Portsmouth & Southsea station

[pompeyfan]

I know train stations are there to serve a purpose, and are not there to look pretty, but from the outside PMS has to be one of the most grotty looking stations I have seen, and the high level from the inside is just as bad. I can't think of many city centre stations that are as vile (although from memory Plymouth isn't exactly pleasant).

This leads me to ask if;

A) there is any worse stations in terms of appearance in the UK

And

B) what can be done to it, surely a major rebuild is out of the question?

 

[MrPIC]

I know what you mean about PMS it is a dinge hole. Plymouth is nice enough, the booking hall is open and bright enough and the platforms are just... platformy. My vote for worst appearance goes to Angel Road. Stuck under a flyover next to an industrial estate where hardly any trains actually stop there.

 

[yorksrob]

I always found Portsmouth and Southsea to have one of the more attractive station buildings. The high level platforms aren't particularly pretty (and a little windswept) but they are practical.
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I know what you mean about PMS it is a dinge hole. Plymouth is nice enough, the booking hall is open and bright enough and the platforms are just... platformy. My vote for worst appearance goes to Angel Road. Stuck under a flyover next to an industrial estate where hardly any trains actually stop there.

Plymouth station building is what Prince Charles would call a monstrous carbunkle. All the worst aspects of a BR era rebuild with none of the redeeming qualities. For a much better station of the era, see Coventry.

 

[306024]

Bexhill always strikes me as a depressing platform on which to wait. 12 cars long with a big brick wall both sides and precious little else apart from some grey NSE style plastic seats.

 

[pompeyfan]

I know what you mean about PMS it is a dinge hole. Plymouth is nice enough, the booking hall is open and bright enough and the platforms are just... platformy. My vote for worst appearance goes to Angel Road. Stuck under a flyover next to an industrial estate where hardly any trains actually stop there.

I remember the platforms at Plymouth being deserted and unwelcoming, this was about 3pm, so would have expected a bit more life. Intercity house also plays a part in it!

The original station building looks impressive, and the low level concourse has just had some money spent on it, but I can't stand the high level both inside and out, this picture on Twitter shows its full glory.

https://twitter.com/rosst97/status/611887595115704320

Finally is there anything to stop the thumping from the high level as the wheels move over jointed track up there. It's excessively loud!

 

[yorksrob]

Bexhill always strikes me as a depressing platform on which to wait. 12 cars long with a big brick wall both sides and precious little else apart from some grey NSE style plastic seats.

It's a lot better since they refurbished the very handsome later era LB&SCR scalloped canopies. It would be nice if the opened up some of the waiting rooms though.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I've visited Portsmouth & Southsea about a half a dozen times over the past decade or so, and it always seems to get worse with every visit. I can remember up until about 2010 it was a busy little place, a huge booking office was the first thing you saw when you walked in, then on the concourse behind it you had about five or six independent shops, from newsagents to a Chinese herbal shop (I think!). I believe structural issues led to the booking office being abandoned and rebuilt on the platform side about four years ago, so all that greets travellers now is a huge empty wall and room. The windows were re-positioned slightly out of the way on the concourse, a much less numerous than before. When I visited again this spring the shops had been swept away and the concourse was dark, dingy and lifeless: the scaffolding around the High Level entry route made it even more bleak.

The whole thing looks like a forlorn, condemned mess and is such a poor welcome (or farewell) to such a lovely city. I honestly hope one day someone comes along with a Brighton-style rejuvenation idea for the place. Quite sad to compare the memories I had from great holidays around that area to the sorry state that greeted me this year.

 

[lightning76]

Bexhill always strikes me as a depressing platform on which to wait. 12 cars long with a big brick wall both sides and precious little else apart from some grey NSE style plastic seats.

Until the early 90s there was a waiting room, ladies waiting room and gents toilet open on the up platform. The two waiting rooms had attractive (original LB&SCR?) plate glass windows identifying their purposes. One day when I was waiting for a train a BR yellow van turned up, the men proceeded to smash the glass and board up the windows. The purpose of this vandalism was unclear. I believe the original general waiting room still exists and is open during staffing hours; the ladies waiting room and all toilets have closed however. The gents' were quite impressive.

 

[yorksrob]

The gents' were quite impressive.

There's a picture of this installation in Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith's excellent 'Eastbourne to Hastings' book from the Middleton Press.

All built in 1902 to compete with the SE&CR's Bexhill West station.

 

[TYC2]

The exterior of PMS looks okay, I've certainly seen worse!

Only in the past couple of weeks has the refurb been completed- the row of shops (varying in usefulness/opening times) has been demolished, giving way to plenty of indoor cycle storage and a basic waiting area. The result is that the concourse is far more light and airy (no more scaffolding) than it has been in the past few years.

I'd hate to think how enjoyable the waiting area is going to be in winter- only separated by a (chest-high?) glass barrier from the low level platforms, but you could always seek refuge in the independent coffee shop that has replaced one of the last Lemon Tree branches on the network.

The high level is a problem in terms of pleasantness, but it is still functional. The booking hall, on the other hand, now serves no purpose other than as a corridor peppered with neck-craning artwork...

 

[themeone]

I don't think any of Portsmouth's stations are up to much. Harbour always seems a bit of a missed opportunity as it has quite a striking 1930s modernist exterior, and Fratton was always a bit grim.

PMS always seemed to have a bit of faded grandeur and could be made very pleasant I'd have thought. I didn't know about the changes since the 90s.

Southampton fares no better as I can personally vouch for, having had to spend an hour there about 18 months ago - dull and functional design and few facilities.

 

[sbt]

Photo of the High Level in 1988 - it may be grim now but...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/elmtreephotos/8476315936/in/photostream/

 

[yorksrob]

I don't think any of Portsmouth's stations are up to much. Harbour always seems a bit of a missed opportunity as it has quite a striking 1930s modernist exterior, and Fratton was always a bit grim.

PMS always seemed to have a bit of faded grandeur and could be made very pleasant I'd have thought. I didn't know about the changes since the 90s.

Southampton fares no better as I can personally vouch for, having had to spend an hour there about 18 months ago - dull and functional design and few facilities.

It's a pity the Southern Railway didn't rebuild the station in their neo-classical style as used at Ramsgate, Margate and Hastings. But then again, at the time Central wasn't the principal station for Southampton, which might explain why the current one looks a bit suburban.

 

[crehld]

I know train stations are there to serve a purpose, and are not there to look pretty, but from the outside PMS has to be one of the most grotty looking stations I have seen,

Believe it or not the station façade was given a face lift (repaint, scrub down of the iron canopy at the front, re-pointing of brick work, etc) about five years ago (along with alterations inside).

and the high level from the inside is just as bad

I noticed on my trip last week that the lower level concourse is having work done (again) - but I agree about the high level. The roof it not water tight and rather than protecting you from the elements it only serves as a wind tunnel!

I can't think of many city centre stations that are as vile (although from memory Plymouth isn't exactly pleasant).

You ever been to Birmingham?
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Photo of the High Level in 1988 - it may be grim now but...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/elmtreephotos/8476315936/in/photostream/

Yikes! I had no idea it used to look like this. Thanks for sharing!

 

[pompeyfan]

I always thought Fratton was relatively comfortable, if not a little bit unannounced.... Southampton Central from the south side on the outside seems relatively fresh, although inside I agree it's not ideal. I'm glad I'm not being fussy regarding the poor state... This begs the question of what should a train station realistically look/feel like? Comfortable, modern, smart and simple would do me. I like some of the new stations on the ELL, but must confess to not seeing other new stations such as the ones in Scotland and Wales.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

You ever been to Birmingham?

In fairness to New St and Snow Hill, neither were exactly pleasant to begin with. Portsmouth & Southsea is a fairly pleasant station (minus the High Level :P) that has been left to rot.

 

[yorksrob]

This begs the question of what should a train station realistically look/feel like? Comfortable, modern, smart and simple would do me.

But retaining interesting architectural features and styles.

Other than that, I would also add shelter on the platforms and facilities for passengers.

 

[pompeyfan]

Believe it or not the station façade was given a face lift (repaint, scrub down of the iron canopy at the front, re-pointing of brick work, etc) about five years ago (along with alterations inside).



I noticed on my trip last week that the lower level concourse is having work done (again) - but I agree about the high level. The roof it not water tight and rather than protecting you from the elements it only serves as a wind tunnel!



You ever been to Birmingham?
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Yikes! I had no idea it used to look like this. Thanks for sharing!

No I've never being to burning ham, I must admit to being a very sheltered enthusiast, with not a huge amount of stations crossed off and a fairly low track mile count (I don't even count them!)

 

[crehld]

In fairness to New St and Snow Hill, neither were exactly pleasant to begin with. Portsmouth & Southsea is a fairly pleasant station (minus the High Level :P) that has been left to rot.

To be fair the high level is quite pleasant when you walk to the end of the platform on a sunny morning to spend some time overlooking the park, sipping your coffee before the morning commute (assuming it's July and the sun is out that is).

 

[TheNewNo2]

Portsmouth & Southsea isn't especially nice, but it's far from the worst.

Birmingham New Street of course has always been awful, and Snow Hill is, as noted, hardly any better. I've personally never liked Liverpool Street - the roof is grotty, and the Great Eastern platforms are dingey.

Severn Beach is pretty bad - a long platform with almost no shelter and nothing interesting there either (and barely any trains). Shirehampton is just dull, and Worle is... I don't know, but I don't like it.

 

[fgwrich]

I'm possibly about to be controversial here but am I the only one or one of a few to notice that some of SWTs stations are station to look grotty and tired now? Basingstoke had a new frontage built encompassing the new ticket hall in a 1930s Art Deco style - Nice, but the rest of the station (especially the toilets) are relatively unchanged bar repainting into SWT Colours, Southampton Central seems to be a bit of the same, Portsmouth Harbour & Portsmouth And Southsea hardly have stations befitting of the city - Mind you, That concrete structure on The Hard is hardly a welcoming site too. Completely agree about P&S Too, used it last week. Not the prettiest of stations to use, or wait in either.

Don't get me wrong, I like to see remantants of Network South East, but I think it's time that something more than the paint can came out to fix these places.

 

[yorksrob]

Art deco is one of those styles that requires a fair amount of TLC and maintenance otherwise it begins to look careworn.

Personally, I'd far prefer a station with a bit of history and gravitas than a sterile glass box.

 

[Greenback]

I don't think that Portsmouth & Southsea is anywhere the near the most dismal station, although I do hate the high level platforms. I dislike Southampton even more, it always seems to be far too busy and cramped, and even the most recent alterations haven't helped much.

At the moment, I think my least favourite is Manchester Victoria!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I've never been to Portsmouth and Southsea, but with the Wakefield Kirkgate redevelopment slowly taking shape, the title of "Worst Station on the National Network" will be up for grabs!

 

[daccer]

I a little interested in stations especially the heritage aspect of them and the renewed interest in preserving such aspects. I often wonder if BR had had more cash back in the day if every station wouldn't have been 'improved' to look like Euston and New St.

As a matter of interest up to fairly recently polls of Britains worst stations always seemed to include Kirkgate, Manchester Victoria, New St and Sunderland at the top of the lists. All of these have had serious investment with the first three approaching completion. I wonder what a worst top ten would look like now?

 

[infobleep]

I know what you mean about PMS it is a dinge hole. Plymouth is nice enough, the booking hall is open and bright enough and the platforms are just... platformy. My vote for worst appearance goes to Angel Road. Stuck under a flyover next to an industrial estate where hardly any trains actually stop there.

There was a list of the 10 worst stations at some point in the last 10 years. I remember Clapham Junction being on it but not Portsmouth and Southsea. All the stations received funding to improve them.

When I was at Portsmouth and Southsea earlier this year there was building work going on so that would have made its appearance worse.

I think Portsmouth Harbour isn't great, the last time I was there. It is right by the sea though so will get damage from that.

Clapham Junction is much improved after its investment. Toilets are far nicer and it has more entrances and even some waiting rooms.

 

[yorksrob]

There was a list of the 10 worst stations at some point in the last 10 years. I remember Clapham Junction being on it but not Portsmouth and Southsea. All the stations received funding to improve them.

When I was at Portsmouth and Southsea earlier this year there was building work going on so that would have made its appearance worse.

I think Portsmouth Harbour isn't great, the last time I was there. It is right by the sea though so will get damage from that.

Clapham Junction is much improved after its investment. Toilets are far nicer and it has more entrances and even some waiting rooms.

Preston got a mention, which I think was undeserved.