Best Stations (because someone had to)

[Bittern]

I'd also like to nominate Aviemore. I've not actually stood on it's platforms, but I've seen pictures and been on passing trains to/from Inverness. Very beautiful station and one I'm planning to actually visit before the Summer's up!

 

[S19]

Don't really post on here as i'm not well travelled on the rail network as such, but I think one of my local stations is one of the best in the UK.

Lancaster. Fantastic architecture like a lot of Lancaster.

 

[GNER 373]

Newcastle Central and the surrounding views - from One end of Platform 3 the Castle and the Tyne Bridge, the other the King Edward Bridge! Fantastic Station, listed buildings and curved roof! Great photo opportunities too! Ticks all the boxes

Parts of Edinburgh Waverley!

Berwick is quite nice coming over the viaduct as is Durham.

London - St Pancras!

Manchester Piccadilly

Liverpool Lime Street - Really nice now it's being looked after at last! There's something about coming through the tunnels and into that station!

York is really great too!

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Liverpool South Parkway
Manchester Piccadilly
Glasgow Central

 

[eddygrim]

i agree with bittern i never got off at aviemore but i seen it while on the way to inverness it looked very clean and nice and would like to visit it agian one day.

 

[Bittern]

i agree with bittern i never got off at aviemore but i seen it while on the way to inverness it looked very clean and nice and would like to visit it agian one day.

Thing is, quite a lot of stations on the Highland main line look quite good!

 

[90019]

I'd have to say Waverley, though I wish they would do something about the bloody taxis

They queue up all the way through it, completely blocking the road, meaning you can't get to the drop off point or short stay car park without sitting in the queue waiting for them to move.

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

Penzance - With that marvellous view of St Michel's Mount.

Brizzol TM- That massive building never fails to impress, shame about the surroundings though.

Cardiff Central - Nice to see the old style buildings.

St Pancras - If you excuse the exceptionally dodgy paintwork & that carbuncle that they slapped on to the original building.

Carlisle - Not a bad one.

Newcastle - A great entrance & trainshed (King Edward Bridge).

York - Still nice even with the wires.

Brighton - A great building.

 

[NLC1072]

Penzance - I just do
Carbis Bay - Pretty sea views
Bristol TM - amazing building
St Pancras - best modern station
York - again, amazing building
Norwich - just really easy to use
Brundall - really scenic, backs out onto a small marina on a norfolk river

 

[LE Greys]

Berney Arms, for eccentricity and persistence. Not much bigger than a snooker table and serves a place with more cows than people, yet it grew a shelter recently. It's no grand junction, but everyone should go there at least once, just to say they've been.

 

[WatcherZero]

Man Pic by a long way (if only they could solve the problem of the displays blocking passenger flow in the concourse however)

 

[sheff1]

Dunbar - very neat and tidy and staffed until late, despite the not particularly frequent service.

Helsby - unstaffed but clearly well looked after by someone, unlike the hole which is Frodsham, one stop down the line.

Man Picc is a vast improvement on what it was, but spoilt by the army of smokers on the ramp outside and the drunks in the upstairs bar. Leeds is also greatly improved and doesn't seem to have the same problems.

 

[Daimler]

As far as small stations go, I'm going to say Ribblehead on the S&C. When it comes to sheer atmosphere, I think it's pretty much unbeatable - though Garsdale is pretty good too.

I'm also really fond of York. People keep telling me 'you should've seen it before they put the wires up', but it's wonderful even nwow.

For a London terminus, I initially thought of the obvious St Pancras, but actually I find the far smaller Marylebone to be much more endearing and cosy.

 

[attics26]

Wemyss Bay - would love to have been there when the tracks went down to the ferry - see someone included Darlington in their list ..... 32 years and 6 months (so far) employed there makes it somewhat difficult to think good about it!

 

[bse35]

York
Temple Meads
Liverpool Street-the main platforms

 

[mindfeeder]

Huddersfield, for those pubs!

 

[Any Permitted]

Berney Arms, for eccentricity and persistence. Not much bigger than a snooker table and serves a place with more cows than people, yet it grew a shelter recently. It's no grand junction, but everyone should go there at least once, just to say they've been.

Every summer since I was really little me, my mum and my sisters have walked up to Berney Arms from where we live in Yarmouth, had a picnic by the river and got the train back. I love that station it holds some really good memories of flagging down the trains and getting tickets to stick on my wall for "Berney Arms to Yarmouth".

 

[Bittern]

Sorry to bump, but I have something to add.

I did the Highland Mainline again this weekend, and I have to tell you, from what I saw, the stations on it north of Perth were absolutely stunning (as were the surrounding areas!). I actually got off at Aviemore this time, and to confirm what I said earlier, it's gorgeous. Out of all the stations I've used, Aviemore is by far my favourite.

And before anyone asks, yes I did the Strathspey Railway too.

 

[sonic2009]

Large London paddington
medium stoke on trent
small great malvern

 

[Green Lane]

Large London paddington

Indeed, I was there today (travelling to Southall).

You can't help be be taken aback by the granduer of the train shed as you rise up the escalator from the underground station, although my train departed from platform 11 which alas stifled the enjoyment slightly, due to the huge wooden boardings and renovation that's going on at the moment.

One of the platforms felt more like a trampoline than a platform - very temporary I assume!

I'm sure it'll all be great when the work has finished though.

 

[Templecombe]

Plymouth

 

[sprinterguy]

Newcastle and Glasgow Central, and at the opposite end of the size scale Great Malvern and Glenfinnan

 

[43021HST]

Large London paddington
medium stoke on trent
small great malvern

I agree with you about London Paddington,

I Like Stratford in london, because you have reasonably varied traffic and EMUs, also plenty of frieght. Another station I like is Ealing Broadway

 

[daccer]

In general many of the rural lines in the UK which never received modernisation money (thankfully) have many lovely old stations - places like Beverley and Filey and many others especially in Scotland have survived brutalisation. On the WCML there are very few stations retaining any character and appeal - Stoke on Trent and Man picc and now Liverpool Lime St (the recent work is a big improvement). The intermediate stations are by and large victims of the 60's modernisation and electrification programme and should start to be redone - BNS being the first thankfully!

 

[222666]

Used to love the space of St Pancras but not now it has a modern "domestic" building. I'll say Birmingham Moor St, as it's still got that old railway feel to it, has a steam engine against the backdrop of the mother ship, & I like the view south, pray they don't spoil it with electrics.

 

[Green Lane]

The intermediate stations are by and large victims of the 60's modernisation and electrification programme and should start to be redone - BNS being the first thankfully!

Indeed, I don't quite know what Betjamin would've made of "modern-day" Stafford - I think it's also typical of what you are describing.

Warrington Bank Quay, very similar, yet I like the way it looks from the street outside. I think it's something to do with the Unilever plant right behind it, it's got that real "grim up north" feel about it. Lowry would've loved it, I'm sure.

Used to love the space of St Pancras but not now it has a modern "domestic" building. I'll say Birmingham Moor St, as it's still got that old railway feel to it, has a steam engine against the backdrop of the mother ship, & I like the view south, pray they don't spoil it with electrics.

I love Moor Street too. Certainly it's got plenty of character from a bygone age. I love electrics though, even though admittedly it would really clash with the feel of Moor Street.

Edmonton Green I also went to on Monday, The OHLE there has a real loud audible buzz to it. Sounded to me like ionic discharge, although I've never heard that on a 25kV system before. I hear it a lot when walking under 400kV transmission lines, but not generally accustomed to hearing it that loud on the platform of a railway station.

 

[Super Sprinter]

Leeds is a very good station and Manc Picc is also.

In terms of London stations then Paddington is nice and I also quite like Euston (despite the 1960s concrete).

My favourite station has to be York though, many special memories!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Dunbar - very neat and tidy and staffed until late, despite the not particularly frequent service.

Helsby - unstaffed but clearly well looked after by someone, unlike the hole which is Frodsham, one stop down the line.

Man Picc is a vast improvement on what it was, but spoilt by the army of smokers on the ramp outside and the drunks in the upstairs bar. Leeds is also greatly improved and doesn't seem to have the same problems.

Forgot Helsby, been through there many a time and it is a very pretty station. Also liked Berkswell the one time I caught a train from there.

 

[Templecombe]

Sherborne for the buffet

 

[Green Lane]

Forgot Helsby, been through there many a time and it is a very pretty station. Also liked Berkswell the one time I caught a train from there.

Yes, it keeps winning a "best kept station" award and these awards are proudly on display there.

I've used the station a couple of times recently. I like the way the signal box is situated directly on the platform.

It was enjoyable, taking the "parliamentary service" train from Ellesmere Port and alighting at Helsby. From there I watched and heard the signalman manually changing the points as the train then ran around the station and proceeded off in the Chester direction on a Saturday morning.

 

[Super Sprinter]

Yes, it keeps winning a "best kept station" award and these awards are proudly on display there.

I've used the station a couple of times recently. I like the way the signal box is situated directly on the platform.

It was enjoyable, taking the "parliamentary service" train from Ellesmere Port and alighting at Helsby. From there I watched and heard the signalman manually changing the points as the train then ran around the station and proceeded off in the Chester direction on a Saturday morning.

Sounds like fun!

They certainly do display there award proudly, I think it was laid out in flowers or gravel the last time I went through there - Helsby best kept station 2008, something along those lines.