Weirdest Oddities Still on the UK Network?

[vlad]

The Class 153, the multiple unit formed of a single carriage....

 

[plymothian]

The Railway Goldfish pond with surrounding garden at the west end of the Up platform at Totnes.

Has now gone as it's the site of the new step free footbridge.

 

[dk1]

The fact that a busy level crossing, which is on Browick Road, is located near Wymondham station but is an AHB crossing.

It's not that busy.

 

[dk1]

It's an AHBC crossing, there's nothing odd about it really

It has flashing white lights in the up direction on both roads. That is fairly unusual.

 

[LowLevel]

It has a flashing white light in the up direction.

A theory - that route was RETB was it not? Many AHBs have fixed signals related to stopping or non stopping trains. Rather than provide a signal on a route otherwise devoid of them, a driver's white light was provided instead to fulfil the function?

 

[DanTrain]

Sheringham station must be unique in that the car park is on top of the railway (see attached Google Maps screenshot). Also that level crossing must be one of the least used in the country!

 

[dk1]

A theory - that route was RETB was it not? Many AHBs have fixed signals related to stopping or non stopping trains. Rather than provide a signal on a route otherwise devoid of them, a driver's white light was provided instead to fulfil the function?

White light appears purely to fulfill the platform dwell time here which only applies in the up direction. It's unusual too in being the only AHB on the East Suffolk Line proper. Others such as Westerfield have a fixed signal to provide the neccesary time delay.

I do miss the RETB. It was quite a sociable form of signalling.

 

[Bald Rick]

There's one of the few remaining coal tax obelisks just London side of Swanley on the down line. Its just outside the boundary fence but visible from the train. I think there is one other in North London?

Near Romford.

 

[Trainfan344]

Sheringham station must be unique in that the car park is on top of the railway (see attached Google Maps screenshot). Also that level crossing must be one of the least used in the country!

Can only be used something like 10 times a year!

 

[Bedpan]

There's one of the few remaining coal tax obelisks just London side of Swanley on the down line. Its just outside the boundary fence but visible from the train. I think there is one other in North London?

Near Romford.

I thought that there were quite a few dotted around. There's one between Esher and Hersham, on the railway embankment next to 100 Douglas Road, Esher which is visible in on Google Street View, and there was, at least until fairly recently, one on the east side of the line just north of Whyteleafe South station.

 

[HullRailMan]

Filey has a standard NER footbridge under the overall station roof. However, the bridge is wider than the building so takes you through a hole in the side wall and you have to re-enter the station through another adjacent gap in the wall. Great picture on the Wikipedia page.
It also seems odd that such a substantial station doesn’t have any staff or even a ticket machine. All the original station buildings are still there.

 

[RichardN]

I nominate the footbridge at Surbiton with separate cross walkways for people who have used the lift, stairs and (non ticketed stairs), on two levels. Horsham footbridge has (had?) a divider which separated lift from stair walkways too.

 

[work-traveller]

Seeing trains 'flagged' across Tal-Y-Cafn level crossing by the keeper, who also has to swing the gates manually, seems rather quaint. It is ironic that this location may go from 'pre-fixed-signals' directly to something like ERTMS.

Been on a DMU that was flagged across Station Road (Launton - Oxfordshire). Was a curious thing with the train stopping, guard alighting, activating the wigwags and standing with a red flag in the middle of the road before signalling for the train to proceed across the crossing.

 

[Parallel]

Horsham footbridge has (had?) a divider which separated lift from stair walkways too.

I’ve noticed a few stations like that and I agree, it is odd. Llandudno Junction also has a hand rail separating the lifts from the stairwells on the foot bridge, Chester does too though there is a gate that is always locked open. I wonder if it was something to do with regulations at the time lifts were installed?

 

[A Challenge]

At Woking the lifts are in a completely separate footbridge!

 

[krus_aragon]

I’ve noticed a few stations like that and I agree, it is odd. Llandudno Junction also has a hand rail separating the lifts from the stairwells on the foot bridge, Chester does too though there is a gate that is always locked open. I wonder if it was something to do with regulations at the time lifts were installed?

Bangor and Rhyl are in that category too. I presumed it was a LNWR approach to keeping passengers out of the way of parcels and goods on the footbridge (which would have been the main use of the lift in those days).

By contrast, at Cardiff Central, the (originally freight) lifts are in a separate underpass.

 

[6Gman]

The Class 153, the multiple unit formed of a single carriage....

Not really. Single carriage trains have existed pretty well throughout railway history.

And the "multiple" refers to their being capable of operating in multiple with other units, not that they are made up of multiple carriages.

 

[30907]

Czech railbuses still in use on various lines. They ride as well as Pacers! See:
https://www.likealocalguide.com/prague/prazsky-semmering

Very widely used in CZ in various formations - the modernised version is a 2-car unit with PRM mods (don't be getting ideas...) - and similar exist in Slovakia and Hungary.

 

[Esker-pades]

I’ve noticed a few stations like that and I agree, it is odd. Llandudno Junction also has a hand rail separating the lifts from the stairwells on the foot bridge, Chester does too though there is a gate that is always locked open. I wonder if it was something to do with regulations at the time lifts were installed?

I'll add Lancaster to the list.

 

[Doomotron]

I think theres a fair few stations like this around the country though the only one that comes to mind right now is Sturry in Kent.

The Marshlink Line.

 

[LAX54]

The Class 153, the multiple unit formed of a single carriage....

half a 155

 

[HaggisBotherer]

I thought that there were quite a few dotted around. There's one between Esher and Hersham, on the railway embankment next to 100 Douglas Road, Esher which is visible in on Google Street View, and there was, at least until fairly recently, one on the east side of the line just north of Whyteleafe South station.

And another https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5900580

 

[Dai Corner]

Pilning only has trains in the Up direction, and there are only two a week.

The Down platform was only accessible via the footbridge and that had to be demolished for electrification. Rebuilding it was not regarded as financially viable.

 

[A Challenge]

Pilning only has trains in the Up direction, and there are only two a week.

The Down platform was only accessible via the footbridge and that had to be demolished for electrification. Rebuilding it was not regarded as financially viable.

Tees-side Airport is in a similar situation, only the footbridge is still there, just it's been condemned.

 

[TurbostarFan]

Wymondham station has a footbridge but no means of disabled people getting from one side of the station (Platform 1) to the other side (Platform 2) other than getting a train in the wrong direction and double backing. GA have confirmed that disabled passengers are allowed to double back via Norwich in order to travel on the line to Cambridge and that they are also willing to provide taxis to the nearest accessible southbound platform which is at Attleborough railway station to disabled passengers.

This is caused by the fact that the owner of land on which a nearby heritage railway have not responded to GA's request for permission to build a method of crossing the tracks (most likely a level crossing) to allow disabled passengers to access southbound trains.

It does make me wonder why they haven't simply gone down the easy route and closed down Platform 2 altogether!

 

[Matt_pool]

You'd be surprised, look up Czech Class 810 and rebuilt 812.

I've seen, but not travelled on, a few of those in the Czech Republic. To be fair, they do look more robust than the 142!

 

[tsr]

Pilning only has trains in the Up direction, and there are only two a week.

The Down platform was only accessible via the footbridge and that had to be demolished for electrification. Rebuilding it was not regarded as financially viable.

Tees-side Airport is in a similar situation, only the footbridge is still there, just it's been condemned.

See also: Polesworth

 

[scrapy]

I’ve noticed a few stations like that and I agree, it is odd. Llandudno Junction also has a hand rail separating the lifts from the stairwells on the foot bridge, Chester does too though there is a gate that is always locked open. I wonder if it was something to do with regulations at the time lifts were installed?

Chester only had the gate opened when the new set of stairs towards platform 7 on the lift side was built about 7 years ago. Prior to that the two sides were separate although I don't know if the gate could be opened in emergencies.

Dewsbury can be added to the list with the lift side being inside the gateline. As can Preston but that's 2 separated subways

 

[vlad]

Not really. Single carriage trains have existed pretty well throughout railway history.

And the "multiple" refers to their being capable of operating in multiple with other units, not that they are made up of multiple carriages.

Whereas I appreciate that, firstly it's the only single-carriage train in use on the network today and secondly just because they're capable of operating in multiple doesn't mean they do.

 

[TurbostarFan]

Whereas I appreciate that, firstly it's the only single-carriage train in use on the network today and secondly just because they're capable of operating in multiple doesn't mean they do.

On that note the service from Norwich to Gt Yarmouth and back is sometimes (1136 hours from Norwich in particular) operated by a single carriage DMU, I believe a Class 153 or 156.