Bleakest / loneliest mainline station

[Bletchleyite]

But not Port Sunlight station, which is great

I wouldn't say the station was any more interesting than any other Merseyrail station but I do like the view from the line of the interesting "model village".

 

[Tracked]

Barnetby - was doing a rover 5 years ago and the TPE service I was meant to get was cancelled, the pub was ok.

Rugeley TV - another rover last year and another cancelled train, surprised at the lack of facilities, most local stations round here have more

Alnmouth - in fairness it was snowing when I went Feb 2019

 

[Par]

Moston - absolutely ghastly.

 

[alangla]

They say a picture paints a 1000 words.... WBQ at its finest.

It’s the smell of Persil that sets WBQ apart from anything else. With that and the chimneys/cooling towers of Fiddler’s Ferry gone the whole character of that part of the WCML journey will totally change

 

[snookertam]

Perth.

 

[Senex]

Perth.

Do you mean the rather grand but very run-down and somewhat deserted main bit, or the rather unimpressive Dundee Corridor?

 

[Djgr]

I wouldn't say the station was any more interesting than any other Merseyrail station but I do like the view from the line of the interesting "model village".

Not at platform level but the station building entrance and booking hall are impressive and in keeping with their surroundings.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not at platform level but the station building entrance and booking hall are impressive and in keeping with their surroundings.

Indeed, never got on or off there so I just Googled it and it is a bit more than the usual Merseyrail tin shed!

 

[mossleyhill]

Stockton is bleak, bleak, bleak. Looks as if it has been stripped of everything that might make a station feel welcoming.

For some reason the prospect of a 50 minute change at Peterborough makes my heart sink, even though it has facilities of a sort, and some bustle. It needs a micropub or two on site.

In the pre corona days of late Feb, a work colleague of mine from London and I had been put up in Stockton and had to head into Leeds for a conference/ away day type thing. Being used to 27 carriage trains every 5 minutes and a Pret and WH Smiths as bare minimum down south, I don't think he was impressed when we rocked up to Stockton, faced with a ten minute wait on an empty, exposed platform.

 

[de525ma]

Westbury. Ugh.
Southampton Central - busy but grim.
Peterborough.

 

[greeny11]

Bidston is pretty bleak, as is Moreton - which is by the old Cadburys factory and surrounded by industrial units.

 

[hermit]

Westbury. Ugh.

Yes, Westbury’s can be a bit bleak and lonely, though it has attractive traditional buildings. The main problem for me has been that trains from the West Country are almost invariably timed to miss the connection to Southampton/Portsmouth by a minute or so, leaving me with an hour to do not very much.
There used to be a nice independent cafe, but I believe it’s now been taken over by one of the chains, so not an improvement.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, Westbury’s can be a bit bleak and lonely, though it has attractive traditional buildings. The main problem for me has been that trains from the West Country are almost invariably timed to miss the connection to Southampton/Portsmouth by a minute or so, leaving me with an hour to do not very much.
There used to be a nice independent cafe, but I believe it’s now been taken over by one of the chains, so not an improvement.

When I changed there a couple of years ago, I thought "nice station but could do with a decent bar".

 

[John Griffiths]

There's not much at Thirsk - though there is (or was) a pub just a minute away, which helps.

 

[BeijingDave]

Surprised to see so many votes for Warrington BQ. Yes, it's bad, but there is a warm waiting room, coffee shops and usually plenty of foot traffic so it doesn't feel particularly threatening.

 

[syorksdeano]

Retford Lower level would get my vote.

 

[billio]

Middlesbrough - it's not bleak nor lonely but there just seems something wrong with it, as though it was inhabited by ghosts. There is an aura which is cold, empty and left behind - something you experience on approach from the surrounding streets.. A once grand station that's seen better times and better services and now is crumbling into irrelevance.

 

[Cynfal]

Try Dawlish when the tides in and the sea is high.....

 

[yorksrob]

Middlesbrough - it's not bleak nor lonely but there just seems something wrong with it, as though it was inhabited by ghosts. There is an aura which is cold, empty and left behind - something you experience on approach from the surrounding streets.. A once grand station that's seen better times and better services and now is crumbling into irrelevance.

Until the Whitby train arrives and it suddenly comes back to life.

I like it. Plenty of cover and you can get a cup of tea when changing. Beautiful architecture as well.

 

[Requeststop]

Carstairs - stuck there one dismally windy, rainy cold late evening as part of my all line coverage. I was mentally begging the passing trains to consider stopping to pick me up to take me back to Glasgow. When my train came around the curve from Edinburgh I was so relieved. Never been so happy to board and ride an XC service.

 

[Gathursty]

Can Crowhurst be counted as a mainline station? It didn't appeal to me when I saw it from the train.

 

[yorksrob]

Can Crowhurst be counted as a mainline station? It didn't appeal to me when I saw it from the train.

Yes it can. It's on a main line.

And it looks very bleak since all the buildings were demolished. I suppose the only thing in its favour is that the countryside is quite pretty.

 

[williamn]

From recent experience, definitely Perth!

 

[HS2isgood]

The small MML Ivanhoe line stations.

 

[Cdd89]

Those dreadful steep staircases! I can remember really struggling to get my suitcase up those when I used E&C about 5 years ago

But once you finally get to the top, you’ll be delighted to know that the rebuilt waiting room on the island platform now offers level access to save you the trouble of one extra step

 

[lord rathmore]

Perth.

Good point. Coldest station I was ever at in uk

 

[Journeyman]

From recent experience, definitely Perth!

I love Perth! Brimming with atmosphere.

 

[lord rathmore]

I love Perth! Brimming with atmosphere.

Atmosphere certainly. 40 mph winds @ 5 degrees C

 

[D6130]

Crossing the irish Sea, how about Rosslare Europort?......followed closely by Limerick Junction.

 

[Parallel]

Although I've never actually been there (only passing through), Edinburgh Gateway looks quite bleak/lonely from photos out there.