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Most Intimidating Place To Wait For a Train

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bramling

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Unfortunately most of the towns along the North Wales Coast east of Llandudno are basically chavvy (scally?) suburbs of Liverpool with a slightly nicer view of the sea. So not just Flint, unfortunately.

As a place Flint isn’t awful (Rhyl is much worse). We weren’t too impressed to find the castle adjacent to Flint station being used as a playground though, and treated pretty roughly in the process.

Some of the Borderland stations I can imagine being quite rough too.
 
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I've always found flint a nice place did a coast and peaks years ago had a walk to the castle perfectly fine.But maybe after a certain time the idiots come out to play.
 

bramling

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I've always found flint a nice place did a coast and peaks years ago had a walk to the castle perfectly fine.But maybe after a certain time the idiots come out to play.

To be fair I think our visit would have been on a weekend, which can bring out the worst in places.
 

Llandudno

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Unfortunately most of the towns along the North Wales Coast east of Llandudno are basically chavvy (scally?) suburbs of Liverpool with a slightly nicer view of the sea. So not just Flint, unfortunately.
Whoa! Light blue touch paper!

The west end of Colwyn Bay including Rhos on Sea is very pleasant as is the Heights area near the Mountain Zoo. Also recommended is a trip on the 13 bus up to Llysfaen to visit the fantastic Conwy Brewery (Clogwyn Gold is ace!) and it’s micropub with incredible views out to sea.

Good micropub in Old Colwyn and an even better one two minutes walk from Colwyn Bay station.

oops going off thread here!

I agree that the area around Flint is no Aughton Park though....!
 
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I agree, there are parts of Scotland I have felt very small and vulnerable despite the fact that Scotland is a small country and you are never more than a day walk from some form of civilisation. People who go walking from somewhere like Corrour will almost certainly have poor weather clothing, a map and compass, and will have planned in advance where they are going.
Once while walking to Corrour Station in the Winter from Loch Ossian I encountered a lone foreign tourist not exactly dressed for the conditions, dragging a very large wheeled suitcase approaching from the other side of the tracks. I'd met the keeper of the hostel by the loch earlier in the day who asked me if I had seen the guest she was expecting, so I knew immediately he must be heading for the hostel. But coming from that direction it's at least a 15 mile walk to the nearest road, across rough moorland not well suited to 4 foot tall wheeled cases, and to my knowledge there hadn't been a train for several hours.

The only explanation I can think of is that the tourist got off the train and instead of walking towards Loch Ossian, instead went in entirely the wrong direction and must have spent several hours lost on the moor before eventually retracing his steps. In this case it was probably a harmless (if unpleasant mistake), but if he'd arrived on the evening train he could have found himself out on the moor in the dark, entirely unprepared. Could have had an unpleasant outcome.

I can't actually judge him for this. Travel guides in Chinese for remote corners of the Highlands like this are (I imagine) probably in short supply, so it'd be fair enough if he didn't know what to expect, and heading in the wrong direction like he did is a fairly simple mistake to make. Seeing a figure and a suitcase emerge from the moor like that was rather surreal though.
 

MP33

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There was an article about drug dealing going on at the Crossrail stations Maryland and Forest Gate. It was on the platform ramp under an overbridge and after the service had finished for the evening. So I am not sure it would count.
 

bussikuski179

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Ore in Sussex looks a bit ropey, with the severe looking pallisade fencing all around it.
On that topic Malmi in Finland (literally translating to Ore) is quite intimidating especially after dark, a friend of mine lives nearby and when he heard there had been a large fight at the station, he said he wasn’t surprised. Puistola, Koivukylä and Korso aren’t very nice either. Malminkartano seems intimidating but it’s not really that bad, and being in a sort of tunnel makes it a nice shelter in the rain/whatever other weather happens to be going on.
 

yorksrob

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On that topic Malmi in Finland (literally translating to Ore) is quite intimidating especially after dark, a friend of mine lives nearby and when he heard there had been a large fight at the station, he said he wasn’t surprised. Puistola, Koivukylä and Korso aren’t very nice either. Malminkartano seems intimidating but it’s not really that bad, and being in a sort of tunnel makes it a nice shelter in the rain/whatever other weather happens to be going on.

I must admit there's not much in terms of shelter at Ore. It used to have an attractive wooden building until vandals burned it down.
 

Omnishambles

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Surprised at Farncombe or Godalming. Basingstoke apparently isn't very nice to wait at though.
No problem at Basingstoke, well lit and staffed. I’d say it was Farncombe from my experience. Always older school kids sitting at the bottom of the steps on the upside when I was coming home from work in the evening. Half empty chip cartons and the like but not intimidating, more of a nuisance and in the way.. I always found a good loud ”tut“ coming down the steps worked and they moved. It is leafy Surrey after all
 

Grumpus63

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Which is the most intimidating place that you have waited for a train?

I have two examples:

Kirkby.
I alighted the Merseyrail train early evening on a dark, rainy winters night waiting for the last train to Wigan. Northern train cancelled and I waited for a rail replacement bus, the guy in the ticket office (which looked like Fort Knox) had no idea I waited about half an hour and decided to catch the Merseyrail back to Liverpool and travel via St Helens.
Lots of undesirables hanging in and around the station and platform.

Thorne North
I had been to a cricket match and a pal of mine who lives nearby dropped me off at Thorne North around 8pm. I had about 20 minutes to wait for the train. Lots of youths swearing and more on the platform, had to go for a 19 minute walk around Thorne, an eye opener, so as to only wait one minute for the train

Silverdale
This is a very long time ago when I was about 17. Three of us went camping using a very cheap tent, near the station. It rained all day and night and was blowing a gale. The tent blew over around 11pm. We were soaked so we headed to the unstaffed Silverdale Station and took shelter in the waiting area on the UP platform. At midnight all the lights on the station went out, then there was an almighty storm. Then around 0300 a train rattled through in the darkness. Spooky stuff!
People can imagine Kent to be the garden of England where everyone is well-mannered and live in chocolate box cottages with nicely manicured gardens. Yet my most unsettling waits for trains have been at stations in that county with Dumpton Park, Gravesend, Strood and Deal being memorable for all the wrong reasons! And if you want a short train journey where you are likely to hear the ripest of language and lurid accounts of fights and shoplifting expeditions then some of the "patrons" (or freeloaders) on the Sittingbourne to Sheerness branch can make your eyes water, LOL!! I always expect to alight at Sheerness to see a pub renamed appropriately as "The Head Kicked Inn".
 

alex397

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People can imagine Kent to be the garden of England where everyone is well-mannered and live in chocolate box cottages with nicely manicured gardens. Yet my most unsettling waits for trains have been at stations in that county with Dumpton Park, Gravesend, Strood and Deal being memorable for all the wrong reasons! And if you want a short train journey where you are likely to hear the ripest of language and lurid accounts of fights and shoplifting expeditions then some of the "patrons" (or freeloaders) on the Sittingbourne to Sheerness branch can make your eyes water, LOL!! I always expect to alight at Sheerness to see a pub renamed appropriately as "The Head Kicked Inn".
Yes, Kent can be… interesting.

Ive had some experiences at Ramsgate. I haven’t had much time to admire the beautifully preserved station building, as I just want to keep my head down and get to the train. On three occasions, there has been an altercation involving someone and the station staff or police. On the other occasions, there have been groups of young lads causing trouble. I’ve probably just been unlucky on my visits, and I wouldn’t say it’s unsafe, just a little tense every time I’ve been.

Paddock Wood has not been an enjoyable place to wait. It isnt a particularly interesting station, and on each occasion I’ve waited for a train, there has been large groups with antisocial behaviour.
It does make me laugh visiting places with a very traditionally English ‘posh’ names, and there’s groups of kids pretending they are in a gang. A bit like when Ali G says he is from the ‘Staines Ghetto’.

I see what you mean about the patrons of the Sheerness branch. Usually when the Southeastern revenue teams board the train they are generally really polite and friendly. However, when they got on the Sheerness branch, they were immediately very defensive and just wanted to get it done. Judging by how many people they caught out, and the reaction from them, I really wasn’t surprised that the revenue team probably has a different tactic to other parts of the network!

Saying all that though, I’ve had no issues with most stations in Kent, and most journeys have been really pleasant. I don’t really travel at night though, apart from when I get the Highspeed back from London.
 

nanstallon

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I don't like waiting for a train anywhere at night. The British are very prone to drinking too much in loud groups, and picking on people who are on their own. Even the police seem to regard the late evening as 'belonging' to the yobs,and I once had the experience of a BTP officer joining in the mockery; while I was confident that his presence would discourage any physical assault, I didn't feel comfortable.
 

bramling

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I don't like waiting for a train anywhere at night. The British are very prone to drinking too much in loud groups, and picking on people who are on their own. Even the police seem to regard the late evening as 'belonging' to the yobs,and I once had the experience of a BTP officer joining in the mockery; while I was confident that his presence would discourage any physical assault, I didn't feel comfortable.

The thing I don’t get is the tendency for teenagers to assemble and “hang out” on a station platform in the evening. This is absolutely rife in some parts of the country. Whilst in many cases it is harmless, it is still quite unsettling for many. There’s surely much more exciting places to hang out?

Pelaw and Seaburn metro stations were sights to behold last week at 1700. As others have alluded to rural stations in Kent can be just as bad.
 

DustyBin

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The thing I don’t get is the tendency for teenagers to assemble and “hang out” on a station platform in the evening. This is absolutely rife in some parts of the country. Whilst in many cases it is harmless, it is still quite unsettling for many. There’s surely much more exciting places to hang out?

Pelaw and Seaburn metro stations were sights to behold last week at 1700. As others have alluded to rural stations in Kent can be just as bad.

Pelaw and Gateshead Stadium aren’t great after dark, the crime stats speak for themselves! Whether it’s the groups of kids committing the offences or just nefarious individuals taking advantage of the locations I’m not sure.
 

Meerkat

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Surprised at Farncombe or Godalming. Basingstoke apparently isn't very nice to wait at though.
Farncombe area trains had a running issue for a while with ASB, in all the local papers etc.
It might be in Surrey but there are some dirt poor estates, with some families not having had anyone in full time employment since the generation that lost their jobs when farming mechanised.
In some ways mainly posh areas can be worse as most of the locals are not experienced to be able to or not wanting to challenge ASB.
South Eastern trains are pretty iffy even early evening, and the evening trains in the Clapham to Staines area were full of beggars and pushy ‘buskers’ last few times I used them.
 

bramling

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Pelaw and Gateshead Stadium aren’t great after dark, the crime stats speak for themselves! Whether it’s the groups of kids committing the offences or just nefarious individuals taking advantage of the locations I’m not sure.

To be fair the teenagers seemed to be largely keeping themselves to themselves and engaging in low-level stuff like smoking and sitting on the platform edge. However as you say this section of the Metro is rife for crime, so clearly bad stuff is happening somewhere along the line. The whole section from Gateshead Stadium to South Hylton is pretty rough at times, one certainly needs to “be aware” at pretty much every station.
 

Grumpus63

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I don't like waiting for a train anywhere at night. The British are very prone to drinking too much in loud groups, and picking on people who are on their own. Even the police seem to regard the late evening as 'belonging' to the yobs,and I once had the experience of a BTP officer joining in the mockery; while I was confident that his presence would discourage any physical assault, I didn't feel comfortab
I don't like waiting for a train anywhere at night. The British are very prone to drinking too much in loud groups, and picking on people who are on their own. Even the police seem to regard the late evening as 'belonging' to the yobs,and I once had the experience of a BTP officer joining in the mockery; while I was confident that his presence would discourage any physical assault, I didn't feel comfortable.
Mind you, don't imagine that it's just the British that are prone to anti-social behaviour. My scariest experiences have been in the Netherlands and I do not recommend using Amsterdam or Rotterdam central stations late at night. The worst places, though, were Utrecht and Heerlen where aggressive begging and threatening behaviour were astonishing to behold. German stations can also be meeting points for ferals and I heard a report of a railway accident in France where locals were immediately on hand not to assist passengers but to loot their scattered belongings! Happily, whether you are duffed-up at Dumpton Park or antagonised in Amsterdam the "vast majority of trips by rail are trouble-free" (there's me sounding like an oft repeated phrase in the Foreign Office Travel Advice webpage LOL).
 
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A few years back, I saw the Yoofs in action on the North Wales coast train travelling back to Manchester late on a Friday night. After they got off (to travel back in opposite direction), the train guard unlocked himself from his cab and said there was nothing he could do. Same kids basically did it all night at weekends.

Funnily enough, last Thursday, saw something similar a few stops out of Glossop, towards Manchester. Only for a few stops and more high jinks than nastiness. I was in a group of 4, so no problem for us, but I can see how single travellers would find 20+ Yoofs running up and down the carriages shouting a bit intimidating. Done a fair bit of train travel around Europe (especially Germany) and from what I've seen, that sort of behaviour isn't tolerated.
 
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alex397

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After they got off (to travel back in opposite direction), the train guard unlocked himself from his cab and said there was nothing he could do.
This must be frustrating for all staff and passengers. The fact there is often nothing that can be done about it. People need to feel safe using public transport. I must say, I generally feel much safer using buses at night. Trains be can lonely and intimidating, especially as train managers don’t seem to leave the cab at night.
. Done a fair bit of train travel around Europe (especially Germany) and from what I've seen, that sort of behaviour isn't tolerated.
So have I. I’ve never had any issues at all travelling at night on the continent (mostly Germany, central and Eastern Europe). And these are countries which rarely have any barriers, and plenty of unstaffed stations.
I have had plenty of issues in the UK.
 

nanstallon

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This must be frustrating for all staff and passengers. The fact there is often nothing that can be done about it. People need to feel safe using public transport. I must say, I feel much safer using buses at night. Trains be can lonely and intimidating.

So have I. I’ve never had any issues at all travelling at night on the continent (mostly Germany, central and Eastern Europe). And these are countries which rarely have any barriers, and plenty of unstaffed stations.
I have had plenty of issues in the UK.
My experience, too. Britain has a yob culture, tolerated by the authorities.
 

alex397

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My experience, too. Britain has a yob culture, tolerated by the authorities.
When I say this, I often get a reply such as “it’s like it everywhere”. Sure, anti-social behaviour happens anywhere, but in my opinion there is a noticeable difference between the UK and some countries on the continent.
People seem unwilling to admit that the yob culture is a big problem in British society.
 
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Paul Jones 88

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Make punishment fit the crime, for example, catch someone spraying graffiti on trains, make them come out every weekend for 6 months scrubbing the underneath of carriages where all the worst filth is.
 

ChiefPlanner

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A few years back, I saw the Yoofs in action on the North Wales coast train travelling back to Manchester late on a Friday night. After they got off (to travel back in opposite direction), the train guard unlocked himself from his cab and said there was nothing he could do. Same kids basically did it all night at weekends.

Funnily enough, last Thursday, saw something similar a few stops out of Glossop, towards Manchester. Only for a few stops and more high jinks than nastiness. I was in a group of 4, so no problem for us, but I can see how single travellers would find 20+ Yoofs running up and down the carriages shouting a bit intimidating. Done a fair bit of train travel around Europe (especially Germany) and from what I've seen, that sort of behaviour isn't tolerated.

Not always so in Germany - and have witnessed similar levels of behaviour (of a drunken etc nature) in diverse places as Freiburg (a very pleasant city) , Hamburg and Berlin. All on "S" Bahn services.

The Paris RER - can be very unappealing - even in the evening towards Marne-la-Vallee , about the only time where I have seen gangs internally tagging trains with no chance of being caught as all the caveronous stations are completely unmanned , and of course DOO services.

Not always so great outside this country. Frankly after some of these occasions , I felt very safe on the London system.
 
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