London's Worst Station

[Techniquest]

East Croydon's station seems to be getting a bad rap here, and I'm not seeing it. Perhaps I've just been fortunate that all my visits over the years haven't encountered any significant issues.

 

[Sunil_P]

I visited every station in London during season 2008/2009. If memory serves, Sudbury & Harrow Road was the only one inhabited by a couple of vagrants during the day! That, and its rubbish service pattern

 

[Wolfie]

Clapton is very unpleasant. In a deep cutting with long staircases to get out and no lifts.

Stoke Newington is a dump too as is Cambridge Heath and many other stations on that line.

 

[alf]

Euston was made even worse by forcing tube passengers out into the cold, rain & puddles when for fifty years there was a perfectly good entrance from the top of the TfL escalator bank straight into the main concourse. That entrance is tantalisingly in front of you but barred by a glass screen as you are forced outside, why?

Just another reason for Euston being far less good than it used to be.

 

[bicbasher]

Erith. I used to commute from there at night and you'd find teenagers mucking about, crossing the live rail rather than use the footbridge and the lack of staffing made it intimidating. The whole Greenwich branch bar Abbey Wood is grim no thanks to the lack of staffing by Southeastern.

I also agree about South Bermondsey, just don't. There are other options to get to that area using local buses from Canada Water or Surrey Quays or walk from Bermondsey tube.

 

[Wolfie]

Its toilets have already had a dishonourable mention - but I’m going to put in a vote for the overcrowded rabbit warren that is Stratford. OK - there are more depressing places, but few that I’m so pleased to leave!

Add the utterly shambolic platform numbering to that.

My favourite London station, for all the diversity it provides. Wasn't aware it had any toilets apart from an accessible one near the Jubilee line platforms where you have to ask for the key. Quite how Liverpool St and even Euston have got in this thread is curious too.

Meanwhile a toss up between Clapton and South Bermondsey, both already mentioned.

The absolutely vile toilets are hidden by the escalators by the Stratford bus station entrance. You have to be bloody desperate to consider using them.

 

[Jimini]

Add the utterly shambolic platform numbering to that.


The absolutely vile toilets are hidden by the escalators by the Stratford bus station entrance. You have to be bloody desperate to consider using them.

Just pop into Westfield if you need to sprinkle your boots -- plenty of decent toilets in there.

 

[Trainguy34]

Add the utterly shambolic platform numbering to that.

Where did that platform numbering even come from? Was a nightmare combined with all of the underground, aswell as the "lesser-spotted platform 8 train"!

 

[londonmidland]

I’d probably put most WAML stations on here. Visiting Turkey Street and Enfield Lock are certainly stations I wouldn’t want to hang around at gone dark.

I’ve noticed loads of SE stations have palisade fencing which give it that ‘prison/unsafe’ look and feel to them.

 

[Wolfie]

Just pop into Westfield if you need to sprinkle your boots -- plenty of decent toilets in there.

Agreed but not necessarily ideal if someone is travelling on PAYG.

Where did that platform numbering even come from? Was a nightmare combined with all of the underground, aswell as the "lesser-spotted platform 8 train"!

It grew like Topsy l guess.

 

[Kite159]

It’s not as bad as Euston. But I agree Marylebone is a bit of a let-down. It’s kind of typical Chiltern really - “we’re Chiltern and better than everyone else, but we will keep you waiting on the concourse even longer than Branson does, our staff are almost as rude as Euston, and here’s your lovely 2-car DMU for your journey to Birmingham, which when it starts moving will rattle every bit as much as an old class 105 did, but aren’t Chiltern special?”.

"And we will advertise it with 2 minutes to spare, and oh it's from platform 6 on top of 2 other trains, and it will depart on time, even if passengers are still heading towards it."

 

[brad465]

Haha state of that least the horrid slab of pavement that killed off the roundabout. Least the fireball that happened not long ago showing a real risk of fire hazard aswell as the station immediately filled up with toxic smoke that covered the only escape routes.


Images above from the fireball caused by a vehicle fire under the arches, mechanic store related.

An image below from Wikipedia that still reminds me of my journeys thru and to the elephant pre 2013 days.

That fire probably improved the station.

 

[renegademaster]

I absolutely hate Finsbury Park. Bad interchange, lack of concourse, weird location of ticket barriers and the immediate frontage is a dump.



The shops are emptying because they still do plan to rebuild the Whitgift. It's not going to be as big as first planned for shops, instead with more homes.

It's not just the whitgift nowdays though
Centrale is turning into a ghost town and the shops in North End keep declining in quality towards though cheap nick nack shops

Waterloo East is a bit annoying. A LOT of steps to climb up every evening if you use the exit by the union jack club, and a seemingly nevending walk to the main waterloo. The whole CX to Hayes line has quite boring grey stations

 

[The_Van]

Oh yes it does show how things have changed that the Watford new lines haven’t had a mention on here. We no doubt all remember the “personal security issues” which arose during Silverlink days, though I wouldn’t say the stations ever degenerated into that much of a bad state, it was more the scarcity of staff and the local clientele using them. But Stonebridge Park and Harlesden in the evening were a pretty memorable experience, not much better at certain other times of day, and the likes of Willesden Junction and Kensal Green weren’t much better.

I bet the same could be said for a few North London Line stations as well, though even in those days they tended to be busier than the New Lines which presumably suppressed an element of trouble.

I used to commute from Camden Road to Hackney Central in the mid 80's, particularly unpleasant in the dark on the reverse journey

Stoke Newington is a dump too as is Cambridge Heath and many other stations on that line.

I lived in Hackney Road for a while in the 80's/90's Cambridge Heath, London Fields, Bethnal Green and Hackney Downs all dreadful, they all seem better now

Clapton as mentioned up thread was a shocker, murder mile just outside

 

[Ian79]

Before it was upgraded to an Elizabeth Line station, Action Main Line was right up there with Angel Road for being the worst station in my view. Sitting there for what seemed like hours in pretty grotty surroundings, watching hundreds of trains go past before one eventually stops.

Years ago, Mitcham Junction station was my nearest mainline station. Although quite a nice "Villagey" station in appearance for one in Zone 4, its isolated location in not the best of areas made it feel pretty sketchy late at night.

 

[Sunil_P]

Is Sudbury & Harrow Road still the least served rail station in London?

 

[Samzino]

That fire probably improved the station.

Haha definitely did some emergency sterilisation

 

[DustyBin]

In terms of London's termini, I can see why Euston gets mentioned. Liverpool Street is in a different league, so absolutely does not deserve to be included in this thread. It may not be perfect, but to be considered one of the worst termini in London? Absolutely not, I'd suggest Marylebone is one of the worst terminus stations but I'll be here a while about that.

I say that about Euston being a bad terminus, but I have a bit of a soft spot for it. I have spent a lot of time there and a lot of my adventures have had Euston as a part of them. There's almost a weirdly magical feel about the station, which sounds crazy I know, and I would be here a while discussing the reasons.

I'd like to throw a new contender into the ring, not a terminus but a station more befitting of this thread. Willesden Junction. It's not in the same league as Brixton or Loughborough Junction, but certainly worthy of contending in the same league as Peckham Rye which I don't like all that much either. There's a weird vibe in the air at both Willesden Junction and Peckham Rye, which is the best way I can explain that.

Not to mention the rancid facilities at Willesden Junction, which make it a contender without any other reason!

Just to prove how subjective these things can be, I’m rather fond of Peckham Rye! I appreciate that it has it’s drawbacks in terms of accessibility etc. though.

 

[Horizon22]

Yes, they really are a poor relation compared to LO and LU. Perhaps they (stations and innersuburban Southeastern and Southern services) should be transferred to LO, at least that would resolve the issue of them being chronically underinvested.

If TfL had the money sure, just turning something into London Overground won't suddenly transform it!

Loughborough Junction is a really poor one, as are Slade Green and Dagenham Dock. Also the Sutton Loop has some pretty forgetful and unloved stops.

 

[Wolfie]

If TfL had the money sure, just turning something into London Overground won't suddenly transform it!

Loughborough Junction is a really poor one, as are Slade Green and Dagenham Dock. Also the Sutton Loop has some pretty forgetful and unloved stops.

I go through Dagenham Dock quite often. I'm all too happy to never have to actually get off there.....

 

[Horizon22]

East Croydon's station seems to be getting a bad rap here, and I'm not seeing it. Perhaps I've just been fortunate that all my visits over the years haven't encountered any significant issues.

The surrounding area is pretty bad which might be why its gets a bad rap, but the station itself I find is fine.

 

[Samzino]

Once upon a time, Deptford would be top 10 on the list but it's been spruced up quite wonderfully especially the immediate area. Still has some roughness but not as bad as it used to be.

 

[Wolfie]

West Ham station is ok but the surrounding area is the pits.

 

[334033]

Essex Road. Feels like a ghost station.

 

[Techniquest]

Just to prove how subjective these things can be, I’m rather fond of Peckham Rye! I appreciate that it has it’s drawbacks in terms of accessibility etc. though.

Fair enough, to each our own and all that! I think some of my opinion does come from the area too immediately outside the station, I really didn't like my visit there and the inaccessible station really didn't help!

I'd still rather spend an hour there than at Loughborough Junction though!

The surrounding area is pretty bad which might be why its gets a bad rap, but the station itself I find is fine.

I've not seen the area to be that bad, although I've not seen all of it. It's not amazing, but there are certainly worse places to be. I should add that I haven't been to Croydon for a good while, and the last time I was there it was late morning on a weekday. My visit comprised of nothing more than a visit to Pret for a coffee!

 

[DustyBin]

Fair enough, to each our own and all that! I think some of my opinion does come from the area too immediately outside the station, I really didn't like my visit there and the inaccessible station really didn't help!

I'd still rather spend an hour there than at Loughborough Junction though!

I know what you mean, it’s not exactly gentrified around there. However, turn right when you exit the station then right again and you’ll find the Brick Brewery tap room which is well worth a visit!

 

[Techniquest]

I know what you mean, it’s not exactly gentrified around there. However, turn right when you exit the station then right again and you’ll find the Brick Brewery tap room which is well worth a visit!

Once upon a time I'd have been all over that, but I've been teetotal for years

 

[DustyBin]

Once upon a time I'd have been all over that, but I've been teetotal for years

Fair enough, it’s not much of a selling point in that case!

 

[norbitonflyer]

Where did that platform numbering even come from? Was a nightmare combined with all of the underground, aswell as the "lesser-spotted platform 8 train"!

It is perfectly logical, if you are old enough to remember where the NLL Platforms 1 and 2 and the DLR platform 4 used to be!

Euston was made even worse by forcing tube passengers out into the cold, rain & puddles when for fifty years there was a perfectly good entrance from the top of the TfL escalator bank straight into the main concourse. That entrance is tantalisingly in front of you but barred by a glass screen as you are forced outside, why?

Just another reason for Euston being far less good than it used to be.

I'm told the excuse for this is that alows either station to be kept open if the other has to be closed. But surely an opening through the screen could have been provided for times when both stations are open?

 

[Horizon22]

I'd still rather spend an hour there than at Loughborough Junction though!

The station isn’t in a good way but I’m shocked by how low quality industrial the whole area is for somewhere so close to zone 1. Sure the breaker’s yards and tiny repair places need to be somewhere but the housing quality also seems terrible.

I can imagine in 10-15 years it being the next ‘redevelopment’ project