Stations with "platforms" which could in principle be used but (almost) never are

[Babybirdrobin]

Wickford platform 4, as it's too short for 720s

I have however seen a 720 terminate in there according to RTT but I think that was either wrong it was a one off thing

 

[Western Sunset]

Is Ramsline Halt still extant? Likewise Sinfin North and Sinfin Central.

 

[jfollows]

At the other end of the Middlewich branch, Platform 3 at Sandbach doesn't see much passenger use.

2H42 17:46 Crewe-Manchester via Stockport is booked to use it, but it’s often used at other times when down fast services run late - the stopper leaves Crewe on time but waits at Sandbach for the fast to overtake there. Seems more used than Chelford loop for the same purpose.
There used to be a booked morning working but it seems to have gone now. From memory the down XC morning Birmingham-Manchester service overtook the stopper there.

 

[Morayshire]

You'd not have arrived in platform 2 at Aberdeen in passenger service?

Have arrived in Platform 2 once many many years ago. From what I can recall, we were put in there due to disruption (maybe bad snow). It was memorable as we had never been in that platform before (or since) and we had to queue to get around the screens at the buffer end of the platform adjacent to the concourse screening (its not very wide there). This would be well before 2020, maybe 2010 to 2014 ish. There might have been a West Coast Class 37 sitting in platform 1 but that might have been another day completely.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

In the days when Northern ran the stoppers between Huddersfield & Manchester they used platform 3, however since TPE took over they use platform 2 (I think because P3 is too short for a 185?).

Seems the 0838 and 1944 midweek TPE departures from Marsden (to Manchester Piccadilly) are booked to use platform 3. That's it though and nothing at weekends.

Both these calls appear to use 3 car Class 185 units.

 

[Kite159]

Is Ramsline Halt still extant? Likewise Sinfin North and Sinfin Central.

I think where the platform still exists (all be overgrown) at Ramsline Halt, the track which served it either no longer exists or isn't connected.

2H42 17:46 Crewe-Manchester via Stockport is booked to use it, but it’s often used at other times when down fast services run late - the stopper leaves Crewe on time but waits at Sandbach for the fast to overtake there. Seems more used than Chelford loop for the same purpose.
There used to be a booked morning working but it seems to have gone now. From memory the down XC morning Birmingham-Manchester service overtook the stopper there.

Wasn't the booked morning service something like a Crewe - Bolton service before the days when Bolton got wired up (and hence needed to be a 142 or a 150) which was the only booked use of the bay platform at Bolton.

 

[jfollows]

Wasn't the booked morning service something like a Crewe - Bolton service before the days when Bolton got wired up (and hence needed to be a 142 or a 150) which was the only booked use of the bay platform at Bolton.

Well remembered; 2H29 07:22 Crewe-Bolton passed at Sandbach by 1W42 04:35 Cardiff-Manchester in the 2017 timetable.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

I have however seen a 720 terminate in there according to RTT but I think that was either wrong it was a one off thing

Definitely not. The platform is way too short and they're banned by the sectional appendix

 

[Taunton]

The various hardly used Main lines platforms out of Paddington have all now been fenced and gated, to be opened only if required, but still have not only departure indicators showing No Service, but also automated "Stand Clear at Platform X - Express Train" booming announcements every couple of minutes for both directions, which echo all round the station and become excessively tedious when waiting on the Relief line platforms.

 

[ayubdaud]

2H42 17:46 Crewe-Manchester via Stockport is booked to use it, but it’s often used at other times when down fast services run late - the stopper leaves Crewe on time but waits at Sandbach for the fast to overtake there. Seems more used than Chelford loop for the same purpose.
There used to be a booked morning working but it seems to have gone now. From memory the down XC morning Birmingham-Manchester service overtook the stopper there.

Seems like 2H42 reverts back to P2 at Sandbach for the next timetable.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Southall - Platform 0 - This is a through platform and i see no reason why it could not be used. But i have never seen it used before. I believe it is not even electrified so i suppose it is less of a use now then it was a few years ago when almost everything was diesel operated.

Platform 0 is used by some charter sets from the nearby depot to allow catering and stewarding staff to board / alight. It was also used when the steam rail motor ran a series of excursions along the Brentford branch.

It is not electrified, the lines are used solely by freight accessing the yards / Brentford branch plus ECS to the LSL / WCRC bases in the depot.

There are aspirations to reintroduce a passenger shuttle onto the Brentford branch, so platform 0 could see a regular passenger service.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It will return, once TRU upgrade is finished, as the island platform will be the one the stopping services use.

I thought all westbound stoppers used P3 at Marsden? it's the only accessible platform there (same as Mirfield).

It will return in some form, the new island platform is taking shape opposite P3. Though the current up (fast) line on the P2 side will become the up slow. New fast lines to the south will take all express services.

In the days when Northern ran the stoppers between Huddersfield & Manchester they used platform 3, however since TPE took over they use platform 2 (I think because P3 is too short for a 185?). Made more silly because Northern installed a TVM by the entrance to platform 3.

Think the issue with Marsden is to do with signalling and low speeds exiting the loop which P3 serves. The length is also a factor IIRC, certainly when I was last there a few years ago and services were turning back in P3 due to a blockade at Standedge. Think it was local door only due to the position of the signal for turning back.
Way back when it was a "true" local service operated by Northern and their predecessors, P3 was used for almost all Manchester-bound trains... and going back even further on Sundays it saw terminating trains from Leeds as an extension of the Leeds to Huddersfield stopper.

 

[nr758123]

In the days when Northern ran the stoppers between Huddersfield & Manchester they used platform 3, however since TPE took over they use platform 2 (I think because P3 is too short for a 185?). Made more silly because Northern installed a TVM by the entrance to platform 3.

[Marsden platform 3]

It's because there's a time penalty (possibly 1½ minutes) for going into the loop compared with staying on the main line. I think all three platforms, including P3, were lengthened to allow a 6 carriage Class 185 with selective door opening.

 

[dodecahedron67]

Marsden P3 can take 4x23m coaches in the Up direction, but can only take 1 in the Down direction due to the positioning of the signal for returning towards Huddersfield

 

[Par]

I don’t think the Rochdale bay P2 sees much, (if any) service since the conversion of the eastern side of the Oldham Loop to trams. Although when I was there a couple of weeks back, it did appear that some of the oxidation on top of the rails was partially cleared, so I did wonder if the trains terminating from Leeds during the recent Castleton blockade used it?

 

[xotGD]

I don't think anyone has mentioned P3 at Wigan Wallgate.

Ironically, the only time I have caught a train from their it departed from the bay due to a set swap.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I don't think anyone has mentioned P3 at Wigan Wallgate.

Ironically, the only time I have caught a train from their it departed from the bay due to a set swap.

It's used semi-reguarly at the moment when there's a closure past Hindley not on a Sunday to turn trains to Headbolt Lane.

But yes I've seen like 2 passenger trains ever leave that platform (trains to Southport adjusted due to train crew issues)

 

[scotrail158713]

Haymarket platform 0 (IIRC it was built to allow some trains from the North/West to terminate there while the lines between Haymarket and Waverley to be wired - now this has been done no trains from the North/West terminate at Haymarket)

That was the first one that came to my mind. According to a brief look online it’s
designed for terminating services from the west (which only tend to occur during engineering works - so definitely meets the criteria of rarely used).

 

[j37401]

Warrington Bank Quay has bays at either end but neither have been used by passenger trains if ever? I may have seen DMU’s using the north bay in the 80’s? Other than that just used to store locos or track machines. They’re now fenced off so cannot be used anyway.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Preston P7 (car park side) has a number on it but I don't think is passed for passenger use.

I have come to this thread late but that was my first thought. Some work would be needed but not much.

 

[Kite159]

I don't think anyone has mentioned P3 at Wigan Wallgate.

Ironically, the only time I have caught a train from their it departed from the bay due to a set swap.

Maybe it might see more use in the future if ever Merseyrail takes over the Headbolt Lane - Wigan section from Northern using battery powered 777s (maybe with a fast charger installed in the bay similar to West Ealing).

 

[Sean Emmett]

You'd not have arrived in platform 2 at Aberdeen in passenger service

You'd not have arrived in platform 2 at Aberdeen in passenger service?

On 31 July 2021 the Aberdonian railtour hauled by Tornado (unassisted) arrived in platform 2 at Aberdeen after a lengthy signal stop outside the station due to congestion. IIRC due to one or more failures of trains in the other platforms.

I did post on the Nat Pres website at the time about the unusual occurence.

 

[Anonymous10]

Haverfordwest platform 2 has no booked passenger moves and only used if the oil tanker train is located in platform 1. With a old crumbling shelter and rusting bridge along with no step free access I wonder how long this will remain as it is the only completely non step free platform in Pembrokeshire to my knowledgeable.

 

[Western 52]

Haverfordwest platform 2 has no booked passenger moves and only used if the oil tanker train is located in platform 1. With a old crumbling shelter and rusting bridge along with no step free access I wonder how long this will remain as it is the only completely non step free platform in Pembrokeshire to my knowledgeable.

Yes, the building on that platform is an eyesore now too . Back in the 1980s it was a tidy platform with neat planters.

 

[Anonymous10]

Yes, the building on that platform is an eyesore now too . Back in the 1980s it was a tidy platform with neat planters.

I work for a local museum and it's a shame to see the disrepair many stations locally are in now having seen their grandure however that's off topic.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Rochdale platform 3

Although it is now being used occasionally for a service to Settle.

 

[Par]

I think you are referring to the bay P2 that I mentioned up-thread in post #165? P3 is the through platform in the Manchester direction that obviously has very heavy traffic.

 

[DelW]

No-one mentioned P8 at Clapham Jn yet?

A late response here, but posts 7 and 102 did ...

 

[BeijingDave]

Warrington Bank Quay has bays at either end but neither have been used by passenger trains if ever? I may have seen DMU’s using the north bay in the 80’s? Other than that just used to store locos or track machines. They’re now fenced off so cannot be used anyway.

The northern bay must have been used for passenger service at some point as it was once numbered 4, before renumbering that made the old platform 5 become today's 4.

 

[Sean Emmett]

A late response here, but posts 7 and 102 did ...

Thanks.

Have trawled through the posts again and can't recall P1 at Salisbury being mentioned? I arrived there back in 1988 on a steam special in near as dammit even time from Templecombe. IIRC calling on signal into the platform.

Temple Meads P2 is an interesting one as I have seen a departure advertised from there on the display screens - before being corrected (and before me having bought a ticket...).

Ascot is another of the stations with platforms on both sides of a running line. Back in the 1970s the face on the northern side of the up line was P1 and the face on the island side P2. Conductor rail on P2 side. Main down plat P3 and P4 on the line towards Bagshot but rarely used.

Cross-platform interchange on P2/3 (i.e. crossing conductor rail on P2 side) between fast and slow services was explicity encouraged in a 1977 leaflet I have.

Platforms later renumbered so that both platforms serving the up line became P1, P3 renumbered to P2 and P4 to P3. But it was still possible to use both faces of P1. One evening c.2018 late evening train from Waterloo crossed from down line to up line but unusually opened doors on down side.

No longer possible as it has now been fenced off. Surprised that hasn't also been done at Guildford or Norwood Jn as similar risks?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Oct 2024 ==

Re P8 at Clapham Jn - Thanks.

Have trawled through the posts again and can't recall P1 at Salisbury being mentioned? I arrived there back in 1988 on a steam special in near as dammit even time from Templecombe. IIRC calling on signal into the platform.

Temple Meads P2 is an interesting one as I have seen a departure advertised from there on the display screens - before being corrected (and before me having bought a ticket...).

Ascot is another of the stations with platforms on both sides of a running line. Back in the 1970s the face on the northern side of the up line was P1 and the face on the island side P2. Conductor rail on P2 side. Main down plat P3 and P4 on the line towards Bagshot but rarely used.

Cross-platform interchange on P2/3 (i.e. crossing conductor rail on P2 side) between fast and slow services was explicity encouraged in a 1977 leaflet I have.

Platforms later renumbered so that both platforms serving the up line became P1, P3 renumbered to P2 and P4 to P3. But it was still possible to use both faces of P1. One evening c.2018 late evening train from Waterloo crossed from down line to up line but unusually opened doors on down side.

No longer possible as it has now been fenced off. Surprised that hasn't also been done at Guildford or Norwood Jn as similar risks?