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Stations that are too close together

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tigerroar

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Apologies if this has been done over and over, but looking at another thread on here I've used bing maps to look at Maidstone and two of their stations; West and Barracks look ridiculously close to one another.

What is the point in that? Do all trains stop at both?
 
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EM2

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Yes, as far as I know all trains call at both stations.
As to why they're there, I'd say because otherwise, if you wanted to change from Maidstone East to Maidstone West, you'd have a pretty long walk. Or two buses (can't think of a direct one...)
 

EM2

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tigerroar

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Ahh, now well that makes much more sense it makes the point of giving directions from West to East pointless.

(and yes, I am bored!)
 

142094

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A lot will have a historical reason behind it - e.g. two different railway companies serving the same place, building separate stations which now of course are very close together and served by the same services.

In urban areas even a short distance covered by train can save a good 10-20 minutes walking, like instead of getting off at Manchester Piccadilly, continuing on to Oxford Road or Deansgate is only a few minutes on the train but saves a good walk.
 

Temple Meads

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To me, there appears to be more stations than realistically needed in the western side of Plymouth.
 

Tav77

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Culrain to Invershin is 34 chains
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Manchester Oxford Road to Deansgate is 29 chains
 

MidnightFlyer

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All the Burnley stations are certainly candidates.

Barracks maybe, however I cannot see why you'd close Rose Grove, Central or Manchester Road - the former serves housing and the latter two the town centre on two separate lines...

 

6Gman

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Culrain to Invershin is 34 chains
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Isn't there a river between them?

[I have a very distant memory of travelling that way as a small child and someone getting on the train at Culrain ... and off at Invershin!]
 

MattRobinson

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Wakefield Westgate to Sandal and Agbrigg is a candidate, but SNA is within walking distance of my house, so I'm not complaining!
 

bAzTNM

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Duke Street to Alexandra Parade
Barnhill to Springburn

Both in Glasgow and very close to one another.
 

VTPreston_Tez

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Barracks maybe, however I cannot see why you'd close Rose Grove, Central or Manchester Road - the former serves housing and the latter two the town centre on two separate lines...


Well, keep Rose Grove and Manchester Road, Rose Grove is on an industrial estate or near one at least. So what would you keep?
 

MidnightFlyer

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Well, keep Rose Grove and Manchester Road, Rose Grove is on an industrial estate or near one at least. So what would you keep?

I'd keep all four! If one had to go, it would without doubt be Barracks, however closing any of the other three would be illogical.
 

VTPreston_Tez

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I'd keep all four! If one had to go, it would without doubt be Barracks, however closing any of the other three would be illogical.

Oh all right. Don't forget as was said about Tanshelf, the size of the settlement doesn't matter, if they need to be there they should go there.

Quite possibly Blackpool Pleasure Beach and South. They are both needed but I don't see much harm in closing Pleasure Beach if all the thrill seekers tend to walk and then tram/bus it from North anyway.
Guess it's one of those questionable ones so could someone give a list of the pros and cons for closing BPB?
 

atomicdanny

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Folkestone West and Central are very close, it's only 51 chains between them!

One could argue that Folkestone actually needs a third open (just in case any pedantic person mentions Folkestone Harbour :) )station for the other end of the town, although in that case both of those (in my opinion) are needed. Folkestone West Serves Cheriton and Central covers well Folkestone itself. Although when Central had all four platforms (not just the one island with two now) the a few of the fasts used to not stop at Folkestone West at all (it used to have fast tracks that were taken out)
 
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MidnightFlyer

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Quite possibly Blackpool Pleasure Beach and South. They are both needed but I don't see much harm in closing Pleasure Beach if all the thrill seekers tend to walk and then tram/bus it from North anyway.
Guess it's one of those questionable ones so could someone give a list of the pros and cons for closing BPB?

Well, bear in mind BPB fills out, and leaves people behind, a 142 almost every hour on spring and summer weekends, and you'll have your reason. It would actually be a massive loss to close it (either of them), if anything what is needed is a loop at Lytham or St Annes to allow half-hourly working, especially in summer.
 

WestCoast

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Quite possibly Blackpool Pleasure Beach and South. They are both needed but I don't see much harm in closing Pleasure Beach if all the thrill seekers tend to walk and then tram/bus it from North anyway.
Guess it's one of those questionable ones so could someone give a list of the pros and cons for closing BPB?

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has seen year-on-year increases in usage and can be literally packed out with passengers during peak season. Blackpool South is also a well used station, with increasing numbers of passengers. Many trains were operating with an assistant fare collector last year due to high demand. If anything, as Matt says, the South Fylde line should have additional frequencies with more facilities at stations such as TVMs and live running information.
 

142094

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Not sure if anyone else agrees, but I don't particularly want any station to close, even if it is only used by a handful of people. Closing the station would cost a lot of money and possibly cause great hardship to the people who used it. I'd only want to see a station closed if it was being replaced by a better one.
 

yorkie

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The really obvious one has to be Newhaven Harbour and Newhaven Marine, with the latter being the candidate for closure ;) In fact it may as well be closed as the only train that operates there cannot actually be boarded due to safety issues with the roof.
All the Burnley stations are certainly candidates.
If you are suggesting that one station would suffice, then that surprises me, given that there are 2 separate lines through Burnley, so I am not sure how this proposal could work. Can you supply more detail please?
 

heart-of-wessex

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1. Ty Glas and Birchgrove are ridiculously close. When I was station bashing on the Coryton Line, these were the last 2 I needed, so I got off at Birchgrove and walked back to Ty Glas. The walk only took around 2 minutes, would have been shorter if the road was right by the track! Still, a station in the middle would save time I'd say!

2. Anerley and Penge West are close, again scratching off Anerley, I could see Penge West from the former station, handy to see when your Croydon bound train is due!

3. Covent Garden and Leicester Square, we know that one and most expensive for a single or return too!

4. Castle Bar Park and Drayton Green are close enough, walked it before and didn't take that long.


That's some I can think off at the top of my head
 

Gwenllian2001

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1. Ty Glas and Birchgrove are ridiculously close. When I was station bashing on the Coryton Line, these were the last 2 I needed, so I got off at Birchgrove and walked back to Ty Glas. The walk only took around 2 minutes, would have been shorter if the road was right by the track! Still, a station in the middle would save time I'd say!

Now this is where a little local knowledge is useful. Ty Glas was built, in late BR days, as a joint venture with the City of Cardiff to provide a suitable place for a bus link to the University of Wales Hospital; the nearby stations at Heath and Birchgrove being deemed unsuitable. The bus link failed to prosper but Ty Glas has because it serves a substantial business area which includes the Tax Office. It is also the only station on the branch accessible from north and south. Ty Glas is now much busier than Birchgrove but the older station continues to attract a respectable amount of passengers.
 
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