Stations in the UK with more platforms than they need

[PeterC]

On the GEML all the stations to Shenfield have platforms on both the main and electric lines. Apart from Stratford, Romford and Shenfield I don't think that any have regular use. (not sure about Gidea Park, Harold Wood and Brentwood when the GA Southend service makes extra calls)

 

[HLE]

Stechford has three because it's a diverging junction. The 3rd isn't officially a platform as far as I'm aware?

Nuneaton is one that has more than it needs.

How do you work that one out? Only platforms 3/4 could be considered underused, as they’re normally only used in the peaks - but that’s a result of the VHF timetable since the WCML upgrade.

 

[dk1]

On the GEML all the stations to Shenfield have platforms on both the main and electric lines. Apart from Stratford, Romford and Shenfield I don't think that any have regular use. (not sure about Gidea Park, Harold Wood and Brentwood when the GA Southend service makes extra calls)

They all tend to get use at some point during the week thanks to the usual fun & games synonymous with this route. Maryland, Forest Gate & Manor Park less so as these stations can be easily closed to preserve train paths.

 

[roversfan2001]

Leyland has 4 and doesn't really need any more than 2 given the service it receives. Indeed, platform 3 is only used by a couple of trains a day (4 is used for a few Manchester/Hazel Grove services, but they could (and some do) use 2.

 

[Intercity 225]

Perth

 

[Iskra]

Morecambe and Bare Lane, although they have two platforms for operational reasons rather than capacity reasons.

Penrith

Chester and Aberdeen also seem to be sparsely populated whenever I visit.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

Lots of southern West Coast Main Line stations between London Euston and Wolverton. Specifically, Wembley Central, Harrow and Wealdstone, Bushey, Kings Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamstead, Tring, Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard and Wolverton itself. I know I named pretty much all of them bar Watford Junction, Bletchley and Milton Keynes Central, but I've never known the fast line platforms to ever be used by trains, so they're pretty much useless. Maybe in the past they were used in case of engineering works and such, but I'd be surprised if all these stations has at least one frequent usage on the fast line platforms.

 

[Highlandspring]

Aren't 7 & 8 used for the first trains of the day.

Platforms 7 and 8 are in use throughout the day (7 moreso than 8) for booked Stirling terminating/starting services, and are regularly used to terminate late running Dunblane and Alloa services when there's disruption.

Platform 10 - isn't that one of the designated Royal Train stabling points?

There's no such thing.

It's years since I've been on a service from Platform 4/5. If I'd done a night shift in Stirling, the units stabled there would often form the first Northbound service to Bridge of Allan & Dunblane.

It would take some engineering works, but platform 4/5 could potentially be used as terminus platforms for a Alloa shuttle.

Platforms 4&5 are accessed via a set of hand points so cannot be used for passenger trains unless the points are secured by clamp and scotch. They will be motorised Stirling boxes are closed, so will be suitable for passenger services then. To my knowledge no passenger train has used either 4 or 5 for many years now - at least 10 if not more.

 

[STKKK46]

Aren’t the Queens Park (London) slow line platforms practically redundant, since LM stopped calling there? Cue someone mentioning Alliance Rail turning round their Blackpool services there.

 

[Chrism20]

Morecambe and Bare Lane, although they have two platforms for operational reasons rather than capacity reasons.

Penrith

Chester and Aberdeen also seem to be sparsely populated whenever I visit.

3-7 in Aberdeen are fairly well used throughout the day during the week tbh. I think because the station is quite big it often feels like there is nothing happening.

I can’t ever remember seeing anything go from what was 1, 2, 8 & 9. They have been out of use for as long as I can remember.

 

[DanTrain]

Lots of southern West Coast Main Line stations between London Euston and Wolverton. Specifically, Wembley Central, Harrow and Wealdstone, Bushey, Kings Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamstead, Tring, Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard and Wolverton itself. I know I named pretty much all of them bar Watford Junction, Bletchley and Milton Keynes Central, but I've never known the fast line platforms to ever be used by trains, so they're pretty much useless. Maybe in the past they were used in case of engineering works and such, but I'd be surprised if all these stations has at least one frequent usage on the fast line platforms.

As on the southern ECML, where stations like New Barnet and Oakleigh Park have fast platforms that arw fenced off and rarely/never used. Same I think on the GWML too

 

[Kite159]

Hasn't Scunthorpe got two platforms? In for one direction, the other for the other. How decadent.

(I agree with others, those are 3 pretty bizarre choices)

Although I seem to recall there was an east facing unnumbered bay platform which is used to stable the pacer in. Operationally could probably do with having that bay platform at the western side so the hourly 142 from Sheffield can roll in without having to do ECS shunts.

Harrogate has platform 2 fenced off, as it be a York facing bay platform.

Agreed about Springburn, since the wires went up towards Stepps with the services extended the only time the bays get used is for those small handful of peak time terminators (and when services are cut back in terms of dispution).

The stations with platforms on fast lines are useful to have if 2 track operation is used during engineering works, at least they can still be served. Get rid of those platforms and it will be like Burnham & Pangbourne and you need buses

 

[jopsuk]

What, 10 years?

Yes.
Point being that they weren't operational platforms for that time (so, techinically, it didn't have more than it needed) and at some point it was obviously concluded that in fact it had less (operational) platforms than it needed, not more.

 

[37 418]

Platform 7 at Inverness.

That's needed when the VTEC HST is refuelling as it blocks the entrance to Platforms 5 and 6. Inverness' problem is not so much number of platforms, but the layout tbh.

 

[Spankthemonkey]

Always thought surbiton could survive with a one up one down arrangement, and on a similar theme to the west coast stations mentioned earlier, Wimbledon has platforms primarily used for fast through trains. Guildford could survive off less too i'm sure.

On a smaller scale, Spalding has two platforms for twenty odd trains a day.

 

[Nammer]

Portsmouth Harbour could do with platform 2 being brought back into use.

 

[Lrd]

Lots of southern West Coast Main Line stations between London Euston and Wolverton. Specifically, Wembley Central, Harrow and Wealdstone, Bushey, Kings Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamstead, Tring, Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard and Wolverton itself. I know I named pretty much all of them bar Watford Junction, Bletchley and Milton Keynes Central, but I've never known the fast line platforms to ever be used by trains, so they're pretty much useless. Maybe in the past they were used in case of engineering works and such, but I'd be surprised if all these stations has at least one frequent usage on the fast line platforms.

They get used frequently most late evenings and most weekends. Very useful to have when the slow lines are closed due to power problems/signalling problems/engineering works etc etc.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

They get used frequently most late evenings and most weekends. Very useful to have when the slow lines are closed due to power problems/signalling problems/engineering works etc etc.

Are there any particular trains diagrammed to use the fast line platforms shown on Real Time Trains?

 

[AlanFry1]

Clacton

 

[greaterwest]

Shawford doesn't need 3 platforms.

 

[Lrd]

Are there any particular trains diagrammed to use the fast line platforms shown on Real Time Trains?

On weekends and weekday evenings, the West Coast is scheduled as a two track railway so either the fast lines or slow lines can be closed. So all the stoppers will be scheduled to use the slow lines but that doesn't mean they will always use them.

 

[jazza374]

Lanark only really need one platform. The other is rarely used, maybe twice a day at most.

 

[ld0595]

Perth doesn't need 7 platforms. 3 and 4 are rarely used and I'm sure they could do without one of the old motorail platforms - probably platform 6.

 

[Highlandspring]

Perth doesn't need 7 platforms. 3 and 4 are rarely used and I'm sure they could do without one of the old motorail platforms - probably platform 6.

Not sure where you're getting that from. All the platforms at Perth are used throughout the day and night, every day of the week.

 

[SouthStand]

Always thought surbiton could survive with a one up one down arrangement, and on a similar theme to the west coast stations mentioned earlier, Wimbledon has platforms primarily used for fast through trains. Guildford could survive off less too i'm sure.

On a smaller scale, Spalding has two platforms for twenty odd trains a day.

With the current timings, it needs two platforms.

 

[James H]

Bournemouth.

Although if platform 1 was a bit longer it would probably be more useful.

 

[najaB]

Not sure where you're getting that from. All the platforms at Perth are used throughout the day and night, every day of the week.

Then there's trouble ahead as Platform 3 is due to be closed in the near future.

 

[BantamMenace]

Skipton could survive without platform 4 as the line to Colne will never reopen sadly.

Leamington could survive without platform 1.

Hatton could also survive without the third platform if you could route the Stratford line onto the mainline before the station, not after it like at current.

Lancaster could survive with only 1 bay most of the time as well.

Tyseley has 4 for operational not capacity reasons also.


These are all stations with more platform capacity than currently required, I'm in no way suggesting the closure of any platforms.

 

[xotGD]

Skipton could survive without platform 4 as the line to Colne will never reopen sadly.

Leamington could survive without platform 1.

Hatton could also survive without the third platform if you could route the Stratford line onto the mainline before the station, not after it like at current.

Lancaster could survive with only 1 bay most of the time as well.

Tyseley has 4 for operational not capacity reasons also.


These are all stations with more platform capacity than currently required, I'm in no way suggesting the closure of any platforms.

The unit stabled south of Skipton station that forms the 07:00 Bradford can only access P4. It would have to run through the station and back in again to use P3. Also, there is often a freight through P3 while it is sat in P4.

 

[SwindonBert]

I am sure it's not impossible to retime the very few trains that use platform 3 at Gloucester to remove the need for it