Grubbiest or most dilapidated station on the network in 2023

[BeijingDave]

That's because it's in the North (sort of: apologies to Geordies and Mackems)

Without branching off topic too much, Crewe definitely satisfies the 'Do they get North West Tonight or Midlands Today for their evening news?' test that most people around here seem to use as the divider between the North and the Midlands.

The border is somewhere around Stoke IIRC.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Feb 2023 ==

And further away from eachother than the previous two.

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Warrington BQ is very much a traditional Victorian station at platform level (and all the better for it IMO). It's also not badly maintained.

I can't remember if there's a buffet, but for a big WCML station, there doesn't seem to be a lot in the way of facilities. It's also a bit of a traipse to the town centre.

The Platform 1/2 island building is. The one on 3/4 is from the 1950s.

There was a buffet, which had become a coffee shop that sells hot snacks (Costa? I can't remember the chain), on Platform 1/2 last time I was there.

The town centre is a long walk, which is why the Manchester train from Central (also more frequent) has always been more popular with locals.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

The border is somewhere around Stoke IIRC.

Agreed, I consider Staffs-Cheshire, Derbyshire-South Yorks, Lincolnshire-East Riding of Yorks as the North-South border

 

[DarloRich]

No one appears to have mentioned Luton yet. If they have my apologies. For somewhere that is hoping to gain city status. ( Pigs Flying) I think the station needs some attention

Luton is grotty as is Bedford. So depressing.

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Not been there in a few years, but last time it did, Middlesbrough felt like a badly maintained 1960s makeover of a Victorian poor-house.

that is because in 1942 the Luftwaffe put a bomb slap bang in the middle of the station! They missed the steel and chemical works which in those days must have took some doing!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Luton is grotty as is Bedford. So depressing.

Bedford is a bit 80s but I wouldn't call it grotty.

 

[DarloRich]

Bedford is a bit 80s but I wouldn't call it grotty.

perhaps it is the ambience of the town and surrounding area that is more grotty tbh.

 

[Bletchleyite]

perhaps it is the ambience of the town and surrounding area that is more grotty tbh.

Yeah, I'll give you that (though it does have nice bits e.g. down by the river).

It is however hugely better than Northampton (town, the station is now quite nice), and probably better than Aylesbury too (which has a really very nice classic station but a manky town centre).

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Crewe is indeed depressing with refreshment rooms shutting early, toilets often out of order meaning you have to change platforms to find a working one and, in my experience, unhelpful staff when you can find them (but only based on 3 bad experiences over 20 years I must admit).

In its favour, there are lots of take-aways and pubs nearby, although most are keg. In the 1980's you could get a decent pint of handpumped Robinsons on platform 6. And its only a short walk to the football ground. Parking is also easy and cheap if you know where to look.

 

[yorksrob]

Crewe is indeed depressing with refreshment rooms shutting early, toilets often out of order meaning you have to change platforms to find a working one and, in my experience, unhelpful staff when you can find them (but only based on 3 bad experiences over 20 years I must admit).

In its favour, there are lots of take-aways and pubs nearby, although most are keg. In the 1980's you could get a decent pint of handpumped Robinsons on platform 6. And its only a short walk to the football ground. Parking is also easy and cheap if you know where to look.

Yes, the current station bar is an aberration in terms of decent beer.

 

[181]

Not been there in a few years, but last time it did, Middlesbrough felt like a badly maintained 1960s makeover of a Victorian poor-house.

I was there in 2021 and it had been well restored -- it's now quite impressive.

that is because in 1942 the Luftwaffe put a bomb slap bang in the middle of the station! They missed the steel and chemical works which in those days must have took some doing!

Although yes, it would be a lot more impressive if the overall roof was still there.

 

[nanstallon]

and they demolished this to make Interchange. http://disused-stations.org.uk/b/bradford_exchange/bradford(c1912)exchange_old13.jpg

Bradford hasn't been treated very well by the railways. Although a big city with a lot of 'soul' (a city I like for its lack of pretension, and 'it is what it is' ethos), it has always been very much Leeds' poor relation.

 

[Mikey C]

Crewe

That's because it's in the North (sort of: apologies to Geordies and Mackems)

The issue with Crewe is surely more that while it's an important interchange station, it's an unimportant medium sized town. Reading, for example, is a lot larger, and a lot more important economically.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The issue with Crewe is surely more that while it's an important interchange station, it's an unimportant medium sized town.

Surely the issue with Crewe, in the context of this thread, is that the station three isn't being properly looked after.

No?

 

[yorksrob]

Surely the issue with Crewe, in the context of this thread, is that the station three isn't being properly looked after.

No?

Exactly. It's a perfectly good station that needs a bit of TLC.

Not enough to get the crayons wagging though !

 

[Mikey C]

Surely the issue with Crewe, in the context of this thread, is that the station three isn't being properly looked after.

No?

I agree it needs more TLC, but it's slight backwater status isn't just because it's oop north.

 

[BeijingDave]

Without really knowing my way around the extensive timetable databases some on here have access to, I think I would also be right in saying that fewer fast WCML services stop there now compared to 30 years ago, and also that fewer long-distance services start there (for example, the Crewe-South Wales trains have for many years run into Piccadilly).

Hence, Crewe has been slowly downgraded in importance.

 

[Ken H]

Maybe its a bit daft Avanti run this large station thats used by a shedloads of other TOCs. Avantis usage is quite a small percentage.
As a large station perhaps it should be run by Network Rail in their large station group.

 

[AndyHudds]

Off topic, but when I went to Cheltenham for a football match years ago I was surprised how rough a place it was, particularly around the Whaddon Road football ground. I guess the word "Spa" does a lot of heavy lifting!

Not to mention the fact it is a very long walk to the ground also!!!

 

[GoneSouth]

Not to mention the fact it is a very long walk to the ground also!!!

I was going to say that’s not really the station’s fault, but then had a rethink and it kind of is because the station wasn’t built in the centre of the town

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was going to say that’s not really the station’s fault, but then had a rethink and it kind of is because the station wasn’t built in the centre of the town

It's generally best to build a railway station on the railway, I find.

 

[Trainfan2019]

Surely the issue with Crewe, in the context of this thread, is that the station three isn't being properly looked after.

No?

Welcome to the abandoned Crewe jungle...
The tunnel surrounded by scaffolding in picture 3 is the Avanti welcome to Crewe impression for passengers using rail replacement buses.

Edit: I took these pictures this week, very current state of Crewe.

 

[GoneSouth]

It's generally best to build a railway station on the railway, I find.

Yes

It does look like there used to be a line going closer to town centre but sadly another one lost forever. I think it’s what’s now used by the Gloucestershire Warwickshire railway. The central Cheltenham section looks to be lost but there’s still evidence of it between town and the current station.

 

[86206]

Stoke-on-Trent ?

Always feels bleak, unwelcoming and run down, entrance hall is very cramped since barriers were installed.
Hopelessly inadequate subway at busy times, always seems cold and not a nice place to hang around for long.

Steady on now.... It hasn't had much done in the way of a revamp since most of the stations got a good lick of paint & spruce up with regards National Garden Festival many moons ago! They've even closed Etruria (alight for Garden Festival) since then! Grim is (sadly) one station down from Stoke On Trent on the North Staffs line at Longton. Small & ever since the booking office was closed just your classic 2 shelters/2 platforms set up. The town itself has lost its identity too, which seems to be a recurring theme on this thread. Gone are the days of a class 40/45 & a long rake of Mk1s to take you to Blackpool or Llandudno during the holidays. Still.....Blackpool North station. Any mention of that?

 

[GoneSouth]

Steady on now.... It hasn't had much done in the way of a revamp since most of the stations got a good lick of paint & spruce up with regards National Garden Festival many moons ago! They've even closed Etruria (alight for Garden Festival) since then! Grim is (sadly) one station down from Stoke On Trent on the North Staffs line at Longton. Small & ever since the booking office was closed just your classic 2 shelters/2 platforms set up. The town itself has lost its identity too, which seems to be a recurring theme on this thread. Gone are the days of a class 40/45 & a long rake of Mk1s to take you to Blackpool or Llandudno during the holidays. Still.....Blackpool North station. Any mention of that?

Thoroughly unpleasant, but last time I went it didn’t look like it was in the dilapidated category

Blackpool South on the other hand. Now we are talking dereliction and neglect!

 

[Steddenm]

Currently on my annual First ALR in the UK and have noticed a few things at some of the stations...

Blackpool North
We all know of the woes with the staff (although they were fine today when my pass wwouldn't scan), but the station concourse is absolutely filthy. Outside the station there were cig butts everywhere, broken bottles and dirty nappies (why?!), and on the concourse itself was a family of mice running round from the sandwich shop to the old exit by the ramp.

Crewe
Weather today was cold and the station is like a wind tunnel. The lifts from the bridge link to the platforms (plats 1-5) stank of stale urine and weed.

Nuneaton
My local "IInterCity" station growing up has had a bit of a fall from grace. The PA on platform 7 was incomprehensible as though the speakers has blown, and a female member of staff screaming at a group of kids to stand behind the yellow line as a "high speed train" was about to pass through... on platform 7(!)

 

[Trackman]

Currently on my annual First ALR in the UK and have noticed a few things at some of the stations...

Blackpool North
We all know of the woes with the staff (although they were fine today when my pass wwouldn't scan), but the station concourse is absolutely filthy. Outside the station there were cig butts everywhere, broken bottles and dirty nappies (why?!), and on the concourse itself was a family of mice running round from the sandwich shop to the old exit by the ramp.

Crewe
Weather today was cold and the station is like a wind tunnel. The lifts from the bridge link to the platforms (plats 1-5) stank of stale urine and weed.

Indeed Blackpool North - Forget about the staff, the station itself is just horrid. I can actually remember the old station and was horrified of what they did to it and yes back then in the early 1970's they locked the doors to the platforms.
As for Crewe, think was voted the coldest station on the network at some point. It needs money throwing at it as it's an important station.
---
My nomination is Patricroft, I was there a few years ago; very glum is an understatement.

 

[bramling]

Thoroughly unpleasant, but last time I went it didn’t look like it was in the dilapidated category

Not been to Blackpool North for a few years thankfully, but I’d agree it wasn’t really dilapidated when I last used it. Something that wouldn’t be out of place in the Soviet Union it may be, and probably the weirdest station on the network in terms of how the staff work it, but it seemed in a reasonable state of repair.

 

[John Luxton]

Blackpool North
and on the concourse itself was a family of mice running round from the sandwich shop to the old exit by the ramp.

That needs reporting to the local council environmental health department that issue those green "scores on the doors" hygiene certificates they take a dim view of mice and rats at food outlets.

 

[Steddenm]

That needs reporting to the local council environmental health department that issue those green "scores on the doors" hygiene certificates they take a dim view of mice and rats at food outlets.

I did mention it to a member of ticket office staff to be told "oh they've been there a while".

 

[Laurencew]

Can I return to Chester? Certainly fits the descriptions "grubby" and "dilapidated". And completely unsuited to today's traffic patterns from both a pedestrian and railway operating point of view.
Really apart from the splendid facade, the rest could be flattened and a modern station built on its place with suitable provision for the largest traffic flow (Merseyrail). Contentious statement, I know, but really in the bigger picture a small historical sacrifice would be worth it for the long term good.
In the mean time for the last couple of decades the station has suffered by being in England but leased by Arriva Trains Wales and now Transport for Wales. To be fair, the present jumble is difficult to maintain/clean, but nobody makes any effort. The ill-considered copper trim on the stairs and bridge is absolutely filthy with spilled coffee and so on, but a few hours with a steam cleaner would make all the difference.
We can live in hope.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I did mention it to a member of ticket office staff to be told "oh they've been there a while".

Sounds like they need a "Chief Mouser" like Felix at Huddersfield...

Then again at Blackpool North, the mice are probably much friendlier and cleaner than the average human user of the station!