Trivia: most underwhelming end to a main route?

[trainophile]

Bedwyn, which is a terminus for Turbo services from Paddington, is pretty underwhelming, just a wayside station and two stops back from where they could do with continuing to (Westbury).

Bedwyn sounds like it should be in Wales. In fact I always thought it was!

 

[southern442]

Bedwyn, which is a terminus for Turbo services from Paddington, is pretty underwhelming, just a wayside station and two stops back from where they could do with continuing to (Westbury).

Technically speaking it is now an intercity destination! Although I agree, it just seems totally pointless to not have it carry on to Westbury (maybe not in the NSE days but certainly now) and it would also give Pewsey a better service.

 

[Irascible]

I'd say Barnstaple is a bit of a disappointing one. It's a nice journey down the line from Exeter, but the railway station is between a main road, a supermarket and a dull retail park, and is over the river from the actual (and rather nice) town of Barnstaple.

Poor Barnstaple station, gone from multiple road junction - I can remember the Meeth line still being there at least - down to it's current sorry state. It's over the river but it's not *that* far away, thankfully - can you imagine what sort of cramped horror the old Town station would have made as a modern terminus...

Exmouth isn't that great, no facilities except a small waiting area with not very many seats, and the toilets down the passage by M&S were closed in the summer (possibly due to the pandemic, hopefully not permanently).

That one is even worse off than Barnstaple - can *just* remember the old Exmouth station, that was a fairly grand terminus for a branch. Time got it's teeth well into that.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

I really dislike Cannon Street.
Grandiose bridge over the Thames, drops you in a dingy terminal not that indifferent from Euston imo.

 

[Taunton]

Poor Barnstaple station, gone from multiple road junction - I can remember the Meeth line still being there at least - down to it's current sorry state. It's over the river but it's not *that* far away, thankfully - can you imagine what sort of cramped horror the old Town station would have made as a modern terminus...

Barnstaple station isn't even in Barnstaple - anyone from the town will tell you it's in Sticklepath. Furthermore it has the unusual situation of being less convenient to walk into town than used to be the case, thanks to the industrial estate being built across the direct route and some tedious-to-cross major road junctions being inserted. The old Town station was better sited being just behind the town centre.

 

[Irascible]

Barnstaple station isn't even in Barnstaple - anyone from the town will tell you it's in Sticklepath. Furthermore it has the unusual situation of being less convenient to walk into town than used to be the case, thanks to the industrial estate being built across the direct route and some tedious-to-cross major road junctions being inserted. The old Town station was better sited being just behind the town centre.

Yes, I've noticed the roads around the place getting worse. Hopefully the situation can be made a little more welcoming...

 

[JRT]

Colne is a single platform on the edge of town. Actually it's just the end of a long siding, but for some reason was expecting more.
Also was a through station and subject of a campaign to continue to Skipton.

 

[brad465]

Paignton station always feels fairly depressing, compared to the attractive stations at Torquay, Newton Abbott and Exeter St D. I also really don't understand its track layout - a terminus station with two platforms, but one only able to accommodate arrivals feels like an awful loss of flexibility for a saving of a couple of sets of points. It's also fairly odd being a terminus station without buffers, as the track carries on to the sidings

Correct me if I'm wrong, but both mainline platforms can accommodate arrivals from Newton Abbot way, but only one can permit departures back in that direction. Arrivals to the down platform (1) either have to go into Goodrington sidings and turn round back into the up platform (2), or shunt back out towards Newton Abbot and return into P2 once free (trains have performed an effective drag race before when an up train departs at the same time as a shunt). Overall Paignton maybe underwhelming; if the through working carried onto Kingswear the arrival would be anything but that I'd say.

Some local "underwhelming" ends to me could be Dartford for terminating trains, which isn't the nicest of places, if the mid-Kent line (that is not in Kent at all) counts, then Hayes is an end in an isolated part of Greater London, and as mentioned above Sheerness is rather dismal, with the Isle of Sheppey generally being run-down.

 

[JRT]

Felixstowe. Trains don't go into the station, but stop at the single platform a few 100 yards short of the station building.

 

[BayPaul]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but both mainline platforms can accommodate arrivals from Newton Abbot way, but only one can permit departures back in that direction. Arrivals to the down platform (1) either have to go into Goodrington sidings and turn round back into the up platform (2), or shunt back out towards Newton Abbot and return into P2 once free (trains have performed an effective drag race before when an up train departs at the same time as a shunt). Overall Paignton maybe underwhelming; if the through working carried onto Kingswear the arrival would be anything but that I'd say

Correct on all counts, especially about the arrival into Kingswear Station. Dartmouth Station, which could also be regarded as the end of the line is certainly underwhelming in terms of numbers of platforms, tracks and trains, having never had any of any of them, but is far from being unspectacular!

 

[43066]

Dover Priory always seems a bit workaday, for what is now the eastern focus of the Kentish railway network.

Agreed. A seedy and unpleasant armpit of station, with few redeeming features.

Always found Ramsgate to be a pretty uninspiring station.

In stark contrast to Dover Priory, I quite like it! The Art Deco building over the main concourse is impressive, albeit the facilities neglected last time I was there (which was a few years back).

A pity it’s in Thanet!

 

[PeterY]

For me locally, St Albans Abbey. A long walk around to the retail area. A slog up Holywell Hill to the town centre but very convenient for the leisure centre and park. It does have a bus shelter on the platform

 

[43066]

Corby also deserves a mention. An identikit new build station, with only one platform, is a most inauspicious end to an “Intercity” route.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Corby also deserves a mention. An identikit new build station, with only one platform, is a most inauspicious end to an “Intercity” route.

But probably not out of kilter with the suburban EMU service it will become shortly.

 

[Whistler40145]

Great Yarmouth station and surroundings definitely aren't a welcoming sight

 

[yorksrob]

Agreed. A seedy and unpleasant armpit of station, with few redeeming features.



In stark contrast to Dover Priory, I quite like it! The Art Deco building over the main concourse is impressive, albeit the facilities neglected last time I was there (which was a few years back).

A pity it’s in Thanet!

Ramsgate and Margate are both very impressive stations (as was Hastings in it's Southern Railway guize) and very fitting transport hubs for important tourist destinations.

 

[Mikey C]

Sunderland is pretty underwhelming, and it surely counts as it's the terminus of direct Grand Central services from London!

 

[43066]

But probably not out of kilter with the suburban EMU service it will become shortly.

Ha - indeed. Even pre-Covid it was difficult to see any justification for the planned service. I suppose the enormous levels of housebuilding in the area are expected to bring in people who simultaneously earn enough to justify an 80mile commute into London, and have also decided to set up home in (or near) Corby.... Hmm.

Ramsgate and Margate are both very impressive stations (as was Hastings in it's Southern Railway guize) and very fitting transport hubs for important tourist destinations.

If by “tourist” you mean “junky”, then I agree with you .

 

[yorksrob]

Ha - indeed. Even pre-Covid it was difficult to see any justification for the planned service. I suppose the enormous levels of housebuilding in the area are expected to bring in people who simultaneously earn enough to justify an 80mile commute into London, and have also decided to set up home in (or near) Corby.... Hmm.



If by “tourist” you mean “junky”, then I agree with you .

They were built in the glory days of the British seaside holiday

 

[swt_passenger]

But probably not out of kilter with the suburban EMU service it will become shortly.

Using 222s by default because there’s no reasonable alternative doesn’t really make Corby an intercity destination. As you note it’s only until May anyway...

 

[Ianigsy]

Outside of the UK Canberra takes some beating. As the only station that serves Australia's capital city, it's a single deserted platform with a brutalist station building two miles from the city centre in the middle of pretty much nowhere. It's not even served by bus services to connect with arriving trains, so if you have no onward transport arranged when you get there you have to call a cab.

Much the same goes for Ottawa - although there‘s a bus service to the station, it’s a city bus service which wanders around a few other places before it gets there, and there are at least enough arrivals from Toronto and Montreal over the course of a day to justify some facilities. Otherwise there’s a couple of miles of motorway before you reach the city itself.

Last time I went to Llandudno, the station seemed to be in the process of falling to pieces.

 

[southern442]

I really dislike Cannon Street.
Grandiose bridge over the Thames, drops you in a dingy terminal not that indifferent from Euston imo.

I have a soft spot for Cannon Street, but unlike any other London Terminal (except for maybe moorgate) it does have an empty and middle-of-nowhere feel to it outside of peak hours. Almost like you've gotten a train to 'the basement' of southeastern.

 

[KeithP]

For me locally, St Albans Abbey. A long walk around to the retail area. A slog up Holywell Hill to the town centre but very convenient for the leisure centre and park. It does have a bus shelter on the platform

I agree, St Albans Abbey station is pretty dismal, but does it count as the end of a 'main line'?

 

[Llandudno]

Much the same goes for Ottawa - although there‘s a bus service to the station, it’s a city bus service which wanders around a few other places before it gets there, and there are at least enough arrivals from Toronto and Montreal over the course of a day to justify some facilities. Otherwise there’s a couple of miles of motorway before you reach the city itself.

Last time I went to Llandudno, the station seemed to be in the process of falling to pieces.

Llandudno was extensively tastefully refurbished a couple of years ago and the main concourse and booking office area is splendid.

Unfortunately this part of the station is locked up at around 3pm each day, well before most commuters and day trippers return home...!

Llandudno Junction station is not particularly appealing though!

 

[D6130]

I have a soft spot for Cannon Street, but unlike any other London Terminal (except for maybe moorgate) it does have an empty and middle-of-nowhere feel to it outside of peak hours. Almost like you've gotten a train to 'the basement' of southeastern.

Holborn Viaduct and Blackfriars used to be like that in pre-Thameslink days. You could almost imagine the tumbleweeds blowing along the platforms!

 

[Gathursty]

Southminster is still a bit bleak in spite of Southminster also being a bit bleak.

 

[Mikey C]

Ramsgate and Margate are both very impressive stations (as was Hastings in it's Southern Railway guize) and very fitting transport hubs for important tourist destinations.

Agreed. Margate is really well located too, right by the beach. Ramsgate is less well located, when compared to the earlier stations nearer the town

 

[Hardcastle]

Not exactly the end of the line but Borth takes some beating a totally run down station building that needs some attention or knocking down. While new build Bow Street down the road got millions spent on it.

 

[DM352]

Uckfield, if it was an actual main route when through to Lewis.

Was short sighted to close the old station and build a platform on an ex running line when a bypass solved the crossing issue at a similar time. They are building many houses there now so who knows if it will one day no longer be a terminus.

 

[theageofthetra]

North Woolwich in its last days.