Trivia: Stations with the greatest distance between platforms

[alexl92]

Hornbeam Park railway station in Harrogate has two platforms - one for each direction - which are not directly opposite each other; between the platforms is a road bridge and there is no overlap.

I was going to ask if this was unique on Britain's railways but I'm pretty sure it's not, so instead I'm interested to know which station has the greatest distance between platforms on the same line(s)?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What you're describing is called staggered platforms and there's quite a number around the country; even at some new stations - Mitcham Eastfields for example.

There's another aspect of the question - what about the greatest width between platforms that are opposite each other? Cheam is a good contender...

 

[transmanche]

Hornbeam Park railway station in Harrogate has two platforms - one for each direction - which are not directly opposite each other; between the platforms is a road bridge and there is no overlap.

I was going to ask if this was unique on Britain's railways but I'm pretty sure it's not, so instead I'm interested to know which station has the greatest distance between platforms on the same line(s)?

Brockley Whins (aka Boldon Colliery) had staggered platforms before it was rebuilt for T&W Metro. You can just about see the start of the ramp in the foreground.

Picture source: © Stations UK

 

[cf111]

Edit: misread!

 

[GatwickDepress]

There's another aspect of the question - what about the greatest width between platforms that are opposite each other? Cheam is a good contender...

Polesworth?

You didn't specify in-use platforms!

 

[adrock1976]

A contender for the greatest width between platforms would be Bolton Trinity Street.

Regarding staggered platforms, some stations that are next to a road level crossing may be contenders, such as one of the Mitcham stations as mentioned by Peter upthread.

 

[Domh245]

Rye has got offset platforms, and is next to 2 LCs, but the LCs border the platforms

 

[Trog]

Fenny Stratford, the Dn line platform there if I remember rightly is at Bedford St Johns. About 15 miles of separation.

 

[theageofthetra]

Erith is well staggered. Quite a few on London Underground where the platforms are above or below each other

 

[thenorthern]

Liskeard may be one of them with Platform 3 being some distance from Platforms 1 and 2.

When the Tyndrum stations were first built weren't they the same station?

 

[jopsuk]

Raynes Park? Platforms are staggered (but because of the junction, not a road crossing) and there's fast lines with no platforms. Long diagonal footbridge!

 

[Mag_seven]

I took the question (Stations with the greatest distance between platforms) literally and thought about the distance at the buffer stop ends between the lowest and highest numbered platforms at a terminal station e.g. Waterloo, but I'm not sure the OP meant that.

 

[Railsigns]

Liskeard may be one of them with Platform 3 being some distance from Platforms 1 and 2.

The Looe branch platform is on a different line though.

When the Tyndrum stations were first built weren't they the same station?

No. They were situated on different railways owned by different companies and opened more than twenty years apart.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Does Retford count? It's quite a trek from the ECML platforms to the Lincoln-Sheffield platforms

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Surely Manchester Piccadilly? from the middle of platform 12 to platform 14 is
over 1/4 of a mile.

 

[DarloRich]

Shipley?

 

[Deepgreen]

Hinchley Wood.

 

[edwin_m]

Surely Manchester Piccadilly? from the middle of platform 12 to platform 14 is
over 1/4 of a mile.

Isn't there a lift from P12 to the P13/14 "lounge"?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Isn't there a lift from P12 to the P13/14 "lounge"?

Damn, there is! Lift but no stairs ... go figure

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Polesworth?

You didn't specify in-use platforms!

True.... then again Cheam has no through tracks between the two platform roads these days - it has space for three more tracks. SO Cheam almost certainly has the greatest distance without any other tracks between them?

Just had a thought: Bolton? That's a fairly wide one isn't it? Also Newbury, but that has the through tracks still in place.

 

[TheNewNo2]

Might I suggest Gloucester? It has the longest platform face in the country (two HST sets in length), so depending on the way you define it it could well be a winner.

 

[edwin_m]

Damn, there is! Lift but no stairs ... go figure

I guess the stairs would have been difficult to fit, as 12 is fairly narrow. And not really worth it as 12 is so little used.

 

[thenorthern]

Guide Bridge is quite far now that the Footbridge has been removed to walk between platforms, Peartree I have always found quite far as well.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I guess the stairs would have been difficult to fit, as 12 is fairly narrow. And not really worth it as 12 is so little used.

but 1 has stairs and no lift ...

 

[IanD]

Mirfield?

 

[edwin_m]

but 1 has stairs and no lift ...

I think the lift on 12 is primarily needed to provide access between 13/14 and Fairfield Street, and the fact it passes 12 on the way is a bit of a bonus.

 

[Kite159]

Two staggered platforms which are quite far apart:
Dilton Marsh
Pencoed

 

[strowger]

Deleted

 

[Delta558]

Two staggered platforms which are quite far apart:
Dilton Marsh
Pencoed

Pencoed has a level crossing for the main road between the two platforms AND a bloody long walk from the road to the up platform.

 

[fairysdad]

How about the opposite situation at St Budeaux? Instead of one station with the platforms far apart, you've got two stations that are so close to each other that they might as well just be one.