Favourite and least favourite station

[D2022]

Say why

Trowbridge is my least, it's always cold and looks dreary, no facilities most of the time and no view along the line.

Favourite is Stranaer Harbour, looks how a station should, 60ft bull head, semaphore signals, motorail ramps still in situ with the pipework for the harbour fuel trains that used to run. Big signal box, with levers!! Plus get a good wind up and the sea comes to meet you on the platform

 

[SS4]

Favourite is Birmingham Moor Street, the architecture is fascinating and the concourse feels cosmopolitan. Main thing I don't like is the relatively long walk to platform 1 compared to the others.

Least favourite would be Rugeley Trent Valley, maybe because it was windy as frak and deserted (at least Walsall has a heated waiting room). Compensation was in the form of decent freight movements

 

[bolli]

My favourite is probably Cheltenham Spa. Warm waiting room, a fair variety.

Worst is probably Stapleton Road. The northbound shelter has more panes missing than present, probably around 2:1! Also the lack of proper information screens is fustrating.

 

[Coolguy22468]

Favorite, Grange over sands, nice station with proper information.

Least favorite Manchester Piccadilly, too congested and hard to navigate.

 

[telstarbox]

Least favorite Manchester Piccadilly, too congested and hard to navigate.

Really? It's got 12 bay platforms in a line and a couple on through lines parallel to the other 12.

 

[CheekyBandit]

Favourite: St Pancras - a great station and particularly handy for me as HS1 when visiting relatives in Kent means I avoid the tube.

Least favourite: Darnall. Former friends of mine (who lived a couple of blocks away) didn't recommend using it at night.

 

[Coolguy22468]

Really? It's got 12 bay platforms in a line and a couple on through lines parallel to the other 12.

Getting to platform 13 and 14 I find confusing.

 

[Ivo]

Favorite, Grange over sands, nice station with proper information.

Least favorite Manchester Piccadilly, too congested and hard to navigate.

Piccadilly's the best large station out there - its layout is far better than pretty much every other station of the sort! Granted, 13 and 14 can be congested, but besides the fact that this is due to the high number of through services, plans are afoot to correct this...

Anyhow, I don't think I have favourites as such. Cardiff Bay is up there on account of being home to a 121, while New Street is dreary; St Pancras is an architectural masterpiece, while Southend Central is in Southend and therefore fails by default.

Oh, and "favourite" has a "u" in it. I'll just say that before anyone else says it more strongly. (Sorry )

 

[Drsatan]

I don't have a favourite station either, although I'd say one medium sized station I like changing trains at is Eastleigh, solely because of the variety of locomotives and rolling stock in Eastleigh Yard. Judging by the number of photters on any given day Eastleigh is certainly a popular station!

Purely for heritage value, I also like Birmingham Moor Street station, even though I've only used it twice. If I worked in Birmingham I'd be happier arriving at Moor Street as opposed to New Street. For purely sentimental reasons I also like Exeter St Davids, even though there's no independently-run buffet there (something quite a few medium or large stations have, even Sheffield has its own pub!), only a Pumpkin buffet on the concourse and another on platform 5.

Again, purely for sentimental reasons, I like St James Park (notice the bias here :P ) simply because it feels rather quaint.

Stations I wouldn't want to wait for a train at include West Croydon (wouldn't want to wait for a train at night there) and Katowice station in Poland. Although Katowice station's being rebuilt, the last time I went there the station was very run down and I saw lots of shady characters lurking in the subway.

 

[Coolguy22468]

Piccadilly's the best large station out there - its layout is far better than pretty much every other station of the sort! Granted, 13 and 14 can be congested, but besides the fact that this is due to the high number of through services, plans are afoot to correct this...

Don't get me wrong the insides of platforms 1-12 are great but 13 and 14 are so congested and are themselves quite shabby, hard to get to, too congested and confusing. Birmingham New street is very dreary but I find it very easy to navigate as all the platforms are in a row which I like.

 

[wintonian]

For me it depends on the criteria really.

Least favorites:

Brighton is horrendous every time I go there. There has to be less passengers per square inch on the Waterloo & City line at 08:30.

Waterloo East, but only because of the silly barrier (inc. lack of) situation encountered just to get to Southwark.

Fishbourne Harbour and Fishbourne, neither are much fun IMO.

British Steel Redcar, doesn't look like much fun if you miss the only service, naturally I am unlikely to ever have the opportunity to find out.

Millbrook (Hants), If you like freight and getting wet then its ok.

Portsmouth & Southsea, apart from it being in Portsmouth the station would look better after being used by the navy for target practice.

Thurso, freezing cold and nowhere to sit despite an empty seizable concourse - wish I stayed on till Wick but I kind of had enough by then.

Litchfeld TV, I felt quite unsafe here even though the ticket office was open, was just glad to get back on a train.

Ones i like:

Glasgow Central, Wemyss Bay, Marylebone, Temple Meads, Lewes, York, Carlise, Middlesbrough - architectural reasons.

Manchester Pic and Newcastle, nice modern stations.

Barnstaple would be great if they did something with the old platforms.

Ryde Pier Head, a bit unusual.

I know a list wasn't asked for but the question really is too broad to narrow it down without spending quite a while thinking abut it.

 

[yorksrob]

For me it depends on the criteria really.

Least favorites:

Brighton is horrendous every time I go there. There has to be less passengers per square inch on the Waterloo & City line at 08:30.

Waterloo East, but only because of the silly barrier (inc. lack of) situation encountered just to get to Southwark.

Fishbourne Harbour and Fishbourne, neither are much fun IMO.

British Steel Redcar, doesn't look like much fun if you miss the only service, naturally I am unlikely to ever have the opportunity to find out.

Millbrook (Hants), If you like freight and getting wet then its ok.

Portsmouth & Southsea, apart from it being in Portsmouth the station would look better after being used by the navy for target practice.

Thurso, freezing cold and nowhere to sit despite an empty seizable concourse - wish I stayed on till Wick but I kind of had enough by then.

Litchfeld TV, I felt quite unsafe here even though the ticket office was open, was just glad to get back on a train.

Ones i like:

Glasgow Central, Wemyss Bay, Marylebone, Temple Meads, Lewes, York, Carlise, Middlesbrough - architectural reasons.

Manchester Pic and Newcastle, nice modern stations.

Barnstaple would be great if they did something with the old platforms.

Ryde Pier Head, a bit unusual.

I know a list wasn't asked for but the question really is too broad to narrow it down without spending quite a while thinking abut it.

But Brighton is lovely though. And you can get a pasty there (providing you can fight your way through the crowds )

 

[Starmill]

Getting to platform 13 and 14 I find confusing.

There is a huge double-door with 13 & 14 written above it in massive letters? And a travelator to carry you up to a mini-concourse with seats and train information, precisely so you don't have to wait on the congested and shabby island platform? Cannot wait to see what they'll do with this in future though!!

 

[steamybrian]

My worst station is

REDHILL

Perched high on an embankment it is always windy with little shelter.

Have spent hours of my life waiting for trains to Tonbridge because main line never seem to connect, trains are cancelled and trains seem to depart from different platforms involving a long walk through the subway.:-x:mad:

 

[6Gman]

Manchester Victoria is pretty grim!

Manchester Oxford Road can be very crowded.

 

[wintonian]

Manchester Victoria is pretty grim!

Manchester Oxford Road can be very crowded.

Going to Man Vic tends to make one feel incredibly depressed. what was clearly once a very present grand station has now had a tram routed though and a concert hall that has encroached upon the station, presumably both are as a result of the planners thinking the station had been abandoned.

 

[jnjkerbin]

My favourite smallish station in Battle. I particularly love the station building. Its a nice place to sit on a cold night waiting for your train.

I don't really know about least favourite though.

Joe

 

[gnolife]

Birkenhead Hamilton Square and every station on the Wirral Loop are pretty miserable stations to be on, although the works at Central have improved it somewhat, but, because I like to be able to see the light of day (assuming I'm not travelling at night) while at a station, these are never going to rank highly on my list of favourite stations.

I also don't like St Pancras - I find it far to difficult to get around - having gotten completely lost trying to get from the tube to the EMT platforms more times than I'd like to remember.


Stations that I do like include:
Handforth, for the wide range of signs visible on the platform
Twerp (or Thorpe Bay for those of you unfamiliar with my signature) because its good for Ivo baiting
Birmingham Moor Street - Aside from being a nice station to look at, the barrier staff are some of the friendliest that I've come across.
Helensburgh Upper. On my one visit there in July, it struck me as being an unusally pleasant station, especially when compared to Central.

 

[wintonian]

BI also don't like St Pancras - I find it far to difficult to get around - having gotten completely lost trying to get from the tube to the EMT platforms more times than I'd like to remember.

I agree the layout is terrible as is the signage, on the other hand you have no trouble finding the Eusrostar platforms, which might say something about the intended priorities for the station.

 

[yorksrob]

I still believe very strongly that they need to open up the walkway between the front concourse and the South Eastern platforms for the layout at St Pancreas to become complete.

 

[Starmill]

I agree the layout is terrible as is the signage, on the other hand you have no trouble finding the Eusrostar platforms, which might say something about the intended priorities for the station.

I kid you not, I spent no less than 25 minutes trying to find the Southeastern platforms at St Pancras on my first (and thankfully, only) visit there. neighbouring King's Cross was a dream: but I walked over the road between the two, which was a method fewer people seemed to use.

 

[transmanche]

I still believe very strongly that they need to open up the walkway between the front concourse and the South Eastern platforms for the layout at St Pancreas to become complete.

I agree. It was during the Olympics & Paralympics - made it much easier.

 

[Ivo]

Twerp (or Thorpe Bay for those of you unfamiliar with my signature) because its good for Ivo baiting

I wondered if you would put that (especially after our discussions/laughter about it last week)

Have you ever been there? It was done up over the summer and now has a desk instead of ticket counters...

Looks pretty nice actually. If not for its location - and its poor platform-side provision - I would almost say that it would warrant a place on any suburban list of "nice" or "good" stations...

 

[Manchester77]

Going to Man Vic tends to make one feel incredibly depressed. what was clearly once a very present grand station has now had a tram routed though and a concert hall that has encroached upon the station, presumably both are as a result of the planners thinking the station had been abandoned.

the brick wall BR insisted upon having between the metrolink and BR platforms makes it feel like a very disjointed station. Thankfully Victoria is being redeveloped starting from January (afaik) with a new roof as part of northern hub

 

[yorksrob]

I agree. It was during the Olympics & Paralympics - made it much easier.

That's interesting,

so it has been done!

 

[maniacmartin]

My least favourite is Birmingham New St. I've only ever used it for interchange purposes, but I find it cramped, with little seating upstairs where the departure boards are, and a depressing lack of light, natural or artificial. Plus you have to pay to use the toilets.

Whilst small stations can be forgiven for being cold and having few facilities, for major interchange stations there is no excuse for such a depressing building.

Focusing on London stations:

I also dislike stations where you have to walk up and down all over the place to get to some of the platforms, which is especially frustrating when they have a door or gate directly onto the street from said platforms that's kept locked; all so you can be funneled through a single gateline - e.g. Crystal Palace

My favourites architecturally include St Pancras (even if it is hard and lengthy to navigate) and Marylebone.

I also quite like Stratford Regional because post-Olympics it is quite shiny, and tube and train are behind a single gateline. You don't need to go on any escalators to interchange with the tube as even the Central line comes briefly to the surface. You can also see multiple National Rail, tube and DLR stocks at the same time from many vantage points, and there are three (?) subways linking the platforms which keeps congestion down.

 

[user15681]

Favourite - hmm, tough one, probably one of the London termini for the fantastic architecture.

Least favourite - Dumpton Park. The name says it all. One train an hour, a baron and desolate island platform. This says it all http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/45/95/459570_1019eaac.jpg

 

[Blindtraveler]

favourites:
carlisle - a bit of rail history and a great example of the of what makes britains railways what they are!
Nice atmosphere too.
And great staff.
Hebdon bridge - just a nice station and great buffet

may come a surprise but birmingham new street, I just like it although not same without Phill!
waverley - my local station, the start and end of many trips

dislike:
haymarket - hardly ever use it but too many trains and not enough paths through the tunel and gardens.

Both blackpool stations - not encouraging when your arive in a town associated with fun and relaxation

kings cross - as a disabled traveler I find staff here unhelpfull. There are more but cant think at mo

 

[trainophile]

Don't get me wrong the insides of platforms 1-12 are great but 13 and 14 are so congested and are themselves quite shabby, hard to get to, too congested and confusing. Birmingham New street is very dreary but I find it very easy to navigate as all the platforms are in a row which I like.

Really? I have got hopelessly lost a couple of times at BHM, when arriving on one platform and having to get to another. It doesn't help that the display boards only seem to cover the next 20 minutes, so I can't even start looking for where I need to be until I've hung around for a while (with nowhere to sit). Also I object to paying to use station toilets, and this goes for MAN too. I don't mind getting to 13/14 at MAN now I know where they are, but they are incredibly draughty, although there is an enclosed waiting area of sorts.

I quite like Crewe, for some strange reason. It has everything I need, including a (sometimes overly) warm waiting room, a lift, and (free) toilets on both sides of the bridge.

For sheer depressingness I'd have to nominate Green Lane (apologies to the forum member of that name who obviously lives there!). Having been 'bustituted' past it once, it is actually not bad at ground level, but down in the cutting it's dark, dank and oppressive. Like a tomb.

 

[Trainfan344]

Really? I have got hopelessly lost a couple of times at BHM, when arriving on one platform and having to get to another. It doesn't help that the display boards only seem to cover the next 20 minutes, so I can't even start looking for where I need to be until I've hung around for a while (with nowhere to sit). Also I object to paying to use station toilets

Have a radar key for the disabled loo, whoever got told off at new street by the cleaners because i didn't seem disabled...