Trivia: Stations forming a cross (with 4 passenger routes from the station)

[Taunton]

Limerick Junction in Ireland is pretty much there, the routes do cross at right-angles on the flat, within station signalbox limits, but the platforms are off to one side, requiring a range of shunting manoeuvres to get to them.

 

[jfowkes]

Nottingham counts if you're allowing trams as well as trains.
And of course the tram follows the original alignment of the GCR above Nottingham Midland station (but there was no station/platforms on the GCR line).

 

[ROCsteadycrew]

Nottingham counts if you're allowing trams as well as trains.
And of course the tram follows the original alignment of the GCR above Nottingham Midland station (but there was no station/platforms on the GCR line).

Thanks I'll add it to the list.

Does the walk between Deepdene and Dorking North stretch the theme too far?

This is interesting, didn't think about a limit of the distance between two stations but this opens the door to many examples. In my mind I was thinking of a station by itself that served the four directions (eg Tamworth) or a connected/next to construction like the places mentioned with metro stops.

 

[snowball]

The layout there is shaped more like an equals sign. Although the Metrolink platforms are below the main train shed, the line lies wholly to the north of the through platforms so the two lines don't actually cross.

(Manchester Picc)
Sorry, I was talking drivel on that point.

 

[AlbertBeale]

A dual gauge version at Minffordd (although "north" and "west" both take you to Porthmadog - different stations though).

Surely "south" and "west"?

 

[Isambard]

A few ‘oldies’ - Highbridge, Sandy, Templecombe, Lydford, Builth Road, Savernake?

 

[BeijingDave]

There are tons on subway systems (there are even many six-point stars as well as crosses) but generally (to satisfy the OP's requirement) this requires the station tracks and platforms to be on different levels and there aren't so many on the conventional rail networks.

Limerick Junction is probably the most obvious and famous example close to home where it's achieved with a flat crossing.

 

[Bedwyn32]

I am thinking that Eastleigh will fit the criteria. You have the line to Romsey, one towards London, one towards Portsmouth and one towards Southampton.

 

[Railsigns]

Limerick Junction is probably the most obvious and famous example close to home where it's achieved with a flat crossing.

Limerick Junction isn't a cross-shaped station. All of its platforms are parallel and aligned with only one of the intersecting lines.

 

[zwk500]

I am thinking that Eastleigh will fit the criteria. You have the line to Romsey, one towards London, one towards Portsmouth and one towards Southampton.

The OP is specifically looking for stations where the two lines intersect, rather than converge and diverge again. I.e. both lines should be straight through the station area.

Eastleigh is in the same bracket as Tonbridge, Westbury, Rugby, etc.

 

[contrex]

I like the Filton diamond I guess it was modelled after the M4 M5 junction just North of it....

I think you'll find the railway was there rather a long time before the motorways showed up...

 

[DelW]

Surely "south" and "west"?

At Minffordd station, the NR line is roughly north - south and the Ffestiniog line is roughly east - west. The NR line northwards heads to Porthmadog and Pwllheli, and the FR line westwards heads to Porthmadog (and Caernarfon via the WHR). South is NR to Mach and Shrewsbury, east is FR to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The directions are only approximate which is why I put them in quotes, but at the actual crossing bridge they are almost at right angles to each other. The northbound NR line does soon curve westwards though.

 

[BeijingDave]

Limerick Junction isn't a cross-shaped station. All of its platforms are parallel and aligned with only one of the intersecting lines.

Sure, I'm aware of that.

I was really just saying it's highly unusual for a cross to be achieved at a station on the conventional network(s) if they are not grade-separated (but this is one case where the cross is a flat cross at a station).

 

[Rescars]

This may be stretching the theme a bit, but what about Liskeard? Circumnavigating the line to Looe covers most points on a compass, and there is the GW main line to add into the mix as well!

 

[snowball]

The OP is specifically looking for stations where the two lines intersect, rather than converge and diverge again. I.e. both lines should be straight through the station area.

Given that, are there any examples at all where a cross-shaped station is on one level?
Edit: oops, @BeijingDave has said the same thing.

 

[zwk500]

Given that, are there any examples at all where a cross-shaped station is on one level?
Edit: oops, @BeijingDave has said the same thing.

If you stretch the definition of 4 passenger directions, then Newark Northgate does qualify - the flat junction is north of the ECML platforms that offer services East, North and South, while west bound services do run into the station and then reverse back towards Lincoln to continue to Nottingham.

 

[Taunton]

but generally (to satisfy the OP's requirement) this requires the station tracks and platforms to be on different levels and there aren't so many on the conventional rail networks.

This belter from the USA is the station at Griffith, Indiana, where three separate mainstream railroads (all once double track) cross on the flat at the station in an asterisk-shaped arrangement.

 

[ROCsteadycrew]

This belter from the USA is the station at Griffith, Indiana, where three separate mainstream railroads (all once double track) cross on the flat at the station in an asterisk-shaped arrangement.

Very interesting. This is what it looks like more recently with the popo driving through.. I'm guessing the third direction would have gone through the centre of (about 11:00 as we look) the google maps picture.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@41.5...Y14AbQ3Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu

 

[Rescars]

This belter from the USA is the station at Griffith, Indiana, where three separate mainstream railroads (all once double track) cross on the flat at the station in an asterisk-shaped arrangement.

Is it just my interpretation, or are both the signals in Taunton's splendid photo showing "all clear" for what must be two separate conflicting moves over the crossing? If so, scary stuff!

 

[zwk500]

Is it just my interpretation, or are both the signals in Taunton's splendid photo showing "all clear" for what must be two separate conflicting moves over the crossing? If so, scary stuff!

I believe the signals are showing 'no orders to collect' rather than 'all clear', but could be wrong.

 

[Taunton]

Very interesting. This is what it looks like more recently with the popo driving through.. I'm guessing the third direction would have gone through the centre of (about 11:00 as we look) the google maps picture.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@41.5...Y14AbQ3Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu

This is how it once looked. Doubtless a maintenance challenge for Network Rail who don't like diamond crossings at all! The initial photo was taken from up in the top left hand corner of this one, looking towards us. Also you can see in that one from the telegraph pole crossbars that three substantial sets of wires, all parallel to their own tracks, cross here as well, a further challenge for the wires lineman.

Believe it or nor there are further junctions immediately out of shot where other railroads joined to share the tracks through there. I believe at one time about five or six major US railroads passed over this.

 

[zwk500]

This is how it once looked. Doubtless a maintenance challenge for Network Rail who don't like diamond crossings at all! The initial photo was taken from up in the top left hand corner of this one, looking towards us.

Believe it or nor there are further junctions immediately out of shot where other railroads joined to share the tracks through there. I believe at one time about five or six major US railroads passed over this.

America has a few of those crazy diamond crossings, less so now but still some kicking around. In their own way, they're more impressive than the steam-era layouts at major stations like King's Cross, York or Preston.

 

[Sultan]

Does Guildford count? North, South, West and 2 East!

 

[The Snap]

Blackburn? You’ve got the lines from Preston, Clitheroe, Bolton and Burnley all converging either side of the station.

Also Crewe, although this is more a 6 way ‘cross’ than 4 way!
Lines from Chester, Warrington (WCML), Wilmslow, Stoke, Stafford (WCML) and Nantwich all converging at either end of the station.

 

[Taunton]

I believe the signals are showing 'no orders to collect' rather than 'all clear', but could be wrong.

Correct. Nothing to do with signalling as we understand it. Arms vertically upwards is the norm, no orders. If at 45 degrees it is "slow, collect orders from a hoop [both loco and conductor in caboose] and read them as you continue". Horizontal is "Stop here for orders". The actual signals guarding the crossing are a bit further back and unconnected with this, some can be seen in the second photograph. In typical US railroad division of duties, Orders are given out by a Operator from the station, the signals by a Towerman from the adjacent Tower (signalbox).

 

[ROCsteadycrew]

Does Guildford count? North, South, West and 2 East!

Blackburn? You’ve got the lines from Preston, Clitheroe, Bolton and Burnley all converging either side of the station.

Also Crewe, although this is more a 6 way ‘cross’ than 4 way!
Lines from Chester, Warrington (WCML), Wilmslow, Stoke, Stafford (WCML) and Nantwich all converging at either end of the station.

See post #1.

 

[zwk500]

Also Crewe, although this is more a 6 way ‘cross’ than 4 way!

Crewe would only count if they ever built the long-talked about Manchester Independent platforms.

 

[AlbertBeale]

At Minffordd station, the NR line is roughly north - south and the Ffestiniog line is roughly east - west. The NR line northwards heads to Porthmadog and Pwllheli, and the FR line westwards heads to Porthmadog (and Caernarfon via the WHR). South is NR to Mach and Shrewsbury, east is FR to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The directions are only approximate which is why I put them in quotes, but at the actual crossing bridge they are almost at right angles to each other. The northbound NR line does soon curve westwards though.

I was conceptualising the narrow gauge as being north-south (with the "south" being towards Porthmadog), with the NR as being conceptually east-west (with the "west" going towards Porthmadog). But looking at a map, then yes, at the specific point where the lines meet at that bridge, the actual compass directions are equally well described by your description!

I suppose I was thinking of the general/overall orientation of the lines in that area.

 

[Peter0124]

-Deleted-

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Another "honourable mention" station (with four different directions covered but not in a "cross" arrangement) is Huddersfield with the lines to (working Clockwise from north) Brighouse; Leeds; Sheffield and Manchester. Though if we're being absolutely strict about the OP's specifications I think everything has been covered. The "outside the M25" bit rules out Whitechapel (though as the M25 doesn't form a complete loop, being broken by the Dartford crossings there's an argument that it isn't 'inside' the M25 strictly speaking).
It does have the slightly odd quirk of the Underground platforms being above the Overground ones, which is a fun bit of trivia. It also has arguably a third axis since the Elizabeth Line opened, though without checking CartoMetro I'm not sure of the angle of intersection. Another LU example ruled out is Westminster between the Jubilee and Circle/District lines.