Trivia: Current stations which used to have more platforms.

[Kenni]

Clifton (Salford) currently has 2 platforms (2 services per day call here) - used to have 4 platforms as 2 were on the Clifton to Bury side (closed 1966). Platforms still there under foliage.

 

[Class 170101]

Fenchurch Street I think had more than today's four platforms, on its Liverpool Street side.

 

[sarahj]

Brighton used to have 10, now 8. Ex 9 is the walkway to the rear inc the car park, 10 is where the double bike stand is next to the drop off area.

For ex platforms, many of the tyneside metro coast stations, monkseaton, whitley bay, tyne mouth, now all have 2, but many moons ago had more for the holiday traffic, plus closed branch lines eg. Monkseaton towards Seaton D and Tynemouth for the riverside route. But it is manors thats lost the most. Even the one platform that remains (island), its a shadow of what was once was.

Christs hospital. Once a mega junction station, now two platforms.
Eastbourne looks like its lost a couple as well.

 

[swt_passenger]

I'm sorry that I don't know the number during the era of the Tyneside electrics, though I can confirm that you are absolutely correct that at least 3 east-facing bay platforms have gone. Similarly, the west facing bays included platforms north west of the main roofline - within what is now the staff car-park.

In its layout immediately prior to Metro reductions, and the later electrification, the main arrival platform for through trains (now P2) was P8. There were 7 bay platforms facing east, (P7 being the present P1) and then an unnumbered platform on the far north side (by the back of the station hotel) referred to as the 'horse dock' in old plans. The east end bays had their own 'suburban' ticket office with windows in an arched entrance direct to the street.

The west end bays in that layout were 11, 12 etc upwards, but I can't recall a time when the short platforms at the very west end were in public use, by the early 60s they were only used for parcels.

 

[Western Lord]

Both Bradford stations had many more in days gone by, with just 7 spread between the two of them now.

Both Bradford stations are new stations on different sites. The original Exchange and Forster Square were demolished, so not quite the same thing as an existing station losing platforms
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Fenchurch Street I think had more than today's four platforms, on its Liverpool Street side.

I am pretty sure Fenchurch Street has never had more than four platforms

 

[swt_passenger]

Just 7 and 8 gained at Newcastle with electrification. They punched a couple of doorways in the old station back, and replaced one of the old running lines with a new double-length platform which serves what was the next running line back again.

Not quite, P5 and P6 were also new at the same time as P7 and P8. Pre-electrification that whole island didn't exist, there was just the back wall of the station, but with a few tracks (maybe 5 or 6) between the original P10 and the back wall - these were mainly used for carriage stabling. The footbridge across to the new island was newly built at the time, although successfully designed to look much older.

You're quite right about the gaps being knocked in the wall, but the pre electrification layout only had the three through platforms, 8, 9 and 10, these are now 2, 3 and 4. It was a major constraint on capacity - the new island with its split platform numbering was planned in conjunction with the closure of the line along the north bank of the Tyne through Scotswood to allow for through trains on the Sunderland - Carlisle (via Metro Centre) route.

 

[BestWestern]

A few reasonably interesting ones:

Portsmouth Harbour lost its platform 2 some years ago, when structural issues meant the piers on which the station stands were in need of major repair, and it was deemed prudent I believe to reduce the weight on them.

Chessington South famously has a 'disused' second platform, which in fact was never brought into use in the first place.

Salisbury platform 1 has been out of use for years, but remains in situ and is as well maintained as the rest of the station. The track remains in place and is used by units shunting to and from the adjacent depot. The Westbury-end bay is also no longer used as a platform, but routinely sees units stabled.

Westbury has an additional platform face to the rear of platform 1, now fenced off and track no longer in place (though there is a line passing near to the platform face, used by freight trains to access Westbury yard).

Heading back to Pompey, Portsmouth and Southsea lost several low level platforms to the car park many years ago. There are now two low level bays and two high level through platforms (one island platform structure).

 

[TheKnightWho]

Not quite, P5 and P6 were also new at the same time as P7 and P8. Pre-electrification that whole island didn't exist, there was just the back wall of the station, but with a few tracks (maybe 5 or 6) between the original P10 and the back wall - these were mainly used for carriage stabling. The footbridge across to the new island was newly built at the time, although successfully designed to look much older.

You're quite right about the gaps being knocked in the wall, but the pre electrification layout only had the three through platforms, 8, 9 and 10, these are now 2, 3 and 4. It was a major constraint on capacity - the new island with its split platform numbering was planned in conjunction with the closure of the line along the north bank of the Tyne through Scotswood to allow for through trains on the Sunderland - Carlisle (via Metro Centre) route.

Ah ok - very interesting! Thanks.

I have to say, it's disheartening to hear about all these losses at first, but then you do soon realise that if most of these were open today (even if all the closed branches were still in use!) that many of them would just never get used what with today's technology.

 

[Elecman]

Blackpool North, the old station now a supermarket and the present station was the former excursion platforms and ven that has lost platforms

 

[43074]

Beccles used to have 4 and now it has 2: From piecing together various photographs there was a North facing bay (now filled in), then the existing Platform 1 used by trains to Lowestoft and the other 2 were on an island platform which was restored in December 2012, one of which is now used by trains to Ipswich the other is disused.

Malton now has one, but it used to have 3: a South facing bay (to Pickering I believe) and 2 through platforms - the York-bound line having a platform on either side.

Northfield, on the CrossCity line, used to have 4, however now only the slow lines have platforms. The other 2, an island platform, is still there but very little remains. In fact, the Platforms in use are still numbered 1 & 4.

 

[Class 170101]

I am pretty sure Fenchurch Street has never had more than four platforms

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Fenchurch_Street_Station_2035795_5ec533e7.jpg

Have a look at that shot and let me know what you think. Looks like there may have been 5 platforms.

 

[Darren R]

Fenchurch Street had five platforms until it was rebuilt between 1932 and '35, after which it became two island platforms - the northernmost being originally shorter and was used by the shorter LNER trains before these were either discontinued or transferred to Liverpool Street in the 1940s.

Blackburn had 8 (I think) until resignalling when Preston PSB was commissioned back in the early 1970s;

Blackburn had nine platforms back in the day: four through platforms in the form of two large islands, along with five bays. The surviving bay (now platform 3) was used by local trains to Chorley and Wigan (both stations.) At the oppose end of the same island were two bays used for locals to Burnley and Colne and services via the Great Harwood Loop. There were also two generous bays at the western end of the other island, used for services to Blackpool (both stations), Southport, Liverpool and those trains to Bolton and Manchester that didn't come through from Hellifield. After these platforms were demolished the track remained in use as sidings, one of which is still used for stabling tampers and stone-blowers.

Given that by the time of the Preston area PSB resignalling in the early 1970s Blackburn had little more than basic hourly trains to Preston, Colne and Manchester, I suspect the rails in most of these platforms were very rusty!

 

[Lukeo2311]

A few I know of:
> Rock Ferry the Chester platform (formally an island platform)
> Bebington (had 4 platforms, I'm not sure when the other 2 went)
> Spital (had 4 platforms, 2 are still hidden in the undergrowth)
> Bromborough (Same case as Spital)
> Hooton had platforms on the former West Kirby line which is now the Wirral Way

 

[Nean]

Hull lost a lot of platforms back in the 1980s and retained its northernmost bays only;

Well, Hull still has 8 (IIRC, don't quote me on that, I can't remember if they took 8 out when they did the new interchange) but there are what appears to be 3-4 bay platforms to the south of Platform 1 which I have seen from time to time to keep stock temporarily... I've heard from my parents (so again... don't quote me on this) that those platforms to the south were mainly used for the Hull-Liverpool Im/Emigration link

Brough (the one in East Yorkshire) also seems to have lost one or two thanks to the two platforms being de-islandised

 

[12CSVT]

Chinley used to have six platforms

 

[Squaddie]

I have to say, it's disheartening to hear about all these losses at first, but then you do soon realise that if most of these were open today (even if all the closed branches were still in use!) that many of them would just never get used what with today's technology.

Those of us over a certain age can undoubtedly remember many, many dozens of stations that used to have more platforms than they do today (I clearly remember four platforms and significant station buildings at Blackpool South, for example) and also many large stations of which there is now absolutely no trace whatsoever.

 

[Helvellyn]

I'm surprised Crewe hasn't come up yet. Platform 12 is the last remaining platform in use on the island built later than the rest of the station, which used to have two North and two South facing bays, plus a second through platform on the opposite side of the island.

 

[Welshman]

Malton now has one, but it used to have 3: a South facing bay (to Pickering I believe) and 2 through platforms - the York-bound line having a platform on either side.

I think you've got that the wrong way around!

There were 3 platforms - the one for Scarborough had an eastern bay for connections to Pickering & Whitby, and it was this Scarborough line which had a platform on both sides, for adjacent to this line was an island platform, which also served York bound trains on its other side.

Malton had neither footbridge nor subway, but rather a kind of drawbridge, which was wheeled-out from under the Scarborough platform at right-angles to the Scarborough running line, to allow access to the York side of the island platform.

So - in effect- it only had one platform for through trains, as it was impossible to reach the York side of the island between a train to Scarborough being accepted, standing in the station and departing - very frustrating if trains happened to pass at that station and you arrived for your York train about the time the Scarborough was signalled - you could see your train, but not get to it!

So, reducing the platforms to one for trains in both directions did not really reduce the operating capacity at this station!
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I'm surprised Crewe hasn't come up yet. Platform 12 is the last remaining platform in use on the island built later than the rest of the station, which used to have two North and two South facing bays, plus a second through platform on the opposite side of the island.

Don't be surprised!
MattE2010 in #3 has mentioned the now disused platforms, which used to serve the GWR trains to/from Market Drayton and Wellington.

 

[Mugby]

Well, Hull still has 8 (IIRC, don't quote me on that, I can't remember if they took 8 out when they did the new interchange) but there are what appears to be 3-4 bay platforms to the south of Platform 1 which I have seen from time to time to keep stock temporarily... I've heard from my parents (so again... don't quote me on this) that those platforms to the south were mainly used for the Hull-Liverpool Im/Emigration link

Correct. The East European emigrees used to sail into Hull docks and then get the boat train to Liverpool for onward passage to the USA. They were segregated from the other passengers at Hull Paragon in case any of them had the cholera. Presumably they were segregated on the train too.

Funnily enough I visited Hull by train today!

 

[PHILIPE]

Shrewsbury used to have Platforms 1 and 2, two south facing bays but without access towards Abbet Foregate.
Cardiff (Queen St) used to have a platform on the Up Side - NOW IN PROCESS OF BEING BROUGHT BACK INTO USE.
Caerphilly used to have 4 through Platforms.
There would be many stations where double track lines have been singled. Not even going to attempt to quote any.

 

[Welshman]

If I recall, the Eureka building was the original main entrance, then some more platform lines were built so it was "marooned" on an island platform. These tracks have since been removed but the later bridge access is still used as the entrance to the station.

You're right - the magnificent buildings of the original entrance have now been cleaned-up and can be admired, but, unfortunately no longer see any trains adjacent to them!

It always surprises me that when they rationalised the station in the 1980s, and removed the goods lines too, they retained for traffic what was the furthest island platform [1 & 2], meaning the approach bridge over what were platforms 4, 5, 6 and the yard also was also retained, and still needs to be maintained, in order to provide access to the remaining platforms.

 

[Polarbear]

A few off the top of my head include;

Bank Hall, Bootle Oriel Road, Bootle New Strand, Huyton & Roby in Merseyside.

Manchester area - Gorton, Fairfield, Guide Bridge

Also Rochdale, Bolton, Preston, Wigan NW.

 

[bnm]

Taunton once had 9 platforms. Now has 6, with 5 of those in passenger use.

 

[Par]

Rochdale used to have eight, but now has just two through platforms, and (since the Oldham Loop conversion to light rail) one bay platform very rarely used.

 

[Manchester77]

If were counting LU then Holborn has a disused platform which used to be for the Aldwych shuttle. Barbican and Morgate both have disued platforms on the city widened lines which are adjacent to the SSLs which closed in 2009.

I'm not 100% sure about this but does Stratford still have a disued platform from when the DLR transfered from a single platform shared between DLR and National Rail to its current 4a & 4b site?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Manchester area - Fairfield

You have chosen a good one here, as this station had no less than six platform faces at one time...four on the main line and two on the branch that served the former Fallowfield loop line.

 

[Polarbear]

Batley is a station that today, belies the fact it was once considerably larger as well.

 

[TheGrew]

Someone also mentioned Warrington Bank Quay but forgot the former low level platforms. Eastleigh also used to have one where the car park now is. Botley had 3 (for the Bishops Waltham branch).

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Markdvdman]

Merthyr Tydfil used to have 4 now a shadow of its former self with 1.

http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/MerthyrTydfil_CentralRailwayStation.htm

great site that by the way

 

[306024]

I'm not 100% sure about this but does Stratford still have a disued platform from when the DLR transfered from a single platform shared between DLR and National Rail to its current 4a & 4b site?

Yes that is still there, along with platform 7 (London end bay between the eastbound Central line and the down electric line) which I'm told was abandoned before it was commissioned back in the late 1940s. A better historian than me will know for certain.

Stratford is the reverse of this thread, with many new platforms being built in recent years.