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Most exhilarating station approach

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BrianW

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Matchmaker- Interesting yes, esp from a distance in time and place, but 'exhilarating'? Horrifying I am thinking, esp for the driver and anyone seeing or foreseeing what was happening. I will confess to having had a similar thought though, it bringing to mind the Moorgate tube disaster. I still have in my memory a picture of the driver transfixed, and hesitate to think of the minds of passengers, esp regulars who would have known 'this isn't right ...

I'm a lot happier thinking of Whitby, despite Dracula.
 
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tetudo boy

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London Euston. While it doesn't provide a great view, it has this sort of "This is London" or "Welcome to London" feel to it. I don't know why... but something about it's approach just feels exciting...
 

Ianno87

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London Euston. While it doesn't provide a great view, it has this sort of "This is London" or "Welcome to London" feel to it. I don't know why... but something about it's approach just feels exciting...

The first time 10 year old me did it, it was very exciting, as "London Euston" always sounded like such an important station when I was growing up in the north. Still remember seeing the 'London Euston 1 Mile' sign at Camden for the first time.

Nowadays, Euston is about as humdrum and routine as it gets...
 

yorksrob

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There were some big yards with lovely big traditional signal boxes in them on the way out of Euston, I seem to recall from my University days. Don't know if they're still there though.
 

Ianno87

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There were some big yards with lovely big traditional signal boxes in them on the way out of Euston, I seem to recall from my University days. Don't know if they're still there though.

The first sweep past Wembley Yard and (old) Wembley Stadium was very exciting too!
 

O8yityityit

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Crewe definitely. Lots of units parked up from the south.

Are the old locos still there towards Chester?

I’ve only passed recently during hours of darkness.

Saperstein
The approach to Crewe from the south on 29th June 1937 wax reasonably exhilarating by all accounts!
 

Masboroughlad

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Used to love the banked corner into Rotherham Masborough from Sheffield. Full throttle if not stopping, brakes sparking if stopping. Droplight down on a rake of mark ones, a Peak up front, ready to alight on a dark Autumn evening. Sigh....
 

nlogax

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London Euston. While it doesn't provide a great view, it has this sort of "This is London" or "Welcome to London" feel to it. I don't know why... but something about it's approach just feels exciting...

You're not wrong. There's an element of infrastructural theatre to it as you descend Camden Bank, sidings and diveunders passing everywhere about you, the approaches becoming ever more complex until you're pretty much at the platform. Definitely a feeling of 'you're finally here'. It's grotty and messy and I rather like it.
 

Bald Rick

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You're not wrong. There's an element of infrastructural theatre to it as you descend Camden Bank, sidings and diveunders passing everywhere about you, the approaches becoming ever more complex until you're pretty much at the platform. Definitely a feeling of 'you're finally here'. It's grotty and messy and I rather like it.

Not sure about grotty and messy. The track layout is wonderful!
 

Mat17

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I used to love arriving into Lincoln Central from the east, past all the signal boxes, level crossings and semaphores. Might not have been particularly scenic but definitely interesting coming from colour-light land into something which felt so early 20th century. Shame it was all stripped out in 2008 - the place hasn't felt the same since.

From a scenic point of view two stations jump straight to mind, neither are major stations though, but I always stop what I'm doing to look out when I go through them.

Saltaire - Titus Salt's mill just looks so... well, solid - definitely imposing, a fine looking monument too.

Denby Dale - The high viaduct giving a panorama of the sleepy village, all sandstone and quaint. I was once on a morning commute through to Huddersfield and the train did an emergency brake proceedure on the viaduct. We sat there for a while and then a herd of cows came wandering past. That could have been interesting.
 
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route101

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London Euston. While it doesn't provide a great view, it has this sort of "This is London" or "Welcome to London" feel to it. I don't know why... but something about it's approach just feels exciting...

All the Bakerloo and DC services wizzing past , the intensity of trains passing as yoou come in.
 

Ianno87

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All the Bakerloo and DC services wizzing past , the intensity of trains passing as yoou come in.

Yes, also saw my very first sight of a Tube train in the turnback at Harrow & Wealdstone that shouted "nearly in London!"
 

Huntergreed

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Yes, also saw my very first sight of a Tube train in the turnback at Harrow & Wealdstone that shouted "nearly in London!"
Likewise! My first ever train trip was a 390 from Dumfries down to London. I remember thinking Carlisle had a massive station, it’s almost like the WCML builds up in intensity of infrastructure from Glasgow down to Euston, as a young’un it really impressed me and thinking back this journey was quite possibly what got me interested in railways in the first place.
 

lxfe_mxtterz

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I've always loved the approach to Penhelig from Dovey Junction, running right along the banks of the river with the mountains in the distance. :)

The approach to Barmouth from Morfa Mawddach (crossing the Barmouth Bridge) is equally charming.
 

route101

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Likewise! My first ever train trip was a 390 from Dumfries down to London. I remember thinking Carlisle had a massive station, it’s almost like the WCML builds up in intensity of infrastructure from Glasgow down to Euston, as a young’un it really impressed me and thinking back this journey was quite possibly what got me interested in railways in the first place.

Yeah i quite like the section Preston to London for more intensity .
 

glynmonhughes

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Before it was closed in the 1960s, the LMS route into Swansea Victoria was stupendous. The line from that station to Pontarddulais closed in 1964 (I think) but the descent along Clyne Valley, passing through Mumbles Road station and then along the sweep of Swansea Bay was great. Indeed, as a child, I loved seeing Swansea Bay station (first out of Victoria) as the lines were covered in sand the station featured heaps of sand which had blown off the beach. Such a loss.
 

Clansman

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London Euston. While it doesn't provide a great view, it has this sort of "This is London" or "Welcome to London" feel to it. I don't know why... but something about it's approach just feels exciting...
Completely agree.

Yeah i quite like the section Preston to London for more intensity .
I think that word sums it up perfectly - Intensity.

Not one for the nostalgic aspect of the railway, but I must confess as a child on the sleeper, waking up on my first trip at around Leighton Buzzard and slowly seeing Silverlink country transition into the metropolis of London Underground territory, to me just screamed adventure. That transition from pulling the blind down at Drumochter Pass, then pulling it back up to find you're somehow going backwards, hitting the canals of Buckinghamshire and then hitting Milton Keynes, then Watford Junction, and then Wembley. Bigger and bolder with every station we batter through. To a travel savvy five year old, nothing can beat that.

The sheer intensity of London's commuter scene was a novelty for us lot who are lucky enough to be able to appreciate it, rather than have endure it day in day out like the miserable faces you see when overtaking a packed Desiro at 7am!
 
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peteb

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I consider an exhilarating approach to mean a train slamming its brakes on to stop at the station! Folks reckon the ex-Great Central line had some very fast approaches to say Lutterworth, with a Black 5 plus 5 Mk1s screeching to a halt from 70mph plus. It was possible to experience something similar on the Midland mainline behind a class 45 approaching Wellingborough from the north. The most exhilarating personally was a stop at Hagley near Birmingham when the driver of a then new class 150 sprinter forgot to stop and someone pulled the emergency handle, resulting in a set back........
 
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