Railway stations with entrances in a shopping centre

[rdlover777]

Windsor & Eton Central, but much like St Pancras, the station was first

 

[urbophile]

What is the difference between stations that have their entrance in a shopping centre, and those which actually are shopping centres (St Pancras International for example)?

 

[norbitonflyer]

Kingston has had its main entrance replaced with a coffee shop (so that it appoears at first glance to be called Costa station). The new entrance takes you into what is essentially a small shopping centre with a ticket office tucked in one corner, and the ticket barriers in the opposite corner. Most of the shops don't seem to be thriving.

 

[zero]

It doesn't lead directly into a shopping centre, but when you cross the road from Redditch into the bus station beneath the shopping centre, it feels a lot like a Hong Kong bus station that is underneath a shopping centre.

 

[fandroid]

Wimbledon? Well it was last time I actually caught a train there

 

[Springs Branch]

The OP did specify "in the UK" and "all rail systems" so I'll give a shout out for the broad gauge and Belfast Great Victoria Street.

It's a while since I passed through (2005-ish), but on arrival I recall having to navigate through a congested shopping centre with our luggage to get out to the street and taxi rank (maybe more like a shabby Windsor & Eton Central or Southport than a Stratford in scale).

On leaving Belfast I was glad we'd arrived there first by train, otherwise I might have had trouble finding my way into the station - the shopping centre signage seemingly greatly outweighing the rail / bus terminal function. And of course, there was no familiar red & white double arrow signage giving a visible clue you were 'on the right track'.

As said, the shopping centre seemed a bit shabby back then and presumably has been refurbished in the interim. But from Google Street View I see the "Great Northern Mall" entrance is still the predominant feature from Great Victoria St.

 

[danm14]

As said, the shopping centre seemed a bit shabby back then and presumably has been refurbished in the interim

It really hasn't, it has only gotten worse. Indeed, most of the units, including the pub, are now vacant - all that's left is a large Caffe Nero, a very small Boots, a mobile phone accessory stall, a takeaway and a barber's shop.

Although, if we're being pedantic, Great Victoria Street station is actually not connected to a shopping centre - it's the Europa Buscentre (technically a separate entity) which is - and Great Victoria Street is connected to the Europa Buscentre.

There are also direct entrances to Great Victoria Street Station from Hope Street and the Europa Buscentre from Glengall Street which do not pass through the shopping centre.

 

[miklcct]

Willesden Green station, as rebuilt in 1925 by the Metropolitan Railway, was regarded as a seminal design in its day. No fewer than seven shops had a frontage onto Walm Lane and all of the railway facilities were located behind them. The rail customer would also have passed one of two further retail kiosks before actually reaching anything useful, such as the large parcels office, left luggage office and finally the ticket office.

There was no shortage of bright ideas in the Cricklewood area even 97 years ago!

I'd say that this is an example of the railway station itself being a shopping centre, like St Pancras.

 

[Backroom_boy]

It really hasn't, it has only gotten worse. Indeed, most of the units, including the pub, are now vacant - all that's left is a large Caffe Nero, a very small Boots, a mobile phone accessory stall, a takeaway and a barber's shop.

Although, if we're being pedantic, Great Victoria Street station is actually not connected to a shopping centre - it's the Europa Buscentre (technically a separate entity) which is - and Great Victoria Street is connected to the Europa Buscentre.

There are also direct entrances to Great Victoria Street Station from Hope Street and the Europa Buscentre from Glengall Street which do not pass through the shopping centre.

I've a friend who grew up in Belfast and she had no idea that the bus station 'contained' a railway station. I think that's a vote for grandiose stations to advertise the railway.

 

[Taunton]

Canary Wharf DLR is within a shopping centre of sorts

Canary Wharf DLR is very much main entrance within a major shopping centre, it's in the middle of one.

Actually I understand that what passes for the station concourse, under the platforms, is DLR property, so is just paved with paving slabs, while the shopping mall both sides is Canary Wharf Ltd property, done in nice terrazzo marble flooring. The contrast as you pass through, especially in winter, is noticeable. It was one of the reasons why Canary Wharf Ltd insisted on doing the Crossrail station themselves, to their architectural design.

 

[D365]

Does Doncaster count? Entrance is off to the side and up an escalator.

I would count it.

 

[MoleStation]

Monument station of T&W metro has an entrance just inside the doorway of Eldon Square shopping centre.

Is that entrance still used or even still there? It used to lead to the ticket office direct from Eldon Square.
The other side of the ticket hall leads, or used to lead directly into a clothes shop. The bra department. Handy if you needed some support after your metro trip....

 

[danm14]

I've a friend who grew up in Belfast and she had no idea that the bus station 'contained' a railway station. I think that's a vote for grandiose stations to advertise the railway.

In fairness, the railway station was closed from 1976 to 1995 (replaced by Botanic and Belfast Central, and then later City Hospital) so there are a huge number of people for whom there was no railway station on that site when they were growing up.

Even pre-1976, only services to Londonderry (via Lisburn and Antrim), Portadown and Dublin served Great Victoria Street - services to Larne served York Road (near the present Yorkgate station) and services to Bangor served Queen's Quay (near the present Odyssey Arena) - so it wasn't the "main" station with trains to everywhere that it is today.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Victoria Station in London has one of its entrances leading to the Victoria place shopping centre.

 

[Backroom_boy]

In fairness, the railway station was closed from 1976 to 1995 (replaced by Botanic and Belfast Central, and then later City Hospital) so there are a huge number of people for whom there was no railway station on that site when they were growing up.

Even pre-1976, only services to Londonderry (via Lisburn and Antrim), Portadown and Dublin served Great Victoria Street - services to Larne served York Road (near the present Yorkgate station) and services to Bangor served Queen's Quay (near the present Odyssey Arena) - so it wasn't the "main" station with trains to everywhere that it is today.

No I agree with all that, but my point is a station should be a landmark in itself; if its hidden by a shopping centre etc. there's a barrier to people using it. The new Belfast Grand Central shouldn't have any issues like that. (Though it is still partly masked by the old BT exchange building in the way)

 

[greyman42]

Surprised no one has mentioned Sunderland.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Wimbledon? Well it was last time I actually caught a train there

The station entrance and entrance to Centre Court Shopping are adjacent to each other. It is possible to use the station without using the shopping centre.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

This thread really needs clarity about what counts as a shopping centre. Are we only taking about indoor shopping areas? If so there are very few such stations, and I can't think of any that haven't already been mentioned (Bond Street and Welwyn Garden City). If you extend the definition to shopping areas that are outdoor but pedestrianized, then Woolwich Arsenal should get a shout for the Western DLR entrance. If you can also consider station entrances that are on a normal street that happens to be in the middle of a shopping centre, with shops all around the station entrance, then you could include places like Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

Whichever definition you use, I guess there's not going to be many stations because of way UK stations are often set back from main roads and local centres, even where the lines actually cross main roads - a practice that I think is very regrettable and often makes the railway much less convenient to use than it would have been. As examples local to me, Crayford and Erith stations are both located at points where the rail lines go right past (outdoor) shopping centres, and where with better station design and planning it ought to have been possible to have entrances that give very convenient access to those shopping centres, but thanks to the lack of planning, both stations seem needlessly awkward to get to.

 

[Basil Jet]

As examples local to me, Crayford and Erith stations are both located at points where the rail lines go right past (outdoor) shopping centres, and where with better station design and planning it ought to have been possible to have entrances that give very convenient access to those shopping centres, but thanks to the lack of planning, both stations seem needlessly awkward to get to.

Better links between railways and shopping centres sounds like a good idea, but I think it only makes sense if it's a shopping centre that brings people in from a wide area (such as either of the Westfields), and I don't think Crayford or Erith shopping centres have that appeal.

 

[Nev85]

We were up there at the weekend and there was no way in without going through the shopping centre. The shopping centre also links to the bus station and with only one road crossing the terminal for the Orkney and Shetland Northink ferries.

There are actually four pedestrian entrances to the station, but due to ongoing building works, two of them are blocked off - and one is accessed from a second shopping centre.

1. The entrance inside Union Square shopping centre
2. Another outside (just!) the Union Square entrance - currently closed
3. One inside the Trinity Centre footprint (though you could argue not within the centre itself - it’s at the foot of the steep stairs to actual shopping level) - currently closed
4. A final entrance via the College Street multi-storey car park, though this one is definitely local knowledge only!

 

[vic-rijrode]

Surprised no one has mentioned Sunderland.

Not really in a "shopping centre" - although there are (or were) shops in the same building. All the entrances to the station were (and one still is) directly from the street.

Now, incidentally, the main portion of the station (at the southern end) is a building site, with pictures of the grand new "Cathedral of Light" station to arise as more befitting the city - which still won't have an "entrance in a shopping centre".

 

[malc-c]

I still think it was a shame to demolish the old Welwyn Garden City Station, bus station and carparks to make way for the shopping centre and reduce what was once a grand station with its pillars to just a window in the wall at the top of an escalator

 

[Thirteen]

This thread really needs clarity about what counts as a shopping centre. Are we only taking about indoor shopping areas? If so there are very few such stations, and I can't think of any that haven't already been mentioned (Bond Street and Welwyn Garden City). If you extend the definition to shopping areas that are outdoor but pedestrianized, then Woolwich Arsenal should get a shout for the Western DLR entrance. If you can also consider station entrances that are on a normal street that happens to be in the middle of a shopping centre, with shops all around the station entrance, then you could include places like Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

Whichever definition you use, I guess there's not going to be many stations because of way UK stations are often set back from main roads and local centres, even where the lines actually cross main roads - a practice that I think is very regrettable and often makes the railway much less convenient to use than it would have been. As examples local to me, Crayford and Erith stations are both located at points where the rail lines go right past (outdoor) shopping centres, and where with better station design and planning it ought to have been possible to have entrances that give very convenient access to those shopping centres, but thanks to the lack of planning, both stations seem needlessly awkward to get to.

I would be reluctant to class St Pancras International as a shopping centre with a railway station, it's a railway station that is more akin to an airport.

 

[kkong]

There are actually four pedestrian entrances to the station, but due to ongoing building works, two of them are blocked off - and one is accessed from a second shopping centre.

1. The entrance inside Union Square shopping centre
2. Another outside (just!) the Union Square entrance - currently closed
3. One inside the Trinity Centre footprint (though you could argue not within the centre itself - it’s at the foot of the steep stairs to actual shopping level) - currently closed
4. A final entrance via the College Street multi-storey car park, though this one is definitely local knowledge only!

Entrance 1 - There are two separate entrances to the station from the Union Square shopping centre. The one further into the shopping centre recently re-opened after a long closure due to the building works.

I would say Entrance 3 is more the "local knowledge" dark back alley.
Entrance 4 is well-known and in fact leads from the official station car park.

You could also add Entrance 5 - walk through one of the taxi entrance/exit tunnels.

 

[Deepgreen]

Bond Street LU station.