Stations with "platforms" which could in principle be used but (almost) never are

[Old Yard Dog]

Stations with "platforms" which could in principle be used but (almost) never are include

Chester P0 (bay next to P1)
Crewe P13 (other side of P12 island)
Hooton P0 (non-electrified track, used v rarely for excursions)
Ellesmere Port east facing bay (never even had track)
Preston Res platform (used for specials to The Open at Lytham St Annes)

What other examples are there?

 

[sh24]

Huntingdon P1

 

[Kite159]

In terms of stations which have platforms still in situ but the signalling isn't up to passenger standards?

Ie Southampton Central P5 or Salisbury P5 etc

 

[swt_passenger]

Southampton P5 not signalled to passenger standards.
Salisbury P1 and P5.
Fareham bay P2 only has one booked train per day, but is well used if there is an engineering closure south of the station.

I think this will be quite a long list…

 

[The exile]

Bristol Temple Meads Pl.2 (not cleared for passenger use, AFAIK)

 

[Western 52]

Wrexham General has 2 bay platforms at the south end which tend to be used for tracks machines. Not sure if they are fully signalled though for passenger use.

 

[Tetragon213]

What would theoretically be Andover platform 0, which still has tracks.

Clapham Junction platform 8 still exists but can only be used in emergencies because allegedly there's some issue with a gap.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Preston P7 (car park side) has a number on it but I don't think is passed for passenger use.

Milton Keynes Central P2A I don't think is likely to have been used since the Southern service went to 8 car (then ceased entirely) but is to be used for East West Rail soon.

Manchester Oxford Road P1 is avoided when possible due to not having a lift.

I seem to recall there being a south facing bay at Hemel Hempstead but don't recall hearing of its use. I think the short Southern runs there used the normal platforms and a crossover to reverse, but may be wrong?

I think the former Keswick bay (loop) at Penrith is theoretically usable but isn't used. Though I think I've seen a freight in it.

There's a few for you, anyway

Wrexham General has 2 bay platforms at the south end which tend to be used for tracks machines. Not sure if they are fully signalled though for passenger use.

Those were used by Wrexham and Shropshire so I assume are or were.

 

[Furrysquid]

Birmingham Moor Street P5?

 

[jamiearmley]

Bay platform at Whitland. Unnumbered, yet occasionally used?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Thurso has somewhat of a platform 2, although right at the far top and would probably not fit a 158 (the track is very rusty and clearly not used much but it does have a signal at the end)

 

[Ian79]

Ealing Broadway platforms 1&2 - passed by plenty of trains, but I don't think any are timetabled to stop there.

For opposite of a fully maintained platform which is used by many passengers but doesn't have any trains, how about Chippenham where you enter via a disused platform and cross the footbridge. I've also seen people obliviously waiting there for the Bristol trains on several occasions, then panic and sprint over the footbridge when the train arrives and they realise there's no track at the platform they are waiting on.

 

[Western 52]

Bay platform at Whitland. Unnumbered, yet occasionally used?

Yes it's been used earlier this year due to engineering works.

 

[Recessio]

Guildford platform 7 is only separated from platform 6 by a single track, so 7 is unused because of the risk of the third rail.

Interestingly both sides were used in the days of slammers and mail trains.

 

[stadler]

I can think of a couple examples as follows:

Acton Main Line - Platform 2 - This platform used to get one train a day only. This was the last Eastbound Heathrow Connect service of the day. But i have not seen anything use it for years now.

Guildford - Platform 7 - This platform shares a track with Platform 6 and is therefore not used. The doors are opened on the other side. But the platform is not blocked off and could technically be used if they wanted to.

Southall - Platform 0 - This is a through platform and i see no reason why it could not be used. But i have never seen it used before. I believe it is not even electrified so i suppose it is less of a use now then it was a few years ago when almost everything was diesel operated.

Tonbridge - Platform 4 - This is very little used but does actually have an early morning service and a late evening service booked. But it is certainly not a well used platform. It would be easy to think it was never used.

West Drayton - Platform 5 - This is a through platform for the slow lines and can technically be used by any trains. But it is very rare to see anything call at this platform. I have not seen it happen for a long time.

Worthing - Platform 1 - This is a perfectly usable through platform. However nothing is booked to use it. There are no trains timetabled through this platform. It can still see occasional use during disruption but it is very rare these days to see it get used.

There are also dozens of stations with four platforms on a four track layout where the platforms on the fast lines very rarely get used.

Some examples include:

Balham, Battersea Park, Bushey, Cricklewood, Ealing Broadway, Earlsfield, Elstree & Borehamwood, Finsbury Park, Harrow & Wealdstone, Hayes & Harlington, Hendon, Horley, Iver, Kentish Town, Langley, Mill Hill Broadway, New Barnet, New Cross Gate, New Southgate, Norbury, Oakleigh Park, Purley, Purley Oaks, Radlett, Selhurst, South Croydon, Southall, Streatham Common, Taplow, Thornton Heath, Vauxhall, Wandsworth Common, Wembley Central, West Byfleet, West Drayton, West Hampstead Thameslink, Wimbledon, and probably dozens and dozens of others.

However all of these platforms do still see fairly common use during engineering works and disruptions and late evenings etc so they are not as little used as you may think.

 

[rower40]

Derby platform 7.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Wrexham General has 2 bay platforms at the south end which tend to be used for tracks machines. Not sure if they are fully signalled though for passenger use.

Those were used as a servicing facility for Wrexham and Shropshire. Not sure if they're signalled to passenger standards, though it requires a shunt to get into one of the through platforms.

 

[The Planner]

Birmingham Moor Street P5?

5?

 

[Rescars]

Guildford platform 7 is only separated from platform 6 by a single track, so 7 is unused because of the risk of the third rail.

Interestingly both sides were used in the days of slammers and mail trains.

Does Norwood Junc platform 2 get much use since the demise of the slammers? Similar single track between the faces of platforms 1 and 2.

 

[bleeder4]

I think the former Keswick bay (loop) at Penrith is theoretically usable but isn't used. Though I think I've seen a freight in it.

Yes, I've stopped there a number of times on northbound charters up the WCML. It's a convenient place for the signaller to leave us for a short while to let a couple of Pendolinos go past. Plus we get the added advantage of a leg stretch on the platform, which we wouldn't have if we were stopped in a loop.

 

[class442]

I would of said Northampton 'P6', the old goods/mail platform, which doesn't have an actual platform number but has a platform edge, track and electrification. However the junction has since been plain-lined so it's no longer connected.

 

[Horizon22]

Ealing Broadway platforms 1&2 - passed by plenty of trains, but I don't think any are timetabled to stop there.

The same could be said for any GWML station between Paddington - Reading with 4 platforms but they are routinely used in engineering works on the weekend and late at night.

I can think of a couple examples as follows:

Acton Main Line - Platform 2 - This platform used to get one train a day only. This was the last Eastbound Heathrow Connect service of the day. But i have not seen anything use it for years now.

Out of passenger use and doesn't meet standards

Tonbridge - Platform 4 - This is very little used but does actually have an early morning service and a late evening service booked. But it is certainly not a well used platform. It would be easy to think it was never used.

West Drayton - Platform 5 - This is a through platform for the slow lines and can technically be used by any trains. But it is very rare to see anything call at this platform. I have not seen it happen for a long time.

Both are good platforms to use in disruption, although West Drayton Platform 5/loop does have ECS moves through it as well as freight towards Colnbrook.

 

[ld0595]

Stirling platforms 4 and 5 don't serve much use any more. I don't think they are at passenger standards though.

It doesn't have a number, but there are the remains of an old platform in Aberdeen next to Platform 3. It's commonly used to store ECS I think, but it's not available for passenger use.

 

[Western 52]

Does the bay platform at Hereford get used?

 

[Whistler40145]

Platform at Preston adjacent to the side entrance

 

[Western 52]

There's a bay platform at Weston-super-Mare, but I don't think its track layout or signalling allows passenger use.

 

[P Binnersley]

Stechford platform 3 on the up line from Aston.

No regular service since the once a day Walsall to Birmingham International direct (avoiding New Street) stopped several years ago.

 

[Trackman]

Hither Green P1 - through platform

 

[matchmaker]

Stirling platforms 4 and 5 don't serve much use any more. I don't think they are at passenger standards though.

It doesn't have a number, but there are the remains of an old platform in Aberdeen next to Platform 3. It's commonly used to store ECS I think, but it's not available for passenger use.

Platforms 4 & 5 are routinely used for stabling stock, and have water and power laid on. They aren't however signalled to passenger standards.

 

[Horizon22]

I think it would be good for someone - with the relevant expertise - to succinctly explain what "signalled to passenger standards" means.