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'EYESORES'

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Ken H

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11 Nov 2018
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N Yorks
Harrogate. some nice station buildings overshadowed by the 1960's tower block (always thought that was horrid) and now a multistory car park and new bridge. not even a decent canopy on the eastern platform.
 

vlad

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13 May 2018
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749
I'm probably going to be very unpopular saying this - but London St Pancras.

The extension to the station (Street View link here) is pretty indistinguishable from the characterless office block opposite.

Then if you're inside the station then most of the time you're going to be stuck in the basement (such as here). The pretty bits of it seem to be entirely incidental to the railway bits.
 

bramling

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5 Mar 2012
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Hertfordshire / Teesdale
I'm probably going to be very unpopular saying this - but London St Pancras.

The extension to the station (Street View link here) is pretty indistinguishable from the characterless office block opposite.

Then if you're inside the station then most of the time you're going to be stuck in the basement (such as here). The pretty bits of it seem to be entirely incidental to the railway bits.

I agree. For those who use EMT, Southeastern and Thameslink services it’s not really a pleasant station to use, and it certainly feels that the needs of these passengers weren’t really considered highly during the design work. This is all largely design rather than maintenance though. I don’t find the new parts visually pleasing.
 

matacaster

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19 Jan 2013
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If you've already enjoyed the hospitality of the businesses near neighbouring stations, a good kebab may be just what the doctor ordered!

Yes, you may well need a trip to the doctor if you've visited some of the local businesses!

(I'll get my coat)
 

randyrippley

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21 Feb 2016
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Carnforth
the old bits of the station are OK, but that massive concrete canopy over the northbound platform is no longer the cutting edge of technology it was once regarded as.
But the real problem with Carnforth is the unlicenced scrapyard next door, full of old junk awaiting a cutting torch
 

Old Yard Dog

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21 Aug 2011
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Ellesmere Port. The station, the town...

The station may not be the prettiest but it is well kept and the booking office clerks are very friendly. I'm quite often down there on a Friday morning buying series of split-ticket CDRs for the next day's football excursion and they are very helpful. The only downside is the large unstaffed free car park which is perceived locally as not a particularly safe place to leave your car so is under used. People drive to Hooton instead which is perceived as safer as it is in a pleasant semi-rural area, has more trains and, in many cases, far cheaper fares.

Interestingly Ellesmere Port is believed to be the only non-terminus station in the country with operational through lines which has terminating trains leaving in both directions but no through workings. Stations like Kirkby & Ormskirk don't count as they have buffer stops preventing through working.
 

PeterC

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29 Sep 2014
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I'm probably going to be very unpopular saying this - but London St Pancras.

The extension to the station (Street View link here) is pretty indistinguishable from the characterless office block opposite.

Then if you're inside the station then most of the time you're going to be stuck in the basement (such as here). The pretty bits of it seem to be entirely incidental to the railway bits.
All those trains do spoil what would otherwise be a very nice shopping mall.
 

frodshamfella

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25 Sep 2010
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Location
Frodsham
The station may not be the prettiest but it is well kept and the booking office clerks are very friendly. I'm quite often down there on a Friday morning buying series of split-ticket CDRs for the next day's football excursion and they are very helpful. The only downside is the large unstaffed free car park which is perceived locally as not a particularly safe place to leave your car so is under used. People drive to Hooton instead which is perceived as safer as it is in a pleasant semi-rural area, has more trains and, in many cases, far cheaper fares.

Interestingly Ellesmere Port is believed to be the only non-terminus station in the country with operational through lines which has terminating trains leaving in both directions but no through workings. Stations like Kirkby & Ormskirk don't count as they have buffer stops preventing through working.


I think Ellesmere Port Station has received an award or two as best kept.
 

frodshamfella

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Frodsham
Eltham Station is uninspiring and replaced Eltham Well Hall and Park both altogether more pleasant looking .
 

Bletchleyite

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20 Oct 2014
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"Marston Vale mafia"
The station may not be the prettiest but it is well kept and the booking office clerks are very friendly. I'm quite often down there on a Friday morning buying series of split-ticket CDRs for the next day's football excursion and they are very helpful. The only downside is the large unstaffed free car park which is perceived locally as not a particularly safe place to leave your car so is under used. People drive to Hooton instead which is perceived as safer as it is in a pleasant semi-rural area, has more trains and, in many cases, far cheaper fares.

Interestingly Ellesmere Port is believed to be the only non-terminus station in the country with operational through lines which has terminating trains leaving in both directions but no through workings. Stations like Kirkby & Ormskirk don't count as they have buffer stops preventing through working.

It long surprised me it wasn't the same as the other Merseyrail end-on junctions. Do freights run through, I guess?
 

yorksrob

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Joined
6 Aug 2009
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38,818
Location
Yorks
Carnforth
the old bits of the station are OK, but that massive concrete canopy over the northbound platform is no longer the cutting edge of technology it was once regarded as.
But the real problem with Carnforth is the unlicenced scrapyard next door, full of old junk awaiting a cutting torch

The canopy does the job and keeps the rain off. I'd rather they did something about the stations without adequate shelter.
 

vlad

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Joined
13 May 2018
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749
All those trains do spoil what would otherwise be a very nice shopping mall.

What I find fascinating is all these shopping malls which are so well served by trains you'd think it was done deliberately. :smile:
 

Harbornite

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7 May 2016
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I lived in Crawley a while and it's actually ok if you know Maidenbower?
Nowhere near as bad as Luton
But yes assuming you just mean the station..

My views are rather clouded by the fact that I had to trudge up there after work visit to TBD ROC to get cash out, having lost my debit card. It was the day the 2018 heatwave ended and it rained quite heavily. I found the town centre rather grim in light of this, not helped by the fact that there was a poundstretcher having a closing sale and selling christmas stuff... in July.
 

frodshamfella

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Frodsham
It long surprised me it wasn't the same as the other Merseyrail end-on junctions. Do freights run through, I guess?
I think freight has run through at least at some point to somewhere beyond E.Port.

If the line is taken over fully by Merseyrail at some stage in the future, the route should stay through.
 

Old Yard Dog

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21 Aug 2011
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Freight used to run through to the mothballed Ellesmere Port docks branch running towards the Manchester Ship Canal. Quinn Glass used to load raw materials there for transfer to their plant at Elton before a new siding was built east of Ince & Elton. The line was also used for coal imports for a few years. However the docks branch is looking pretty moribund at present and oil traffic from Stanlow ceased many years ago.

The main line is used once in a blue moon for excursion trains running from the unnumbered excursion platform at Hooton and can also be used as a diversionary route. Me and the missus are probably the only people to board a train at Overpool and get off at Dent. And Northern provided special through workings to Hooton to celebrate 150 years of the Hooton - Helsby line a few years back.

The presence of buffer stops at Ormskirk & Kirkby surprises me as you would think an emergency connection might have uses. Inspection/engineering trains have been seen running through Ellesmere Port.
 

Bevan Price

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22 Apr 2010
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7,320
Freight used to run through to the mothballed Ellesmere Port docks branch running towards the Manchester Ship Canal. Quinn Glass used to load raw materials there for transfer to their plant at Elton before a new siding was built east of Ince & Elton. The line was also used for coal imports for a few years. However the docks branch is looking pretty moribund at present and oil traffic from Stanlow ceased many years ago.

The main line is used once in a blue moon for excursion trains running from the unnumbered excursion platform at Hooton and can also be used as a diversionary route. Me and the missus are probably the only people to board a train at Overpool and get off at Dent. And Northern provided special through workings to Hooton to celebrate 150 years of the Hooton - Helsby line a few years back.

The presence of buffer stops at Ormskirk & Kirkby surprises me as you would think an emergency connection might have uses. Inspection/engineering trains have been seen running through Ellesmere Port.

I believe that Peel Ports decided that it wanted to redevelop the area around Manisty Wharf at Ellesmere, so freight traffic had to cease. Not sure what they proposed or if any work has actually started in that area.
 

sk688

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11 Sep 2016
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780
Location
Dublin
South Bermondsey is in a horrible industrial location , and grim at the best of times
 

185

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29 Aug 2010
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4,970
I am currently in talks with Iran and North Korea regarding the use of Stafford and Crewe stations for testing purposes.

Anything heritage-worthy at Crewe should be removed and reassembled in a museum.

Splat. :p
 
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