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Trivia: Ridiculously long platforms?

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D1009

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As far as Waverley is concerned, I am not alone in finding it frustrating that a two or three car unit will be waiting for passengers at the very far end of the long double platforms. I assume this is because of signal sighting, track circuits, or similar?
Bristol Temple Meads has the same problem for westbound trains.
 

Mugby

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Nottingham platforms always seem particularly long to me. Some are divided into A,B and C and if you enter by the main concourse, it's an awfully long walk to Platform 2 for the Skeggy train!
 

gimmea50anyday

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There used to be one very long platform which served both Manchester Victoria and Exchange stations before the latter closed

Its still there! Although recently severed due to the bridge works as part of the new building construction within the footprint and walls of Exchange, much of the platforms are still visible although infilled they form a staff car park and maintenance compound
 

sciisfun

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my two pence, Polsloe bridge, which is my local is capable of handling 8+2 Hst, however is a single line branch which only usualy sees a 150/2, or a 150/2 with a 143 during rush hour. used to be better before 1973 I have been told (guessing beechings)
 

NoMorePacers

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Originally posted by GrimsbyPacer:
I thought Great Yarmouth's were long for the train that stopped their.

Well it only sees 153's and 156's so the traains that use it aren't very long
 

Tio Terry

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I thought Great Yarmouth's were long for the train that stopped their.

A throw back to the days when hauled services to London started from Great Yarmouth and not Norwich.

Cambridge has a double length platform, it was built that way at the insistence of the City Fathers who didn't want the University Students exposed to the danger of crossing the tracks.
 

EbbwJunction1

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I think that the original platforms at Pontypool Road (now & New Inn) were a considerable length, but they may have been cut back now.
 

PHILIPE

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my two pence, Polsloe bridge, which is my local is capable of handling 8+2 Hst, however is a single line branch which only usualy sees a 150/2, or a 150/2 with a 143 during rush hour. used to be better before 1973 I have been told (guessing beechings)

And 150/1s and 153s.
 

najaB

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Blackburn has a couple of quite long platforms for the services that call there - about 230m for Pacers and Sprinters.
 

theageofthetra

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P2 at London Victoria is over 350m long due to its previous role for the boat trains. Even a 12 car looks lost in there.
 

mrcheek

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I always thought the platforms at Southampton seem to be longer than needed.

Possibly a legacy of the days of 16-carriage boat trains.

In terms of annoying: Dawlish. East bound trains always seem to stop much further along the platform than needed. I guess this is because of the position of the signal
 

47271

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As far as Waverley is concerned, I am not alone in finding it frustrating that a two or three car unit will be waiting for passengers at the very far end of the long double platforms. I assume this is because of signal sighting, track circuits, or similar?
Ha, yes, like when the Glasgow train leaves from half way to Dunbar on platform 7?

Platforms 4 and 7 at Perth are very lengthy and, other than the one sleeper and one HST in each direction each day (and they're both dwarfed by the platforms too) handle three coach Turbostars. The points set by the 3 Car Stop signs surprise all but the most regular users, sending large groups scuttling over several coach lengths, and fulfil the OP's intention perfectly I think!
 

DarloRich

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Does Darlington have very long platforms? They don't seem that long compared to other places ( York, Newcastle, Euston ( sleepers) etc)
 

najaB

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Does Darlington have very long platforms? They don't seem that long compared to other places ( York, Newcastle, Euston ( sleepers) etc)
Consider how far down the platform a southbound service stops - and a whole 9+2 will still fit on the platform. Platform 4 is listed as 458m in the SA. Platform 1 is 441m.
 
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61653 HTAFC

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Platform 8 at Leeds is pretty long, was the only platform a 373/3 would fit (though they were permitted to use 6 and 1 anyway, and often did!). The total length of both 1 and especially 2 at Wakefield Kirkgate is longer than it needs to be, though in the case of P2 a large section is disused.
 

GatwickDepress

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Bexhill formerly posessed the longest platforms outside of London, as they were lengthened specifically to accommodate the funeral train of the Nripendra Narayan, the Maharajah of Coch Bihar, in 1911. Currently platform 1 is 254.5 metres long and Platform 2 is 286.5 metres.
 

6Gman

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I think Chester's platforms are meant to be particularly long ?

Chester through platforms are c.360m (3) and c.300m (4 & 7).

But there were some very long trains in days gone by - and Platform 3 has a mid-platform crossover so probably housed two trains at the same time on occasion.
 

Welshman

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Rhyl station also has some particularly long platforms.
Going back to the time it used to handle 14 & 15-coach holidaymakers' trains.

A 2-car 158 or 175/0 seems quite lost in them now, but they still come in handy for the double voyager on the 1143 to Holyhead and the 1500 return to Euston.
 
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