Trivia: Bleakest Terminal Stations

[LancasterRed]

At least with Preston and Blackpool North and South there's usually a warm enough pub open unless you're stranded really late.

Morecambe is bad enough on a summer Saturday never mind the dead of winter, albeit yes there are still some things resembling facilities nearby. (Morrisons, KFC, too many pubs)

Liverpool Lime Street, despite being a big city station, is not fun to wait around at nights. I've always found the late trains to get 'comfortable' too.

 

[vic-rijrode]

Whereas we get a different type of ned here on Rail Forums!

On topic: Sunderland. Grim. And when you exit the station, you are in Sunderland.

...and, your point being?

I'm sorry but your comment on Sunderland Station is so wide of the mark. Yes the platforms may be subterranean but they are brightly lit and scarcely bleak or grim. The new surface building is spaceous (albeit not yet filled with the seemingly obligatory coffee shops and expensive bookstalls). It is not bleak or grim either. When you exit the station you're next to a shopping precinct (The Bridges) which is certainly not bleak or grim.

Yes, although there are still areas in Sunderland that are grim but never bleak, much of Sunderland has improved immeasurably over the last few years. There are areas in many cities and towns throughout this country which are as bad if not worse. As our finances deteriorate steadily after Brexit, we will probably even see Tunbridge Wells becoming grim....one can only hope.

Or maybe you're just from Newcastle?

 

[fairysdad]

Falmouth Dock maybe a contender?

 

[D6130]

...and, your point being?

I'm sorry but your comment on Sunderland Station is so wide of the mark. Yes the platforms may be subterranean but they are brightly lit and scarcely bleak or grim. The new surface building is spaceous (albeit not yet filled with the seemingly obligatory coffee shops and expensive bookstalls). It is not bleak or grim either. When you exit the station you're next to a shopping precinct (The Bridges) which is certainly not bleak or grim.

Yes, although there are still areas in Sunderland that are grim but never bleak, much of Sunderland has improved immeasurably over the last few years. There are areas in many cities and towns throughout this country which are as bad if not worse. As our finances deteriorate steadily after Brexit, we will probably even see Tunbridge Wells becoming grim....one can only hope.

Or maybe you're just from Newcastle?

....and there's also a fabulous Edwardian Art Nouveau pub - the Peacock - which also serves excellent real ales, just around the corner in the High Street. However we are totally off-topic as Sunderland isn't a terminal station!

 

[Russel]

really? It looks fairly grotty to me! :

Heysham by MK Darlo, on Flickr

Heysham by MK Darlo, on Flickr

Heysham by MK Darlo, on Flickr

20230910_141936 by MK Darlo, on Flickr

It's no grand St Pancras trainshed is it!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

However we are totally off-topic as Sunderland isn't a terminal station!

Don't some Grand Central trains terminate there? And a late evening service or two (SuX) running via Newcastle?

 

[hermit]

Lymington Pier could hardly be more basic and is very bleak at night. But there is a pleasant view of the Solent and the Wightlink cafe is nearby.

 

[yorksrob]

Falmouth Dock maybe a contender?

I like Falmouth Dock. Nice traditional platform canopy, decent residential area etc.

 

[Sultan1056]

My vote would be Stranraer, even when it served as the ferry terminal it was bad, now it doesn’t even serve that purpose. Another harbour for me is Heysham, very underwhelming.
Severn Beach was very disappointing, however there was a pub about 100 yards from the station when I visited it in the 90s.
I’m not sure how many trains terminate at Yeovil Junction these days but it barely deserves the title of Yeovil in its name. Finally Battersby on the line to Whitby is quite remote.

 

[D6130]

Don't some Grand Central trains terminate there? And a late evening service or two (SuX) running via Newcastle?

My mistake....I thought this thread was supposed to be about actual physical termini (i.e. with bufferstops across the ends of all tracks....or at least a run round loop terminating in bufferstops).

 

[Alfie1014]

Shoeburyness is disappointing, lots of sidings and the (disused?) link to Pigs Bay but pretty uninspiring though the sea is only 5 mins walk away where at least this summer you could catch an open top bus back to the metropolis that is Southend on Sea. Talking of which the pier head terminal of the pier railway can be pretty bleak on an inclement day!

 

[RailWonderer]

Surprised Great Yarmouth hasn't been mentioned, bleak aspect of run down approach to the town and no pub nearby.

I agree. Dark and dingy dated canopy, one terrible kiosk, and the walk to the grim town is grim itself.

 

[vic-rijrode]

... And a late evening service or two (SuX) running via Newcastle?

Sadly this one and only LNER service from KX which runs via Newcastle to Sunderland is being withdrawn this month along with the early morning starter.

 

[xotGD]

East Kilbride doesn't exactly offer an inviting welcome to the town.

But there are definitely worse.

 

[chris_in_salop]

At least it was staffed and had a shelter,

On the EKR there was also Sandwich Road station-

Disused Stations: Sandwich Road Halt

Some of the rail-motor terminal stations opened around Wrexham in the early 20th century were pretty basic, e.g.

Wynn Hall Halt

Ponkey Crossing Halt

Berwig Halt

Moss Platform

 

[djdanny77]

Can I put a vote in for Slade Green, pretty sure some peak services terminate there (or at least used to). Utterly grim in a sea of NW Kent nothingness.

 

[DarloRich]

Surprised Great Yarmouth hasn't been mentioned, bleak aspect of run down approach to the town and no pub nearby.

OMG. A public toilet of a station. Awful. Awful place to live also. This puts Heysham into second!

Turn the camera the other way round who would sit in the shelter when one could sit inside the building?

That is, surely, the ferry terminal and not the station though.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Can I put a vote in for Slade Green, pretty sure some peak services terminate there (or at least used to). Utterly grim in a sea of NW Kent nothingness.

Does anything currently terminate there? (Slade Green). Otherwise, not sure if it actually meets the OP's criteria.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Isn’t Rotherham Parkgate tram-train terminus basically a bus shelter on the back-side access road of some retail park sheds?

 

[John Luxton]

OMG. A public toilet of a station. Awful. Awful place to live also. This puts Heysham into second!

That is, surely, the ferry terminal and not the station though.

The Station and Ferry Terminal were built as one entity by the Midland Railway. From 1996 the Steam Packet was owned by SeaCo as was the port which had been bought directly from BR earlier. When SeaCo got into difficulties the Packet was sold to private equity (Now Nationalised) and Heysham Port went to MD&HC which soon became Peel Ports. Until the fairly recent revamp of Heysham the whole site had a very BR era feel to it.

As far as I know Peel own the terminal and station which is a similar arrangement to Stena at Fishguard and Holyhead.

Thus station and terminal at Heysham should be treated as one entity it is highly likely most passengers pass from one mode or transport to the other.
Given the location of the port relative to they settlement of Heysham and low service level I doubt many local residents use the station preferring the bus which terminates nearer the residential area.

 

[yorksrob]

The Station and Ferry Terminal were built as one entity by the Midland Railway. From 1996 the Steam Packet was owned by SeaCo as was the port which had been bought directly from BR earlier. When SeaCo got into difficulties the Packet was sold to private equity (Now Nationalised) and Heysham Port went to MD&HC which soon became Peel Ports. Until the fairly recent revamp of Heysham the whole site had a very BR era feel to it.

As far as I know Peel own the terminal and station which is a similar arrangement to Stena at Fishguard and Holyhead.

Thus station and terminal at Heysham should be treated as one entity it is highly likely most passengers pass from one mode or transport to the other.
Given the location of the port relative to they settlement of Heysham and low service level I doubt many local residents use the station preferring the bus which terminates nearer the residential area.

I've seen a few get off the train with fishing gear

 

[DarloRich]

Thus station and terminal at Heysham should be treated as one entity it is highly likely most passengers pass from one mode or transport to the other.

semantics designed to disqualify a premier league grot bag from this this competition. I wont have it I tell you.

 

[Rescars]

I suppose Tattenham Corner must look pretty bleak on the way home from the races if you haven't backed any winners!

 

[150249]

Falmouth Dock maybe a contender?

Yes I was going to say. It isn't exactly an oasis

 

[479956]

Moorgate has got to be up there as a bit creepy

I'll also nominate

Oops I accidentally posted that I was going to say Stourbridge town

 

[Russel]

Moorgate has got to be up there as a bit creepy

I'll also nominate

Oops I accidentally posted that I was going to say Stourbridge town

Agreed on Moorgate, I used it for the first time a few weeks ago off peak, I had the Great Northern platform to myself, very creepy feeling to it, though Old Street and the corridors to the LU part of the station was worse!

 

[THC]

Fishguard Harbour. Bbrrr.

THC

 

[philthetube]

really? It looks fairly grotty to me! :

Heysham by MK Darlo, on Flickr

Heysham by MK Darlo, on Flickr

Heysham by MK Darlo, on Flickr

20230910_141936 by MK Darlo, on Flickr

If you stand at the north end of Marylebone station and photograph down the tunnel it looks a dump if you stand outside and look at the buildings it looks great, if you turn round at Heysham you photograph a warm modern building with seats where you can wait and buy a coffee and sandwich if needed.

With the context of this thread I cannon understand where you are coming from.

 

[RJ]

I seem to recall reading on the Daily Post web site a few years ago that Blaenau Ffestiniog has one of the worst reputations in terms of anti social behaviour in Wales outside of Cardiff as far as BTP is concerned. I have used it a few times to interchange between the FR and Conwy Valley line late afternoon in last three years.

From my observation once the FR staff lock up their portacabin the station does appear to attract "local youth" who congregate under the FR's platform's large canopy.

What doesn't help is that there is a public right of way along the FR platform which exits the station site at the side of the water tower thus providing a short cut from houses on south side of the railway to the town centre.

The Network Rail platform has seating but outside of their shelter perhaps to prevent youth congregating? Interestingly there is also a notice from BTP in Welsh only appears from my limited knowledge of Welsh to be aimed at deterring anti social behaviour!

I didn't have any problems waiting there after changing but kept an eye on the youth and felt more comfortable when other passengers showed up! Certainly not a place I would feel comfortable after dark knowing of its reputation.

I don't think it's only youths at Blaenau Ffestiniog that are the problem. I took a bus up from Penrhyndeudraeth and waited for the train to come in. No sooner did the doors open, an old man getting off the train clapped eyes on me and said "yeah, you get on the train and go back to where you came from". The guy had some significant mobility issues and the floor beneath him was wet, even though it hadn't been raining. It appeared somebody had already punched his teeth out. He reeked of booze, potency on the level of gasoline. As he stepped forward to get off the train, his trousers fell down to his ankles. I turned and walked away.

The guard on the train witnessed all this and apologised for his behaviour, but I told her there was no need as it wasn't her. She'd evidently been keeping an eye on him and seemed glad to have him off the train.

 

[Taunton]

Surely, by page 5 of Bleakest Terminals, Severn Beach should have been determined as the top spot!