Most exhilarating station approach

[YorkshireBear]

Mine would be Köln Hbf from the east crossing the rhine!

 

[Whistler40145]

Lancaster, from the South you go over the Lancaster Canal and then see the Castle and from the North the view of the city going over the viaduct over the River Lune

 

[O L Leigh]

From a purely professional perspective...

Manea.

On the down.

In a Fenland pea-souper.

 

[Whistler40145]

From a purely professional perspective...

Manea.

On the down.

In a Fenland pea-souper.

Can you see much in a pea soup of a fog?

 

[O L Leigh]

Nope. Welney Road Crossing, but that's about it. And it's one station where you need to be pinpoint accurate.

 

[Whistler40145]

Nope. Welney Road Crossing, but that's about it. And it's one station where you need to be pinpoint accurate.

I can imagine the same on the King's Lynn line too

 

[O L Leigh]

Fog-wise yes, but I don't know if their station approaches have better landmarks for drivers to see.

Manea on the down has a single tall cypress tree after the bridges which I use as a braking marker, Welney Road Crossing, the first home signal, the abandoned brake van and the signalbox, and then you're over the crossing and onto a VERY short platform. All of those things are completely invisible except for Welney Road Crossing which in thick fog only shows as a red glow from the road lights, and that's still quite a long way out from the station. It would be the work of but a moment to mess that up and miss the platform altogether. However, stopping at somewhere bigger like March is a doddle. The only hazard is the signal on the floor protecting the station itself, but that's a colour light with AWS unlike Manea where it's all semaphores without AWS.

 

[Howardh]

Apologies for the spelling - Jungfraujoch should be the most exhilarating, but as the approach is all in a tunnel then it can't be! Obviously once there it's a different matter!!!

 

[gazthomas]

I always liked coming into platform 3 at Llandudno Junction from the Colwyn Bay direction with drop light coaches, especially when it was dark. A real sense of speed, exaggerated by the camber and the spell from mark 3 brake pads. Magic

 

[cactustwirly]

I completely forgot about that one. You get a great view and it's always interesting to see what's in the depot.

What? Endless turbos, or more recently 387s and turbos

Actually I prefer the approach from the South West under the viaduct, although the approach from the west is pretty good.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Mine would have to be Halifax.

Approaching from the South you pass....

What used to be 'Horses at Work' old L&Y building.

The Great Northern Shed, built by you guessed it the Great Northern Railway.

Then you get the original L&Y 1855 Station building by Thomas Butterworth!

It does stop theyre...

On the way to Bradford and before you enter Beacon Hill tunnel which is impressive in itself, you pass the Halifax & Ovenden Railway Coal Drops.

It is heritage galore!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Glenfinnan Station on a Fort William -> Mallaig run is IMHO incredibly scenic.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Approach to Birmingham New Street from Five Ways is always nice!

 

[PHILIPE]

Approach to Birmingham New Street from Five Ways is always nice!

The approach from any way isn't very exhilarating

 

[Realfish]

...Overseas spectacle is on the Sydney, Australia suburban lines. Depart Wynyard in tunnel, then suddenly you are up high on the Sydney Harbour bridge, Opera House, spectacular Harbour, Pacific Ocean in the far distance beyond The Heads, into Milsons Point, where you can alight and photograph back along the line to the bridge. This time, sit upstairs.

Another vote for Sydney, this time Circular Quay, approached from the east. Arriving first thing on a summer's morning at Sydney Airport, heading for Town Hall or the loop back Central, you leave St James and you arrive out of the tunnel onto the elevated Circular Quay station, with the Harbour Bridge there, illuminated by the early morning light. Of all the rail journey's I have ever done, home or abroad, this is the sight that I will remember for ever. It's a 'pinch me' experience. Sit on the right hand side of the train in the direction of travel.

 

[cle]

Another vote for Sydney, this time Circular Quay, approached from the east. Arriving first thing on a summer's morning at Sydney Airport, heading for Town Hall or the loop back Central, you leave St James and you arrive out of the tunnel onto the elevated Circular Quay station, with the Harbour Bridge there, illuminated by the early morning light. Of all the rail journey's I have ever done, home or abroad, this is the sight that I will remember for ever. It's a 'pinch me' experience. Sit on the right hand side of the train in the direction of travel.

Can second this one. I lived in Manly and worked down by Central - had this journey every morning and night.

St James and Museum stations are a treat too. I only went the Town Hall way under frequency duress.

 

[Midnight Sun]

Arriving at Myrdal on the Flam line, the view down the valley from the train on the last mile.

 

[Halish Railway]

Apperley Bridge coming from Shipley is interesting - Breaking as soon as coming out of Thrackley tunnel and then going across the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the River Aire before stopping on the side of the valley with a good view of said valley.

 

[Greaseball3220]

I always like coming into Liverpool Lime St, through all the rock carved tunnels after Edge Hill, you get the sense of arriving in a place apart, more historically sea orientated towards Dublin and America than the rest of England, usually looking forward to a pint or six as well.

Further afield, coming into Liege from the east gives you a good cityscape, followed by crossing the Mass, then Guillemins station with the Red Light District just visible! I like the Schaerbeek-Brussels Nord>Central>Midi stretch of line as well.

 

[ValleyLines142]

The approach from any way isn't very exhilarating

Actually I quite like coming from Camp Hill on a northbound XC, the sharp left swing by Small Heath/Landor Street gives you a cracking view of the Birmingham skyline! (when sat on the left hand side!)

Much prefer coming in via Camp Hill as opposed to via Five Ways on XC as it saves a reversal!

 

[stuu]

Venice has to be in with a shout.

Sitting on the left side of the train so you can only see the water, and then leaving the station to otherworldly sight of a city with boats instead of cars is a unique experience

 

[LowLevel]

I quite like Matlock. Rolling through the High Tor tunnels, a glimpse of the town at Holt Lane and if you time it right arriving into a lovely little station next to a waiting steam loco on Peak Rail.

 

[al78]

I guess Stockport from the North might be a contender.
You essentially shoot out of a cutting onto one of the world's largest viaducts. Pretty disappointing that the view is some concrete buildings, the knackered bus station and a stretch of motorway.

Exhilarating? Yes, if you've not done it before.
Railway interest? Yes.
Scenic? Not by any stretch of the imagination.

There is a nice view of the Pennines to the east.

 

[py_megapixel]

There is a nice view of the Pennines to the east.

Aah yes.. I guess I miss out on that from doing it mainly in the evening!

 

[godfreycomplex]

Redcar Central - it’s got Central in the title it must be just like New York I can’t wait to go to Times Square and see a broadway show gosh darn it! (Only works once, in the dark)

Southampton Central - as above

Petersfield - your heart rate rises as soon as you smell the napalm on the wind

Glenrothes with Thornton - oh the rhythm of Fife has a powerful beat, puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet

Clapham High Street - like a glass of lemonade and a cool breeze on the porch of a Louisiana mansion on a hot summer’s day

Goostrey - you are fifteen, you have your best trainers on and are about to ask your crush to the school disco, the good kind of butterflies

Manorbier - the young man sighed as he settled back onto the divan. “This is better than rugby” his eyes seemed to say

Wainfleet - OH GOD YES OH BEST BIRTHDAY EVER THANK YOU SANDRA

Malvern Link - Shaun Ryder never did any drugs, he just got off the train here once

 

[ian1944]

Not quite the same thing, but I remember once arriving at Skeggy late in the day and passing the semaphores lit by low evening sun, then waiting a while on the platform until they were silhouetted by a spectacular sunset.

 

[ginge8991]

Crossing the River Clyde as you roll into Glasgow Central while the sun rises on the Sleeper will always be up there for me.

 

[adamedwards]

Oban: First the sea at Connel with the bridge as a taster and then the panoramic view of the harbour and ships as the train curves down the hill and into town arriving right next to the ferries.

 

[Whistler40145]

Actually I quite like coming from Camp Hill on a northbound XC, the sharp left swing by Small Heath/Landor Street gives you a cracking view of the Birmingham skyline! (when sat on the left hand side!)

Much prefer coming in via Camp Hill as opposed to via Five Ways on XC as it saves a reversal!

It’s not too bad with the Canal alongside the railway

 

[snookertam]

Bridge Of Orchy. Steep downhill gradient in both directions into the station.