Sunderland Hidden Platform

[47271]

Sorry, I thought you meant the shops next to the north of that. WH Smith, Poundland (above where the National Rail platforms are now) That awful concourse has been there as long as I have known

Ah, right, now I understand. So was the High Street end entrance, complete with its useless ticket machine, by far the worst TVM on the network in my experience, new with that development? The street level lobby, stairs and lift area does have a late 90s/early 2000s multi storey car park feel to it. Was the present platform fitout done at the same time, it seems a bit more up to date?

 

[edwin_m]

Okay, Central is rubbish as well. It's the bone chilling cold at Queen Street that always amazes me, somehow the freezing air doesn't get pushed through the Argyle Line tunnels to quite the same degree.

Queen Street is open air both ends isn't it?

 

[47271]

Queen Street is open air both ends isn't it?

Yes, the platforms are almost entirely covered over by the high level station but there are substantial openings at either end, and particularly at the east side. The tunnels beyond each portal are lengthy and reach to Charing Cross in the west and High Street in the east.

We're totally off topic, but you would think that the openings to above would reduce the amount of cold air pushed through the tunnels? Instead I'm convinced that Queen Street Low Level is one of the coldest places on the planet. I'm joking obviously, but users of Sunderland station perhaps shouldn't feel quite so hard done by!

 

[GrandCentral]

Funnily enough I’ve stumbled upon a photo of the old hidden platform. Looks very serviceable, still can’t understand why they didn’t put the Metro onto it.

 

[edwin_m]

Yes, the platforms are almost entirely covered over by the high level station but there are substantial openings at either end, and particularly at the east side. The tunnels beyond each portal are lengthy and reach to Charing Cross in the west and High Street in the east.

We're totally off topic, but you would think that the openings to above would reduce the amount of cold air pushed through the tunnels? Instead I'm convinced that Queen Street Low Level is one of the coldest places on the planet. I'm joking obviously, but users of Sunderland station perhaps shouldn't feel quite so hard done by!

I think with the wind in the right direction the openings at QS LL would turn it into a wind tunnel. The tunnel at Central is long enough that wind won't blow through, only the more intermittent air pushed by an approaching train, and as it's a double track tunnel this would dissipate easily.

 

[Royston Vasey]

View attachment 42115 Funnily enough I’ve stumbled upon a photo of the old hidden platform. Looks very serviceable, still can’t understand why they didn’t put the Metro onto it.

This was it by 1988 - track lifted. The whole open section has now been covered over and redeveloped - if not obstructed by foundations then passenger access would likely now be impossible. What we are actually looking at is the east face of a full island platform which would once have had another track beyond.

The current Metro line actually runs on that empty trackbed, against that disused platform and the remaining island platform has been widened substantially. As such the platform edge is now several metres further out from where Doris there is leaning. So even opening that platform now would make no difference to capacity.

So they actually did put the Metro onto it, strictly speaking.


(Photograph by Alan Young http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/contributors.shtml)

 

[Tetchytyke]

View attachment 42115 Funnily enough I’ve stumbled upon a photo of the old hidden platform. Looks very serviceable, still can’t understand why they didn’t put the Metro onto it.

They sort of did. The island platform that is still used was widened. The northbound track is now where the lifted track in the 1988 picture (above) is.

The main concourse has been there since the 1960s. I just wondered when the Poundland development was put there, whose bright idea it was, and whether they've been shot for it.

 

[route101]

Okay, Central is rubbish as well. It's the bone chilling cold at Queen Street that always amazes me, somehow the freezing air doesn't get pushed through the Argyle Line tunnels to quite the same degree.

Yeah its sure cold down Queen St

 

[156443]

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/sunderland_central/

Had a look on this website linked here at Sunderland Station before they built that eyesore at Street Level in 1965, it looked so much nicer in the early 60’s before the new concourse was built.

 

[Mikey C]

Reopening this thread, as I had the dubious pleasure of using this station on Saturday! What a depressing structure, I nearly missed it, it's such a nondescript surface building, crying out for comprehensive redevelopment...

If ever there was a station that makes a town feel like a poor relation, this is it.

 

[corsaVXR]

As much of a dump as the current station is, and severely lacking in facilities - no one will invest in it to make it a nice place:

• Firstly - the Durham Coast line is woeful in terms of line speed for connecting 3 major cities in the North East (Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesborough). Why use the train if it's quicker by car?
• Secondly - Sunderland city centre is on life support as it is - Yeah, there's the Vaux development, which is finally, after 20 years, actually getting some movement. However, outside of the Bridges and the high street, it's all Charity shops, discount stores, empty units and betting shops. Who's gonna put in the retail units to make a rebuild successful?
• Thirdly - There's no where to go from Sunderland Station - apart from stops along the Durham Coast line and the Tyne Valley to Carlisle (And the 4 or 5 trains by Grand Central), there's nowhere to go - Can't go to Shields, unless you go all the way to Heworth/Pelaw. Can't go to Liverpool or Manchester (That got stopped about 20 years ago). Can't go to Scotland. Can't go to Durham, Can't go to Darlington. Can't got to Washington. Can't go to Houghton. Even on the Metro, you're limited to Seaburn, the university campuses, Pallion and South Hylton. The station is essentially just a feeder for Newcastle.
• Fourthly - all the trains that stop there are crap - No one in their right mind would choose to travel on those things.

Loads of things need to happen to realistically see any change - such as Electrification of the Durham Coast line, and line speed increase to 100mph + (will never happen), Expansion of the Metro to incorporate more of Sunderland's suburbs (unlikely) or Increase in services from Sunderland to exotic places such as Darlington and Durham (will never happen).

 

[xotGD]

As much of a dump as the current station is, and severely lacking in facilities - no one will invest in it to make it a nice place:

• Firstly - the Durham Coast line is woeful in terms of line speed for connecting 3 major cities in the North East (Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesborough). Why use the train if it's quicker by car?
• Secondly - Sunderland city centre is on life support as it is - Yeah, there's the Vaux development, which is finally, after 20 years, actually getting some movement. However, outside of the Bridges and the high street, it's all Charity shops, discount stores, empty units and betting shops. Who's gonna put in the retail units to make a rebuild successful?
• Thirdly - There's no where to go from Sunderland Station - apart from stops along the Durham Coast line and the Tyne Valley to Carlisle (And the 4 or 5 trains by Grand Central), there's nowhere to go - Can't go to Shields, unless you go all the way to Heworth/Pelaw. Can't go to Liverpool or Manchester (That got stopped about 20 years ago). Can't go to Scotland. Can't go to Durham, Can't go to Darlington. Can't got to Washington. Can't go to Houghton. Even on the Metro, you're limited to Seaburn, the university campuses, Pallion and South Hylton. The station is essentially just a feeder for Newcastle.
• Fourthly - all the trains that stop there are crap - No one in their right mind would choose to travel on those things.

Loads of things need to happen to realistically see any change - such as Electrification of the Durham Coast line, and line speed increase to 100mph + (will never happen), Expansion of the Metro to incorporate more of Sunderland's suburbs (unlikely) or Increase in services from Sunderland to exotic places such as Darlington and Durham (will never happen).

Regarding your first point, Middlesbrough is not a city, never mind a major city. I believe the recognised description is "Small town in Yorkshire".

I can't disagree with your sentiments however.