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Station 'Secrets'

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CarterUSM

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12CSVT said:
Carlisle station is also home to two model railway societies, one of which is in the Undercroft
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I think i've been down there, I was nipping out for a smoke with my driver a few years back , and he took me through a door on platform 3. Down the stairs I heard some noise from an open door, where I seen a massive model railway.
 
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yorksrob

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Peter Mugridge said:
I second that. They were the worst toilets on the entire national network; access was via a very long, steep, narrow staircase and the place absolutely stank to high heaven. The cubicles had no doors either, so if you needed a poo there you had no choice but to be fully visible to all and sundry!
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I remember visiting the said toilets and it would have to be a toss-up between those and the ones in the Subway at Leeds (which are also probably still down there).
 
Mojo

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The tours sell out or become unavaliable very quickly.
 
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TEW

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There's half an EWS liveried Class 47 in the back of the staff area at Plymouth station. Apparently was used for some school rail safety programme.
 
Peter Mugridge

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yorksrob said:
I remember visiting the said toilets and it would have to be a toss-up between those and the ones in the Subway at Leeds (which are also probably still down there).
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I remember the old Leeds subway ones ( another great stink ) and I'd still suggest Brighton was worse - at least in Leeds the cubicles had doors on even if they didn't have locks on...!!
 
yorksrob

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Peter Mugridge said:
I remember the old Leeds subway ones ( another great stink ) and I'd still suggest Brighton was worse - at least in Leeds the cubicles had doors on even if they didn't have locks on...!!
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Ah, i'm afraid I never dared to venture into a cubicle in either :eek:
 
BestWestern

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telstarbox said:
Waterloo East and Vauxhall passengers might be surprised if they knew what tends to go on under the platforms ;)
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...Do tell... :D
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
TEW said:
There's half an EWS liveried Class 47 in the back of the staff area at Plymouth station. Apparently was used for some school rail safety programme.
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That's pretty interesting, any pics anywhere??
 
12CSVT

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CarterUSM said:
I think i've been down there, I was nipping out for a smoke with my driver a few years back , and he took me through a door on platform 3. Down the stairs I heard some noise from an open door, where I seen a massive model railway.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's the 'O' gauge group. It will look very different from when you last saw it, now that most of the scenery is in place.
 
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M60lad

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Regarding the old subway at Bolton Station does anybody know how it was accessed and where from, I'm quite interested in what Bolton station used to look like all those years ago
 
Nym

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telstarbox said:
Waterloo East and Vauxhall passengers might be surprised if they knew what tends to go on under the platforms ;)
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Oh I know some things that happen in the clubs under Vauxhaull station that I'm sure no-one wants to know about (Not even me, but one needed to work down there). Things like what peter sudgested but you don't need to peek...

On a cleaner note, if I'm remembering right theres vast swathes of undercroft unused at Manchester London Road (Piccadilly), wonder if we could see some more metrolink appearing in what I beleive is currently service yard.
 
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When I worked at Bristol Temple Meads some years ago I would sometimes be sent to take stuff to a storeroom. One of the few times I accepted that only the men could carry out this duty as the room was accessed from the current gents toilets in the subway. When the toilets had been refurbished it had been evidently been decided a smaller facility would suffice as going through the door you went back in time to a beautifully tiled gents' cloakroom albeit with piles of paperwork.
 
yorksrob

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I used to think that the old subway at Ashford was widened out to become the current one when it was rebuilt for channel tunnel services. However, I now suspect that the current subway may be further down and the original one still concealed.

Also, there's preusumably still the remains of the one under Manchester Vic.
 
lancastrian

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M60lad said:
Regarding the old subway at Bolton Station does anybody know how it was accessed and where from, I'm quite interested in what Bolton station used to look like all those years ago
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I used to work in the Parcels at Bolton as a Relief Clerk. That subway used to connect both island platforms with the parcels office that was part of the old station building. Access to the subway was lost when the old station building was knocked down and the built the 'new' one on the courner of Trinity Street and Newport Street. Also lost at this same time was the road underpass which used to be along side Trinity Church, about were the small layby is now. It came out on a ramp which lead up to where the current taxi rank is. The old footbridge over to Johnson Street also was demolished at the same time.

I also was able to have a look around the old offices above the booking hall, which had become disused in the early 70's.

As an aside I used to use that old underground barbershop in Piccadilly Station, when I worked in manchester city centre in the 1980's.
 
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lookingforit35

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telstarbox said:
Waterloo East and Vauxhall passengers might be surprised if they knew what tends to go on under the platforms ;)
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There is a branch of Soho Gym under Waterloo East station.

For fans of "Strictly Come Dancing" it is one of the training venues featured in the footage shown before dances and on "It Takes Two". It is used by quite a few of the London based celebs. Not surprisingly it is the one that oddly enough looks like it is filmed under railway arches!

Enterprising fans can venture down Windmill Walk which passes under Waterloo East. A window in an arch allows you to view the training room in question.

Possibly the most (some may say only) useful post I have made on this site!!

Oh, and nearby in Cornwall Road is a house featured in "Grand Designs" - the violin factory converted into a rather odd home for an architect and a banker at great cost.
 
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scoope

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lancastrian said:
I used to work in the Parcels at Bolton as a Relief Clerk. That subway used to connect both island platforms with the parcels office that was part of the old station building. Access to the subway was lost when the old station building was knocked down and the built the 'new' one on the courner of Trinity Street and Newport Street. Also lost at this same time was the road underpass which used to be along side Trinity Church, about were the small layby is now. It came out on a ramp which lead up to where the current taxi rank is. The old footbridge over to Johnson Street also was demolished at the same time.

I also was able to have a look around the old offices above the booking hall, which had become disused in the early 70's.

As an aside I used to use that old underground barbershop in Piccadilly Station, when I worked in manchester city centre in the 1980's.
Click to expand...

You have painted a picture so well known to me in my younger days, I had forgotten about the road underpass............thanks for the memory jog
 
Phil6219

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XCDriver said:
Anyone remember the underground toilets and barber shop at Manchester Piccadilly ?
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Wait that was real :?::!::?:

I always remember it but I always thought it was just part of a dream, I have had similar ones before where two locations get mixed up and merged over time when I am dreaming and just figured that this was the same. I thought I was definitely making it up as there was a barbers down there, well glad to know that I am not (that) insane :D

On a cleaner note, if I'm remembering right theres vast swathes of undercroft unused at Manchester London Road (Piccadilly), wonder if we could see some more metrolink appearing in what I beleive is currently service yard.
Click to expand...

Yes there is (or at least was), for a time it was possible to walk quite far into it to where the Metrolink changes ends though I am fairly certain that this has gone or been blocked off as they built a new entrance and taxi rank & drop off point in that general area. I haven't used that entrance so can not give any clearer info on that.

Phil 8-)
 
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