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Trivia: Stations that look identical to each other

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lancededcena

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So I was looking at stations and I came across Three Oaks and Doleham, which looks so similar to each other, with the bridge, the canopy and the platform.

Is there anymore stations that look identical to each other like Three Oaks and Doleham?
 
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swt_passenger

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There’s the four stations on the Chessington Branch that seem almost identical, allowing for level differences they‘re clearly just very slight adaptations of a standard design and layout.
 

Horizon22

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I'm sure many stations on the same line built together will fit into this category. Swanley and St. Mary Cray have always looked the same to me from the platforms and, apart from the road structure, from above too.
 

Stuwhu

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East Didsbury Gatley and Burnage all look similar, just the steps to the platforms are in a different place
 

ls2270

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I'm sure many stations on the same line built together will fit into this category. Swanley and St. Mary Cray have always looked the same to me from the platforms and, apart from the road structure, from above too.
in the same general area, I would nominate Crofton Park and Ravensbourne. When commuting from the latter and falling asleep on my way home I frequently woke up in a panic at Crofton Park thinking it was Ravensbourne! They both even have a similar road overbridge as you arrive from the London end.
 

Horizon22

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in the same general area, I would nominate Crofton Park and Ravensbourne. When commuting from the latter and falling asleep on my way home I frequently woke up in a panic at Crofton Park thinking it was Ravensbourne! They both even have a similar road overbridge as you arrive from the London end.

Yeah many London branch lines will have similar architecture and built in relative haste, many not updated significantly over the past century. I'd say Ravensbourne looks different because it feels a bit more rural and wooded than Crofton Park and now has the considerable ramp down to the platforms.
 

Sprinter107

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Many of the Cross City South stations were built to the same basic design. Some of them have been modified, but all still look basically similar.
 

ls2270

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Yeah many London branch lines will have similar architecture and built in relative haste, many not updated significantly over the past century. I'd say Ravensbourne looks different because it feels a bit more rural and wooded than Crofton Park and now has the considerable ramp down to the platforms.
Yes it’s more the London ends of the platforms under the canopies that are similar. When I lived there the ramp at Ravensbourne and the country end exit from the Down Platform at Crofton Park weren’t there.
 

waverley47

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How can we have this thread without mentioning the stations along the west highland line. Arrochar, Rannoch, Corrour, Crianlarich, along with several now no longer extant, all have the same oval platform and very similar platform buildings. All built to a standard design with very little difference.
 

Halish Railway

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Ben Ryhdding & Burley-in-Wharfedale have a lot in common, not limited to;
- Headspans
- Bridge design
- WYPTE Cream & Burgundy colours
- On a curve
- A station building that is now a house
- A car park that runs parallel to the platforms
- The shelter design
- A perpendicular road that travels beneath the railway at the end of one of the platforms.
 

40129

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Noting that the OP has not limited this to above ground National Rail stations, a lot of subway stations look very similar to each other at platform level, for obvious reasons. In this respect Tyne & Wear Metro practice of having station names emblazoned on the wall in very large letters, and with different stations having their names in different colors, seems like a very good idea
 

D6130

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Also the almost identical standardised stations on the Settle & Carlisle line, most of which have now been converted into private houses or holiday lets.
 

DB

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Also the almost identical standardised stations on the Settle & Carlisle line, most of which have now been converted into private houses or holiday lets.

There are three standard variations as I recall - small, medium and large!

They are similar to other Midland Railway designs, but not sure whether many elsewhere are identical (Baildon I think may be).
 

D6130

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There are three standard variations as I recall - small, medium and large!

They are similar to other Midland Railway designs, but not sure whether many elsewhere are identical (Baildon I think may be).
Yes, Appleby, Kirkby Stephen and Settle are of the large variety, but I wasn't aware of the medium variety. Could you clarify please?
 

Clansman

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Perth and Carlisle's main sheds from the inside. Pretty much a copy and paste job in some aspects as far as Sir William Tite was concerned.
 

DB

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Langwathby, Lazonby and Armathwaite are medium sized ones.

Settle Carlisle trust have further details on their website here:

Note that this only covers open stations though - most of the closed ones are largely intact too.

There is a book on the S&C buildings - can't recall the name of the author.
 

D6130

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Perth and Carlisle's main sheds from the inside. Pretty much a copy and paste job in some aspects as far as Sir William Tite was concerned.
Not only from the inside.....the external architecture is pretty similar too, as are the footbridges, although I appreciate that Perth has unfortunately been knocked about a wee bit.

Langwathby, Lazonby and Armathwaite are the medium sized ones.

Settle Carlisle trust have further details on their website here:
Thanks! In more than twenty years of driving on the Settle & Carlisle line - and being a life member of the 'Friends' association - I had never noticed that!
 

Gloster

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There is a book on the S&C buildings - can't recall the name of the author.
Stations & Structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway by Anderson and Fox. There is also a fair amount in Rails in the Fells by David Jenkinson, but that is probably more difficult to obtain.
 

JRT

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Many Lancashire stations look similar, with a road going over, entrance at road level (disused) ticket office with steps leading down to an island platform.
 

adc82140

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If we just look at buildings the 1970s CLASP structures at Fleet and Wokingham were very similar. Fortunately both have now been replaced with something easier on the eye.
 

D6130

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.....and not forgetting the identikit stations on the Portsmouth Direct Line between Guildford and Havant......again two different sizes: large (Godalming and Petersfield) and small (Witley, Liphook, Rowlands Castle) - not to mention enlarged small (Haslemere). Liss was of the small pattern, but was replaced by a large cuboid greenhouse in the early seventies and Milford is a total one-off. The large versions are very similar to many of the stations on the Salisbury-Exeter line.
 

Train Maniac

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Bearsted, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham, Charing all on the same line to a standard design
 

DB

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Stations & Structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway by Anderson and Fox.

Yep!, that's the one I was thinking of! Got a copy of it somewhere - it's very thorough and detailed.
 

D6130

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Stations & Structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway by Anderson and Fox. There is also a fair amount in Rails in the Fells by David Jenkinson, but that is probably more difficult to obtain.
Thanks. I have a copy of David Jenkinson's book, but I haven't looked at it for years.
 

yorksrob

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So I was looking at stations and I came across Three Oaks and Doleham, which looks so similar to each other, with the bridge, the canopy and the platform.

Is there anymore stations that look identical to each other like Three Oaks and Doleham?

Snailham halt, which used to be between Doleham and Winchelsea used to look very similar to Three Oaks until it closed in the 1950's as it was built of the same Southern Railway "harps and slabs".

I never did understand why Doleham retained one wooden platform (long since gone) when all the others were replaced with concrete !
 

Mag_seven

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York and Bristol Temple Meads. Both on a curve under an overall roof. I think prior to electrification York had through roads as well.
 

yorksrob

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Normans Bay and Pevensey Bay - Identical concrete halts accessed by level crossings.
 

Gloster

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Most stations on the Guildford New Line are similar. The main exceptions are Effingham Junction, an awkward spot, and Hinchley Wood, a late addition.

A lot of early stations would soon have proved inadequate and been rebuilt, but not always at the same time. Later additions to the network would not have appeared until the necessary facilities were much clearer. Lines that were built later are more likely to have been secondary ones where all the stations were put up at the time of opening, where what facilities were needed was better known so the buildings did not subsequently need to be extended, and where the company had an established style or architects office.
 

greyman42

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York and Bristol Temple Meads. Both on a curve under an overall roof. I think prior to electrification York had through roads as well.
York and Newcastle have similar features. York did have through roads prior to electrification.
 

SWTCommuter

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The main station buildings at St Denys and Woolston, designed by Sir William Tite, are almost identical except that Woolston is stuccoed and St Denys has plain brickwork.
 
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