Platforms of Last Resort

[GordonT]

Any examples of platforms which do see some limited use but are clearly only used in the rare event of no other platform being available. Please explain (if known) the reason why the use of a specific platform or specific platforms at the identified location is/are kept to the minimum.

 

[Horizon22]

Platform 5 at West Drayton sees very rare usage.

 

[DorkingMain]

I know Skegness has various platforms that are given limited use because of the quality of their surface / lighting.

Southampton bay platform is not properly signalled (only a ground position light) so is generally only used for ECS.

Norwood Junction + Guildford both have two platforms facing the same set of track (on either side) - Plat 2 and Plat 7 (respectively) are not used as the third rail is in the gap here. Ascot used to have a similar face from Platform 2 onto the up line but this was fenced off a while ago.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How much use do all the platforms at Inverness have? Platform 7 can't get much use, I would have thought.

 

[D6975]

The East facing bay at Bournemouth used to see regular terminating stoppers, but once the stoppers started running through to Poole sees very little use.

Nearby at Southampton the West facing bay used to see the stoppers to Salisbury but is no longer used. I'm not even sure it's still cleared for passenger use.

 

[Nova1]

Platform 3 at Stratford-Upon-Avon sees only one train in passenger service a day (I believe). However trains get put into it regularly if there is a problem on the booked platform (late running, failed units etc).

However, all of the WMR paths for ECS are booked platform 3, so recently I've been seeing lots of Class 196s use Platform 3, then quickly reverse and leave. This really does help minimize passenger confusion.

 

[Jimini]

DLR, not NR, granted, but the third platform at Mudchute isn’t exactly well-utilised.

 

[Parallel]

How much use do all the platforms at Inverness have? Platform 7 can't get much use, I would have thought.

Platform 7 at Inverness had the last departure towards Tain when I was there, plus it was used for stabling but doesn’t seem like a lot else.

I’m not sure Platform 2 at Fareham is used frequently. I think it may only be GWR when they terminate there when there are engineering works.

 

[DanNCL]

Platform 8 at Newcastle. Despite having booked work, it’s only actually used when there’s no alternative, as nothing that currently serves Newcastle will fit and therefore will foul one of the two signals at the end of the platform.

 

[fairysdad]

Exeter St Davids' Platform 2 and Clapham Junction's Platform 8 are the two that come instantly to my mind.

 

[swt_passenger]

I’m not sure Platform 2 at Fareham is used frequently. I think it may only be GWR when they terminate there when there are engineering works.

There’s no booked work normally, but SN often use it when terminated short if running late towards Southampton.

The East facing bay at Bournemouth used to see regular terminating stoppers, but once the stoppers started running through to Poole sees very little use.

Bournemouth P1 does see regular use in the current timetable, there’s an Offpeak hourly Winchester service.

 

[flixtonman]

Platform 3A at Stockport

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Platform 3A at Stockport

Is that the one usually only ever used by the weekly "Denton Flyer"?

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Southall has an unnumbered platform for the line to the WCRC shed and Brentford branch. On board crews sometimes use it to join the train. It last saw public use when the steam railmotor ran to Brentford.

 

[MadMac]

Does Platform 3 at Dunblane see any use?

 

[Parallel]

There’s no booked work normally, but SN often use it when terminated short if running late towards Southampton.

Has it now been connected at the Portsmouth end? When I was last in the area a few years ago I think there were buffers before the road bridge.

 

[deltic]

Does Platform 3 at Dunblane see any use?

Yes - terminators from Edinburgh

 

[swt_passenger]

Has it now been connected at the Portsmouth end? When I was last in the area a few years ago I think there were buffers before the road bridge.

No, they still have to do shunts in and out…

 

[L401CJF]

James Street (Liverpool) Platform 2. Empty trains pass through to access the stock interchange line daily but very uncommon for passenger services to use the platform.

Only ever used for passengers if there is a fault on the loop line as it can turn back there, or if a train is delayed it can be terminated here.

Main reason for lack of use being that the trains operate into Liverpool James St P1 which is the start of the city center loop, then return out of the city loop via P3. Also P2 has no lift and is accessible via steps only.

 

[Dave91131]

Doncaster platform 2, although I did see an EMR Lincoln service use it a few weeks ago due to a points / signalling issue.

Doncaster platform 7 doesn't get much use either.

I can't imagine the southbound platform at Polesworth has seen a service train call for a while either

 

[najaB]

How much use do all the platforms at Inverness have? Platform 7 can't get much use, I would have thought.

I've caught a train from P7 on a couple of occasions.

Platform 7 at Preston has to be in with a shout. The curvature means that it's unlikely to be used in anything other than a dire situation.

 

[Elecman]

I've caught a train from P7 on a couple of occasions.

Platform 7 at Preston has to be in with a shout. The curvature means that it's unlikely to be used in anything other than a dire situation.

Platform 7 cannot be used by passenger services due to no protection from the sidings

 

[vlad]

There aren't many trains that use platform 2 at Crewe, possibly because you have to walk the entire length of platform 3 to get there.

Manchester Piccadilly platform 12 is also rarely used - I think this is because of the track layout meaning a train heading to/from the platform blocks off the south side of the station. It seems it's used in the morning for a train to arrive, then the unit stays there all day till it's needed in the evening.

 

[Sean Emmett]

P2 at Aberdeen on a steam special back in July was a bit of a surprise.

 

[43172]

Platform 1 at Exeter Central. Was used back in February of this year when a Second World War bomb was found and Exeter New Yard just being inside the 400 meter evacuation zone. Would be useful for Barnstaple/Okehampton terminatiors to stable but not in the right location, would need to rotate the whole of Exeter Central 180 degrees to make use of Platform 1

 

[najaB]

Platform 7 cannot be used by passenger services due to no protection from the sidings

Ah, okay. The curvature at the southern end would make life interesting as well. Out of curiosity, why is it still signed?

 

[geoffk]

I think platform 2 at York has only been used regularly since the Covid timetable for Scarborough began and next year these will run through to Liverpool again. Is the planned Northern York - Scarborough service likely to happen?

 

[iphone76]

Platform 4 at Wickford is a recent addition to this list now the new Class 720s have been introduced which are too long to fit in the platform. All Southminsters pretty much depart from P1 except for the through London services.

 

[NoMorePacers]

Platform 2 at both Wigan Wallgate and Stalybridge don't strike me as being particularly well-used (the former I think was last regularly used when the Kirkby branch ran as a shuttle from there and the latter only gets the parliamentary to Stockport).

Scarborough P5 I believe sees little use (having a bunch of gauging restrictions on passenger stock probably contributes to it).

 

[StewLane]

Kings Cross Thameslink platforms retained for emergecies