The worst Network Rail station?

[yorksrob]

Leeds may not be prefect but it has had a huge amount of investment - the new Southern entrance alone will cost over £17m. Compare that to Crewe station which hasn't had any major work done to it in years and the refurbishment budget for the whole station is just £6m.

Indeed. I suspect anyone could find room for improvement with any station when at close quartes with it , but by and large, Leeds is fine.

As regarda Crewe, I haven‘t used it much since the 90‘s, but when I was there a year or so ago, the platform area seemed fine.

 

[northwichcat]

You have to compare passenger numbers too. Crewe serves 2-2.5m journeys a year. Leeds is approaching 25m.

You've just quoted entrance and exit figures. Crewe has an interchange figure of additionally around 50% of the entrance and exit figure while Leeds has one of around 10%. So 1 in 3 passengers arriving at Crewe will wait there until their connecting service arrives, while only 1 in 11 passengers arriving at Leeds will do the same.

Leeds did have a £245 million pounds refurbishment around the turn of the millennium so £262 million in total compared to £6 million means in comparison Crewe has been short changed by around £24 million compared to Leeds based on usage alone. (That's excluding smaller costs such as TVMs at both stations, the ticket barriers at Leeds etc.)

But then you could say Crewe is a 12 platform station and Leeds is a 16 platform station to justify higher expenditure for Crewe than just basing it on passenger numbers.

 

[HowardGWR]

I think the OP was referring to the Network Rail managed stations, namely:

London Bridge
London Cannon Street
London Charing Cross
London Euston
London Fenchurch Street
London King's Cross
London Liverpool Street
London Paddington
London St Pancras
London Victoria
London Waterloo

Birmingham New Street (currently a building site)
Edinburgh Waverley
Glasgow Central
Leeds
Liverpool Lime Street
Manchester Piccadilly



I think Reading is still managed by FGW but the keys are being handed over to Network Rail once the massive rebuilding works are complete?

Strange that Fenchurch St is NR managed but not Marylebone, especially seeing that they both run self contained services. This is presumably why both TOCs are able to achieve the performance they do, because there are few conflicting services?

Having said that, I suppose gigantic Waterloo has one customer TOC but there are of course many conflicting services further down the line.

 

[anti-pacer]

LEEDS.... The good, the bad, and the ugly...

The good

Central location
Through station
Bus interchange/cycle hire outside
Plenty of services to so many parts of the UK
Lots of retail and food outlets
Easy to navigate

The bad

Litter - the worst of any NR station I've seen
Stupid location of ticket office, with queues conflicting with passengers passing through the North Concourse
Many of the ticket gate staff
Many of the passengers using the ticket gates
It's often cold

The ugly

It's grey and soulless
The main concourse - still an old feel to it (I can't understand why that wasn't refurbished in 2002 with the rest of the station)

The worst NR stations, in my opinion, are Birmingham New Street, Leeds and Euston.

My favourites have to be St Pancras, King's Cross, Manchester Piccadilly, and Glasgow Central.

 

[Spaceflower]

Additional bad.......the main bus station is located a mile away.

 

[59CosG95]

LEEDS.... The good, the bad, and the ugly...

The good

Central location
Through station
Bus interchange/cycle hire outside
Plenty of services to so many parts of the UK
Lots of retail and food outlets
Easy to navigate

The bad

Litter - the worst of any NR station I've seen
Stupid location of ticket office, with queues conflicting with passengers passing through the North Concourse
Many of the ticket gate staff
Many of the passengers using the ticket gates
It's often cold

The ugly

It's grey and soulless
The main concourse - still an old feel to it (I can't understand why that wasn't refurbished in 2002 with the rest of the station)

The worst NR stations, in my opinion, are Birmingham New Street, Leeds and Euston.

My favourites have to be St Pancras, King's Cross, Manchester Piccadilly, and Glasgow Central.

Credit to New St where it's due: it is under a MAJOR refurb so should be nicer. I'm surprised also that Paddington hasn't made the list-it's easily one of London's grandest stations! Never been to Leeds, but I can imagine the place there now. At least it's on a viaduct as opposed to Euston-Euston is where hope goes to die. Also, I don't much care for Victoria's Brighton Side platforms, or Liverpool St's platform extensions. Waterloo, Victoria (Chatham side), New London Bridge, Blackfriars, Paddington, Fenchurch St, Edinburgh Waverley and all the ones you said I quite like.
Let's just hope come HS2 Euston gets a refurb-it can't come soon enough!

 

[alwaystouchout]

It's unfair to blame Network Rail for the architecture of stations put up fifty years ago, but London Euston and the old Birmingham New Street are just dreadful.

On the other hand St Pancras and King's Cross are probably the finest on the network.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Compare that to Crewe station which hasn't had any major work done to it in years and the refurbishment budget for the whole station is just £6m.

Well the Upper Crust on P6 has been refitted (no more gashed seats for a while).
The glass canopies have been renewed, so the station is a bit drier.
But it has suffered from the planning blight over moving the station further south, and the entrance area is very poorly laid out.
It's only just on the right side of shabby.
P12 is now in quite good shape with new canopies, but has no facilities as it isn't used much.

 

[Sheepy1209]

I don't know what it is about Leeds - it just feels somehow clinical, even slightly sinister and intimidating. Even though the signs are fine I always feel confused there - though it started to make more sense when I understood its history. To me as well as the greyness it feels a bit too open - all that glass such as on the walkways.

Strangely I never felt the same about Birmingham New Street - soulless but as a passenger it was fine.

 

[DarloRich]

Euston is terrible to look at and god knows i hate it architecturally, resembling as it does a 1940's german u boat pen, but it is actually quite good at its job!

The main concourse can holds LOTS of people with little to encumber them, it is easy to use, step free, has a big ticket office, it handles a massive volume of people every rush our and does it quite well.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

The only journey I tend to make with luggage is Rochdale to Chathill and vice-versa.

On this trip, I try to avoid changing at Leeds if at all possible.

Outbound, I change at Hebden Bridge (same platform, nice cafe), York (pleasant and airy) and Newcasrle (aadequate gateline, operated by people with a positive IQ).

Southbound tends to be Newcastle, Thornaby (cross platform interchange and the odd freight passing) and Dewsbury (same platform, excellent pub).

 

[Starmill]

Leeds may not be prefect but it has had a huge amount of investment - the new Southern entrance alone will cost over £17m. Compare that to Crewe station which hasn't had any major work done to it in years and the refurbishment budget for the whole station is just £6m.

Even as you say in its dilapidated state, I rather like Crewe more than Leeds. It's lighter and has a simpler layout, with dashes of red and some very interesting brickwork - and plants and other 'homely' platform features.

Certainly needs smartening up properly though and im not convinced at present that's gonna happen :/

 

[Mojo]

Not a fan of Leeds station either, it feels dark and dingy even on a summer day and it's fairly dirty; not just the high levels like the supports and windows but even the top of the buildings on the platforms seem to be fairly dusty. Signage is quite poor; I've struggled to find the platform I'm looking for on at least two occasions.

 

[Starmill]

Additional bad.......the main bus station is located a mile away.

Indeed. Second station a la Manchester anyone? You can see the bus station from eastbound trains!

Seriously though, anti-pacer has hit tue nail on the head and added one or two things Id forgotten (for example, the temperature, which is subtly disconcerting because you feel like you're inside). I'd also agree that Kings Cross and Manchester Picc are lovely in most ways

 

[Loki]

I'll go with Euston. It looks like a commie block style station more than anything. Hopefully HS2 will fix this problem.

 

[59CosG95]

I'll go with Euston. It looks like a commie block style station more than anything. Hopefully HS2 will fix this problem.

Indeed, Loki. Here's hoping!

 

[yorksrob]

I rather like Euston. Admittedly it would be much better if they'd re-erected the arch in front of it.

 

[fgwrich]

Credit to New St where it's due: it is under a MAJOR refurb so should be nicer. I'm surprised also that Paddington hasn't made the list-it's easily one of London's grandest stations! Never been to Leeds, but I can imagine the place there now. At least it's on a viaduct as opposed to Euston-Euston is where hope goes to die. Also, I don't much care for Victoria's Brighton Side platforms, or Liverpool St's platform extensions. Waterloo, Victoria (Chatham side), New London Bridge, Blackfriars, Paddington, Fenchurch St, Edinburgh Waverley and all the ones you said I quite like.
Let's just hope come HS2 Euston gets a refurb-it can't come soon enough!

Paddington is bordering on my favourite station on the entire network - I say bordering because, Whilst Network Rail have done a grand job on Span 4, Having the beautiful architecture light up with smart modern lighting has shown had bad the roofs of Spans 1 to 3 have become. Give them a clean up and replace some of the leaky glass joints then it would be brilliant. Kings Cross and St Pancras however are just fantastic stations to arrive and spend time in now.

As for Euston, im going to be controversial and say I actually like the 1960s Brutalism Architecture, but what I don't like is the way it's been hacked around with over the years and bits added on and taken off. If it could be modernised and retro-ised, whilst given a good clean up it would be a smart station again. However, with HS2 potentially arriving I can see it being replaced by another bland modern soul-less station, probably designed by NRs 'friends' in that firm I don't like, Grimshaws.

 

[HowardGWR]

I was surprised to learn that Temple Meads was not NR managed, given its strategic position and multi-company use.

Given the plans, which I assume NR are implementing anyway, it would seem a no-brainer.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Bury St Edmunds for me, on the approach to the station you have the mess of the old entrance with gates in place to stop access, usually it becomes overgrown then cleared then overgrown, then you walk up the high stairs to the platform and there is nothing of note

I know there is a cafe on the Ipswich bound platform now but other than that everything is boarded up

March station a close second with platforms crumbling away (the out of use ends on in use platforms) then you have the old Spalding platforms that are fenced off and looking tired all round not to mention the rubble that's covered the old stub platform

 

[HowardGWR]

Bury St Edmunds for me, on the approach to the station you have the mess of the old entrance with gates in place to stop access, usually it becomes overgrown then cleared then overgrown, then you walk up the high stairs to the platform and there is nothing of note

I know there is a cafe on the Ipswich bound platform now but other than that everything is boarded up

March station a close second with platforms crumbling away (the out of use ends on in use platforms) then you have the old Spalding platforms that are fenced off and looking tired all round not to mention the rubble that's covered the old stub platform

Yes but these are not NR managed.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I don't understand this obsession with large stations like Leeds needing to have 'soul'. It’s a railway station, not a Public House! I love Dent station to bits; it has bags of character but that’s no use to anyone when the rain / sleet / snow is coming in sideways as you get off the train!

A few months a go a poster on this forum said that he disliked Waterloo because it was full of people wearing suits who didn't talk to anyone! It’s a large and very busy station, not a venue for Speed Dating!

 

[HowardGWR]

A few months a go a poster on this forum said that he disliked Waterloo because it was full of people wearing suits who didn't talk to anyone! It’s a large and very busy station, not a venue for Speed Dating!

It is you know, you hadn't noticed?

 

[Moonshot]

I was always under the impression that under the Waterloo clock was a favourite meeting place for blind dates?

 

[moggie]

I remember Euston when it did feel modern and moving down the to the platform ramps with the sound of various AC loco's stood at the buffer stops awaiting release topped it off. Electric and proud.

When I go there now, despite the obvious increase in people using it I'm caught by the lack of atmosphere at platform level. Worse however is Network Rail's discordant treatment of the concourse. Cluttered with obstructive retail outlets which act as barriers to free flow of passengers. The rows of back to back stalls inside and out which cut out natural light which gave the station it's modern, open feel and the stench of tacky fried food of one decription or another.

OK in the 'food hall' but really are that many needed around and immediately outside. Yet elsewhere they (KX / St Pancras) they spend £M's on increasing natural light and de-cluttering circulation areas.

Get rid of half this clutter, renew the glazing all around and it would look so much better.

Unfortunately it's too late for the AC electrics unless they get onto the lot at Barrow Hill to import some proper atmosphere?

 

[RichmondCommu]

It is you know, you hadn't noticed?

No, in all the years I've been using the station I can't say I have.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I was always under the impression that under the Waterloo clock was a favourite meeting place for blind dates?

It's certainly a popular meeting place but perhaps not for Speed Dating?

 

[sheff'd victoria]

has to be leeds station went there last year got completley lost

For some reason they have cold air blasting out of the heaters above the escalators, its like walking round an igloo most of the time

 

[Carlisle]

Perth station seems to be fairly run down certainly one half of the roof area etc seems worse than the other which is a shame cos Bournemouth's roof was really decayed a while back but looks smart now so it proves what can be achieved given the funds I guess

 

[WestCountry]

Bury St Edmunds for me, on the approach to the station you have the mess of the old entrance with gates in place to stop access, usually it becomes overgrown then cleared then overgrown, then you walk up the high stairs to the platform and there is nothing of note

I know there is a cafe on the Ipswich bound platform now but other than that everything is boarded up.

You're seriously counting Bury as worse than Newmarket? The former has well-sheltered platforms with big canopies and the buildings, while mostly boarded up, are in reasonable shape. Newmarket has one uncovered platform, heavily overgrown for most of its length, with a couple of bus shelters. :roll:

 

[Deerfold]

Hmmmmm.


Hmmm.


Hmm.

You're sure we're talking about the same Leeds?

In terms of safety, I've spent several nights at Leeds station and never felt at all unsafe.