Downgraded stations

[Ivo]

It's been quite a while since I posted a quiz/challenge/list thread, so I thought I'd look into something that's interested me for quite some time.

Downgraded stations

It doesn't matter how far they have be owngraded, so long as a National Rail service still exists. An example of a downgrading realting to size would be Blackpool North, which once had sixteen platforms (probably the largest outside of a major city), and now has just four trains an hour across eight platforms; an example of a station hit by a service downgrading would be almost any station affected by closure by stealth!

Anyone have any other (more unusual?) examples of such stations?

 

[Lampshade]

Plenty around Lancashire, Preston currently has 9 platforms (8 operational, including the bays) although in its heyday had 13, with the two bays not then used as platforms. Luckily, the ex-parcels platform is earmarked for being brought back into use.

Manchester Victoria had 18 platforms, now has 6 hock:

Bolton and Stalybridge have also been downgraded in that the fast lines through them have been removed.

 

[CarterUSM]

Wemyss bay, in my humble opinion, one of the prettiest stations in Scotland if not UK has 2 platforms in use though previously had 4 or 5 in it's heyday I believe, though I will possibly stand corrected.

 

[atomicdanny]

Folkestone Central had 4 platforms (Two Islands) now only has two (one Island, with the other abandoned)
Folkestone West Fast Lines removed (Same time as the above!)

Three Oaks, Doleham and Winchelsea second platform removed when the Marshlink line was single tracked.

 

[flymo]

Bridlington & Scarborough used to have a few more platforms for the many summer services that ran there.

Newcastle had 7 east end bay platforms but now only has 1 (Now P1, was P7) The original P1 - P6 now gone.

 

[EM2]

Epsom Downs must win this, surely?
Double track branch, nine platforms, signal box, engine facilities, turntable.
Now just a single platform at the end of a single track branch.
http://www.wymann.info/EpsomDowns/EpsomDowns.html

 

[yorksrob]

Normanton's definately fallen down a couple of perches since they introduced on board catering/toilet facilities on trains. I also read that it used to have another island platform a very long time ago.

 

[Nym]

Clifton, 4platform interchange between MCV BON and Bury, now 2 platforms with no interchange and 3tpd.

Lostock Junction 4plt - no station - 2plt soon to be 4plt again, witch is going to be fun cos the signalling won't allow all four platforms to be occupied

 

[Aictos]

What about Spalding that used to be a busy junction station with I think 7 platforms, now only has two platforms - 5 though platforms and 2 bays.

Or would Kings Cross count when you count the platforms used for the widen lines?

 

[CallySleeperKid]

Skegness used to have 7, now it only has 6 which are operational of which only 2 are ever used on a regular basis.

 

[yorksrob]

And don't forget Bradford Exchange - from a nine platform terminus with a beautiful trainshed to a somewhat uninspiring 4 platform affair.

Similar for Foster Square as well.

 

[142094]

Manors station east of Newcastle Central, was a major junction station before the Metro came in. Now all it has is two platforms and a handful of trains per day. More can be found out here. It is quite galling as it looked like a brilliant station in its heyday, and I only live a 10 minute walk away.

As for some trivia, it was featured in that excellent film Get Carter, along with so many places on the NE that I would have loved to visit but no longer exist. :cry:

 

[4SRKT]

The former triangular junction (with through avoiding lines in the shape of the Midland Main Line) at Ambergate is a far cry from the single platform halt there now. Likewise Bishop Auckland.

Although York is clearly still a busy and important station, I recall well the days of 15 platforms (platform 1 was long gone by the time I came on the scene), 2 centre roads between platforms 8 and 9 (3 and 5 today), and an incredible complex of lines and crossovers to the south of the platform ends. Plus quadruple track leading from Holgate Junction round the corner to York Yard and the Carriage Works.

<sigh>

 

[Reddog785]

Ruislip Gardens used to have the same layout as it's neighbouring station South Ruislip at one point, when it opened it was 2 wooden platforms with 2 through tracks and there was no proper station building, just steps up to platform 1 and a bridge to platform 2, and tickets had to be bought on the train. A major station rebuild happened during the wartime during the Central line expansion from North Acton to West Ruislip, which meant both platforms were demolished, the stairs up to it were knocked down and a proper building was put up, the track that hosted the original platform 1 and its neighbouring track had an island platform built between them creating the new platforms 1 and 2, and the track next to platform 2 became home to platfrom 3, and the track that hosted the original platform 2 became home to platform 4 and the steps up to former platform 1 got a station building built around them and then went up to platforms 1 and 2, rather than just platform 1. An underground concourse was built interlinking the station building with platforms 3 and 4, and a ticket office opened. just like South Ruislip, it once hosted a temporary booking hall. Unlike South Ruislip, which still retains a similar layout to 1948 Ruislip Gardens, the uunderground concourse and platforms 3 and 4 closed in 1955. The station is now and island platform served only Central line services.

 

[william]

Practically every station on the network lol, exept for maybe stations like Newton Aycliffe, Glasshoughton and The Metro Centre!

 

[CallySleeperKid]

Pretty much all the stations on The Far North Line, Kyle Line and no doubt The West Highland used to have 2 platforms, and now have one.

 

[Ivo]

Barry Island. Four platform faces, only one of which is now used. And all services - three an hour - run on the Valley Lines only. Gone are the days of through services to Penarth via Sully, and gone are the summer expresses to more exotic locations. Instead, it's Aberdare, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, and then Aberdare again for the service one hour after the first one. And it has Pacers! Urgh!

 

[4SRKT]

Surely Whitby must cap it all, having not only three of its four platform faces out of use, but a derisory train service to boot.

 

[Capybara]

Any station whose principal use is now a shopping centre.

Or Harrogate. Where you could once get trains direct to and from London, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Manchester, Blackpool, Liverpool etc. Pacifics and Deltics used to pass through as well as freight. The six former bays are now a car park, a multi-storey car park, and a single stabling point. One train a day to London but not from and otherwise only trains to York and Leeds.

 

[4SRKT]

Any station whose principal use is now a shopping centre.

St Pancras?

 

[Oswyntail]

Ilkley - the lines to Skipton were lost and (ultimate humiliation) the station hosted KwikSave.

 

[Lampshade]

St Pancras?

As opposed to beer storage?

 

[4SRKT]

Ilkley - the lines to Skipton were lost and (ultimate humiliation) the station hosted KwikSave.

Although it was handy for those who'd just walked over the moor from Bingley or Shipley to get some cut-price snacks before the train left. The words 'cut-price' and 'Ilkley' are rarely heard in the same sentence under any other circumstances.

 

[LE Greys]

Or would Kings Cross count when you count the platforms used for the widen lines?

According to a Railway Magazine article a few years ago, King's Cross peaked at fifteen platforms in 1924, but reduced to fourteen. Sixteen if you count York Road (which served one of the Widened Lines, north-east from the station itself). When it lost four of them, they also chopped off all the goods facilities and the old 'Bottom Shed' north-west from the station, two approach lines and the connections to the Widened Lines. I bet they were kicking themselves when Thameslink started up a decade later.:roll:

My entry would be Templecombe. Former junction with the Somerset and Dorset, used to have three platforms (five if you count the S&D ones) its own goods yard and loco depot. This required four signal boxex. Now one measly platform, but actually closed for several years. Still, there's a vague chance of two platforms and double track (or at least a loop) at some point.

 

[Aictos]

Hatfield looked like it was quite important in LNER days with possible journeys to Dunstable via Luton, St Albans, Hertford East and North, Stevenage, London, Welwyn Garden City - now just serves Moorgate/Kings Cross in one direction and Welwyn Garden City/Peterborough/Cambridge in the other direction.

 

[Bittern]

East Kilbride. Used to have a goods yard next to it and a connection to the CR Hamilton line. The connection no longer exists (though there is much evidence of it's previous existance still in place) and the goods yard has been replaced with ugly new housing.

Hamilton Central used to have a roof, and four "roads" going through it (expresses would take the middle two, I beleive, and stoppers would take the platform lines). It now has two platforms, no roof and two lines (with a big gap in between them, but not big enough to suggest there was once four lines). It's now mainly an interchange with the bus station next to it.

It also had a proper station building. These days, it has a typical ticket office and waiting room. The old entrace to the Glasgow-bound platform which people once used to get from the building is sealed up, but you can plainly see where it once was.

Pics of Hamilton Central can be found here.
http://www.railbrit.co.uk/location.php?loc=hamilton central

You can see how it "de-evolved" over a realativly short period of time. time.

 

[CarterUSM]

Excellent photos on the site. It seems like much of the current bus station used to be railway. It looks like it was quite a significant station in it's heyday, I am completely surprised by the scale of it! It is amazing how the current station is so small compared to before.

 

[Bittern]

Yeah, it used to have freight and stuff going through. Freight is extremely rare on (what's left of) that line these days.

 

[CarterUSM]

Yes, too right! With regards to East Kilbride, I have an old railway magazine from the 60's with a large article about the line and it's possible closure and/or rationalisation. A few interesting photo's of freight and passenger, steam and diesel. One of the rationalisation plans for the line included shutting giffnock and thornliebank, and having services run to Ek via mount florida and muirend, joining the line by the old chord just before williamwood. All stations after muirend to neilston would have closed incidently. Sorry for going off topic also.

 

[47832]

Weymouth used to have 7 platforms and a large goods yard, now has 3 platforms.