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False platforms

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GuyBarry

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At Chippenham station there's what might be described as a "false platform". It looks just like a normal station platform (and was presumably in use once), but there's no track running alongside it. It adjoins the main station building and it has entrances to the toilets and cafe, as well as cycle racks.

In addition there's an entrance directly from the car parking area outside. I was fooled the first time I boarded a train there - I walked straight onto it, assuming it was the westbound platform, and spent some time looking for the indicator before I realized there was no track! I'm not quite sure what this entrance is needed for, but perhaps there should be some sort of warning sign for the unwary passenger.

Are there other platforms like this?
 
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barrykas

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The former Stanmore Village branch platform at Harrow and Wealdstone has had a ramp and path built over its trackbed to provide step-free access to the ticket hall.
 

jopsuk

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There's half a station sitting out of use, trackless, at March.
 

David10

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The original down platform was taken out of use when the line was upgraded for 125mph running in the mid 1970s.

Crewe has a number of disused bay platforms on the western side.
 

deltic1989

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Opposite platform 1 at Nottingham there is a 'false platform' with signs saying 'Do Not Alight This Side'. And Lincoln Central has a disused platform opposite platform 5 but that one is not connected to anything.
 

Aictos

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Opposite platform 1 at Nottingham there is a 'false platform' with signs saying 'Do Not Alight This Side'. And Lincoln Central has a disused platform opposite platform 5 but that one is not connected to anything.

Chandlers Ford is the same, quite why they can't double track between Eastleigh and Romsey via Chandlers Ford is not my forte - certainly room for the disused platform at Chandlers Ford to get it's track back even if only as a passing point for services to overtake each other.
 

GarethGwill

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Abergavenny has a disused platform 3, where the track has been lifted. It is behind platform 2.
 
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There's an entire false station at King's Cross Thameslink although I believe that it's now been re-named Do Not Alight Here.
 

David10

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Bangor, Barnstaple, Beccles, Bridlington, Brough, Bugle, Crewkerne, Feniton, Folkestone Central, Folkestone Harbour, Ford, Gunton, Hull, Newquay, Oulton Broad South, Rugby, St Columb Rd, Templecombe, Truro, Wareham, Worstead and York all have platforms where track has been lifted. I'm sure there are many others.
 

Ivo

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Chippenham (in the OP) is a bit of an extreme case in comparison to most if not all of the others mentioned. The entire platform is perfectly usable and is the site of the ticket office, the main entrance, the buffet, bicycle racks, toilets and more - it just doesn't have a track. Most other stations like it have a platform that is overgrown, blocked off or partially demolished. Even compared to somewhere like Queenstown Road (where the platform is still theoretically usable) there is a massive difference, never mind in comparison to most other examples.
 

GuyBarry

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Chippenham (in the OP) is a bit of an extreme case in comparison to most if not all of the others mentioned. The entire platform is perfectly usable and is the site of the ticket office, the main entrance, the buffet, bicycle racks, toilets and more - it just doesn't have a track. Most other stations like it have a platform that is overgrown, blocked off or partially demolished. Even compared to somewhere like Queenstown Road (where the platform is still theoretically usable) there is a massive difference, never mind in comparison to most other examples.

Yes, I wasn't just asking about disused platforms (of which there are many). The false platform at Chippenham is an integral part of the station and it's impossible to access the rest of the station without it. If you go in through the main ticket hall there's a clear sign directing you over the footbridge to the real platforms saying "this platform not in use". If you want the toilets, the *only* access is from the false platform. The platform is definitely in use, just not for boarding trains!

I've realized why there's a side entrance to the false platform now - when the ticket hall is closed, there'd be no access to the station otherwise. You have to walk onto the false platform and then over the footbridge to the island platform, where the trains actually depart from.

It's certainly odd. I've passed through Chippenham station hundreds of times, knowing there was an island platform, but had no reason to board or alight there. It's really quite confusing!
 

richw

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Bangor, Barnstaple, Beccles, Bridlington, Brough, Bugle, Crewkerne, Feniton, Folkestone Central, Folkestone Harbour, Ford, Gunton, Hull, Newquay, Oulton Broad South, Rugby, St Columb Rd, Templecombe, Truro, Wareham, Worstead and York all have platforms where track has been lifted. I'm sure there are many others.

Where to at Truro? the car park side of platform 3?
 

Zoe

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Where to at Truro? the car park side of platform 3?
Correct, the line there used to be the Up Main.

At Newton Abbot the former Up Main and Up Through lines were lifted and the space has also been used for a car park.
 

Ivo

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I've realized why there's a side entrance to the false platform now - when the ticket hall is closed, there'd be no access to the station otherwise. You have to walk onto the false platform and then over the footbridge to the island platform, where the trains actually depart from.

Correct. I have used this entrance once before, when the ticket office was closed (it was something like 2300). This brings about a problem when you consider that the ticket machines are in the ticket office, leaving no means of buying before travelling :lol:
 

trentside

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Opposite platform 1 at Nottingham there is a 'false platform' with signs saying 'Do Not Alight This Side'.

I've often wondered about that platform and what it's original purpose was. It seems to now be used for storing all manner of rubbish, the latest additions appear to be some queue ropes.
 

IanXC

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Bangor, Barnstaple, Beccles, Bridlington, Brough, Bugle, Crewkerne, Feniton, Folkestone Central, Folkestone Harbour, Ford, Gunton, Hull, Newquay, Oulton Broad South, Rugby, St Columb Rd, Templecombe, Truro, Wareham, Worstead and York all have platforms where track has been lifted. I'm sure there are many others.

Much as they're not in passenger use every platform face a passenger can get to at Hull and Bridlington is in use.

At Hull the platforms beyond Platform 2 all have track, even though only 1 and the face opposite are accessible from the platform.

At Bridlington its true to say that passengers cannot get onto the island of the former 7 and 8, but there is track still in place which is used from time to time for stabling.
 

GuyBarry

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Let's rephrase the original question since I'm not sure whether people have understood it.

Apart from Chippenham, is there another station that has a platform that is used by passengers, but not for boarding or alighting from trains?
 

IanXC

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Apart from Chippenham, is there another station that has a platform that is used by passengers, but not for boarding or alighting from trains?

At York the platform face opposite platform 1 has no track as OHLE structures take up the space. At the other side is a car park. The actual surface of the platform is used for the storage of bikes.
 

rf_ioliver

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Let's rephrase the original question since I'm not sure whether people have understood it.

Apart from Chippenham, is there another station that has a platform that is used by passengers, but not for boarding or alighting from trains?

Lewes? Might be stretching your defintion a bit, but the infilled section is used by passengers to cross the station...

t.

Ian
 

cnicht

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Carnforth has a couple of platforms that are not in use, although there is track through them. These being the West Coast Main Line, the platforms have a fence running down them to stop people getting near the edge.
 

Joseph_Locke

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Within earshot of trains passing the one and half
Carnforth has a couple of platforms that are not in use, although there is track through them. These being the West Coast Main Line, the platforms have a fence running down them to stop people getting near the edge.
<matrix> There is no edge </matrix>

The main line platforms at Carnforth have been drastically cut back and a sloped revetment provided. This was done many many years ago.

You can clearly see it in this picture:

1699510_61d9c4ea.jpg
 

GuyBarry

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Carnforth has a couple of platforms that are not in use, although there is track through them.

Thanks for that, but I still don't think you understand the question.

There is a platform at Chippenham station that has no track alongside it. It is not a disused platform. The exit from the ticket hall leads onto it. The footbridge to the island platform (where the trains depart from) comes off it. The only access to the toilets is from it. One of the two entrances to the cafe is from it. The cycle racks are on it. And the gate that allows passengers to enter the station when the ticket hall is closed is on it. If the platform wasn't there, the station couldn't operate.

Does this make sense now?
 
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Ivo

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For anyone who has never been to (or through) Chippenham, you can see what is meant by the "False Platform" from NRE's station diagram. I never realised there was a TVM in the north entrance though (probably because I've never used it!).

Chippenham is an extreme case of such a scenario.
 

MP33

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The down GE fast line passes alongside a platform at Bethnal Green. The nearest edge has been cut back to leave a gap and there are railings stopping access. The other side of the platform is the WAGN up line and is still in use.

There is also a platform 5 at Manor Park on the up electric line loop. Although part of platform is a brick wall it is possible to use the platform if in the right place.
 

GuyBarry

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I can only assume that Chippenham must be unique, because no one who hasn't visited seems to have the faintest idea of what I'm talking about, even after other members were kind enough to post a diagram and a photograph.

It's pretty easy, isn't it? There's a platform. It's in use by passengers for accessing various parts of the station. It's not in use by trains.

Thanks anyway.
 
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