TRIVIA: Current stations that have always been unstaffed

[Spankthemonkey]

South Wigston

 

[work-traveller]

I think these Highland stations have never been staffed:

Falls of Cruachan
Loch Eil Outward Bound
Locheilside
Lochailort
Duncraig
Attadale
Achnashellash

 

[181]

I think these Highland stations have never been staffed:

Falls of Cruachan
Loch Eil Outward Bound
Locheilside
Lochailort
Duncraig
Attadale
Achnashellash

Like you I'd be surprised if Falls of Cruachan was ever more than an unstaffed halt, but the building seen here looks a bit more substantial than a waiting shelter.

I'm sure you're right about Loch Eil Outward Bound.

Locheilside once had a proper building, so I presume it was staffed.

Lochailort once had buildings and a passing loop (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lochailort_railway_station) and must have been staffed.

I don't know about the Kyle line stations.

 

[krus_aragon]

To throw a historical bent on things...

As I understand things, in the 19th century practically all passenger stations were staffed, to deal with goods traffic. After Light Railways came into fashion, unstaffed halts started popping up, with LNWR examples including St Winifrede's Well Halt on the Holywell branch (1912), and Ceint, Rhyd-y-Saint and Llanbedrgoch on the Red Wharf Bay branch (1908). Unsurprisingly, these branches (which had previously been uneconomical to build) soon became uneconomical to run with the advent of the motor car, so were early closures.

The only surviving (open) candidate I can think of in North Wales is Dolgarrog, which was opened in 1916 on the existing Conwy Valley line. I believe it was an unstaffed halt from opening.

 

[Smudger105e]

Willington and Matlock Bath; both closed and then reopened.

All of the current stations along the S & C with the exception of Settle and Appleby.

Aldrington certainly used to be staffed.

Almost any ex-GWR "halt" will not have been staffed in the "olden days"

Appleford, Combe and Finstock
Chetnole and Thornford Bridge
Dockyard
the Looe branch halts
possibly some in the Cardiff Valleys?
Lamphey?
the surviving Cambrian Coast halts (Llanaber and northward).


Not sure about other SR "halts" (steamybrian has listed some) - there's others like along the south coast like Pevensey Bay, Aldrington, Fishersgate, East Worthing, Fishbourne, Southbourne, Nutbourne, Bedhampton, Hilsea - and Holton Heath? - plus Polsloe Bridge and St James' Park. I think some of these may have been staffed at some time (or may be now, it's a long way from here!)

Sent from my SM-G800F using Tapatalk

 

[OwlMan]

Bermuda Park and Coventry Arena

 

[6Gman]

To throw a historical bent on things...

As I understand things, in the 19th century practically all passenger stations were staffed, to deal with goods traffic. After Light Railways came into fashion, unstaffed halts started popping up, with LNWR examples including St Winifrede's Well Halt on the Holywell branch (1912), and Ceint, Rhyd-y-Saint and Llanbedrgoch on the Red Wharf Bay branch (1908). Unsurprisingly, these branches (which had previously been uneconomical to build) soon became uneconomical to run with the advent of the motor car, so were early closures.

The only surviving (open) candidate I can think of in North Wales is Dolgarrog, which was opened in 1916 on the existing Conwy Valley line. I believe it was an unstaffed halt from opening.

Was Roman Bridge ever staffed?

 

[181]

Was Roman Bridge ever staffed?

It has quite a substantial former station building, so probably.

Am I right in thinking that some halts were staffed? I have an idea that on some lines, 'halt' meant that there were no facilities for goods, parcels, etc., and there might have been a small booking office -- I'm thinking of something a bit like Stonehouse is today.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
A slight tangent, but there is some information about the Roman Bridge station building here and here. The latter page implies that it was once owned by a former stationmaster.

 

[Marton]

James Cook, Gypsy Lane, and Longbeck all opened post pay train I believe.

 

[krus_aragon]

Was Roman Bridge ever staffed?

Bill Rear's "Chester to Holyhead Branch Lines" states:

The station was built in about 1878 by D. & E. Jones of Betws-y-Coed. The main building was a two storey stone structure which incorporated the stationmaster's house. The ground floor offices consisted of a station office, a booking office and a combined booking hall and waiting room.

 

[matchmaker]

The current Alloa station was built as unstaffed.

 

[Polarbear]

Bache is probably the only station on the Merseyrail network that has always been unstaffed. It did however, replace Upton-by-Chester halt in 1984 (on a different site), which was staffed up to the early 1980's.

 

[TBY-Paul]

James Cook, Gypsy Lane, and Longbeck all opened post pay train I believe.

Not forgetting....British Steel Redcar & Teesside Airport And I can't imagine Allen's West ever being manned either..

 

[Chrisyd]

Hall-i'th-Wood on the Ribble Valley line between Bolton and Blackburn opened in the 80s and has apparently never been staffed.

 

[notverydeep]

How about Dilton Marsh and Avoncliff?

 

[Clip]

Did Sudbury & harrow road ever have a ticket office?

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Bache is probably the only station on the Merseyrail network that has always been unstaffed. It did however, replace Upton-by-Chester halt in 1984 (on a different site), which was staffed up to the early 1980's.

Overpool has never been staffed.

But further down the line on what is now Northern Rail, there used to be a tiny, tiny ticket office at Stanlow & Thornton which opened in the evening peak when a couple of trains would start from there and run to Rock Ferry. It reminded me of the shed my dad built on his allotment.

I wonder whether Ince & Elton was ever staffed.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Trefforest Estate?

Staffed at one time, the booking office window is still in place at the station entrance.

Godley and Flowery Field I don't think have every been staffed.

The summer 1986 BR timetable gives Flowery Field as staffed and Godley as unstaffed.

I don't think these have been said -... Digby and Sowton

I believe the building at the station entrance was intended as a booking office, though I don't think it has ever been used.

But further down the line on what is now Northern Rail, there used to be a tiny, tiny ticket office at Stanlow & Thornton which opened in the evening peak when a couple of trains would start from there and run to Rock Ferry. It reminded me of the shed my dad built on his allotment.

It's still there!

 

[6Gman]

Bill Rear's "Chester to Holyhead Branch Lines" states:

From time to time people suggest that all stations should be staffed.

When it crops up I always volunteer to be Station Master, Roman Bridge.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

From time to time people suggest that all stations should be staffed.

When it crops up I always volunteer to be Station Master, Roman Bridge.

I do wonder what some station staff used to do all day - most of the stations on the likes of the West Highland and Far North lines didn't lose their staff until the 1980s and I can't imagine custom was booming...

 

[exile]

I do wonder what some station staff used to do all day - most of the stations on the likes of the West Highland and Far North lines didn't lose their staff until the 1980s and I can't imagine custom was booming...

In earlier times staff in small stations did multiple jobs - signalling, portering, shunting, clerical duties, selling tickets. However towards the end I can imagine
time passed rather slowly!

 

[philthetube]

watch the railway children to see what the station staff did