Is platform one considered prestigious at some stations?

[ainsworth74]

Major trains from King's Cross depart from Platform 0 or 1.

What's your criteria for 'major trains' because I've had just every VTEC destination out of any of platforms 0 - 8.

 

[backontrack]

I meant the Aberdeen and Inverness trains.

 

[ainsworth74]

I meant the Aberdeen and Inverness trains.

Monday to Friday last week the Chieftain departed platforms 7, 1, 3, 4 & 0. If we look at the coming week Monday to Friday it's booked to depart platform 4 all week.

Meanwhile the Aberdeen's last week, Monday to Friday, departed platforms 1, 6, 1, 0, 5, 1, 8, 0, 6, 7, 0, 6, 0, 2, & 5. For the week coming their all booked to depart 2, 0 & 5 each day.

You'll forgive me but I'm not quite sure that it's true that Aberdeen and Inverness exclusively depart from 1 and 0

 

[backontrack]

I was using my own experiences...

 

[yorkie]

Major trains from King's Cross depart from Platform 0 or 1......

I meant the Aberdeen and Inverness trains.

Not true. Also don't they aim to keep the use of platform 0 for diesel trains to a minimum where practicable? I got the Chieftain from 0 once, and everyone was commenting on how unusual that is.

 

[jamesst]

Liverpool Lime Street seems to reserve platform 1 for the 'premier' Wigan and Blackpool route!! Pretty sure no Virgin trains would fit in Platform 1 to be honest.

 

[Railsigns]

Glenrothes is a good examples of a station where most trains are booked to use Platform 1 for accessibility reasons.

Accessibility for trains, that is. Platform 1 is located on the Fife Circle line, while Platform 2 isn't.

 

[backontrack]

Not true. Also don't they aim to keep the use of platform 0 for diesel trains to a minimum where practicable? I got the Chieftain from 0 once, and everyone was commenting on how unusual that is.

I realise that now. :roll:

I was speaking from my own experiences.

 

[90sWereBetter]

Lowestoft's platform 1 has formed the station's car park for at least the last 25 years, and they never bothered to renumber the other platforms.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Platform 1 at Preston is not a premier destination ....

 

[Railsigns]

Lowestoft's platform 1 has formed the station's car park for at least the last 25 years, and they never bothered to renumber the other platforms.

That's one way to ensure that Platform 1 sees the most use.

 

[as1981]

I'm sure there are Platforms 1 which are little-used bays.

Also Leamington Spa. I'm not sure that it has anything booked to it? I've occasionally seen it used during disruption.

 

[cool110]

Liverpool Lime Street seems to reserve platform 1 for the 'premier' Wigan and Blackpool route!! Pretty sure no Virgin trains would fit in Platform 1 to be honest.

Don't forget West Kirby, New Brighton, Ellesmere Port and Chester as the underground platform is also numbered 1, which makes online departure boards interesting.

 

[455driver]

Lowestoft's platform 1 has formed the station's car park for at least the last 25 years, and they never bothered to renumber the other platforms.

Similarly Plymouths platform 1 is now the staff car park.

Exeter st Davids gives you the prestigious 143s and 150s to Exmouth.

 

[chris_in_salop]

Platform 1 at Preston is not a premier destination ....

And if you head to Platform 1 at Shrewsbury to catch a train, you may be waiting a while

 

[jopsuk]

A very long time ago the terminus stations had "arrival" and "departure" platforms- quite distinct. Perhaps back then "platform 1" held some sort of special status at those stations?

 

[andyb2706]

Platform 1 used to be prestigious at most main line stations. There was a programme on BBC 4 the other night about named trains and the 3 they dealt with was The Flying Scotsmen, The Brighton Belle and The Cornish Riviera trains and they were saying that at Paddington no one had to ask where the Cornish Riviera was going from because it was always platform 1 because in the olden days Platform 1 was located closest to all the amenities that the station had.

 

[ChrisHogan]

In my time at Paddington it always went from a closed platform to allow barrier checks or to ensure people got on the right train when it was run in two (occasionally three) portions. The Royal Train always left from platform 1 though.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Back when I was a child in the 1970's platform 6 at Derby was always special as it was the gateway to London and all its wonders. Even now it appears that the majority of London trains still depart from the same platform. Memories!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I assume that in the early days of the railway, platforms were generally numbered from the main entrance with higher numbers being further away. Though at some point in many areas platforms began to be numbered with lower numbers in the "up" direction and higher numbers in the "down", and presumably some vice-versa. At Taunton, the lower numbered side (the down side) was once the main entrance but the main entrance and ticket office is now on the up side, furthest from the town with the main platform for up trains being P5.

Like others I'm not sure of any "prestige" still applied to any platforms numbered 1 and in any case if there was good reason to do so (I don't believe there is, other than a vaguely OCD reaction whenever I'm at Dewsbury!) it would only really be practicable at terminus stations with a less than intensive service!

 

[Greenback]

What is meant by prestige or prestigious anyway? Most replies seem to focus on the trains departing from a platform, but what about passenger comfort and facilities?

In Swansea, for example, platform 1 is currently used by the Manchester trains primarily. 30 years ago it would have seen a lot of parcels and Royal Mail trains.

It does have toilets and the BTP offices now. Does that give it some prestige, at least in the eyes of a passenger?

 

[jopsuk]

even the idea of "prestigious" trains rather belongs to the era of far less frequent services. The modern era of mainly clockface services on long distance express routes takes something away from that idea.

 

[Greenback]

Quite. I'm wondering what people would define as being prestigious when it comes to a station platform. I think that it should include station facilities and comfort. In that respect, I'd rate platform 1 in Swansea s far better than platform 4. At least the former is drier!

 

[snowball]

even the idea of "prestigious" trains rather belongs to the era of far less frequent services. The modern era of mainly clockface services on long distance express routes takes something away from that idea.

London expresses in general are an example of prestigious trains at stations where most trains are slower, shorter and more local.

 

[Intercity 225]

Thanks for all the replies so far!

As I initially thought it certainly seems like it's highly unlikely a train would be specifically routed to Platform One purely because of it's name but because of facilities and access to the concourse at the stations where it's the most convenient. In terms of Sheffield, this makes perfect sense.

I suppose this poses a slightly different question, are there any particular trains that are routed to a specific platform for passenger convenience reasons today when in normal circumstances they wouldn't be? Sounds like this happens at Coventry and Carrbridge but are there any more examples?

 

[southern442]

Looking at all the replies, I can't help but feel very sorry for the former platform 1 at Clapham Junction. For ages it stood there, looking all sorry for itself. Then suddenly, the chance to go back to the glory days came along when the ELL extension came about! It must have got so excited, but then:

'Oh no don't worry we'll just build a new platform on the south end of 2 and we'll call that 2, then platform 2 can become platform 1'

Now demoted to the number 0, the poor thing must be very depressed.

 

[snowball]

I suppose this poses a slightly different question, are there any particular trains that are routed to a specific platform for passenger convenience reasons today when in normal circumstances they wouldn't be? Sounds like this happens at Coventry and Carrbridge but are there any more examples?

At Harrogate I think HSTs to London, which run via Leeds, start at what would normally be the platform for trains going from Leeds towards York.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Platform 1 in Hull is, in theory, usable for passengers but is used almost all the time for stabling

I was using my own experiences...

Are you old enough for that...?

 

[Skipness]

At Whatstandwell on the Derby to Matlock branch the automated announcements declare "platform one for the xx.xx train to (Matlock) (Newark)" in spite of the fact that for around 40 years there has only been one platform. Platform 2 has no track, no access and a good growth of vegetation.

 

[AM9]

At Penryn, the platform has an identity issue. The timetable doesn't seem to discriminate which is 1 and which is 2 but AFAIR, platform 1 is the down end.