What are the widest and narrowest station platforms?

[TheRightTrack]

I believe that everyone agrees that Colchester has the longest (broken) platform and Beauly has the shortest but what are the widest and narrowest? Does anyone have an idea? Thanks!

 

[Dr Hoo]

Measuring across the ‘middle’ of Edinburgh Waverley’s central island between the tracks on either side must be in with a chance for the widest. (Please don’t expect me to get the bizarre numbering right.)

Several Underground stations have ends of ‘platforms’ in a tunnel mouth under ‘Do not alight here’ conditions.

 

[Tetchytyke]

All the way along the platform, or just the narrowest at the most narrow bit? If the latter I’d say Gargrave, where the platform goes under the toad bridge, is up there as one of the narrowest.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Probably not the widest, but the centre platforms at Pitsea struck me as particularly wide last time I passed through.

Ewell West is also similar to Gargrave as mentioned by @Tetchytyke, with the platforms narrowing under the road bridge.

 

[CarltonA]

Wraysbury platforms are very narrow under the bridge. Staying behind the yellow line would be a challenge for most.

 

[Cach17]

Wapping on the LO East London/Windrush Line must surely be a contender for narrowest in London. Without a derogation from HMRI (His Majesty's Railway Inspectorate) it wouldn't even be open today.

 

[MichaelTrains]

Carlisle wins this easily.

This is how narrow the platform is between platforms four and seven.

 

[AlterEgo]

Euston P1 at the country end is extremely narrow. A few feet I think.

 

[swt_passenger]

Carlisle wins this easily.

This is how narrow the platform is between platforms four and seven.

I think the Blackfriars bay platforms before the rebuild were much worse than that. IIRC at the south end the yellow lines crossed over…

 

[brad465]

Probably not quite the narrowest but Beltring's platforms are narrow enough that a train arriving has the automated announcement "Would customers please take care when alighting as this station has a narrow platform."

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Thanet Parkway? (Kent) The entire length

 

[MichaelTrains]

I think the Blackfriars bay platforms before the rebuild were much worse than that. IIRC at the south end the yellow lines crossed over…

I've never been to Blackfriars but would they have express trains like 10/11 Pendolinos coming in at speed?

 

[swt_passenger]

I've never been to Blackfriars but would they have express trains like 10/11 Pendolinos coming in at speed?

Er no, and definitely not in bay platforms. The risk was mostly to people getting off trains, if they took a second pace away from the slam door they were exiting they’d be at the opposite edge.…

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Platform 1 at Lancaster seems very narrow.

 

[trainmania100]

Lewes between platform 2 and platform 3. Originally there was a single track in between many years ago, this has been filled up and leaves a generous gap and cafe between the two platform s

 

[Nev20]

probably won't win any awards, but I have always thought the london bound platform at Bicester North is bizarrely deep.

 

[lewisf]

The portion of the down platform at Balcombe underneath the road bridge. It’s less than the distance to the yellow line so you’re only allowed to alight there.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

Narrowest it might not be, but for the number of people you can get on it, the very top of Birmingham New Street Platform 4C / 4B seems perilously narrow sometimes. There is a very, very small area between the yellow lines for each platform and often hundreds of people.

 

[swt_passenger]

probably won't win any awards, but I have always thought the london bound platform at Bicester North is bizarrely deep.

That was built out in one of the early Evergreen line speed and doubling improvements to meet the existing position of the then up fast line. I think it’s fairly clear looking from the gap at the London end how it’s been done, the station originally had a much more complex track layout, with both platforms on loops off the through pair. You can see the road bridge just past the station was built for 4 tracks.

 

[CarltonA]

probably won't win any awards, but I have always thought the london bound platform at Bicester North is bizarrely deep.

This has only been the case for a few years. Previously the platform was a fairly normal width with through lines. The present set-up allows faster through trains on the up side. Edit: Pipped to it by the above.

 

[Nottingham59]

As for the widest, in my part of the world Netherfield is 15m wide and Burton-on-Trent is 18, both measured off Google maps. The island between P1 and P3 at Nottingham is around 24m, but obscured by the canopy.

 

[Zomboid]

This has only been the case for a few years. Previously the platform was a fairly normal width with through lines. The present set-up allows faster through trains on the up side. Edit: Pipped to it by the above.

I think Beaconsfield is the same.
Kensington Olympia has something similar going on, but they didn't make the new platform very wide.

 

[CarltonA]

I think Beaconsfield is the same.
Kensington Olympia has something similar going on, but they didn't make the new platform very wide.

The platforms at Beaconsfield are in their original place but the through roads have been removed. Same goes for Denham but a new island was installed as the old down platform was subsiding down the embankment.

 

[alistairlees]

Pluckley is very narrow under the bridge (and you have to lean towards the trains). Only a few freights pass through non-stop now, somewhat diminishing the excitement.

 

[swt_passenger]

Pluckley is very narrow under the bridge (and you have to lean towards the trains). Only a few freights pass through non-stop now, somewhat diminishing the excitement.

Botley is very similar to that with quite a lot of yellow underfoot on both platforms…

 

[birchesgreen]

Carlisle wins this easily.

This is how narrow the platform is between platforms four and seven.

Quite narrow indeed, though the end of the island platform at Acton Bridge is similar.

How about Cressington under the bridge?

 

[Zomboid]

The platforms at Beaconsfield are in their original place but the through roads have been removed. Same goes for Denham but a new island was installed as the old down platform was subsiding down the embankment.

Gerrard's Cross is what I was thinking of. Those stations merge into one in my mind!

 

[renegademaster]

Peckham Rye or it might be one of the other South London line platforms is a very narrow island

 

[geoffk]

Polsloe Bridge must rate as one of the narrowest and there's no overbridge restricting the width. The yellow line is nearer the back fence than the edge of the platform. I must take a tape measure next time I'm there.

 

[sad1e]

Sudbury and Harrow road has some very narrow platforms, definitely the narrowest I've been on on the NR network. The part over the yellow line is actually larger then the part behind it.

Quite terrifying when you have a class 68 hurtling towards you down it. (Attached photo of 68015 passing the station)