Favourite and least favourite Scotrail stations

[Scotrail12]

Hi all,
Just wondering, what is your favourite and least favourite Scotrail station and why?
My fav is Partick and least fav is one stop down at Charing Cross.

 

[ADRboy]

Favourite - Glasgow Central

Least favourite - Carntyne or Anderston.

 

[Scotrail12]

Oh yes, I love Central station.
Anderston is rather depressing and Carntyne is literally empty 24/7

 

[Romilly]

St Andrews: least favourite because it's closed; favourite because it will be useful if/when re-opened.

 

[ian1944]

I like Glasgow Central, but prefer Stirling as it's less crowded. Spacious, light (check the iron glass roof), nice architecture, bookstall and caff. Also scenic views of castle, Wallace mon and the Ochils.

Least favourite is Holytown, it's just awful, looks like the sort of place a holy war would be (or maybe has been) fought. Gaza on Clyde? GSV doesn't do it justice, with trees and the weedpatch "garden" in full growth in July 2009, try it on a dreich wet Wednesday in winter for the full effect. To be fair, it has a lot of competition on the Shotts and Airdrie lines between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

 

[aylesbury]

Glasgow Central its a wonderful station busy stylish and clean,the section with the shops in on the concourse look terrific and the exterior just says come in this is an important place to be.

 

[Altnabreac]

Favourite: Corrour - so many great memories of long days on the hills and a beautiful spot as well. Also the fun of recreating the scene from Trainspotting.

Least favourite: Arbroath - a slightly sad, neglected place that could be really lovely if some of its period features were restored and some of the dereliction removed.

(Obviously Altnabreac is a close second favourite )

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I've become rather fond of Pitlochry in recent years.
Aviemore and Perth have massive amounts of charm, in their different ways.

Hovering somewhere near to my favourites has to be Dalmeny and Crianlarich.

Despite its wonderful new upgrade, the experience of standing on the platforms of Haymarket (Edin) station is always a misery. It avoids being my 'least favourite only by virtue of the remaing stone features at road level. The platform experience remains excrutiatingly dull.

But there's worse. The low-level platforms of Glasgow Central and Queen St seem designed to induce suicidal depression, and their reality comes close to fulfilling that objective.

I'm really looking forward to enjoying a station at Reston - though, of course, this optomism only exists in my imagination, and perhaps the imagination of some in the Executive.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

New Cumnock station is not in a good state, but sadly the whole town's not doing well either.
Mallaig has good views.
I can't say much as I haven't been to a quarter though.

 

[class303]

Favs : Glasgow Central (although it's arguably not a scotrail station). Wemyss Bay a wonder as well.

Worst : Branchton, Drumfrochar, Whinhill & Bogston. Ugly stations serving somewhat colourful Greenock housing schemes.

 

[St Rollox]

As a Glaswegian i'll go for the capital and Edinburgh Waverley, there seems to be life there 24/7.
Worst could be anyone of 50 stations in Central Scotland but if forced i'll go for Barnhill.
Scary place on a dark night.
Dalmarnock would have beat Barnhill until millions were there for the Commonwealth Games.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I do like Perth, the Inverness half of the station is absolutely beautiful, if somewhat neglected: I love the whole feel of the place. Also quite fond of Stirling and Wemyss Bay.

One of the worst has to be Branchton: the corrugated steel around the old building looks hideous. Mind you, quite a few in the Glasgow area are looking a bit worse for wear!

 

[GatwickDepress]

I quite like Girvan, Kilwinning, and Ayr.

Ardrossan Harbour is eerily desolate.

 

[Strathclyder]

Favourites: Glasgow Central (I'm ignoring the Low Level, which is a shambolic mess), Wemyss Bay, Paisley Gilmour Street, Dumbarton Central & Ayr.

Least favourite: Anderston. Coatbridge Central doesn't rank high on my favourites list either.

 

[Scotrail12]

[Coatbridge Central doesn't rank high on my favourites list either.

I agree.
I live in Coatbridge and that horrible passageway between the 2 platforms is really eerie and slightly unsafe.:cry:
The ex-SPT stations seem to be the ones in bad shape unfortunately.

 

[Eng274]

As an ex-pat my favourite stations when I lived there were Edinburgh Waverley and inverness. Least favourites include Argyle street, for the same reasons as central and queen street low level on an earlier post, and inverkeithing. special mention goes to Uphall, which when I last used it didn't have a footbridge, and I missed the last Edinburgh train because my lift dropped me off on the wrong side, and I had to run down to the main road and back up again. Something of a first world problem, but the person giving me a lift wasn't impressed that she had to take me all the way to Edinburgh!

 

[D6975]

Scotland has several sympathetically restored stations, most already mentioned. I've always had a soft spot for Waverley, partly because of the layout, you can never be sure what you'll find round the next corner.

Coatbridge Central was a right dump when I was last there, but that was about 10 years ago, don't know what it's like now.

 

[PFX]

Of stations I've visited or used, Stirling is my favourite. It has improved massively over time from the dirty, dark place I recall when the platform ticket machine was still in place beside the old barrier.

Camelon is my least favourite. An exposed place of spartan, concrete desolation. It was never a joy waiting there for the train.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Haven't been to many Scottish stations but of those I have visited, the top would be Glasgow Central high level, with an honorary mention for Dumbarton Central.

The worst is a toss-up between Central or Queen Street low level, or most likely Charing Cross.

 

[matchmaker]

Haven't been to many Scottish stations but of those I have visited, the top would be Glasgow Central high level, with an honorary mention for Dumbarton Central.

The worst is a toss-up between Central or Queen Street low level, or most likely Charing Cross.

Charing Cross gets my vote. Dark, depressing, smelly. I still remember it from the days before it was mostly hidden beneath the multi-story car park, with the original station buildings still in place.

Not as dark, but even more depressing and smelly!

 

[deltic08]

Most have gone for stations with overall roof and/or ornate canopies such as Glasgow Central, Dumbarton Central, Wemyss Bay, Stirling, Perth and Edinburgh Waverley. I would add Helensborough Central and Aberdeen.

Happy memories of Glasgow Buchanan Street, St Enoch, Leith Central and the original Fort William, Oban, Crieff and North Berwick stations from steam days. All horrendous mistakes looking back.

Small stations Dunblane, Gleneagles (when still junction stations), Callendar, most stations on the Perth-Inverness line, Troon, Ayr if the canopies still existed over the two bay platforms, Girvan, New Bathgate.

Still giving worst stations some thought but agree with those mentioned so far in and around Glasgow suburban lines.

 

[Scotrail12]

Scotland has several sympathetically restored stations, most already mentioned. I've always had a soft spot for Waverley, partly because of the layout, you can never be sure what you'll find round the next corner.

Coatbridge Central was a right dump when I was last there, but that was about 10 years ago, don't know what it's like now.

It still is, live 15 mins walk away. Unsafe and dirty passageway between the platforms and that empty feel.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Charing Cross gets my vote. Dark, depressing, smelly. I still remember it from the days before it was mostly hidden beneath the multi-story car park, with the original station buildings still in place.

Not as dark, but even more depressing and smelly!

Use this station every day, Can't agree more!
You get off the train and there is several pigeons nests above your head and a very damp outside bit further down the platform. Horrible.
The lifts are crap, they go at about 1cm per minute and can only take about 7 people. So you take the stairs despite having big bags which go left,right,right,left,left and then 54 steps later you are at the top. 54 Steps is not much for me but not exactly what you would want during Morning rush hour with several other people walking up with you.
The WHSmith is overpriced and always closed and the station staff seem a wee bit sad, just staring and closing gates every so often, sometimes while passengers are walking through.
The ticket hall area is fine. But it is the worst station I have been to.
Compare that to Partick the clean "Trainport" 1 stop down it resembles Alcatraz more than a train station!

 

[Bodiddly]

Use this station every day, Can't agree more!
You get off the train and there is several pigeons nests above your head and a very damp outside bit further down the platform. Horrible.
The lifts are crap, they go at about 1cm per minute and can only take about 7 people. So you take the stairs despite having big bags which go left,right,right,left,left and then 54 steps later you are at the top. 54 Steps is not much for me but not exactly what you would want during Morning rush hour with several other people walking up with you.
The WHSmith is overpriced and always closed and the station staff seem a wee bit sad, just staring and closing gates every so often, sometimes while passengers are walking through.
The ticket hall area is fine. But it is the worst station I have been to.
Compare that to Partick the clean "Trainport" 1 stop down it resembles Alcatraz more than a train station!

This is not the first time I have heard this about the station staff at Charing Cross. This makes me think that if you have been caught doing something naughty at your nicer station, you get sent to Charing Cross for punishment!
My two choices would have to be Achnasheen for the good, a lovely station set in a dramatic landscape, and purely upon my personal experience, Drumry for the bad, where I was attacked by a group of neds many years ago and had to run like Lindford Christie to get away from them! hock:

 

[ADRboy]

This is not the first time I have heard this about the station staff at Charing Cross. This makes me think that if you have been caught doing something naughty at your nicer station, you get sent to Charing Cross for punishment!
My two choices would have to be Achnasheen for the good, a lovely station set in a dramatic landscape, and purely upon my personal experience, Drumry for the bad, where I was attacked by a group of neds many years ago and had to run like Lindford Christie to get away from them! hock:

Should've gone to Yoker. The young team were 10 times worse.

 

[Bodiddly]

Should've gone to Yoker. The young team were 10 times worse.

Funnily enough, Yoker did cross my mind as the station and surrounding area is an absolute dump. The worst I ever came across was a young 'gentleman' trying to smack me with bricks from a footbridge near Bellgrove as I tried to fix a points failure. It was the only time I ever thanked NR for bringing in the blanket policy of wearing of hard hats on the line!

 

[backontrack]

I like Aberdeen, Waverley, Glasgow Central, Perth and Inverness stations. The ones on the Perth-Inverness line all look great, too.

I'm not sure about the worst, but Haymarket looks dreary. And I know it's a pretty odd choice, but I never really liked Muir of Ord, either. It's all a bit grey compared to other stations on the line. Dingwall, Invergordon, Rogart and Dunrobin Castle are all in good nick, even rural Scotscalder.

Mind you, Thurso's still worse.

 

[najaB]

I'm not sure about the worst, but Haymarket looks dreary.

Is that the old or new Haymarket?

 

[herschell]

I like my home station of Montrose though wish it still had it's canopies which I miss but it is a favourite of mine but my overall favourite is like many other Glasgow Central though I will admit I like both high & low levels and always use it when travelling to Hyndland as prefer it over Queen Street low level.

Least favourite Glasgow Queen Street Low level

 

[Chrism20]

Favourite is Dunbar, it is smart and well maintained whilst it has that sleepy backwater but stuck on a mainline feel to it.

Worst is either of the Falkirk stations. Both grotty looking and feeling. Lived there for years and never felt safe at either.

 

[Liam]

Favourite - Wemyss Bay. Kinghorn, Burntisland and Aberdour are very nice too. Of the larger stations, Aberdeen has always been a favourite.

Least favourite - Not sure, Dunfermline QM is pretty bland, always cold. Dundee used to be a bit depressing, but the temporary entrance/exit from Riverside Drive has actually improved the place, though it is a little small. Platforms are still a bit grubby, though that's to be expected for a station that is basically underground.