[Trivia] Busiest unstaffed station?

[geoffk]

I've been asked what's the busiest unstaffed station on the national rail network. Network Rail station categories F1 and F2 are supposed to mean unstaffed but there are exceptions, e.g. Filton Abbey Wood, which I believe has a ticket office. Many staffed stations are unstaffed in the evenings and on Sundays but what's the busiest station with no staff during the working week? Any advance on Saltaire, which had 887,000 entries and exits in 2019/20?

 

[Trackman]

There's an old thread about this, obviously things might have changed.

Trivia: Most unused staffed station and most used unstaffed station

I am trying to think of the most unused staffed station and the most used unstaffed station. My guess for unused staffed station would be Carstairs (13,548) And my guess for used staffed would be Cannock (253,000)

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[TheHovisKid]

Preston (when there's any disruption)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Preston (when there's any disruption)

Good point, very well made!

 

[Novern Uproar]

Berney Arms when all the wintering wildfowl descend on the area.

 

[scrapy]

Think Isleworth is the busiest unstaffed station in the country, over 1.3 million passengers in 2019-20

 

[geoffk]

Cardiff Bay - 1.46m in 2019/20! I thought this might also be the busiest single platform station but it's easily beaten by Chafford Hundred Lakeside with 2.81m.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Think Isleworth is the busiest unstaffed station in the country, over 1.3 million passengers in 2019-20

What are the figures for the next station along at Syon Lane? It generates a fair amount of commuter traffic to the businesses along the Great West Road.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What are the figures for the next station along at Syon Lane?

For 2019-20, just slightly less than Isleworth. Maybe some 1.24 million.

 

[BoroAndy]

Considering how significant some of these numbers are, it seems ridiculous that these stations are unmanned.

 

[Taunton]

Considering how significant some of these numbers are, it seems ridiculous that these stations are unmanned.

1.2m and 1.4m values are nothing compared to some DLR stations - Canary Wharf DLR was up between 18m and 19m before lockdown, and completely unstaffed.

 

[HSTEd]

Considering how significant some of these numbers are, it seems ridiculous that these stations are unmanned.

A million sounds like a lot, but there are about 3 billion entries and exits on the system each year, with about half of that occuring at the busiest hundred stations.

 

[childwallblues]

Bryn in Greater Manchester could have many but there is unlikely to be a headcount as most travel one stop to Wigan NW were there are no barriers.
It is ironic that every other station on the line between Liverpool LS and Wigan NW is staffed from first to last train because they are in Merseyside and run by Merseytravel.

 

[Llandudno]

Bryn in Greater Manchester could have many but there is unlikely to be a headcount as most travel one stop to Wigan NW were there are no barriers.
It is ironic that every other station on the line between Liverpool LS and Wigan NW is staffed from first to last train because they are in Merseyside and run by Merseytravel.

Crikey are Garswood, Eccleston Park and Edge Hill staffed from first to last train?

 

[RPI]

Digby & Sowton with over half a million must certainly be highest in the West.

 

[The exile]

Considering how significant some of these numbers are, it seems ridiculous that these stations are unmanned.

Although high passenger numbers are one point in favour of staffing, they are probably not the most significant. A simple two platform station with a frequent and standard service pattern and a clientele likely to be mostly “regulars” needs staff less than a multi-platform station with varying service patterns and passengers (tourists etc) - even if its passenger numbers are lower.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Considering how significant some of these numbers are, it seems ridiculous that these stations are unmanned.

Does it? If almost everyone is a regular user using contactless or Oyster staffing would serve little purpose.

Crikey are Garswood, Eccleston Park and Edge Hill staffed from first to last train?

In my view it's an archaic policy, but none of those are really much different from similar third rail stations. At least you can use e-tickets at those.

 

[HSTEd]

In my view it's an archaic policy, but none of those are really much different from similar third rail stations.

Apart from an awful lot fewer passengers anyway!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Apart from an awful lot fewer passengers anyway!

Edge Hill 0.162m
Garswood: 0.120m
Aughton Park: 0.112m

Not necessarily!

Eccleston Park only 50K to be fair. Surprised it is so low.

(I don't, for the record, think there is any need for staff at AUG. It's used entirely by locals in a downright posh area where pretty much everyone would use contactless or e-tickets were they offered, and a TVM would suffice for the rest, the ticketing is almost as simple as can be - Anytime Day Single, Anytime Day Return, off peak day ticket or Saveaway)

 

[paul1609]

Does it? If almost everyone is a regular user using contactless or Oyster staffing would serve little purpose.



In my view it's an archaic policy, but none of those are really much different from similar third rail stations. At least you can use e-tickets at those.

eTickets are available for journeys to/from the following stations on the Southeastern network

• Adisham
• Appledore
• Ashford International
• Aylesford
• Aylesham
• Barming
• Barneshurst
• Bat & Ball
• Battle
• Bearsted
• Beckenham Junction
• Bekesbourne
• Beltring
• Belvedere
• Bickley
• Birchington-on-Sea
• Blackheath
• Borough Green & Wrotham
• Brixton
• Broadstairs
• Bromley North
• Canterbury East
• Canterbury West
• CatfordBridge
• Charing
• Charlton
• Chartham
• Chelsfield
• Chestfield & Swalecliffe
• Chilham
• Chislehurst
• Clock House
• Crowhurst
• Cuxton
• Deal
• Denmark Hill
• Deptford
• Dumpton Park
• Dunton Green
• East Farleigh
• East Malling
• Ebbsfleet International
• Eden Park
• Elephant & Castle
• Elmers End
• Elmstead Woods
• Erith
• Etchingham
• Eynsford
• Farningham Road
• Folkestone Central
• Folkestone West
• Frant
• Greenhithe
• Greenwich
• Grove Park
• Halling
• Ham Street
• Harrietsham
• Hastings
• Hayes (Kent)
• Headcorn
• Herne Bay
• Herne Hill
• High Brooms
• Higham
• Hildenborough
• Hither Green
• Hollingbourne
• Kearnsey
• Kemsing
• Kemsley
• Kent House
• Kidbrooke
• Knockholt
• Ladywell
• Lee
• Lenham
• London Blackfriars
• Longfield
• Lower Sydenham
• Maidstone Barracks
• Maidstone East
• Maidstone West
• Marden
• Margate
• Martin Mill
• Maze Hill
• Meopham
• Minster
• Mottingham
• New Beckenham
• New Hythe
• Newington
• Northfleet
• Nunhead
• Ore
• Otford
• Paddock Wood
• Peckham Rye
• Penge East
• Petts Wood
• Pluckley
• Plumstead
• Queenborough
• Ramsgate
• Robertsbridge
• Rochester
• Rye
• Sandling
• Sandwich
• Selling
• Sheerness-on-Sea
• Shepherds Well
• Shoreham Kent
• Shortlands
• Slade Green
• Snodland
• Snowdown
• Sole Street
• St Johns
• St Leonards Warrior Square
• St Mary Cray
• Staplehurst
• Stone Crossing
• Stonegate
• Sturry
• Sundridge Park
• Swale
• Swanley
• Swanscombe
• Sydenham Hill
• Teynham
• Wadhurst
• Walmer
• Wateringbury
• West Dulwich
• West Malling
• West St.Leonards
• West Wickham
• Westcombe Park
• Westenhanger
• Westgate-on-Sea
• Whitstable
• Woolwich Dockyard
• Wye
• Yalding

 

[Llandudno]

Edge Hill 0.162m
Garswood: 0.120m
Aughton Park: 0.112m

Not necessarily!

Eccleston Park only 50K to be fair. Surprised it is so low.

(I don't, for the record, think there is any need for staff at AUG. It's used entirely by locals in a downright posh area where pretty much everyone would use contactless or e-tickets were they offered, and a TVM would suffice for the rest, the ticketing is almost as simple as can be - Anytime Day Single, Anytime Day Return, off peak day ticket or Saveaway)

Aughton Park is not even in Merseyside so no reason to staff it, Merseyrail don’t staff Capenhurst or Bache which are third rail stations outside the county.

 

[owidoe]

Clifton Down got 400,730 from April 2021 to March 2022, which I think might be a record for unstaffed two-platform stations.

 

[childwallblues]

Crikey are Garswood, Eccleston Park and Edge Hill staffed from first to last train?

Yes they are.

 

[Llandudno]

Je

Yes they a

Yes they are.

I wonder how many tickets are sold at the ticket office after 1800 at each of those stations…

 

[30907]

eTickets are available for journeys to/from the following stations on the Southeastern network

At a quick glance, everywhere except Winchelsea, Doleham and Three Oaks!

Considering how significant some of these numbers are, it seems ridiculous that these stations are unmanned.

Isleworth/Syon Lane are in the Oyster Area so even lower demand for tickets.

 

[paul1609]

At a quick glance, everywhere except Winchelsea, Doleham and Three Oaks!

All of which are GTR Southern Stations, I think Rye, Appledore & Ham Street are listed because although they are also Southern they have quotas for Southeastern & Connections Advance Tickets

 

[Mcr Warrior]

At a quick glance, everywhere except Winchelsea, Doleham and Three Oaks!

As @paul1609 has just noted, aren't these Southern managed stations? They're certainly not all that busy!

 

[jon81uk]

1.2m and 1.4m values are nothing compared to some DLR stations - Canary Wharf DLR was up between 18m and 19m before lockdown, and completely unstaffed.

Canary Wharf isn't completly unstaffed, at peak hours there are sometimes despatchers on the platforms and sometimes directional staff in the concourse too. There isn't any regular hours to it, but there is acknowlegement that at peak hours the train staff need assistance.

 

[Kite159]

Je


I wonder how many tickets are sold at the ticket office after 1800 at each of those stations…

Or even after 10;00 on a weekday where most passengers know if they jump into the front unit of a pair of 331s it's less likely to get gripped so they can get away with an e-ticket from Edge Hill to bypass the barriers at Lime Street

 

[30907]

As @paul1609 has just noted, aren't these Southern managed stations? They're certainly not all that busy!

Of course they are - I still go by Divisions and was confused by Rye etc.