Grimmest, most dismal approach to a station?

[AM9]

There's one superb tower block there though. Might even be listed, with it's own lift shaft tower linked by bridges.

That's Trellick Tower.

Most of the units are now privately owned.

 

[GatwickDepress]

It's not an approach, but Three Bridges to Horsham feels pretty grimy and grim at times.

 

[BestWestern]

The curves approaching Gloucester, from both the Bristol direction and Cheltenham directions. A grim approach to a truly grotty station, and often made worse by being held just outside and having to gorp at it.

Really? Housing to the south and a nice new Morrisons to the north?

Yup, really. The general sense of abandonment as you approach the station itself, with seemingly derelict yards-cum-wasteland in every direction and then the almost equally run down platforms, not nice. Morrisons has tidied up the view on one side admittedly. The housing you mention is let down by the large faded sign from whenever they were new promoting 'Another new housing project for Gloucester' or words to that effect, which has faded almost into oblivion and gives little credit to the local authority. Indeed it may as well just say 'Hurrah, more crappy council houses' in big letters. Once past the estate one is often held at a signal on approach to the road flyover, which allows a nice view of a small fenced Pway compound and a long-forgotten, decaying portacabin within. General feeling of the place being a dump, very little anywhere to brighten it up.

 

[tigerroar]

Fair enough but it's nothing compared to the bit through the Black Country. That goes on for miles.

 

[davetheguard]

That's Trellick Tower.

Most of the units are now privately owned.

I'm afraid that "superb" is not the adjective I'd use to describe the hideous, brutalist thing....

 

[Pumbaa]

Southamton Central from both directions - mountains of rubbish from the west, and dodgy looking terraces from the east!

 

[ian959]

(Brum's nicest patches are IMO not in the City Centre)

I am still trying to get my head around the idea that Brum HAS nice patches...

Wolverhampton or Birmingham New Street win this hands down, both are as bad as each other. Wolverhampton probably more so since those derelict approaches have been there for decades and nothing has changed in that time.

 

[DarloRich]

That's Trellick Tower.

Most of the units are now privately owned.

I'm afraid that "superb" is not the adjective I'd use to describe the hideous, brutalist thing....

It is a very good example of Ernő Goldfingers 1960s brutalist architectural style though. And very Thunderbirds

(I wonder how "nice" it is inside?)

 

[yorksrob]

The approach to Ribblehead can be a bit challenging in the dark. So much so that I take a torch in winter to avoid the giant puddles.

 

[WestCoast]

I am still trying to get my head around the idea that Brum HAS nice patches

Admittedly, most views from rail lines don't paint the city in a great light, although it does show the industrial might this country had in the not so distant past. However, the Cross City Line south covers some of the nicest areas closer to the city centre; Five Ways - Bournville in particular. You have the lovely leafy Edgbaston (South of Hagley Road), the nice Uni campus (not biased about this one at all) and also leafy parts of Selly Park and Bournville. From there you're not too far away from Harborne and Moseley which are both good, smart areas by and large. Of course, you have Solihull and Sutton Coldfield further out which are affluent and leafy by and large as well. Many other areas are fine, too. Controversially, hailing from near Manchester I'd actually say while the City Centre is probably a bit better, Brum has a number of very liveable suburbs, Manchester not so many within the M60 IMHO.

 

[Andrewlong]

It is a very good example of Ernő Goldfingers 1960s brutalist architectural style though. And very Thunderbirds

(I wonder how "nice" it is inside?)

For post war modern architecture, I think it's iconic. If you want to see rubbish architecture, there are 2 office blocks near to Reading station which are empty and should have been demolished by now. Plain ugly.

Talking about Reading architecture, looks like the concrete metal box building will be demolished soon. On GWML just before you enter station from east.

 

[Fincra5]

Southamton Central from both directions - mountains of rubbish from the west, and dodgy looking terraces from the east!

I'd agree with that..

Also Euston and places down the coast like Littlehampton ore ORE

 

[yorksrob]

I'd agree with that..

Also Euston and places down the coast like Littlehampton ore ORE

I think the approach to Euston is quite good - particularly the bit with the Euston and Cider taps !

On the other hand, it is missing something big and Doric.

 

[Fincra5]

I think the approach to Euston is quite good - particularly the bit with the Euston and Cider taps !

On the other hand, it is missing something big and Doric.

I dunno... there so may backs of blocks of flats... all hideous in design!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Leeds from the Neville Hill direction isn't great, though once you get into the city centre proper (i.e. once you're on the viaduct above the bus station) it improves a bit.

For a station that's so horrid, I quite like the approach to Wakefield Kirkgate from the Huddersfield/Barnsley direction: From the lovely signal box at Horbury Junction, once you've gone under the M1 there's Pugney's Lake on one side and plenty of greenery on the other, too. The view over the tops of the terraces towards Thornes Park is very pleasant as well. Though it does get a little bit less pretty once you start to slow for Kirkgate itself, and the approach on foot is just about the definition of grim!

 

[tigerroar]

I'm afraid that "superb" is not the adjective I'd use to describe the hideous, brutalist thing....

It's different. Brutalist is a good description too
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I dunno... there so may backs of blocks of flats... all hideous in design!

There is another superb example backing onto the Euston line from the south which is often used in TV and Movies. Can't see it from the line though

 

[northern156]

Middlesbrough from Redcar!

 

[driver_m]

Very surprised nobody has mentioned Stoke on Trent with the vast dereliction approaching from the north. The place itself feels strange. Neither north nor midlands.

 

[Strathclyder]

The descent into Dalmarnock from the Rutherglen direction is hardly what you'd call pleasant.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Warrington BQ is grim, with Crosfield's soap works (Unilever) dominating the view to the west, and terraced housing/run-down hotel/freight yards to the east.
A great pity the LNWR rebuilt the station south of the Liverpool Road bridge to form a high level/low level interchange in 1868 - pointless now.

 

[Spaceflower]

Hartlepool from either direction.

 

[tigerroar]

Rowley Way http://binged.it/1w85R6v

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Road_Estate

 

[Techniquest]

There ain't much worse anywhere than the approach to Liverpool Lime Street. Feels horrid down there, worse than Birmingham New Street and much worse than Wolverhampton.

Really can't think of anything worse, although from the west Manchester Victoria isn't great.

 

[BestWestern]

Southamton Central from both directions - mountains of rubbish from the west, and dodgy looking terraces from the east!

Have to say that's one of my favourites, particularly the stretch along the docks. Industrial landscape can be fascinating!

 

[Whistler40145]

I would say the approach into Motherwell from either the North or South isn't very scenic, Accrington isn't that pleasant, neither is Brixton or the approach into Leeds from Neville Hill.


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[LNW-GW Joint]

There ain't much worse anywhere than the approach to Liverpool Lime Street. Feels horrid down there, worse than Birmingham New Street and much worse than Wolverhampton.

The setting approaching Lime St is awesome - all that naked sandstone cut by hand.
But it is grubby at track level, and as you get to Lime St there is a set of structures the railway would not be proud of.
The cutting ends of the platforms are in a poor state too, though P1-5 have been smartened up in the last few weeks at the barrier ends.
The concourse is quite attractive now.
Hopefully all the tat will be swept away with the upcoming resignalling and rebuilding of the remaining platforms.
Edge Hill is not a fine sight as you emerge from the cutting and try to get your bearings.

 

[Johnuk123]

That's Trellick Tower.

Most of the units are now privately owned.

Horrible, needs blowing up.

 

[tigerroar]

There ain't much worse anywhere than the approach to Liverpool Lime Street. Feels horrid down there, worse than Birmingham New Street and much worse than Wolverhampton.

Really can't think of anything worse, although from the west Manchester Victoria isn't great.

It's a cutting. Those and tunnels aren't supposed to be pretty. When I made the OP I was thinking of surroundings, you can hardly use that for a cutting!

 

[Techniquest]

It's a cutting. Those and tunnels aren't supposed to be pretty. When I made the OP I was thinking of surroundings, you can hardly use that for a cutting!

The title of the thread is, and I quote "Grimmest, most dismal approach to a station?". If the approach to Lime Street doesn't meet that criteria then nowhere does! Feels like you're going into the sewers of Liverpool, and the state of the walls make it less than surprising why it's often referred to as Slime Street...

Cuttings can be made to look pretty and tidy. The Western has managed to do just that at least!

The approaches to New Street, well they're not perfect admittedly but they still beat Liverpool! And I still say, even though they've clearly made improvements, Edge Hill is still one place I wouldn't like to be outside daylight hours. My only two visits there have been in the late morning/lunchtime, but the place has a most negative feeling to me. Quite what I don't know, but I was damn well glad to get out of there!

EDIT: I don't remember who brought up Gloucester, but unless it's been heavily improved since my last visit a few years ago it is definitely a dump. Although it's a palace compared to how the bus station was on the same trip...

 

[ac6000cw]

The approach to Walsall past Bescot - a decaying canal underneath a forest of concrete pillars supporting the M6 viaduct on one side, and decaying/abandoned railway structures and vehicles in Bescot yard on the other (and I think there are some powerlines as well to add to the scenery!). Then you get to Walsall station with a very dark tunnel at the far end, and the back side of a shopping centre to look at - which also manages to hide the street entrance to the station quite well, as far as I remember - and to access one of the platforms you have to go out the entrance and down a side street....