North Eastern Railways. (General, only so named in 1951, was Shrewsbury & Chester and Great Western.) Platform 3, from which trains can reach the Bidston line, was always part of General.

And also you had to exit one station and walk over the road bridge to access the other station.

 

[edwin_m]

Oldham Clegg Street and Central were right next to each other, but there seems to have been a track separating the respective platforms.

View map: Ordnance Survey, Lancashire XCVII.10 (Oldham) - Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952

 

[Bevan Price]

New Holland might be a candidate. The Town and Pier stations were sometimes treated as one and at other times as two. Although arrangements on the pier itself changed somewhat over time to address storm damage, new ferries and so on, it appears that the (narrow) 'roadway' for wheeled vehicles was actually along a 'platform' linking the two. This was on the west/upstream side of the pier. Most rail passengers boarded and alighted on the east/downstream side. Obviously there were also traffics like livestock that we don't necessarily think of these days.

I have actually used the pier by train and squeezed along it in a car from the ferry before it closed - replaced by the Humber Bridge - but don't really recall too much of the detail.

Hopefully someone else may be able to flesh this out a bit.

These photos may be of interest,
New Holland Town, looking towars Pier.
New Holland Pier, looking towards River
New Holland Pier, looking towards Town

 

[norbitonflyer]

Memories are blurred, but was there a similar arrangement with a shared platform at Wimbledon when Tramlink first opened?

I seem to recall there was a bay facing Tooting for use of terminiating Thameslink trains when Tramlink took over the country end of platform 10. (Most Thameslink services use what is now bidirectiopnal platfom 9, on the oposite fce of the island).

Don't know when it was removed, but since the shortest trains on Thameslink are now eight cars, and Tramlink has two staggered platforms, such a bay would be of little use now.

Category:Wimbledon station (Tramlink) - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[Rescars]

I seem to recall there was a bay facing Tooting for use of terminiating Thameslink trains when Tramlink took over the country end of platform 10. (Most Thameslink services use what is now bidirectiopnal platfom 9, on the oposite fce of the island).

Don't know when it was removed, but since the shortest trains on Thameslink are now eight cars, and Tramlink has two staggered platforms, such a bay would be of little use now.

Category:Wimbledon station (Tramlink) - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

Thank you for posting the pictures of Wimbledon. Memories less blurred than I feared!

In somewhat similiar vein, before Tramlink was created, passengers at West Croydon used to have to walk the length of the Wimbledon facing bay section of the up platform to reach the rest of the platform for trains going from Sutton to London. An unusual case of two unlinked but parallel lines sharing one continuous platform.

 

[Howardh]

Thank you for posting the pictures of Wimbledon. Memories less blurred than I feared!

In somewhat similiar vein, before Tramlink was created, passengers at West Croydon used to have to walk the length of the Wimbledon facing bay section of the up platform to reach the rest of the platform for trains going from Sutton to London. An unusual case of two unlinked but parallel lines sharing one continuous platform.

Kirkby, and I'm sure Ormskirk, passengers have to get off one train (Northern), walk along the platform and catch another (Merseyrail) as both terminate on the same platform. However the name of the station is the same, it doesn't even differentiate between the Merseyrail side and the other (eg. Kirkby Merseyrail). Pity, also you could have Kirkby South station, and Kirkby North yet share that platform!

 

[zwk500]

Kirkby, and I'm sure Ormskirk, passengers have to get off one train (Northern), walk along the platform and catch another (Merseyrail) as both terminate on the same platform. However the name of the station is the same, it doesn't even differentiate between the Merseyrail side and the other (eg. Kirkby Merseyrail). Pity, also you could have Kirkby South station, and Kirkby North yet share that platform!

Ormskirk still does, but believe Kirkby was changed back to a normal platform as the Headbolt Lane extension shifted the changeover up the line. At headbolt lane the Merseyrail and national rail are still using the same trackbed, but it's arguable if it counts as the same platform as there's a crossing to the far side platforms across the tracks.

 

[Howardh]

Ormskirk still does, but believe Kirkby was changed back to a normal platform as the Headbolt Lane extension shifted the changeover up the line. At headbolt lane the Merseyrail and national rail are still using the same trackbed, but it's arguable if it counts as the same platform as there's a crossing to the far side platforms across the tracks.

Thanks for the update on Kirkby - yes it doesn't count if you have to cross platforms even if that platform is in a different station!

There must have been a few cases in the past where stations were so close together you could possibly do that, maybe even today with Tube/DLR/Rail connections where the line gets blurred?

But so far the best example from the OP of Central/Victoria is the one from Chicago as posted above!

 

[stephen rp]

Stumbled across this; it appears Manchester's Exchange and Victoria stations "shared" a very long platform (did any trains stop at one end ie. Victoria and then stop at the other Exchange??) which made me wonder if that was unique in the UK, or whether in the past (or even today) two distinctly different stations share a platform? Or, more likely, anything close to this?

Disused Stations: Station

You could have three trains in the platforms (Victoria 11, 11 Middle and Exchange 3) leaving simultaneously. No trains left Victoria and stopped in Exchange, at least not on purpose. Signal diagrams from 1929 resignalling:
https://www.ekeving.se/ext/uk/VicEx_Manchester/plan2.jpg (Exchange)
https://www.ekeving.se/ext/uk/VicEx_Manchester/plan3.jpg (Victoria)

 

[DJ_K666]

Before final closure of Kings Cross Thameslink in 2007 the station had many name changes but in the 1920s-1930s when the station also had platforms on the Metropolitan Line there was a curosity. The later Thameslink platforms were originally called Kings Cross Metropolitan but the platforms serving the Metropolitan lines were called Kings Cross & St, Pancras.
Thus different names for platforms at the same station.

Would the former York Road station(s) at Kings Cross be a good example? While not really shared, it's an example of two stations (or was it three?) Sharing one site.

 

[Howardh]

Would the former York Road station(s) at Kings Cross be a good example? While not really shared, it's an example of two stations (or was it three?) Sharing one site.

Out of interest, would you have to leave King's Cross to access York Road (as you would have, say, Piccadilly to Mayfield) or could you get there without leaving?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Out of interest, would you have to leave King's Cross to access York Road (as you would have, say, Piccadilly to Mayfield) or could you get there without leaving?

When I was living in Enfield in the mid-1970s York Road was still open but basically ‘exit only’/set down, for the morning peak. And yes, you did need to walk in the street to reach the main King’s Cross.
You couldn’t properly ‘access’ the platform other than by alighting from a train.

 

[DJ_K666]

Out of interest, would you have to leave King's Cross to access York Road (as you would have, say, Piccadilly to Mayfield) or could you get there without leaving?

I can't remember. I'm guessing you'd have gone from the station but stayed on the site.

Disused Stations: Kings Cross York Road Station

www.disused-stations.org.uk

 

[BrianW]

I can't remember. I'm guessing you'd have gone from the station but stayed on the site.

Disused Stations: Kings Cross York Road Station

www.disused-stations.org.uk

Kings Cross York Road station is also ununusual (unique?) in only having a 'one-way' service, i.e TO Moorgate; From North to South; the northbound services calling at a platform in (the main) Kings Cross station, that part being known (and IIRC signed) as Kings Cross Suburban. I note a picture in thelinked Gallery (part 2) of the 'Disused Stations' website has a sign on the York Road platform indicating the way to 'Kings Cross Station' below 'Way Out'.
Just wondering whether it was possible to book a return ticket to/from York Road?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Just wondering whether it was possible to book a return ticket to/from York Road?

Possibly many years ago when the original ‘Snow Hill’ through services to south of the Thames?

In more recent times why would a set-down station even have a booking office?

 

[edwin_m]

Presumably you just booked to Kings Cross.

 

[Springs Branch]

When I was living in Enfield in the mid-1970s York Road was still open but basically ‘exit only’/set down, for the morning peak. And yes, you did need to walk in the street to reach the main King’s Cross.
You couldn’t properly ‘access’ the platform other than by alighting from a train.

In the same era, when I used KX main station from time to time, I remember wondering if it was possible to buy a BR ticket (probably Edmondson-style) from York Road to Farringdon, Barbican or Moorgate? And whether you could book First Class if you were so inclined?

Five decades later, photo evidence & @Dr Hoo's post suggest there was no ticket office at York Road - although could you technically still buy one from the main King's Cross booking office? And historic timetables seem to imply Widened Lines trains were Second Class Only.

 

[BrianW]

In the same era, when I used KX main station from time to time, I remember wondering if it was possible to buy a BR ticket (probably Edmondson-style) from York Road to Farringdon, Barbican or Moorgate? And whether you could book First Class if you were so inclined?

Five decades later, photo evidence & @Dr Hoo's post suggest there was no ticket office at York Road - although could you technically still buy one from the main King's Cross booking office? And historic timetables seem to imply Widened Lines trains were Second Class Only.

Sorry to take issue with Dr Hoo, but ... this plan seems to suggest the presence of a Booking Office (B.O.) at King's Cross York Road Station:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/127688-kings-cross-york-road-suburban-platforms/page/3/

Other photos found by 'Googling' seem to show benches on the platform (which would be unnecessary if the station/platform were 'set down only'), and people boarding a train as others alight

 

[edwin_m]

When York Road and the northbound suburban platform were in use, did GN or Midland or both trains also stop at what later became Kings Cross Thameslink? I believe this started out as a four-platform station but the Underground stopped calling when the current platforms further west were opened in around 1940.