Stations you don't want to go to/be at

[LNW-GW Joint]

Birmingham New Street whenever there's a football match on nearby.

At any time, really.
Even the "finished" bits seem to have returned to an "under construction" mode, the platforms have been narrowed and are even more crowded, and the "summary" departures screens are scarce and only show about 5 minutes at a time...
.

 

[matchmaker]

Charing Cross in Glasgow. It's not the clientele (there are ticket barriers) - it's the station itself.

Charing Cross is in a deep trench, below street level. About 30% of the station is open-air, and it's quite light and pleasant. But the other 70% is in a tunnel below a 60s concrete building. It has narrow platforms, bright yellow walls, and really dim mercury lighting.

Getting from the street level to the platforms of Charing Cross involves a lot of stairs. But the stairwells aren't straight. Each stairwell has 3 or 4 90 degree turns - a different direction each time. It's really easy to run into somebody if you're going up or down the stairs in a hurry.

There's also a problem with the sewers in the tunnel just to the west of the station. Travelling through Charing Cross is like a stench-lottery. On a good day, the aroma of Charing Cross has vague undertones of sewage. On a bad day, the smell is horrific.

It is pretty grim...

 

[davetheguard]

Skegness in the summer time when the bin bag brigade come out to play!!

I caught a train from Nottingham to Skegness last month. Interesting journey, if rather on the slow side. I wonder what the line speed is?

I have to say that the railway station in Skegness was the best-looking bit of the place. It was neat and tidy, and the station frontage area was looking very smart. Staff checking tickets on the barrier the old fashioned way before gaining access to the platform (no "gates" here), and still six platforms(!) with controlling semaphores.

Compare that with the town itself, which looked very down on its luck, including a 59p shop - are £1 shops too dear for Skegness's target vistors?

 

[Aictos]

Crews Hill and Bayford, have been there on my own before to deal with two issues regarding a staff presence (They're unmanned stations) - NEVER again!!!!

 

[SN319]

London Euston, only once have I enjoyed been there and that was for an early morning service when it was quiet enough to hear the tube trains underneath! Most of the time (especially on the concourse) it's crowded, noisy and there is a veritable stampede when the platform is announced

Couldn't agree more!

 

[Starmill]

Dent, on this the other day

 

[318259]

No stations in particular, but I regularly have to use Platform 14 at Manchester Piccadilly, and number 1 at Preston.

If we're allowed to nominate individual platforms, I nominate platform 11A from Glasgow Central. Thankfully, it has now been demolished.

Sometimes at Glasgow Central, the departure boards only show you which platform a train is leaving from 3 or 4 minutes before the train is due to leave. If they said 11A, you'd pretty much missed your train.

Platform 11A was at the far end of platform 11 (which can easily hold 9 carriages), between two storage huts, and under a huge archway at the end. Every time a train left from 11A, you'd see people sprinting like mad down platform 11 to make the train.

Platform 11A was demolished when they demolished the car park and built two new, full-length platforms.

 

[overtonchris]

South Bermondsey - when Millwall have just lost at home

........or Bidston in winter. Brrrrrrrrr.....and just nothing there!!

 

[route:oxford]

Falkirk Grahamston

Bitterly cold with a bridge that is long overdue for replacement.

 

[Mugby]

Following it's redevelopment, I've always thought the domestic part of St Pancras has been a big disappointment.

 

[Ships]

I find that if the place the station serves is a bit grim, the station itself is an oasis (Dewsbury, Doncaster and Barnsley being the examples that spring to mind) but if a place is actually worth visiting- the station is the worst part of the trip (Manchester Picc AND Vic; Leeds; London Euston and Bristol TM being prime examples).

Pffft Man pics lovely..

 

[Crossover]

I find that if the place the station serves is a bit grim, the station itself is an oasis (Dewsbury, Doncaster and Barnsley being the examples that spring to mind) but if a place is actually worth visiting- the station is the worst part of the trip (Manchester Picc AND Vic; Leeds; London Euston and Bristol TM being prime examples).

Funny that - I am from Dewsbury and I have to say I love our railway station - I won't try and defend the town :P

Agree with Bristol TM too

Can we add Stoke to the "nice station, crap area" list?

Severn Tunnel Junction when it's cold and dark is just creepy.

I passed through (and called) there the other day, but didn't alight - it looks totally deserted!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Pffft Man pics lovely..

The station itself is fine- it's the G4S 'drones' that get my stress levels rising!

Funny that - I am from Dewsbury and I have to say I love our railway station - I won't try and defend the town :P

Agree with Bristol TM too

Can we add Stoke to the "nice station, crap area" list?

That could well be it's own thread (and presumably has been)!

In defence of Dewsbury, there's a takeaway in the middle of those careworn car parks that does an amazing Masala fish butty!

I too was surprised how long it took for Wakey Kirkgate to appear on this thread- it's not as bad as it was, but it's still a dump!

 

[91104]

Southminster,only been there once just out of curiosity and after venturing outside the station only to find nothing there except a shop and a closed pub I had a 45 minute wait for the next train in the company of some grey jogging bottomed youths smoking something "exotic". Seemed like the longest 45 minutes of my life that.

 

[6Gman]

Following it's redevelopment, I've always thought the domestic part of St Pancras has been a big disappointment.

And the fact you have to walk halfway to Kentish Town doesn't help.


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

........or Bidston in winter. Brrrrrrrrr.....and just nothing there!!

Long time since I've used Bidston, but I do recall it was pretty grim. I also remember when they installed cctv to control vandalism.

And the cameras got pinched!

 

[reb0118]

Caldercruix.

 

[Gathursty]

Southminster,only been there once just out of curiosity and after venturing outside the station only to find nothing there except a shop and a closed pub I had a 45 minute wait for the next train in the company of some grey jogging bottomed youths smoking something "exotic". Seemed like the longest 45 minutes of my life that.

For a terminus so (relatively) close to London, it does feel very underwhelming. I'd even liken it to Tal-y-Cafn on the Conwy Valley line for it's banality. You expect the branch line to continue beyond Southminster to somewhere more worthwhile.

 

[paulb1973]

Wigan North Western, strange/scary bunch those Northerners.

Gillingham/Chatham is like an episode of Jeremy Kyle most of the time.

Luton, just generally try to avoid the area.

Coventry looks shockingly bad from a train, wouldn't like to get off there in a hurry.

You don't see that much of Coventry approaching from the Rugby end - you dash through the Binley/Willenhall & Stoke Aldermoor areas at 125mph and then not long after the brakes go on as you go-over the main London Rd towards the station. Heading west towards Birmingham there's more allotments & embankments - although the Canley estate between the station of the same name & Tile Hill looks a bit bleak with those 'corrugated-fronted' houses.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

At any time, really.
Even the "finished" bits seem to have returned to an "under construction" mode, the platforms have been narrowed and are even more crowded, and the "summary" departures screens are scarce and only show about 5 minutes at a time...
.

http://www.theonion.com/video/pragues-franz-kafka-international-named-worlds-mos,14321/

 

[ichabod05]

I'm very surprised not to have seen Lewisham on this page. Downright scary at times. Same goes for Catford Bridge, actually. Very strange, since Ladywell (between the two) is much nicer despite being next to a dark park that never closes.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Dent, on this the other day

starmill, what was the weather like? On a sunny day the views from the station are magnificent! I have relatives who live in Cowgill (at the bottom of the hill) and I have got off at Dent in all weathers! In a full on blizzard walking from the platform to a waiting car seems like a life time!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Following it's redevelopment, I've always thought the domestic part of St Pancras has been a big disappointment.

In all fairness Mugby I don't think they had much choice as the view to the original train shed had to be maintained. For what its worth the train shed can be seen from the top of Primrose Hill!

 

[bishdunster]

Hamworthy after dark, just on the edge of the onetime "showpiece" Turlin Moor estate not the best of places in daylight either !

 

[RichmondCommu]

South Bermondsey - when Millwall have just lost at home

Been there on a match day so know where you're coming from! Wasn't a pleasant experience after the mighty Derby County thrashed them 5 - 2 earlier this season!

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Actually, on a completely different spectrum - Carstairs at night in the fog. Stopped there on the sleeper train and got up to look out of the coach window with fog rolling across the platforms and no-one in sight. Really eerie. Wanted to get out and have a look but was too worried that the train might head off into the night without me...

 

[class303]

Crews Hill and Bayford, have been there on my own before to deal with two issues regarding a staff presence (They're unmanned stations) - NEVER again!!!!

why? what's wrong with crews hill? just some garden centers in the middle of nowhere innit?

 

[RichmondCommu]

Actually, on a completely different spectrum - Carstairs at night in the fog. Stopped there on the sleeper train and got up to look out of the coach window with fog rolling across the platforms and no-one in sight. Really eerie. Wanted to get out and have a look but was too worried that the train might head off into the night without me...

Well if the door was open they would have to wait for you!

 

[Qwerty133]

South wigston: I'm sure new graffiti appears every day on the shelters/display caninets.

 

[Gathursty]

I'll add Northfleet. My first experience of the Southern female chav variety deriding me for lack of lighter for fags that should not be in mouths so young. It is funny how close it is to Ebbsfleet International.

 

[Starmill]

starmill, what was the weather like? On a sunny day the views from the station are magnificent! I have relatives who live in Cowgill (at the bottom of the hill) and I have got off at Dent in all weathers! In a full on blizzard walking from the platform to a waiting car seems like a life time!

It had been a fantastic day and a fantastic ride, but of course as it was 8pm it was going dark - we were half an hour late and well and truly the last train for quite some time - in literally the middle of nowhere with absolutely no alternative transport options I'd imagine. But you are right about the magnificence of the station and it's location, I hope to get off there one day soon!

A couple of pics of earlier weather:

 

[RichmondCommu]

It had been a fantastic day and a fantastic ride, but of course as it was 8pm it was going dark - we were half an hour late and well and truly the last train for quite some time - in literally the middle of nowhere with absolutely no alternative transport options I'd imagine. But you are right about the magnificence of the station and it's location, I hope to get off there one day soon!

A couple of pics of earlier weather:

If you get chance this summer you could always get the train to Ribblehead, alight and then walk over Blea Moor into Dent Dale. The walk is very easy to follow and I'm sure other forum members would be happy to join you. Or you could alight at Dent and walk over the Coal Road to Garsdale. In terms of alternative transport options your only hope is a part time mini cab!

Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed your day out on the S & C. Have you tried the Cumbrian Coast line, it's well worth a day out, although I'm not sure it's do able from Leeds or Manchester. Happy travels starmill!

I forgot to ask why was the train delayed?