Most pleasant place to wait for a train

[jp4712]

As an antidote to the thread on the most intimidating stations to wait for a train, where have you found to be very pleasant places to wait for a train, or just watch the trains go by? I’d suggest that heritage railway stations are disqualified, I’m just thinking of National Rail.

I’ll start - I’ve found Grange-over-Sands to be fairly yob free, and a pleasant location to boot; Ribblehead, unsurprisingly; but also Rugeley Trent Valley as it’s a little out of town and the local chavvery can’t be bothered to go there. Hensall is an interesting one: very nice, period station building (in other use) but next-along-the-line Whitley Bridge is most definitely not for lingering at.

 

[NorthOxonian]

Definitely York. Beautiful station, straightforward to navigate, and has the York Tap if you've got a bit of a longer wait on your hands.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Wetheral. Standing on the viaduct watching the river flow and looking at the scenery is a very pleasant way of waiting for a train.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

I've always quite liked Bury St Edmunds - a nice, small station with a certain charm about it, particularly up at platform level.

 

[yorksrob]

Some lovely views of the coast from Foxfield on a sunny day.

 

[Paul Jones 88]

Tonbridge

 

[Rab Smith]

I recently found myself waiting around 40 minutes for a train at Upper Tyndrum, which I found quite lovely!

 

[The exile]

Given pleasant weather, both Freshford and Exton would be well up my list

 

[Falcon1200]

For a small station, Whitecraigs on the Glasgow/Neilston line is delightful, retaining its original station building and with, in the summer, lovely flower displays. Being the station for Rouken Glen Park helps too !

 

[Ken H]

As an antidote to the thread on the most intimidating stations to wait for a train, where have you found to be very pleasant places to wait for a train, or just watch the trains go by? I’d suggest that heritage railway stations are disqualified, I’m just thinking of National Rail.

I’ll start - I’ve found Grange-over-Sands to be fairly yob free, and a pleasant location to boot; Ribblehead, unsurprisingly; but also Rugeley Trent Valley as it’s a little out of town and the local chavvery can’t be bothered to go there. Hensall is an interesting one: very nice, period station building (in other use) but next-along-the-line Whitley Bridge is most definitely not for lingering at.

Ribblehead is good but garsdale is too. Gt malvern you can sip your latte while watching the trains go by. Arnside. Nice views of the Kent Estuary.

 

[AM9]

In terms of something interesting to pass the time*, Blackfriars is hard to beat. The view over the Thames with its endless flow of boats against a world famous skyline never fails to grab my attention, day or night - as long as you are wrapped up well in colder times!
* It's ironic that as the service through the Thameslink core is so frequent, there's rarely a need to spend much time admiring the view at Blackfriars.

 

[Ken H]

In terms of something interesting to pass the time*, Blackfriars is hard to beat. The view over the Thames with its endless flow of boats against a world famous skyline never fails to grab my attention, day or night - as long as you are wrapped up well in colder times!
* It's ironic that as the service through the Thameslink core is so frequent, there's rarely a need to spend much time admiring the view at Blackfriars.

Just stay to enjoy and get the next train!

 

[Cletus]

Dawlish, Starcross, Nunhead, Morfa Mawddach, Lelant, Exton to name a few at random.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I like to wait on the train if it is already there.

My station is the penultimate before the terminus, usually I get there early and join the down train, go to the end and then call at my station again.

If I have some time to wait I walk to either end of the platform, often there is something to see, makes a few hundred metres exercise too.

 

[birchesgreen]

Really quiet stations, i like sitting on a platform in the middle of nowhere (or feel like it anyway) and none else is around until at least the next train is due.

Recent examples for me being Bearley, Tackley and Burton Joyce.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ribblehead is good but garsdale is too. Gt malvern you can sip your latte while watching the trains go by. Arnside. Nice views of the Kent Estuary.

That kind of station is great if it's sunny (and male, should you need the loo, as there are no proper facilities), but if it's tipping down or blowing a gale quite unpleasant. Dyfi Junction is another one like that - unfortunately I've only ever waited there in the latter kind of weather!

 

[Ianno87]

Virtually any station on a sunny summer's evening.

 

[HST274]

If you like the smell of burnt nescafe, Tutbury and Hatton is a pleasant wait.

 

[yorksrob]

That kind of station is great if it's sunny (and male, should you need the loo, as there are no proper facilities), but if it's tipping down or blowing a gale quite unpleasant. Dyfi Junction is another one like that - unfortunately I've only ever waited there in the latter kind of weather!

Garsdale has a very good waiting room and toilet facilities should you end up caught in a gale.

Ribblehead is a bit more rudimental, however there is the large enclosed porch area for a wild and stormy night.

 

[John Webb]

Also on the S&C is Settle station, which is attractive and includes the restored signal box, sometimes open to the public.

 

[jp4712]

Virtually any station on a sunny summer's evening.

The issue with that is that a sunny evening can bring out the local low life, sending a station from this thread straight on to the 'Most Intimidating Place To Wait For a Train' thread! I'm hoping for tips on nice places to watch trains without too many anti-social behaviour worries. For example Ryde Esplanade is next to the sea, you can watch the hovercraft and buses coming in and out, but the other thread highlighted its attraction for unpleasant types.

 

[AM9]

I found Hebden Bridge a pleasant station the one time that I visited it (about 11 am on a weekday morning). Not sure what it would be like at other times.

 

[Paul Jones 88]

I used to enjoy Angel Road as a child, lots of variety of trains back then, haven't been since about 1983.

 

[mrcheek]

Tamworth can be fun, watching the Pendolinos zoom by beneath you!

Retford is similar, only there the fast services are on the higher level

 

[Gaz55]

I have always found Mytholmroyd a nice place to wait. The area aroudn the platforms is always well kept by the Friends of the Station and the views up into the hills are lovely on a bright day.

 

[Falcon1200]

Dawlish

Definitely, with the usual proviso of a lovely summer evening; Especially with a double scoop ice cream cone from the shop opposite the station ! Being able to watch a Down train approaching around the cliffs adds to the place too.

 

[306024]

I used to enjoy Angel Road as a child, lots of variety of trains back then, haven't been since about 1983.

Now that’s a novel suggestion for the most pleasant place to wait for a train, unless of course traffic fumes from the North Circular is your thing Wouldn't suggest trying to go there now though.

London end of Manningtree is pleasant enough with views across Dedham Vale, and Berney Arms is always fun just for the remoteness.

 

[bramling]

Virtually any station on a sunny summer's evening.

Evidently never spent a summer's evening at Seaburn or Pelaw!

 

[bramling]

As an antidote to the thread on the most intimidating stations to wait for a train, where have you found to be very pleasant places to wait for a train, or just watch the trains go by? I’d suggest that heritage railway stations are disqualified, I’m just thinking of National Rail.

I’ll start - I’ve found Grange-over-Sands to be fairly yob free, and a pleasant location to boot; Ribblehead, unsurprisingly; but also Rugeley Trent Valley as it’s a little out of town and the local chavvery can’t be bothered to go there. Hensall is an interesting one: very nice, period station building (in other use) but next-along-the-line Whitley Bridge is most definitely not for lingering at.

Dolau, Glan Conwy and Kirkby-in-Furness are two which spring to mind.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Dolau, Glan Conwy and Kirkby-in-Furness are two which spring to mind.

Cheddington is pleasantly in the middle of a field on the edge of the Chilterns. Tring would be but it's down a hole.