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Which station can you see the train coming from furthest away?

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Howardh

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My local station my train comes from round a bend and that's it! Just wondered though which stations you can stand at and see your train coming from miles away? Thinking maybe Arnside gets a shout as you can watch your train coming from across the river?
Anyone?
 
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tango234

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You can see a pretty long way at Feltham-the alignment goes in a straight line from there most of the way to Ashford (the straight bit is about a mile long before it curves). The other direction is hidden by a bridge and a curve however.
 
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Yew

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Worksop is pretty good, straight track as far as the eye can see to the west of the station.
 

sprinterguy

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There's a few stations served by the Tyne and Wear Metro between Pelaw and Sunderland where you can see the train arriving at, or just after it leaves, the previous station:

At Brockley Whins, if you have good enough eyesight you can see the Sunderland bound Metrocars not long after they have joined the National Rail system at Pelaw, before they even reach Fellgate. It's most apparent after dark, when the headlights are easily visible for a great distance.

At East Boldon, you can see southbound Metrocars not long after they have left the previous station, Brockley Whins, which can be disconcerting to the unitiated as there are still cars crossing the level crossings ahead of the train! You can also see northbound trains not long after they leave Seaburn station.

And at Seaburn station, you can see northbound trains approaching not long after they have departed Stadium of Light station: For southbound trains, what is more interesting is that you can watch almost the entire sequence of four-aspect signalling with the train still in view as it moves through each section: I presume that this is also the case when standing at East Boldon, Brockley Whins or Fellgate stations, but I have spent much more time at Seaburn station over the years.

It is worth noting as well that the stations on the Sunderland extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro are spaced much further apart than those on the original Tyneside system: Of those stations mentioned, only Stadium of Light and Fellgate have been added since pre-Metro days, and Brockley Whins - Pelaw (Even before the heavy rail trains made their next stop at Heworth) was always a notably long section.
 

pemma

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At Altrincham you can see to the next station Navigation Road in good visibility, but in the other direction you can't see very far because of a bend.
 

CC 72100

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You could say Dawlish (Westbound) - if you look to where your train passes Red Rock café, you know you've got 2 minutes or so until your train arrives. Not so sure about the other side, although you may be able to see it inbetween the tunnels, again giving you a minute or two until arrival.
 

Bevan Price

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On the CLC line via Warrington Central, there are some long straight stretches. At Hunts Cross, you can sometimes see approaching headlights from trains that have just passed Hough Green, about 3 miles away.
 

pdq

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It's 8 years since I moved from SE London, but I recall at Mottingham you can see the train (its lights if nothing else) well before it gets to New Eltham. Looking at the map (link), it's pretty straight from just after Sidcup.
 

bAzTNM

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Mount Vernon perhaps here in Glasgow? Whole Whifflet line might be like that.
 

Liam

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At Glenrothes with Thornton you can see the train approching from the West from a good 2 or 3 miles away. At Dundee you can see trains crossing the Tay Bridge, I imagine North Queensferry and Dalmeny are like this as well either side of the Forth Bridge.
 

Darandio

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Northallerton is certainly in with a shout when looking North. Even at 125mph, you can watch a 91 or HST approaching for a good 2-3 minutes before it passes.
 

tsr

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It's not particularly long-distance, but it's quite interesting watching the signals south of East Croydon when standing on the south ends of the platforms there (right at the end of Platforms 3 and 4 where the 12-car marker is, in particular).

Similarly, it's interesting to stand at Reigate station and watch the level crossing sequence from the platforms, or from the footbridge on the other side of the A217 (or indeed on the bridges further west that carry some of the roads leading up to Colley Hill). This only really applies for eastbound FGW services or the odd freight/steam/special service.

There's a stretch of line near Holmwood station that's straight and open, but I don't know if either of the platforms have a good view because of that, as I haven't been down there for rather a while.
 

starrymarkb

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You could say Dawlish (Westbound) - if you look to where your train passes Red Rock café, you know you've got 2 minutes or so until your train arrives. Not so sure about the other side, although you may be able to see it inbetween the tunnels, again giving you a minute or two until arrival.

You'll see it after it leaves Parsons tunnel and rounds the bend, after that, you won't see it then until it emerges from the tunnel nearest the station.

At Exmouth you can often see trains leaving Lympstone if you know where to look.

Andermatt is an extreme example, you can see westbound trains for about 10 mins before they arrive as the descend the hairpins from the Oberalp Pass at 10mph (with Racks engaged)
 

chris89

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Castle Cary (Westbury End) you get quite a good few off approaching trains.

Armadale (Edinburgh End) You can spot around the whole curve and be able to tell if a Single or Double 334

Wolverhampton (Depends where you stand best place on the Windowed footbridge) See the complete curve/ junction at the Birmingham End, and a distance for the Stafford/ Oxely Depot/ Shrewsbury end.

Chris
 

Rhydgaled

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I seem to remember a rather long straight looking north from Harlech on the Cambrian Coast Line. Probably not as long as some, but still quite a distance.

Also, I can't remember what the view from the station is like, but from the footbridge over the level crossing just east of Havant station you can see along way along the straight line towards Brighton. If the visibility is that good from Havant station itself it could be in with a shot (though only in one direction out of three).

I think rather than a long straight, the winner of this one might be a station in a very flat area with few trees and a long curved track leading into it, giving a side view of the train before it reaches the station.
 

Cherry_Picker

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From a drivers point of view the station I can see from the furthest distance away looking out of the cab window is Haddenham & Thame Parkway on the up. You can see it from well over a mile away, I wouldnt be surprised if it were almost a mile and a half.
 

Lrd

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Eastleigh is a good one, if it's late at night you can often see headlights off incoming trains from the Winchester direction.

There's also a station on the DLR where you can see the train come round the curve/viaduct, I forget which station though.

Another one is Barnham which has a straight line of a good few miles either side.
 

calc7

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Trains approaching from the south at Berwick-upon-Tweed.
 

VTPreston_Tez

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Northbound Enfield Lock - you can see the train about 2 minutes before the level crossing comes and then about 2 minutes later the train speeds through and similarly on the other side minus the crossing, excellent for filmers!
 

fgwrich

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Basingstokes rather good, as you can see for at least a mile to the east, and 3 maybe 4 miles to the west, and just about 3/4 of a mile up the Reading Branch.
 
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