Least successful new stations

[willgreen]

There's a lot of chat about the relative success of reopened lines, but which post-1980 reopened stations (on existing lines) have been the least successful?
My vote goes to Moss Side on the Blackpool South line, reopened in 1983 and provided with an hourly service. It only gets about 3k passengers each year.
I'd suggest it's worth considering more than just usage, though - things like cost, service provided, location, disruption to the existing railway etc.

 

[SteveM70]

Kenilworth? Massively delayed opening, now plagued with bustitution

 

[DelW]

Slightly earlier than your start date, but the two Sinfin stations near Derby opened in 1976 and their last trains called in 1993. A taxi connection was nominally provided until 1998.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Quite a few "duds" in Greater Manchester. Lots of new stations were built cheaply in the 1980s on the basis of "there are lots of houses near the line there" but this took no account of whether the people within the station catchment area were by inclination rail users (many were bus users by preference) or whether the train service took them to desired locations. Examples which spring to mind are Hag Fold, Ryder Brow, Humphrey Park, Hattersley and Brinnington (the last two were built in the 1970s).

 

[oddiesjack]

For stations like Ryder Brow and Brinnington, usage is probably quite a bit higher than ticket sales either from or to these stations might indicate. It is unusual to see a conductor guard doing ticket checks until after Marple outbound in the evening.

 

[Revilo]

Ivybridge near Plymouth hasn’t been an outstanding success. Opened in 1994 it has never had a service that gives it park and ride potential to Plymouth.

 

[Scott W]

A slightly unusual one, but the Ramsline Halt must be right up there, only four trains ever used it according to Wikipedia.

 

[scrapy]

For stations like Ryder Brow and Brinnington, usage is probably quite a bit higher than ticket sales either from or to these stations might indicate. It is unusual to see a conductor guard doing ticket checks until after Marple outbound in the evening.

Ryder Brow (and Belle Vue) are close to Hyde Rd where there is a bus to Manchester at least every 5 minutes. A train to Manchester every hour or every two hours just won't compete.

Residents of Brinnington are far more likely to commute to or shop in Stockport, than Manchester or Sheffield which is only a short distance away by bus. The train just doesn't take them where they want to go, despite being a half hourly service.

 

[johnnychips]

Both Hattersley and Brinnington stations had c.100 000 users in 2019/2020. That’s about 270 passengers a day, which doesn’t sound too bad.

 

[backontrack]

East Midlands Parkway surely a prime candidate here? There are towns on the EML without stations, yet we built one in the middle of nowhere instead. Residents of Rushden, Desborough, Kibworth, Clay Cross etc ought to be fuming.

 

[Mojo]

I would agree with the above poster. EMT Parkway seems a bit of a pointless station, especially when many already existing settlements seem to have no station.

 

[sussexbythesea]

I'm sure we'll be adding Reston to this list in a few years time!

 

[OldandRambling]

I understood East Midlands Parkway was a stop to serve the East Midlands Airport. I believe that there were high hopes for the expansion of passenger routes from EMA which never materialised.
I have no idea if there is any bus shuttle from EMA to the Parkway train station?
EDIT: There is only a pre-bookable shuttle (taxi) service between Parkway and EMA, so pretty naff in practical reality...?

 

[Glenn1969]

It had 343,000 passengers in 2019/20. Is that really a disaster?

 

[dk1]

I'm sure we'll be adding Reston to this list in a few years time!

I’m still trying to get my head around that. I’d like to be proved wrong but basket case is all I can think of.

 

[BrianW]

Ivybridge near Plymouth hasn’t been an outstanding success. Opened in 1994 it has never had a service that gives it park and ride potential to Plymouth.

Are the Park-and-ride signs still there on the A38? How many tph to Plymouth; last train back after the Theatre or Opera?

 

[Ashley Hill]

The service to/from Ivybridge isn't too bad but it was built completely in the wrong place so few passengers use it. It's too far out of town and anyone going to Plymouth has to drive away from the city to catch the train back to it. Most drive towards the city which is why the car park is empty. I doubt the new housing being built adjacent will add to the passenger numbers. I should mention that although the original station was nearer the town there would have been no parking

 

[Revaulx]

Humphrey Park would be well used if it had a decent service. As would the much older (1930s?) Chassen Road.

 

[XAM2175]

I have no idea if there is any bus shuttle from EMA to the Parkway train station?

Withdrawn some time ago now, I believe.

 

[JBuchananGB]

How about Southend Airport now that RyanAir and EasyJet have both withdrawn their services from the airport?

 

[dk1]

How about Southend Airport now that RyanAir and EasyJet have both withdrawn their services from the airport?

I’m sure it will pick up in due course. These airlines flit in & out with the wind. Will be quieter for the time being.

 

[The Planner]

It had 343,000 passengers in 2019/20. Is that really a disaster?

How many trains does it have an hour, its at 6tph now, what was it pre COVID? its 950 pax a day. Around 110 trains a day, so 8 passengers per train. For a facility like that its not brilliant.

 

[swt_passenger]

I understood East Midlands Parkway was a stop to serve the East Midlands Airport. I believe that there were high hopes for the expansion of passenger routes from EMA which never materialised.
I have no idea if there is any bus shuttle from EMA to the Parkway train station?
EDIT: There is only a pre-bookable shuttle (taxi) service between Parkway and EMA, so pretty naff in practical reality...?

You understood wrong then, that was never the main reason. I’m struggling for a source, but it’s been discussed in much earlier threads…

 

[Ken H]

What about Armathwaite, Lazonby and Langwathby? never seem very busy.

 

[daodao]

I’m sure it will pick up in due course. These airlines flit in & out with the wind. Will be quieter for the time being.

From the end of October 2021, virtually no air services are scheduled to use Southend Airport. Its railway station might as well be mothballed after this date, or left open with a "parliamentary" service.

A similar comment could be made about Prestwick International Airport railway station, opened in 1994.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I’m sure it will pick up in due course. These airlines flit in & out with the wind. Will be quieter for the time being.

Ba dum, tish!

 

[nw1]

Ryder Brow (and Belle Vue) are close to Hyde Rd where there is a bus to Manchester at least every 5 minutes. A train to Manchester every hour or every two hours just won't compete.

Residents of Brinnington are far more likely to commute to or shop in Stockport, than Manchester or Sheffield which is only a short distance away by bus. The train just doesn't take them where they want to go, despite being a half hourly service.

So that line must have had very few stations before the late 1970s/80s? IIRC it's Belle Vue, Ryder Brow, Brinnington, Bredbury. So Bredbury was the first station on the line before then? Is Ashburys also a newish station? (I had the feeling it was).

 

[Ianno87]

Cottingley - on the grounds of being perhaps the first post-1980 "permanent" station to become proposed for closure (to be replaced by White Rose)

 

[nw1]

What about the original 1980s Corby reopening? That ended up closing a few years later, not sure why it was such a disaster given it's been reopened (again) since and now warrants a half-hourly electric service to London.

Maybe the DMU shuttle had bad connection times at Kettering into IC services?

 

[dk1]

Ba dum, tish!

I’m a poet & didn’t know it lol