Trivia: Stations that close to passengers at times when they’d be most useful

[PTR 444]

Stations are built to satisfy passenger demand, but occasionally there are times when the pendulum swings the other way and passenger footfall exceeds capacity. In these cases, such stations cannot cope and therefore have to be closed to the public at that time. This is a common occurrence during sporting matches where nearby small stations have to close to prevent passengers from overwhelming the short platforms.

How many such stations are there on the network? To put it another way, any station that closes at a time where it would be raking in passengers and revenue if it stayed open.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would Coventry Arena station count under this category? Didn't used to open immediately after match day events due to the inadequate passenger carrying capacity of the rolling stock used on the Coventry- Nuneaton line.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Lewes and nearby stations on Bonfire Night...

 

[PTR 444]

Would Coventry Arena station count under this category?

Yes

 

[zwk500]

Stations are built to satisfy passenger demand, but occasionally there are times when the pendulum swings the other way and passenger footfall exceeds capacity. In these cases, such stations cannot cope and therefore have to be closed to the public at that time. This is a common occurrence during sporting matches where nearby small stations have to close to prevent passengers from overwhelming the short platforms.

How many such stations are there on the network? To put it another way, any station that closes at a time where it would be raking in passengers and revenue if it stayed open.

If it's that busy, gatelines etc would presumably be left open (certainly for exiting passengers) and thus revenue go unprotected, and it's a fair bet regular punters would know that. There may be less money in it than first appears.

I discovered Gunnersbury Tube station shuts when Brentford stadium has a match day, as they direct everyone to North Acton (with more tube trains) to get people moving quicker.

Lewes and nearby stations on Bonfire Night...

This one is fair enough - it's a locals event and too many people come from London or Brighton purely for a piss-up and don't respect the fact that it's real fire and real fireworks. The town struggles to cope with the number of people who attend as it is.

 

[swt_passenger]

Drayton Park. Closes before and after Arsenal matches.

 

[Llandudno]

I believe that Deansgate is closing after 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights whilst Manchester Christmas Market is taking place.

 

[leytongabriel]

Drayton Park. Closes before and after Arsenal matches.

As does Holloway Rd Piccadilly line doesn't it?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Anywhere else? Cardiff area railway stations whenever Welsh Rugby Internationals are scheduled? Certain London Underground stations when the London Marathon is being run? Stations in certain Northern cities on the Saturdays immediately before Christmas?

 

[NSE]

As does Holloway Rd Piccadilly line doesn't it?

It was entrance only before and exit only afterwards. Exit only I get, easy to do, shut the gates, only let people out, but intrigued as to how they did entrance only before the match. That said, I may have misread and it was only one direction. I use Finsbury Park on match days so have never paid close attention.

 

[Dore & Totley]

It was entrance only before and exit only afterwards. Exit only I get, easy to do, shut the gates, only let people out, but intrigued as to how they did entrance only before the match. That said, I may have misread and it was only one direction. I use Finsbury Park on match days so have never paid close attention.

I use Holloway Road for games. It's exit only before a match and then closed completely for 2 hours after the match ends.

 

[Springs Branch]

IIRC, Camden Town tube station used to be available for exit only at certain times of the week - usually corresponding with 'peak leisure times' in the vicinity, so at weekends, maybe Saturday nights and times like that.

Not sure how the restrictions at Camden Town have gone post-Covid. I also think the station was/is slated for extensive refurbishment, which will no doubt add to the angst.

 

[MrTed]

I discovered Gunnersbury Tube station shuts when Brentford stadium has a match day, as they direct everyone to North Acton (with more tube trains) to get people moving quicker.

That's odd. I had no knowledge of this and went to see Brentford vs Gillingham last week. This was my first visit and it was a sell out match. I decided to go home via Gunnersbury and it was open when I got there. The match had had a delayed kick-off because the Gillingham team were late and it also went to a penalty shoot it. I suppose it's conceivable that the station staff were unaware of this, so perhaps by the time I arrived it was an hour after the time they anticipated the final whistle and they had reopened the station. Or maybe they have decided not to close it after all on match days. The Brentford website still states it will close for an hour after matches.

Rye station was closed for Bonfire celebrations this year, and Preston Park station in Brighton is always closed if there are any big events in Preston Park, e.g. Pride.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Lewes and nearby stations on Bonfire Night...

Which are the other (East Sussex) stations affected?

 

[zwk500]

That's odd. I had no knowledge of this and went to see Brentford vs Gillingham last week. This was my first visit and it was a sell out match. I decided to go home via Gunnersbury and it was open when I got there. The match had had a delayed kick-off because the Gillingham team were late and it also went to a penalty shoot it. I suppose it's conceivable that the station staff were unaware of this, so perhaps by the time I arrived it was an hour after the time they anticipated the final whistle and they had reopened the station. Or maybe they have decided not to close it after all on match days. The Brentford website still states it will close for an hour after matches.

I was there for Denmark vs Germany in the Women's Euros, I don't know if being a weekend evening or having a full house changes the decision.

Rye station was closed for Bonfire celebrations this year, and Preston Park station in Brighton is always closed if there are any big events in Preston Park, e.g. Pride.

Tbf walking from Brighton station to Preston Park is not too bad.

 

[Basil Jet]

I discovered Gunnersbury Tube station shuts when Brentford stadium has a match day, as they direct everyone to North Acton (with more tube trains) to get people moving quicker.

Did you mean Acton Town? North Acton is three miles away.

 

[Horizon22]

I was there for Denmark vs Germany in the Women's Euros, I don't know if being a weekend evening or having a full house changes the decision.

Tbf walking from Brighton station to Preston Park is not too bad.

Yeah pretty sure the regular 3pm kick-offs it shuts.

 

[Parallel]

Cardiff Queen Street often closes during match days, however I believe passengers can usually still interchange there.

 

[zwk500]

Did you mean Acton Town? North Acton is three miles away.

Maybe. Whichever has both Piccadilly and District. We ended up going to a District-Only station which was a tactical error.

 

[johnnychips]

There is some weird restriction on using the overhead passage between Barnsley Interchange (bus station) and the rail station when Barnsley FC is playing at home. The diversions suggested are lengthy. I pretended to be old/disabled and was let through. What is strange is that this was after the kick off; if anybody can explain this, I would be delighted.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

This one is fair enough - it's a locals event and too many people come from London or Brighton purely for a piss-up and don't respect the fact that it's real fire and real fireworks. The town struggles to cope with the number of people who attend as it is.

I've been a couple of times to Lewes Bonfire by cycling from Billingshurst (not this year because of the rail strike) and I can't say I thought it was desperately overcrowded. I think it's more a combination of 'this is a local event for local people' and Sussex Police paranoia. Anyone really determined to go would probably drive and get there early or get someone to give them a lift to a convenient point, so it's not as if shutting all the rail stations really reduces numbers by all that much All it really does is inconvenience rail passengers compared with car users and must also seriously mess up any Lewes residents who need to use the train.
I drove to the Edenbridge Bonfire this year and they've never felt the need to close their town off to outsiders.

Which are the other (East Sussex) stations affected?

I can't remember off the top of my head but any station within a 5-10 mile radius, like Falmer, Glynde, Plumpton.

 

[zwk500]

I've been a couple of times to Lewes Bonfire by cycling from Billingshurst (not this year because of the rail strike) and I can't say I thought it was desperately overcrowded. I think it's more a combination of 'this is a local event for local people' and Sussex Police paranoia. Anyone really determined to go would probably drive and get there early or get someone to give them a lift to a convenient point, so it's not as if shutting all the rail stations really reduces numbers by all that much All it really does is inconvenience rail passengers compared with car users and must also seriously mess up any Lewes residents who need to use the train.

When I was going every year (I grew up in Ringmer) the High Street has felt dangerously crowded at times, but then you get 2 steps down a side street and there's nobody about. I haven't been for about 7 or 8 years now, so can't say what it's like today. Its not so much the number of people but the relative behaviours. People who know what it's about generally just enjoy themselves but respect the event. Plenty of local teenagers get off their faces of course (fond memories!) but they're relatively easy to deal with. It's adults who come down with no intention other than getting bladdered, who usually come from further away (i.e. by train) who can be a real problem.

It does cause all sorts of problems every year, but given that Lewes is very twee and respectable (in a slightly nutty sort of way) for the other 364 days most people don't mind one night of inconvenience.

I drove to the Edenbridge Bonfire this year and they've never felt the need to close their town off to outsiders.

Edenbridge and Lewes bonfire nights are not comparable in scale. When I went regularly the crowds would be estimated at 50K+ (the town's population was about 15k). Although I did notice that this year there were road closures in place for Barcombe.

I can't remember off the top of my head but any station within a 5-10 mile radius, like Falmer, Glynde, Plumpton.

This does seem ridiculous and over the top.

 

[Bishopstone]

Which are the other (East Sussex) stations affected?

Cooksbridge, Falmer, Southease, and (I think) Glynde. All considered to be within walking distance of Lewes. It really is tightly locked down.

 

[Woolos 22]

Ninan Park when cardiff city have games and international there

 

[Recessio]

Hyde Park Corner (anecdotally) seems to always be shut during any major demonstrations, protests or events in Hyde Park.

 

[busestrains]

In the past seven years they have always also shut, Berwick, Cooksbridge, Falmer, Glynde, London Road, Moulsecoomb, Plumpton, Southease, to prevent large amounts of people from getting off at one of these stations and walking in or cycling in to Lewes from there. The trains all run non stop from Brighton or Wivelsfield all the way to Newhaven Town or Polegate and skip out all of the other stations. So getting the train to Brighton and then taking the overcrowded buses is the only way to get there. Or otherwise you could get off at one of the Mid Sussex stations (eg, Hassocks, Burgess Hill, Wivelsfield, Haywards Heath, Balcombe, etc) and cycle in. Uckfield and then the bus is also a good option too and those buses are quieter (but still much busier than normal) than the Brighton ones.

It is only actually the past seven years (2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022) that Lewes has shut its rail service for the bonfire. In 2015 and all previous years Southern used to run extra trains all throughout the evening and night to get people to Lewes and back home again. There was a shuttle to and from Brighton at least every ten minutes. Plus extra trains to and from London and Eastbourne and Hastings and Seaford too. The trains would run all night long in to the early morning to get people home. They used to run a proper special increased service for Lewes on bonfire night.

By stopping the trains they have only made it worse. The buses now get extremely overcrowded. The buses have always been busy but with no trains they are even busier. Brighton & Hove used to use their bendy buses on the 28 and 29 every Bonfire Night but now those are gone so it is even worse with double deckers.

Lewes Bonfire does get dangerously overcrowded on the main roads. Last year was very quiet though (well at least compared to other years) probably due to the corona virus but this year was a lot busier (but still not as busy as the previous years) again. I can see why they want to stop the trains but in some ways it just makes it worse as the buses get even more overcrowded. I am not sure what the solution is. Lewes is a small town full of narrow roads and not really designed for such large crowds.

 

[Basil Jet]

Hyde Park Corner (anecdotally) seems to always be shut during any major demonstrations, protests or events in Hyde Park.

I think that might be ad hoc due to overcrowding rather than planned.

Multiple stations are planned to close for Notting Hill Carnival and New Years at Trafalgar Square.

 

[Barnsley]

There is some weird restriction on using the overhead passage between Barnsley Interchange (bus station) and the rail station when Barnsley FC is playing at home. The diversions suggested are lengthy. I pretended to be old/disabled and was let through. What is strange is that this was after the kick off; if anybody can explain this, I would be delighted.

I think it's because the 'temporary' footbridge installed when they closed the level crossing is not strong enough to take that many people, and the PTE don't want us rowdy football fans walking through the Bus Station!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Would Coventry Arena station count under this category? Didn't used to open immediately after match day events due to the inadequate passenger carrying capacity of the rolling stock used on the Coventry- Nuneaton line.

I therefore think the station was a waste of money then.

 

[duncanp]

Isn't overcrowding the reason the National Rail station at Manchester United Football Ground was shut.

In London many tube stations near the site of the fireworks and New Years Eve celebrations are closed or made exit only, with people made to walk some distance to stations that are still open.