Missing platforms / Unused Platforms & other bits

[southern442]

It is interesting seeing where Platform 2 ended as the Platform looks differently.

There is also a silly signal halfway along Platform 1 at Redhill in the Down direction.

Streatham Hill the bay platform is not in passenger use but is still used sometime. I saw a 5 car 377 in there the other week.

The signal at redhill is probably because the platforms are split into 1a and 1b, 2a & 2b etc. Keeping in mind that there are some services that divide at redhill.

 

[JB25]

The signal at redhill is probably because the platforms are split into 1a and 1b, 2a & 2b etc. Keeping in mind that there are some services that divide at redhill.

I find the whole a, b and occasionally c platforms rather odd. Obviously done for logistical issues due to them not being able to build more platforms. Glad I don't have to use any stations where it occurs though.

 

[Buttsy]

The (first) rebuilding of Oxford wasn't till the early 70s - when I became a student in 1971 the decrepit wooden buildings were still there, together with full mechanical signalling (including a GW UPPER quadrant on the Up at North Junction).
I think you are right in saying the down bay had disappeared earlier, as I don't recall it (once the Fairfords, Bletchleys and most of the Cotswold stoppers had gone, there wasn't much left to use it).
I have an idea that the Up bay was sometimes used by units in the 70's (but I wasn't often down at the station around 08.30 so no photo!)
I wonder if the platforms were numbered at all in those days, given that the station functioned in two halves owing to the absence of a footbridge or subway?

Got my dates wrong for the Oxford 1st rebuild, my apologies, I was only 2 in 1971 I was thinking 60s as it was a dodgy prefab. Thanks for the info on that.

There was a subway in the 70s as I remember using it when coming back from London in '76 I think, as a service earlier that day was formed of a 123 Swindon unit from memory which I know headed north to be merged with the Trans-Pennine fleet in '77 or '78... the subway would have come up where the BTP offices are now roughly. The footbridge came with the rebuilding in the early 90s.

 

[Parallel]

Not really sure if it counts but I believe Severn Beach station used to have a second platform (I guess it still does but now only serves the one bay platform for terminating services as other line that extended to Pilning was removed some time ago!)

I see Shrewsbury has been brought up too! I find it a very odd station, platform 3 seems to be used very rarely these days although I did leave a service from Aberystwyth there a couple of years ago. Where did platforms one and two used to be?

I was also going to mention Aberystwyth, a second platform still exists but now is used as a shop instead. I have been told previously that more platforms may have existed the other side of where the second platform is, as to how true that is, I don't know.

Not a platform, but the underground walkway at Newport still exists although is obviously out of public use now. Due to the new bridge linking the platforms right at the end of the station, it seems that now only half of the platform space is used (with the exception of 8 carriage FGW services)

 

[Michael.Y]

I see Shrewsbury has been brought up too! I find it a very odd station, platform 3 seems to be used very rarely these days although I did leave a service from Aberystwyth there a couple of years ago. Where did platforms one and two used to be?
........
Not a platform, but the underground walkway at Newport still exists although is obviously out of public use now. Due to the new bridge linking the platforms right at the end of the station, it seems that now only half of the platform space is used (with the exception of 8 carriage FGW services)

Shrewsbury's 1 and 2 are bay platforms at the southern end of 3 - fenced off and no tracks nowadays.

Underground walkway at Newport still exists and is still in public use connecting the front of the station by Dragon Taxis to the rear of the station near St Mary's School / Royal Mail pub. The slipway is still there and I believe could be used in an emergency if need be. The old OVERBRIDGE has however been boarded up.

Given that the same sort of 2/3 car DMU units are serving NWP as before, I'd say the same amount of platform space is being used, just at a different end of the station. Wasn't much use waiting at the western end of 3 for a 2-car 150 back in the day as the front of it would stop by Upper Crust....

 

[Parallel]

Shrewsbury's 1 and 2 are bay platforms at the southern end of 3 - fenced off and no tracks nowadays.

Underground walkway at Newport still exists and is still in public use connecting the front of the station by Dragon Taxis to the rear of the station near St Mary's School / Royal Mail pub. The slipway is still there and I believe could be used in an emergency if need be. The old OVERBRIDGE has however been boarded up.

Given that the same sort of 2/3 car DMU units are serving NWP as before, I'd say the same amount of platform space is being used, just at a different end of the station. Wasn't much use waiting at the western end of 3 for a 2-car 150 back in the day as the front of it would stop by Upper Crust....

Ahh, I think they are doing some sort of repair work in that area of Shrewsbury station at the moment, I think it has something to do with the wall though rather than the platforms.

And thanks for that information about Newport, I've only ever been out of the station once but didn't notice other access to the walkway. I have noticed the very old footbridge though, for some reason it slipped my mind! I've noticed NWP has a couple of old lighting fixtures still in use on the middle platforms too, such a bizarre station of new and old!

 

[topydre]

I was also going to mention Aberystwyth, a second platform still exists but now is used as a shop instead. I have been told previously that more platforms may have existed the other side of where the second platform is, as to how true that is, I don't know.

Aberystwyth is an interesting one. The old platforms 1 & 2 (that were mainly used for Carmarthen services) have the Vale of Rheidol line platform between them by now (VoR moved in in the 1960s), but the original platforms themselves aren't used for boarding trains! Platform 3 is now the only platform in use; the Craft shop is on platform 4; platform 5 was on the other side of 4, an extra platform but it's no longer visible.

 

[Michael.Y]

Ahh, I think they are doing some sort of repair work in that area of Shrewsbury station at the moment, I think it has something to do with the wall though rather than the platforms.

And thanks for that information about Newport, I've only ever been out of the station once but didn't notice other access to the walkway. I have noticed the very old footbridge though, for some reason it slipped my mind! I've noticed NWP has a couple of old lighting fixtures still in use on the middle platforms too, such a bizarre station of new and old!

Upgrade work I think. Facelift, new waiting room etc. Not been up there a while.

NWP - Walkway used to go right through to otherside of Queensway, opposite Kama Lounge, now replaced by a road crossing. Two freeflow traffic routes (one auto, one pedestrian) now replaced by one which involves waiting for both routes. Progress eh. In defence walkway was dirty, dark and haven for druggies. So instead of fixing problem, Newport Council move it.

Another good feature of NWP is a mixture of BR (W) and GWR benches. Also P4 seems to have one different CIS to the rest of the station...

 

[30907]

Streatham Hill the bay platform is not in passenger use but is still used sometime. I saw a 5 car 377 in there the other week.

I can't recall the bay being used for passenger departures, though it was signalled for them at least until VC box took over from Balham in the late 70's. I seem to recall it never was 8 car length. It is now labelled Up Siding East

 

[infobleep]

Was platform 6 at Three Bridges mentioned? Can't remember if that side of the island still exists but upon the track bed is a building.

Talking of subways. Victoria had a subway for passenger luggage from the luggage booking office to the platform. Must be blocked off but I wonder what remains under the station?

Hove has a footbidge which people use to cross over the station. However there are gates to stop passengers from joining the platforms. I've seen staff use a key to get through the gates.

With the recent closure's of the subways at East Croydon and Reading, how did they block them off? Just at the top or all the way through?

Woking has some old goods platforms which may not be used now. The roof is decaying above them.

Lewes has an infill of gravel between two platforms and Brighton's previously highest numbered platform is just a walk way to the car park.

Sent from my HUAWEI U8815 using Tapatalk

 

[SemaphoreSam]

I've been investigating British Railways since the late '70's, and that infilled bay at Lewes has always piqued my curiosity. What was it used for, and when was it filled in? It just sits there, seemingly pointing away from Brighton and London, in the middle of the big concourse...Sam

 

[yorksrob]

I've been investigating British Railways since the late '70's, and that infilled bay at Lewes has always piqued my curiosity. What was it used for, and when was it filled in? It just sits there, seemingly pointing away from Brighton and London, in the middle of the big concourse...Sam

I don‘t believe it had a particular purpose - other than generally for services from Brighton eastwards, but according to messers Mitchell & Smith's excellent Brighton - Eastbourne book, when the main eastbound coastway platform was extended to take eight carriages in the mid 1980‘s, they could only extend it westwards because of the junction with the London lines. The roadbridge to the west of the station meant that there was no longer any room for the western entrance to the loop, therefore it was lifted and filled in.

 

[Bantamzen]

Castleford has 2 platforms but only one is used.

The footbridge was blocked off last time i was there as it was in a perilous state, but i'm sure i can remember going over it when i was a kid (late 80's/early 90's).

Keighley used to have 5 platforms. The 2 for the Worth Valley, the 2 mainline platforms plus a bay on the Leeds bound side. Think it was abandoned late 60's sometime and filled in/covered over.

Baildon has 2 platforms, 1 taken out of use when the branch was singled.

Halifax has a platform with no track through it. The buildings are part of the Eureka business i think.

Shipley has an unused platform opposite platform 5, which would have been used for services heading from Bradford towards Keighley.

 

[Spaceflower]

Bridlington.

 

[MP33]

One for London Underground. At Liverpool Street Metropolitan Line station, there are hoardings covering the Crossrail works. The hoardings were there before Crossrail was announced. Behind them were at least two terminating bay platforms.

I have a pocket Underground map from the early 1980's and the Metropolitan line only operated a full service to Liverpool Street, being extended to Aldgate in peak hours only.

There was also was a connection between the Metropolitan line and National Rail. The old tunnel formed part of the Gym for the BR sports and social club. When you walked past and looked in the windows, the shape of the Gym appeared tubular.

When Liverpool St was rebuilt you could see from the top deck of a bus into the excavations and clearly see the remains of two tunnel bores.

 

[southern442]

With the recent closure's of the subways at East Croydon and Reading, how did they block them off? Just at the top or all the way through?

The East Croydon subway is only blocked at the top and partially through. The lift on platforms 5/6 still goes down there for works access. I'm not sure about Reading. I think the bit of the subway that is still in use by workmen should be connected to the old parcels entrance and made as a new ticket hall to compliment the other two.

I have noticed there is an old platform at Brighton, opposite platform 1. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Adding to the list of unused platforms, platform 1 at Purley Oaks and 2 and 3 at New Malden are 'registered' as out of use, although they both still have display screens and announcements.

 

[yorksrob]

I believe the old platform opposite 1 at Brighton was some sort of a loading dock as it has always been too short for passenger trains.

 

[Tommy91125]

Morpeth has 1 or 2 disused platforms visible from the north end of platform 2. the track has trees going

 

[Dr_Paul]

At Liverpool Street Metropolitan Line station, there are hoardings covering the Crossrail works. The hoardings were there before Crossrail was announced. Behind them were at least two terminating bay platforms. I have a pocket Underground map from the early 1980's and the Metropolitan line only operated a full service to Liverpool Street, being extended to Aldgate in peak hours only.

I don't recall the bay platform -- I'm sure that there was only one, on the westbound side -- being in use by the mid-1980s. The rails looked rusty and disused by then.

There was also was a connection between the Metropolitan line and National Rail. The old tunnel formed part of the Gym for the BR sports and social club. When you walked past and looked in the windows, the shape of the Gym appeared tubular.

I believe that this connection was last used during the First World War, and was removed shortly afterwards. There were quite a few more physical links between the underground lines and main-line routes then, with some Metropolitan or District services to such places as Windsor and excursions to Southend.

 

[Manchester77]

There was only one bay at Liverpool Street, here is said platform closed off

(Not my image)

 

[Helvellyn]

Penrith has a disued South facing bay platform. 1 and 2 are the Up and Down platforms on the WCML, and 3 is the platform on the Down Loop. I don't know if the bay was originally platform 4 or 3 (which would make the current 3 platform 4).

As well as the service to Keswick and Cockermouth, Penrith also used to have service across the North Pennines, so the the extr platforms would have been useful. Platform 3 is quite short and I remember once, for some reason, being diverted into there on a passenger service and only about 5 coaches could be accommodated on the platform.

 

[Eagle]

Here's one I've just thought of: Heathrow T5 platforms 1 and 2. Is there actually a space where they should be, or is it just "reserved for future development"?

 

[OxtedL]

Here's one I've just thought of: Heathrow T5 platforms 1 and 2. Is there actually a space where they should be, or is it just "reserved for future development"?

I seem to recall that there are structurally three blocks at Heathrow T5 station - one for the tube, one for the current platforms 3&4, and one which is walled off (in some way I don't trust myself to describe accurately from memory) so doesn't look part of the station at the moment, but which would be where 1&2 would go. I haven't been there in quite a while though - hopefully someone who has been there more recently can describe this more accurately. It struck me as quite a well designed transport hub.

Certainly the track layout to the east of the station is very clearly intended for future expansion to four national rail platforms, as can be seen at Carto Metro.

 

[Quakers Yard]

There are loads of disused platforms on the Valleys but Pontypridd has a siding into an old platform. Was that ever numbered? There was surely a subway to it from the Broadway as the muralled-wall seemingly covers up an entrance arch at the southern end of the main platform. With an old platform to come back into use does anyone know what the old and new platform numbers were and are?

 

[yorksrob]

There are loads of disused platforms on the Valleys but Pontypridd has a siding into an old platform. Was that ever numbered? There was surely a subway to it from the Broadway as the muralled-wall seemingly covers up an entrance arch at the southern end of the main platform. With an old platform to come back into use does anyone know what the old and new platform numbers were and are?

Sounds similar to the disused Ilkley platforms at Skipton which I think have been disused since that line closed in the sixties. The subway still connects them but that end of it is gated off to passengers. The now freight only line to Rhylstone still passes through them.

 

[Manchester77]

In the old Manchester Victoria, metrolink had a platform A as you entered from the city which closed a few years after opening since the old roof leaked and fell on it. It survived boarded off until recent months when it was demolished as part of the station redevelopment.

 

[dysonsphere]

I seem to recall that there are structurally three blocks at Heathrow T5 station - one for the tube, one for the current platforms 3&4, and one which is walled off (in some way I don't trust myself to describe accurately from memory) so doesn't look part of the station at the moment, but which would be where 1&2 would go. I haven't been there in quite a while though - hopefully someone who has been there more recently can describe this more accurately. It struck me as quite a well designed transport hub.

Certainly the track layout to the east of the station is very clearly intended for future expansion to four national rail platforms, as can be seen at Carto Metro.

As I recall it was an allowance for the aborted Stains / T5 heavy rail link

 

[swt_passenger]

With the recent closure's of the subways at East Croydon and Reading, how did they block them off? Just at the top or all the way through?

At Reading the rebuild has left the old subway in position but extended to the north and south of the station, and heavily modified - but as far as the public are concerned it is now nothing to do with the station. The staircases up to the platforms were properly walled off and backfilled with rubble and concrete - they are well hidden under the new construction, as are the old service lift shafts.

However the west side wall of the subway hides a service passageway, containing utilities, pipes and cabling etc, and gives access to underground plant rooms.

It will never be used again for access between platforms, that's for sure.

 

[thealexweb]

Platform 5 at Bolton. Which according to the station manager is set to brought back in to use next year.

 

[The Planner]

Far from definite that will happen.