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How would you Rate your Local Station?

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J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,043
Location
Barnsley/Cambridge
How would you rate the station you are most familiar with (meaning, your hometown station, or perhaps the station you most commonly use for work)?

My Local: Barnsley Interchange

Setting: Situated in the centre of the town. Need I say more? (5/10)

Architecture:
Looks okay; composed of a red brick that I quite like, and an angular form, as if it was to exhibit its functional purpose.

Ignoring that, a far cry from the modern and dynamic looking bus station connected to it. (6/10)

Services: 4 tph down to Sheffield, with one continuing to Nottingham, and another to Lincoln Central; 3tph up to Leeds, and one more to Huddersfield.

Not at all bad! :D (9/10)

Rolling Stock: 142s, 144s, 150s, 153s, 158s. Barely any coupled.

Bit dull. (5/10)

Facilities: Lifts for wheelchair users, ticket machines with touchscreens to make ticket purchase easier than ever, and still the friendly ticket office. No food outlet. (8/10)

Overall:
Okay, I guess. I suppose it serves an function, but you know things are bad when the bus station shows up the rail station... (7/10)
 
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GRALISTAIR

Established Member
Joined
11 Apr 2012
Messages
7,807
Location
Dalton GA USA & Preston Lancs
My Local: Preston (PRE)

Setting: Situated in the wrong place as the bus station is at the exact opposite end of town but is situated fairly close to main shops. (7/10)

Architecture:
Not bad at all until you go to the side entrance where they have stuck a carbuncle on the side. (7/10)

Services: Many many - not bad at all - London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, York, Leeds Liverpool , Manchester and airport Blackpool , the Lake District (10/10)

Rolling Stock: Some really good stuff with some rare ones making the odd appearance too. (10/10)

Facilities: Lifts for wheelchair users, ticket machines with touchscreens to make ticket purchase easier than ever, and still the friendly ticket office. Good food outlet and pubs. (9/10)

Overall:
Pretty damned good. (9/10)
 

PeterC

Established Member
Joined
29 Sep 2014
Messages
4,069
My local Chesham

Setting: Inadequate forecourt for taxis and "kiss and ride". Short walk up steep hill from bus stops and main taxi rank. (4/10)

Architecture: Attractive country station with listed signal box (10/10)

Services: Metropolitan Line 2thp. All slows off peak. (7/10)

Facilities: Level access, toilets, PAYG, ticket machines, no ticket office. No catering or news stand. (6/10)

Overall: A curates egg (7/10)
 

Iskra

Established Member
Joined
11 Jun 2014
Messages
7,787
Location
West Riding
Mine: Chapeltown (South Yorkshire)

Setting: 9/10 ideally situated in the centre of the town, close to bus stops and cafes/shops/Spoons/Asda. Free street parking within a short walk that is always available.

Architecture: 2/10 it is a very basic station with a simple shelter on each wooden platform. The best thing is it’s got good views of the surrounding hills. It’s elevated above the town, so is quite windswept in winter.

Services: 7/10 for a small station it’s not bad. 2tph to Sheffield and Meadowhall. 2tph North to Barnsley where you can pick up the semi-fasts or you can continue on to Huddersfield (1tph) or Leeds (1tph). Services start around 5am and end around midnight. Annoyingly all Leeds services are limited to 2 car only and they divert via Castleford adding journey time and more passengers than 2 car units can cope with.

Rolling stock: 3/10 mainly 144/142 with the odd 150 and rare 153 or 158. These are generally in a pretty scruffy state. The most exciting working through the station is an ECS EMT early morning HST or class 20’s in autumn.

Facilities: 4/10. It’s got a TVM on the southbound platform only and is an annoying walk if you’re wanting to travel North. It also has a bus shelter on each platform, some seats, decent PIS provision and audio announcements.

Overall 5/10. A convenient station with limited facilities and a reasonable service let down mainly by the rolling stock and extremely basic architecture.

I also use Meadowhall station for journeys to Sheffield City Centre due to its free parking and good service frequency, or Sheffield station for long distance journeys, sometimes via Chapeltown but not always.
 
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Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,540
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
My local Bletchley

Setting: Reasonably near home. Decent car park but inadequate "kiss and ride". Could do with access from the town side (6/10)

Architecture: Ugly 1960s but does have a certain bleak charm on a rainy day (3/10)

Services: 2 slow and 1 fast to Euston off-peak, various destinations north, hourly Southern, hourly Marston Vale. Probably as good as that kind of station can expect (7/10)

Facilities: Level access, toilets, ticket machines, ticket office, small cafe. Excellent cycle storage facilities with obvious CCTV and under cover in the old parcels bay. Due to no other access, heated indoor space available 24/7. (6/10)

Rolling stock: Mostly class 350 and Electrostars, pretty good really. 230s a nice curiosity. (8/10)

Overall: Does the job (7/10)
 
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leedslad82

Member
Joined
11 Oct 2011
Messages
152
My Local: new pudsey

Setting: not well linked to public transport so its more a park n ride station has a good size car park but access is restricted due to road layout. Not actually in pudsey. Should be called stanningley station (5/10)

Architecture: just a prefab block placed in car park


Services: 4 tph to leeds. I think one of these still continues to york


4tph to bradford. One continues to Huddersfield. One to preston. Two to manchester of which one now continues to chester.

Not at all bad! :D (8/10)

Rolling Stock: usual northern mix. Jist needs longer services as sometimes people are left behind on morning peak journeys to leeds (5/10)

Facilities ticket machines with touchscreens to make ticket purchase easier than ever, and still the friendly ticket office. Toilets and a vending machine . (8/10)

Overall: serves area well. Shame the removed the pudsey loop all those years ago
... (7/10)
 

cactustwirly

Established Member
Joined
10 Apr 2013
Messages
7,447
Location
UK
My local for 70% year is Leicester.

Setting: South East of the city Centre, not the nicest of approaches from the city, and the area towards the east is a bit industrial and run down.
The approach from the West is pleasant though. 5/10

Architecture: The concourse is a grand, Midland Railway building from the 1800s
However the platforms are dull 1980s buildings. 7/10

Rolling Stock: HSTs, 222s, 170s, 158s, 156, 153.
8/10

Facilities: recently refurbished waiting rooms, however the toilets are a bit grim
Plenty of TVMs and a Travel Centre 7/10

Total 6.75/10
 

3141

Established Member
Joined
1 Apr 2012
Messages
1,771
Location
Whitchurch, Hampshire
My Local: Overton

Setting: Three quarters of a mile from Overton, not much of a bus service, car park is free but insufficient size and two thirds of it is on land belonging to De La Rue.

Architecture: During the past 60 years or so the station hasn't experienced an architect.

Services: One train per hour each way that stops, and one that doesn't. But 2 tph to London for morning peak and 2 coming back in the evening. Small numbers of freight trains coming the long way round from Southampton. Occasional steam excursions pass through, or sometimes stop for water.

Rolling stock: The regular service is class 159 or 158.

Facilities: Ticket office till 10 am Monday to Friday, disabled toilet when ticket office open, some seats, basic shelters, footbridge, two TVMs.

Overall:
I'd be mean not to say 7/10, because it serves the area adequately and the only thing we need that we haven't got is disabled access to the Up platform.
 

Cowley

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
15 Apr 2016
Messages
15,688
Location
Devon
My local: Exeter st David’s.

I can walk there in twenty minutes.
Good services to plenty of places.
Level access and lifts etc.
Buffets, toilet, car parking and on street parking nearby.
Architecture is pretty classic.
Staff: I’ve only ever had good experiences with them. I think it’s a very friendly station.

I’m very happy with it and consider myself pretty lucky.

I mean overall I can’t give it the full marks because I’ll probably think of something I don’t like in the middle of the night, so I’ll go 9/10
 

Kyle1

Member
Joined
24 Aug 2014
Messages
41
Location
Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
My Local: Barry

Setting: It's a 20 minute walk from the town centre which is inconvenient, but 5 minutes from my house which is handy. Decent bus links to the town centre, Cardiff, Wenvoe and Bridgend (6/10)

Architecture:
Pretty basic, could do with refurbishment, will probably have to be revamped as not disabled compliant. (3/10)

Services: 4 tph to Cardiff on weekdays and a good Sunday service. 1 tph to Bridgend via Llantwit major. Early first train and reasonably late last train. Services are always crush loaded at peak times though. (8/10)

Rolling Stock: 142's, 143's, 150's, very occasionally 153's.

Pacers, yuck. Most peak trains don't have enough coaches. (3/10)

Facilities: Staffed ticket office, ticket machine outside, cafe on platform 1 and toilets. Taxi rank outside the station. Station not disabled compliant, no lifts etc. (7/10)

Overall: It'll do, most of the problems should hopefully be fixed over the next few years (when the Stadler Flirts replace the Pacers in 2021, when lifts are put in for disabled passengers or lazy gits like me who can't be bothered with steps etc) (6/10)
 
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Messages
501
My station: Stoke on Trent

Setting: it’s actually in Shelton, not Stoke and a bus journey to the city centre (Hanley) 4/10

Architecture: Including Winton Square it’s listed, a classic station
10/10

Services: (per hour) 4 express to Manchester, 1 stopper to Manchester, 2 to Crewe, 3 to London Euston, 3 via Birmingham, Cross country destinations throughout the day, 1 to Derby, Occasionally WCML diverts to Liverpool and Glasgow via Alsager (9.5/10)

Rolling Stock: 153/156/158/220/221/222/323/350/390 (8/10)

Facilities; cafe, shop, bar, lifts, self serve machines, vending machines, cash machine, ticket office, 1st class lounge, waiting rooms, taxi rank, ample car parking nearby hotel and Subway, good bus links to city centre*

*the bus links are sporadic in the evenings and Sundays, and it can get cold on the platforms (7/10)

A pretty good station 8/10
 

centraltrains

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2015
Messages
480
Location
West Midlands
My Local: Shirley

Setting: Nowhere near the town centre (about 20-25 minutes walk), and at the edge of the housing for only one side of the town with very little parking. (3/10)

Architecture:
Lovely classic GWR design which really suits as a medium/small town station. The roof is in a bit of a poor state. (9/10)

Services: Every 20 minutes to Birmingham (extras in the peak) and hourly to Stratford. (8/10)

Rolling Stock:
Primierlly Class 172s, since the timetable shake-up, 170s and 153s appear slightly more commonly (7/10)

Facilities: Small Car Park, [waiting Room both sides, toilets, ticket office (these only open when ticket office is open, which is sadly only till midday Mon-Thur)], card-only TVM, Permit to Travel machine, wheelchair accessibility (lifts & humps) (8/10)

Overall:
A nice station with a good service, just located inconveniently for around 65% of the town's population. (7/10)

And unlike most posts so far, my overall is coincidentally a mean average of the other points! [most posts are +/- 1]
 
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Messages
501
[QUOTE/] central trains

And unlike most posts so far, my overall is coincidentally a mean average of the other points! [most posts are +/- 1][/QUOTE]

I have marked mine down overall as it’s all very well having pretty buildings and a range of rolling stock, but being stuck at the bus stop on a windy rainy evening when everything has closed outweigh them.

Your overall is not the mean though.

(Can a moderator PM me how to insert quotes)
 

The_Train

Established Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
4,314
My Local: Stafford (STA)

Setting: Situated just a 5 minute walk (through the lovely Victoria Park) from a town centre which is stuck somewhere between terminal decline and modernisation (basically the main high street is sinking whilst modern shopping areas pop up around the edge of town. There are also bus stops outside the station with links to Cannock, Wolverhampton, Newport and Telford. (9/10)

Architecture:
Still maintains that 1960s look with lots of concrete on show after being rebuilt during the electrification of the WCML. There is a relic of the past with the very large double arrow logo which is outside the station and remains lit up at night to this day. Probably needs updating (I suspect this will happen when HS2 reaches us) but I'll be sad to see it lose its current looks (5/10)

Services: I used to know these off the top of my head before the May timetable changes. I think it now looks something like this:
  • 2x XC services to Manchester
  • 2x XC services to the South (usually 1 to Bournemouth and 1 to Bristol)
  • 1x VTWC service to Liverpool Lime Street
  • 1x VTWC service to London Euston
  • 4x LNWR services to London Euston (1 via the Trent Valley and 3 via Birmingham, Northampton and MK)
  • 2x LNWR services to Crewe
  • 2x LNWR services to Liverpool Lime Street
The 1st and last trains to call at Stafford in the week are TfW services - from Chester to Birmingham in the morning and then Birmingham to Holyhead at around midnight. VTWC also stop a few extra services at Stafford later in the day but generally we rely on connections at Crewe to travel on the North WCML to Scotland. (9/10)

Rolling Stock: 220, 221, 350, 390 is generally it for passenger use (the 2x TfW services are usually a 158). It's the freight rolling stock that keeps Stafford interesting as literally anything could pass through, from steam, to classic diesel/electric, and the more modern locos. We have also tended to see lots of the new stuff in testing such as the 345s and TPE Mk5A stock.

Passenger stuff is a bit boring but the freight and loco moves keep it fun (8/10)

Facilities: Lifts for wheelchair users, ticket machines with touchscreens (which I've never seen not working), and still the friendly ticket office which is open all day. Main concourse refurbished in 2015 when a Starbucks appeared to go alongside the WH Smith. Also a coffee stall on P1 and P3/4 island. A large bike rack is located on P1 and there are waiting rooms on every platform all with plug sockets and heaters, only downside is the toilets are located on P1 so if you make it to P5 before realising you need to go, it's a trek back across. (9/10)

Overall:
Personally I think Stafford is a really good station. Good service which allows decent connections all over the country, pleasant and helpful staff and plenty to see (from a spotters point of view) (9/10)
 

Bantamzen

Established Member
Joined
4 Dec 2013
Messages
9,669
Location
Baildon, West Yorkshire
My Local: Baildon

Setting: On the edge of the town (Baildon was officially made a town a few years ago), around half a mile down the hill from the centre. Its a bit of a slog up the hill, although timed well you can catch one of two rather irregular buses into Baildon nearby. (4/10)

Architecture:
The old ticket office building still remains, though is used by a local company. Otherwise largely unremarkable platform-wise, although the local rail user group have been very active in brightening it up by planting new flowerbeds & keeping weeds at bay. It is a peaceful station, and at this time of year is surrounded with greenery & the trees give it a very rural feel. (9/10)

Services: 4tph Two to Bradford & two to Ilkley (8/10)

Rolling Stock: 333 / 321 / 322 - The refurbished 333s are looking nice, but the occasional 321/322 are starting to look & act their age. (7/10)

Facilities: There is only one platform, with one ticket machine but now has two shelters. It is fully accessible via the car park to the north of the station, and has as stepped access to the south over the bridge. As it is situated some way from a main road, and the road that serves it is rather narrow, so when rail replacement buses are needed they cannot call there and instead use a bus stop on the A6038 some 500 metres away (longer if you cannot use the southern access). (6/10)

Overall:
A nice enough station, especially for the early services that I use when it is quiet. Good for a bit of bird watching if the service is delayed. (8/10)
 
Joined
8 May 2010
Messages
91
My Local: Mauldeth Road

Setting: A bit odd – in a densely populated suburb but not much housing immediately adjacent, even though the station was there before the suburb developed. To the south west there is a park, to the north west a school with playing fields, to the north east a B&M store with car parking. Only to the south east is there housing across the road. Also on a high embankment so it is a significant walk between the platforms – I allow 8 minutes to walk from home to the southbound platform, 13 minutes to the northbound.

Architecture: Basic:two platforms plus bus shelters at rail level, prefab ticket office at street level

Services: Two trains an hour in each direction but the timetable changes from May 2018 are irritating! On the much-discussed Manchester Piccadilly/Airport line so suffers from skip stopping and a 40 minute gap between northbound trains. During the day both hourly north-bound trains go to Liverpool Lime Street – one stopping at all 15 intermediate stations. A few oddities at peak times and in the evening – an occasional through train to Blackpool North, Sheffield, Cleethorpes, ... .

Rolling Stock: I’m not fully up with class numbers so might not have this quite right. During the day the hourly electrics are a mixture of 323s and 319s, hourly diesels are are a mixture of 153s and 150s. Only the occasional Pacer. Although peak time trains are busy they are adequate. Lots of interesting stuff rushing through to and from the Airport, plus intermodals.

Facilities: Ticket office, staffed mornings, and ticket machine. The OK rebuild a few years ago included ramps to the platforms. Minute car park; most passengers walk to the station.

Overall: As a previous poster of their local station said, “It'll do.” I am surprised to find that, according to the Office of Rail Regulation figures, it is the busiest of the intermediate stations on the Manchester Piccadilly/Airport line. However usage has declined, possibly as a result of the timetable changes. I have a particular interest in the station as I am involved in the recent formed Friends of Mauldeth Road Station. The group is looking to make improvements to the ambience and, in due course, to lobby for a more satisfactory timetable.
 

KMS1992

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2018
Messages
9
My Local: Mosspark Train Station (MPK)

Setting: 3 minute walk from my house. Situated in a populated area with a bridge connecting to another area (Pollok). (10/10)

Architecture: Unremarkable. Standard single-platform train station. (5/10).

Services: 2 tph to Glasgow Central and 2tph to Paisley Canal. Takes about 12 minutes each way. Peak-time trains can be busy and depending on the rolling stock, sometimes finding a seat is tricky. However, as it is such a short commute, standing is not a problem. (10/10)

Rolling Stock: Primarily 380s. Off-peak trains can include 318s and the last of Scotrail's 314s. Most services are 3 carriages. However, sometimes 4 for the clas 380s. (7/10)

Facilities: Shelter, information point, smart card reader, accessible. Lacks a ticket machine. (6/10)

Overall: 7/10
 

Statto

Established Member
Joined
8 Feb 2011
Messages
3,208
Location
At home or at the pub
My Local Moreton Merseyside

Setting 10 minute walk from home in one direction, next to a factory & not far from a trading estate, bit of a hike to the main shopping area though, plus the shore is a 10 minute walk the other way[5/10]

Architecture unremarkable, typical small Merseyrail station [5/10]

Services 4 an hour both ways, to 2 an hour from 7pm & Sundays, although Sundays until 6pm at least could do with an improved frequency [8/10]

Rolling Stock typical Merseyrail 507/508 stock which are to be replaced by new trains from next year [5/10]

Facilities ticket office open all day from 5.50am[8am Sundays] until the last service, 23.52[that's one bonus], couple of shelters, timetables displayed with real time info screens, assessable

Overall typical metro type of station that does it's job, one bonus is ticket office open all day, similar type of station elsewhere would be unstaffed[7/10]
 

james60059

Member
Joined
6 Jul 2006
Messages
839
Location
Hinckley
My Local: Hinckley (HNK).

Setting: Situated next to the Tesco Extra Hinckley. About a 5 minute walk from the town centre.

Architecture: 2 platform station, brick building on Platform 1 encompassing a ticket office and toilet.

Services: Generally 1 tph in each direction provided by XC on the Birmingham - Leicester local services. Peak hours sees additional calls by the BHM - SSD services and vice-versa although prior to 2004, more locations were accessible by direct services; namely Coventry and Nottingham.

Rolling Stock: All services are operated by Class 170's.

Facilities: Waiting Room (Plat 1), Bus Shelter type area (Plat 2), Ticket Office (open 06:40-13:00 Mon-Sat), accessible toilet (only available during TO opening hours).

Overall: Not a bad little station, although the canopy got removed recently on Plat 1, maybe could do with more services. 7/10.
 

coppercapped

Established Member
Joined
13 Sep 2015
Messages
3,094
Location
Reading
My Local: Reading

Setting: Main entrances on the south side in the town centre, north side on a dual carriageway with some barn-like retail outlets and a multi-story car park. Very close to a lot of town centre office developments (Thames Tower, The Blade etc.). Ibis and Novotel hotels are within a 3 minutes walk, closer is the Malmaison opposite the station, originally the Great Western Hotel built in 1844 and (reputedly) the oldest surviving railway hotel on the planet. (8/10)

Architecture: Bit confused - on the town side, from left to right the glass end of the modern roof over the stairs and escalators to the passenger bridge/deck which dwarfs the 1865 built, Grade II listed GWR station in the centre and on the right the 1989 station building. The north entrance is all modern. Good views of the surroundings from the passenger bridge.

Weather proofing on the passenger bridge and platforms in inclement weather is less than ideal. (8/10)

Services: Where to start? Positioned on rail crossroads and the ninth busiest station in the UK outside London. Through trains to lots of places. (9/10)

Passenger Rolling Stock: Classes 57, 220, 221, 165, 166, 387, 450, 458, 80X with 345 test running. Probably forgotten a couple of edge cases such as Riviera Sleeper stock maintenance and the mythological Class 769.

Freight: Class 59, 66 and 70 and an 08 shunter.

Bit same-y since the Castles, Kings, Halls and Manors have left… :( (4/10)

Facilities: Ticket offices and machines in both entrances. Stairs, escalators and lifts to all platforms. Wayfinding signs could be improved. Choice of food stalls in the station including an M&S. Town centre shops 3 minutes walk away. (8/10)

Overall: Reading Hauptbahnhof… (8/10)
 
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30907

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Sep 2012
Messages
17,867
Location
Airedale
My Local: Shipley (Saltaire is nearer, but basic)

Setting: about 1/4 mile from the town centre and most buses but down a steep-ish hill and the most direct access feels unsafe to many. (7/10)

Architecture:
The ticket office building was nicely refurbished almost 20(?) years ago, though the platform canopies have gone.
BTP occupy other offices on P5.
The newer platforms on the one-time avoiding line have modern buildings plus a small 70s brick shelter. Standard modern footbridges with lifts - functional but not architecturally pleasing. (8/10)

Services: 4-5tph to/from Skipton and Leeds (plus peak extras), 6tph to/from Bradford, 2tph to/from Ilkley, near 2-hourly Lancaster and Carlisle, 2 up and 1 down Kings Cross (9/10 - would be 10 if peak trains weren't so crowded!)

Rolling Stock: 333 / 321 / 322 - 333s are nice, especially when refurbished, 321/322 are adequate but lower capacity; 158s with occasional 153s to Carlisle, mix of 150/Pacer to Lancaster. Fair amount of freight and occasional specials. (7/10)

Facilities: Five platforms, fully accessible; TVM on P1, P3/5 and 2 in booking hall. - this is staffed for long hours and IME does a very good job. No toilets but a retail unit.
The subway access at the Bradford end has recently been resurfaced with non-slip materials, but is prone to flood because of its location.
Large car park (but not large enough).
Platforms 1/2/5 are sharply curved and too short for future needs. (9/10)

Overall:
A decent enough station, shame about the hill. (8/10)
 

DelphDonkey

Member
Joined
18 Feb 2018
Messages
18
My Local: Greenfield (GNF)

Setting: a bit poorly sited for most of the catchment area, but geography dictates this is the only possible site. Somewhat uphill from Greenfield itself. Bus links now greatly improved thanks to an hourly village bus that connects with the trains. (7/10)

Architecture:
The main building was newly rebuilt almost 20(?) years ago, a great improvement on what was there before (rag all). The Huddersfield platform is still a bit bare, though. Platforms to be extended to take 6 car 185s ... not holding any breaths. (8/10)

Services: 1 tph to Manchester Piccadilly and 1tph t'other way to Huddersfield, plus peak extras to/from Piccadilly courtesy Northern. Could easily support a 2tph service, were there the paths. Briefly had through trains to Leeds, sadly missed. (4/10)

Rolling Stock: 185s. Plus whatever junk Northern can scrape together. TPE may have new stock flying past one day. Freight 66s not as common as of yore. (4/10)

Facilities: Two platforms, only one fully accessible; TVM on P1, also ticket office (part time) with regular staff (Rachelle) very helpful and friendly indeed. Toilet by RADAR key only. Pub and coffee shop over t'road. Making the Huddersfield platform accessible is probably too expensive to ever do. Very steep steps to footbridge! Station best avoided at weekend when the bloody Ale Trailers aka Lager Louts are here.(6/10)

Overall:
A decent enough station, shame about the access and the limited service. (6/10)
 

61653 HTAFC

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Dec 2012
Messages
17,624
Location
Another planet...
My local: Batley (BTL)

Setting: surrounded by largely under-used Victorian buildings, one of which is reduced to rubble- giving the immediate area a slightly post-apocalyptic feel (apart from the pub opposite the station). Light industry in the old goods yard and behind the Westbound platform. A reasonable amount of parking either in the small station car park or on nearby streets.

An 8-9 minute walk to Batley town centre and the Tesco Extra. The bus station is about 14 minutes walk away, the closest stop is 5 mins away and sees an hourly service to Wakefield/Dewsbury (212) with an additional hourly bus between the bus station and Wakefield (119/120) Monday to Saturday daytime. 5/10

Architecture: The remaining buildings have little of their former glory left. There was formerly a shop in the main building but this sat abandoned with stock still on the shelves for years before being cleared a few years back. It now serves as workspace for the Friends of Batley Station group. The Dewsbury-bound platform is spartan, with a basic shelter which extends over the staircase to the subway. Classic 1980s/90s Metro functionality. A nice mural in the subway depicting the Rugby League stadium, the Fox's biscuit factory, the Frontier Club (now defunct) and (for some reason) a Deltic! 6/10

Services: 2tph to Leeds, one Northern and one TPE. In the other direction 1tph to Huddersfield (TPE) and 1tph to Wigan/Southport via Brighouse and Manchester Victoria. Currently close to a 30min interval to Leeds and to Dewsbury but this may change if the Summer 2018 plan is revived. In which case Batley loses the Southport service but regains a call on the Manchester to Hull TPE. 5/10

Rolling Stock: 185s on the TPE service (I do miss the 170 ;)) and whatever the Northern Random Unit Generator sends on the Wigan/Southport service. As with Greenfield above, there will soon be new TPE stock flying through. Very little passing freight (if any) as most of it runs via Wakefield. 7/10

Facilities: Only the Leeds-bound platform is accessible. No staff apart from the occasional RPIs with ticket machines in the peaks. Card only ticket machine. Basic shelters on each platform, with a few benches dotted about. Some nice flowerbeds and hanging baskets by the FOBS group. 3/10

Overall:
Not the worst station but really needs some improvements, particularly accessibility. However with Trans-pennine Route Upgrade on the horizon, any major work will have to wait until then. 5/10
 

Cowley

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
15 Apr 2016
Messages
15,688
Location
Devon
My local: Batley (BTL)

Setting: surrounded by largely under-used Victorian buildings, one of which is reduced to rubble- giving the immediate area a slightly post-apocalyptic feel (apart from the pub opposite the station). Light industry in the old goods yard and behind the Westbound platform. A reasonable amount of parking either in the small station car park or on nearby streets.

An 8-9 minute walk to Batley town centre and the Tesco Extra. The bus station is about 14 minutes walk away, the closest stop is 5 mins away and sees an hourly service to Wakefield/Dewsbury (212) with an additional hourly bus between the bus station and Wakefield (119/120) Monday to Saturday daytime. 5/10

Architecture: The remaining buildings have little of their former glory left. There was formerly a shop in the main building but this sat abandoned with stock still on the shelves for years before being cleared a few years back. It now serves as workspace for the Friends of Batley Station group. The Dewsbury-bound platform is spartan, with a basic shelter which extends over the staircase to the subway. Classic 1980s/90s Metro functionality. A nice mural in the subway depicting the Rugby League stadium, the Fox's biscuit factory, the Frontier Club (now defunct) and (for some reason) a Deltic! 6/10

Services: 2tph to Leeds, one Northern and one TPE. In the other direction 1tph to Huddersfield (TPE) and 1tph to Wigan/Southport via Brighouse and Manchester Victoria. Currently close to a 30min interval to Leeds and to Dewsbury but this may change if the Summer 2018 plan is revived. In which case Batley loses the Southport service but regains a call on the Manchester to Hull TPE. 5/10

Rolling Stock: 185s on the TPE service (I do miss the 170 ;)) and whatever the Northern Random Unit Generator sends on the Wigan/Southport service. As with Greenfield above, there will soon be new TPE stock flying through. Very little passing freight (if any) as most of it runs via Wakefield. 7/10

Facilities: Only the Leeds-bound platform is accessible. No staff apart from the occasional RPIs with ticket machines in the peaks. Card only ticket machine. Basic shelters on each platform, with a few benches dotted about. Some nice flowerbeds and hanging baskets by the FOBS group. 3/10

Overall:
Not the worst station but really needs some improvements, particularly accessibility. However with Trans-pennine Route Upgrade on the horizon, any major work will have to wait until then. 5/10
I feel like I’ve just read one of my old school reports. :lol:
 
Joined
11 Jan 2015
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My local Purley Oaks

Location;
between two suburban dead end roads, with access from one side to the other only by foot: unusually for London no buses pass and it’s a 300 yd walk to the nearest best stop. On an embankment. (7)

Architecture: 1900 red brick London Brighton and South Coast Railway from Line quadrupling, severely cut down as main building was burnt down c 30 years ago and trains no longer use what was built as the slow lines. (5)

Services: never been anything more that a London based suburban station. Currently as good as ever to London Bridge (fast), but lacking the stoppers to Victoria of the last 30 or so years. (7)

Facilities: two 8 car long platforms in daily use. Ticket office nominally open for a long traffic day, but sometime closed and when open must be a good job for someone doing exam revision as use can be very low after about 11:00 as most people use contactless. No step free access, this would require two lift and quite a lot of ancillary work. The nearby Sanderstead does have step free access. (7)

Rolling Stock: 377s and 455s. Plenty of emu variety on fast lines. A few daily freights and irregular Channel Tunnel diverts.

Overall: a decent suburban station; physical improvement difficult due to location on embankment; service improvement v hard as the line is pretty much at capacity.
 
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