Stations which should close

[PR1Berske]

Surprised no-one has mentioned rationalising the Cambrian. I know (from experience) that the line is pretty much a law to itself (many years ago I did a trip on the coast section where the driver had his arm in plaster AND his dog with him - and he drove perfectly!) but some of the stations surely can go?

Penhelig is only a mile from Aberdyfi ; Torfanua anyone? As for the three stations on the approach to Penrhyndeudraeth ... Surely two could go? (Tygwyn,Talsarnau and Llandecwyn - three stations in 2 miles!) Why Morfa Mawddach? Any walkers could easily go to Fairbourne.

Actually you could feasibly just have the following:

Aberdyfi, Tywyn, Fairbourne, Barmouth, (maybe one in here) Harlech , Penrhyndeudraeth, Minffordd (only for the interchange mind you!), Porthmadog, Criccieth and Pwllheli and I doubt anyone would be disrupted too much.

The Coast has too many stations; the Shrewsbury to Aber section too few ....

Would Montgomery ever get its station back?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Would Montgomery ever get its station back?

The original station is quite a way from the town I believe.

 

[6Gman]

Surprised no-one has mentioned rationalising the Cambrian. I know (from experience) that the line is pretty much a law to itself (many years ago I did a trip on the coast section where the driver had his arm in plaster AND his dog with him - and he drove perfectly!) but some of the stations surely can go?

Penhelig is only a mile from Aberdyfi ; Torfanua anyone? As for the three stations on the approach to Penrhyndeudraeth ... Surely two could go? (Tygwyn,Talsarnau and Llandecwyn - three stations in 2 miles!) Why Morfa Mawddach? Any walkers could easily go to Fairbourne.

Actually you could feasibly just have the following:

Aberdyfi, Tywyn, Fairbourne, Barmouth, (maybe one in here) Harlech , Penrhyndeudraeth, Minffordd (only for the interchange mind you!), Porthmadog, Criccieth and Pwllheli and I doubt anyone would be disrupted too much.

The Coast has too many stations; the Shrewsbury to Aber section too few ....

I wonder if the proliferation of stations is linked to schools traffic?

On the Cambrian Coast being a law unto itself I used to do the traincrew diagrams some years ago, and Mach and Pwllheli were the two most obliging depots imaginable. Who else would accept swapping cabs at Barmouth as a break from continuous driving under the manning agreement?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Close golf street, Barry links and balmossie between carnoustie and dundee. You can see golf street and Barry links all from carnoustie station, there is no car parks and very low passenger usage but keep monifeith open for more rail services.

just as long asit gets them, I'd long since given up! Agree with you though!

 

[142094]

I wonder if the proliferation of stations is linked to schools traffic?

On the Cambrian Coast being a law unto itself I used to do the traincrew diagrams some years ago, and Mach and Pwllheli were the two most obliging depots imaginable. Who else would accept swapping cabs at Barmouth as a break from continuous driving under the manning agreement?

Last time I was on the Cambrian a few years ago, both the evening and following morning service into and out of Pwllheli were packed with schoolkids. Once they'd got off, there weren't many others.

 

[Stewart]

Dovey Junction? Could swap it for Llanbadarn Fawr

 

[lewisb]

Delete

 

[172212]

Blakedown, I never see anyone get on or off the train here, it hasn't even got a ticket office

 

[Ivo]

Blakedown, I never see anyone get on or off the train here, it hasn't even got a ticket office

Half-hourly service; 75,000+ uses per year; busy commuter route. This idea won't find any support at all.

Not having a ticket office is completely irrelevant. Almost all TOCs have at least a few stations with no ticket office (only c2c do not).

 

[12CSVT]

Either Ty Glas or Birchgrove should close.

I could never see the point of Ty Glas opening in the first place (in 1987), little more than 300 yards and barely 5 minutes walk from Birchgrove.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

As an occasional user of Chathill, I wouldn't like to see it close - but a reopened Belford, with bus links to Bamburgh, Seahouses and Beadnell, would probably be a better alternative.

 

[IanXC]

On some lines there might be a case for introducing tram/trains which can cater for low or even "street level" platforms, thus reducing the costs of building and maintaining a station to a similar level to a bus stop.

The difficulty with this is that you end up having to rebuild existing heavy rail height platforms to low level, and then where do you draw the line in the network?

I think a better solution would be more use of short platforms - perhaps 4m x 4m - the kind of set up that some request stops use - with an announcement to use a particular door on the train, opened by the guard under local door conditions.

 

[transmanche]

As an occasional user of Chathill, I wouldn't like to see it close - but a reopened Belford, with bus links to Bamburgh, Seahouses and Beadnell, would probably be a better alternative.

Don't the trains have to go up to Belford anyway to reverse? So perhaps they could re-open Belford and keep Chathill.

I'd like to see a couple of daytime services at the weekend, Chathill and/or Belford would be good railheads for cycling days out in Seahouses/Bamburgh

 

[142094]

Don't the trains have to go up to Belford anyway to reverse? So perhaps they could re-open Belford and keep Chathill.

I'd like to see a couple of daytime services at the weekend, Chathill and/or Belford would be good railheads for cycling days out in Seahouses/Bamburgh

They do indeed. Northumberland County Council are (still) exploring the idea of reopening it, although taking their time and neglecting the fact there are other areas in Northumberland that really could do with stations reopened.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Rough Green, Hellwood and Xunts Cross poor trouble between those 3 staions then anywhere else on the Liverpool Line. I feel sorry for the decent people who live there.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

At least one Pontefract station, preferably Tanshelf as it's closed on race days and isnt needed in a town as small as Ponty. Any verdict?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

At least one Pontefract station, preferably Tanshelf as it's closed on race days and isnt needed in a town as small as Ponty. Any verdict?

It matters little how big or small the town is, if it can justify the number of stations it sustains, so be it. You can't go round saying - 'Only 40,000 residents, only one station for you.'; 'Ah, 80,000 residents, you get two...', that's horrendously illogical :roll:

Tanshelf is closest to the town centre as far as I can see; Monkhill is the busier and also has the GC Kings Cross-Bradford calling; Baghill is on a totally separate line and would flourish if it actually got more than 4 trains a day.

 

[142094]

Agree about Baghill - Pontefract could do with a direct York or Sheffield service throughout the day, without having to change at either Wakefield stations or Leeds.

 

[IanXC]

Agree about Baghill - Pontefract could do with a direct York or Sheffield service throughout the day, without having to change at either Wakefield stations or Leeds.

What if this was combined with the proposed hourly shuttle from York to Scarborough- potentially creating a Scarborough to Sheffield (or beyond) service via York and Baghill?

 

[The 375 King]

Q. What stations should close?
A. The local station of anyone whow thinks a station not on their own area should close.

 

[starrymarkb]

Hmm, should we take the numbers of ticketless passengers into account (when justifying a station's existence)?

I don't know, I'm asking a hypothetical question.

St James Park in Exeter is a lot busier then figures would suggest, it saw a big leap when Ticket Gates were installed at Exeter Central :roll:

 

[142094]

What if this was combined with the proposed hourly shuttle from York to Scarborough- potentially creating a Scarborough to Sheffield (or beyond) service via York and Baghill?

If it's possible, then that would be a good idea instead of a unit possibly sitting around at York. The only problem at present with the current York - Sheffield stopper is the factit takes so long, which is a combination of slack timings and low line speeds in parts. I've been on it where we've arrived at Baghill 10 early, so if they were to speed it up it would be a decent competitor to XC going via Donny or Leeds.

 

[34D]

Every LU station in zone 4, 5 or 6. Hardly anyone uses them.

(And yes, this is my way of sticking two fingers up at those of you who are suggesting vital communities in the north of England or west Wales should be cut off)

 

[TomJ93]

Polesworth

 

[34Short]

Close down Peartree and re-open Ramsline Halt instead, for the sh*ts and giggles.

 

[Anvil1984]

If it's possible, then that would be a good idea instead of a unit possibly sitting around at York. The only problem at present with the current York - Sheffield stopper is the factit takes so long, which is a combination of slack timings and low line speeds in parts. I've been on it where we've arrived at Baghill 10 early, so if they were to speed it up it would be a decent competitor to XC going via Donny or Leeds.

The call at Rotherham is another part of the journey which (understandably) adds time

 

[Scotrail84]

Breich on the shotts line and Springfield on the ecml and barnhill on the low level line virtually 150yds from Springburn station. Close balmossie, monifieth, Barry links and golf street between broughty ferry and Carnoustie on the ecml.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Agree about Baghill - Pontefract could do with a direct York or Sheffield service throughout the day, without having to change at either Wakefield stations or Leeds.

What if this was combined with the proposed hourly shuttle from York to Scarborough- potentially creating a Scarborough to Sheffield (or beyond) service via York and Baghill?

The call at Rotherham is another part of the journey which (understandably) adds time

I forget the actual times, but one Saturday about two months ago I was in Sheffield area. I completed the Supertram network in the morning, the set my sights on the service via Baghill, mainly just as something to do afterwards. It was entirely coincidental that I'd picked up the new issue of TRUK that morning, which had a frankly massive feature on Northern stock allocation. It stated that the second Saturday service north is the only train a week booked not Pacer (it was a 158). I boarded it at Rotherham and stayed on all the way to York. It was very quiet (maybe 3 people in my carriage; 2-car set, though I doubt many more were in the rear coach), even at Swinton and Baghill. The return was a different story altogether. It's a 142 southbound, an ex-FGW one in my case, which was about 80% full. A couple got off at Ulleskelf, Church Fenton and Sherburn-in-Elmet, however about 20-25 alighted at Baghill, and a few boarded. It largely turned into just another local service after Moorthorpe and Swinton, however, it was very busy through the Baghill 'core' (even though this service is convenient for day out trips and shopping in York), I think it shows the potential it has perfectly.

 

[flymo]

Every LU station in zone 4, 5 or 6. Hardly anyone uses them.

(And yes, this is my way of sticking two fingers up at those of you who are suggesting vital communities in the north of England or west Wales should be cut off)

Flymo thoroughly endorses the above post....

My opinion of which stations should close...no stations whatsoever.

 

[tbtc]

Breich on the shotts line and Springfield on the ecml and barnhill on the low level line virtually 150yds from Springburn station. Close balmossie, monifieth, Barry links and golf street between broughty ferry and Carnoustie on the ecml.

Based on current useage etc I don't think anyone would lose much sleep were those seven were to close.

I could make a case for Monifieth having a viable passenger base but its a real waste of money to keep Breich open for 1.3 passengers a day.

For those wanting more information about Breich, I'd recommend these recent pictures > http://primitivepeople.livejournal.com/1210928.html?style=mine&nc=10
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I forget the actual times, but one Saturday about two months ago I was in Sheffield area. I completed the Supertram network in the morning, the set my sights on the service via Baghill, mainly just as something to do afterwards. It was entirely coincidental that I'd picked up the new issue of TRUK that morning, which had a frankly massive feature on Northern stock allocation. It stated that the second Saturday service north is the only train a week booked not Pacer (it was a 158). I boarded it at Rotherham and stayed on all the way to York. It was very quiet (maybe 3 people in my carriage; 2-car set, though I doubt many more were in the rear coach), even at Swinton and Baghill. The return was a different story altogether. It's a 142 southbound, an ex-FGW one in my case, which was about 80% full. A couple got off at Ulleskelf, Church Fenton and Sherburn-in-Elmet, however about 20-25 alighted at Baghill, and a few boarded. It largely turned into just another local service after Moorthorpe and Swinton, however, it was very busy through the Baghill 'core' (even though this service is convenient for day out trips and shopping in York), I think it shows the potential it has perfectly.

The timings only really suit people in Pontefract going to York for a day of shopping - they're little use to anyone visiting Sheffield.

The towns on the route are of a reasonable enough size (30,000 in Pontefract), but the parallel lines (Sheffield - Wakefield - Leeds - York, Sheffield - Doncaster - York) serve much bigger places which means that the Pontefract line doesn't get the attention that it would elsewhere in the country.