Longest platform in the UK?

[Oracle]

The now-closed (but still extant and refurbished a while ago) Wellworthy Ampress Works Halt on the Lymington branch is very short.

 

[BestWestern]

Here's a short platform teaser then... Is Dilton Marsh, between Westbury and Warminster, the only 'front door only' short platform location with staggered platforms? That is to say, the up and down side platforms are not directly opposite each other. Are there any more?

On the same line of route is Avoncliff Halt, between Bradford-on-Avon and Freshford (or between Westbury and Bath Spa to be less specific!) which is also very short and permits only the leading door to be opened. Close by there's Melksham, on the single line linking Westbury/Trowbridge with Swindon, which will accomodate a Class 153 but anything else is front door I believe (don't sign that bit!).

 

[jopsuk]

Just looked at that on the map- that's not even close to being opposite one another- what an extraordinary layout.
of course, a fair few of the "one door" stations are single line

 

[BestWestern]

Yeah it's certainly unusual! There are some pretty steep banks in that area so perhaps the layout has something to do with that. It's quite possibly also the only station ever to have had it's platforms pinched one night by thieving Pikies!!

 

[embers25]

Shawford is sort of staggered and on a 444 only the front door is opened so that sort of qualifies.

 

[starrymarkb]

What about Folkestone? It's in the UK, but not on the "BR" network.

If you mean the Shuttle Terminal then no, the platform is in 3 sections by the loading ramps with nothing in between

 

[merlodlliw]

Its gone now, well partially, Platform 11 extending from Manchester Exchange to Manchester Victoria used to be the longest in the UK. It was long.

 

[Liam]

According to Trains Illustrated, resorts for railfans no 20...Feb 1957 (my stamping ground!)

Platform 4 up main,(formerly 4+10, but now just 4) is 1672ft long (509.6m)
Platform 7 dn main,(formerly 7 south and 7 north) is 1415ft long (431.8m)

Bing aerial view shows these still extant...longest train these days, Highland Chieftain 125 and the Inversnecky sleeper.

Both platforms had crossovers halfway along for extensive exchanging of double headed black fives on the Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness trains as well as the Strathmore line to Aberdeen. Right up to the mid 60s there was also a lot of too-ing and fro-ing of restaurant cars, vans and extra coaches ably shunted around by caley bogies, mcIntosh tanks and caley jumbos...all extremely well documented by WJV Anderson.

Perth is a very interesting station, Platform 7 is huge, 4 curently has work being done on the Southern end. Platform 5 still has the ramp which I assume was for the Motorail service, the former Northbound bays are now or fuelling and there is a carriage wash opposite platform 7. Perth seems to be busier with rail staff than trains though.

 

[yorksrob]

Yeah it's certainly unusual! There are some pretty steep banks in that area so perhaps the layout has something to do with that. It's quite possibly also the only station ever to have had it's platforms pinched one night by thieving Pikies!!

Staggered platforms tended to be built at stations with foot crossings as it was seen as safer for passengers to cross the line behind a departing train. The South Eastern Railway was particularly fond of these, Ham Street being an example which still has it's crossing.

 

[caliwag]

Hi Liam, thanks for the Perth update...while since I've been there.

Hadn't spotted the ramp on 5. Last time I took the Motorail (1970s) loading, by staff, was in a ramped siding beside the extant carriage shed. Never a public area. Don't know when Motorail stopped.

 

[jopsuk]

Staggered platforms tended to be built at stations with foot crossings as it was seen as safer for passengers to cross the line behind a departing train. The South Eastern Railway was particularly fond of these, Ham Street being an example which still has it's crossing.

Yes, but this particular example is on an embankment, with a bridge underneath.


For a truly odd stagger arrangement, Roydon has reverse-stagger- that is, the crossing is to the front of the train in both directions. ideal for annoying those who wish to cross- it's a CCTV crossing with no seperate footbridge or foot crossing.

 

[RPM]

Gloucester probably holds the honour now...at least since 1973 when Eastgate etc closed.

Gloucester Eastgate closed in 1975. The double platform at Gloucester Central was added in the 1968 remodelling/resignalling so coexisted with Eastgate for a few years; in fact the end of the long platform at Central was linked to the end of the remaining island platform at Eastgate by a concrete pathway for mail trolleys. After Eastgate closed the long platform was extended again, but only by another couple of carriage lengths.

More information than you ever wanted to know

 

[Welshman]

Its gone now, well partially, Platform 11 extending from Manchester Exchange to Manchester Victoria used to be the longest in the UK. It was long.

Even longer when you were running along it with cases trying to make a tight connection from Yorkshire to N.Wales or back.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, but this particular example is on an embankment, with a bridge underneath.


For a truly odd stagger arrangement, Roydon has reverse-stagger- that is, the crossing is to the front of the train in both directions. ideal for annoying those who wish to cross- it's a CCTV crossing with no seperate footbridge or foot crossing.

That's interesting. I wonder whether the station was built after the line, in which case it might just be a question of land availability.

 

[caliwag]

Ah...thanks RPM...just remember, when I move to Cheltenham in '76 (from Perth...er with the longest real platform...blah blah) I saw a sign that stated that Charlie boy opened the new Gloucester station in '73...put 2 and 2 together and got 5.

 

[142]

Quoted from Wikipedia, hope this helps

At 602.69 metres (1977 ft. 4 ins.) Gloucester has the second longest railway platform in Great Britain, just behind Colchester (620m, 2034 ft). This platform was lengthened as part of the 1977 rebuilding work and was intended to handle two Inter-City 125 trains at the same time.

 

[kennethw]

Bournemouth (central) platform 1??

 

[Whistler40145]

How long is the main London bound platform @ York?

 

[caliwag]

You are right Tim 40145 about Platform 3/4 at York...I don't know the total length and of course much of the Scarborough end of four is never used, but still extant.
I guess that, after bi-directional, 3/4 may well have held a train (recent Crewe-Scarboro trains using 3 have stopped at the signal near the outer box)...the only one I recall was the Institute of Electrical Engineers special (perhaps 1990) from Cross to York to celebrate ECML wiring to York, over-ran Northbound 3 into 4 with the embarrasing result the pantograph shot up and took out bits of the old cast iron valence on 4! So it goes, so it goes.

 

[Whistler40145]

caliwag, I was only having a guess!

 

[caliwag]

Tim, I think we've all been speculating on this one, except the Googlers who find Colchester! (OK guys you are right)...but there is undoubtedly a suspicion that York 3/4 could be a winner. You'd definitely get a pair of 125s on those two (indeed perhaps when the Pope came to York in the early 80s I bet the platform was used to its max)...alright it's two, but so is Vic/Exchange...Bah.