Trivia: Bleakest Terminal Stations

[D6130]

Have we had Sugar Loaf Halt yet?

 

[Simon75]

Peartree, Derby
Single platform, though rarely open

 

[Llandudno]

Have we had Sugar Loaf Halt yet?

Sugar Loaf is not a terminus

 

[D6130]

Sugar Loaf is not a terminus

Very true. Apologies....it's getting late and past my bedtime. Think I'll switch off my computer now!

 

[Jimini]

Yes Euston is a bit of a hellhole when it comes to departures, but given the myriad of pubs / restaurants / amenities less than a stone's throw away, I'd not call it bleak!

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Chessington South.

Dirty, desolate, dreadful place. A lone platform which is perpetually filthy and littered with all kinds of rubbish, an abandoned platform opposite covered in graffiti, and the tracks themselves are also strewn with rubbish.

Not to "tar all with the same brush" but, in general, a proportion of the clientele you may encounter are less than desirable (usually gangs of youths openly doing drugs on the platform and performing all other kinds of anti-social behaviours, or the local addicts).

And to top it all off, the station is hidden in a cutting so nobody can hear you scream when you get mugged.

The staff toilets there also used to be like something out of a horror film, but they have recently renovated them and they are now in a much better state.

To be honest, the entire Chessington branch is just a nasty, run-down dump - a bit of a shame really as the architecture has a certain charm to it.

I sometimes wish they'd just suspend all services down there after 21:00 as you only ever seem to pick up the yobs who just use the line as a social space - I never feel particularly safe going down there personally.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Lockwood is only a terminus when there's a blockade on at Huddersfield. Though nearby is the former David Brown gearbox factory (where the "DB" in Aston Martin's DB6 & DB7 models comes from). There's also a few good pubs nearby, and the home of Dixon's Milk Ices- a Huddersfield institution.

Huddersfield itself is a beautiful station, though I wouldn't recommend travelling there for pleasure while the blockades are on!

 

[lawried123]

Pembroke Dock, but at least the GWR Summer Saturday train gives you an hour there to find a good fish and chip shop.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Epsom Downs is the worst I’ve been to, not so much the platform but the actively oppressive walk along a residential street up to the station. I (genuinely) saw several curtains twitch and an elderly man in his front garden fixed me with a death stare and kept it on me until I was out of his vision. This was at 4pm on a summer weekday. Far more unnerving than anything at many of the so-called “dangerous” stations above that I’ve visited. Give me Springburn any day

 

[cjw714]

Round here it has to be between London Euston and Bletchley (the latter a terminus for the Marston Vale services). Both are beyond bleak. St Albans Abbey is basic, as are many branch termini, but I'd not see it as bleak.

Elsewhere, one of my least favourite stations is Newquay, though some would say it's in keeping with the town. Grim.

They are currently adding the track to be able to re-open a second platform at Newquay. Really hope they sort out the embarrassing entrance and station buildings at the same time.

 

[Statto]

Walsall, very bleak even in summer, nothing much to look at, the main entrance is through a shopping precinct, surrounded by a multi story car park on one side & the properties opposite look run down, if your going to Birmingham you're better off heading to the bus station & catching the 51/X51.

 

[Russel]

I seem to recall reading on the Daily Post web site a few years ago that Blaenau Ffestiniog has one of the worst reputations in terms of anti social behaviour in Wales outside of Cardiff as far as BTP is concerned. I have used it a few times to interchange between the FR and Conwy Valley line late afternoon in last three years.

From my observation once the FR staff lock up their portacabin the station does appear to attract "local youth" who congregate under the FR's platform's large canopy.

What doesn't help is that there is a public right of way along the FR platform which exits the station site at the side of the water tower thus providing a short cut from houses on south side of the railway to the town centre.

The Network Rail platform has seating but outside of their shelter perhaps to prevent youth congregating? Interestingly there is also a notice from BTP in Welsh only appears from my limited knowledge of Welsh to be aimed at deterring anti social behaviour!

I didn't have any problems waiting there after changing but kept an eye on the youth and felt more comfortable when other passengers showed up! Certainly not a place I would feel comfortable after dark knowing of its reputation.

I remember standing on the platform at Blaenau Ffestiniog in around 2007 after a day on the Ffestiniog railway, the local kids were throwing ballast from the footbridge, luckily their aim was terrible and no one was hit.

 

[stadler]

Ore deserves a mention. It is a very basic unstaffed station in a suburban residential area of Hastings with not much there. Just two basic platforms with not much on them. Up until 2018 the station did not even have any ticket machines or departure boards or automated announcements. So it used to be even worse.

 

[Mat17]

For a short period, Gainsborough Central had terminating Northern services from Sheffield (will they ever be reintroduced?). Very few facilities, very run down and pretty bleak.

Still nicer than Lea Road though.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Dec 2024 ==

At the moment, my vote goes to Huddersfield. Due to the alterations being done the place is full of scaffolding. It looks very dark and grim. I'm sure it'll look great once it's done.

 

[Djgr]

As the title suggests which are the bleakest stations on the network where services terminate:

Can be one or more of the following criteria:
Remoteness
Cold, windswept, no facilities
Or feeling of having to look over your shoulder due to potential anti-social behaviour!

Bidston, Colne, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Chathill…

Bidston isn't as bad as you make out. It might initially appear remote but it is five minutes walk from a massive Tesco with cafe and Greggs. The inside staffed waiting room is also less cold and windswept.

 

[yorksrob]

That service must surely be nothing more than a waste of diesel at this time of year?

It's very handy getting back from the pub.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Dec 2024 ==

Epsom Downs is the worst I’ve been to, not so much the platform but the actively oppressive walk along a residential street up to the station. I (genuinely) saw several curtains twitch and an elderly man in his front garden fixed me with a death stare and kept it on me until I was out of his vision. This was at 4pm on a summer weekday. Far more unnerving than anything at many of the so-called “dangerous” stations above that I’ve visited. Give me Springburn any day

You wonder why they chose to buy a house on a station approach really.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Dec 2024 ==

They are currently adding the track to be able to re-open a second platform at Newquay. Really hope they sort out the embarrassing entrance and station buildings at the same time.

From the photos, it used to be a pretty little station before it was flattened in the 80's.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Stranraer?

 

[yorksrob]

Ore deserves a mention. It is a very basic unstaffed station in a suburban residential area of Hastings with not much there. Just two basic platforms with not much on them. Up until 2018 the station did not even have any ticket machines or departure boards or automated announcements. So it used to be even worse.

Yes, the spiky fences give it a mad max feel.

Remember seeing it not long after the SER platform building had been burned down. Crying shame really.

Dungeness must have been in for a shout before it closed in 1937.

 

[AlterEgo]

Barton on humber.

Came here to suggest this one. Genuinely bleak, with a low service, and a bizarre vibe.

 

[Scotrail84]

Dalwhinnie, about 5 houses and a distillery. Always cold and windy there with only about 5 services a day in each direction. Very bleak there.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Dalwhinnie, about 5 houses and a distillery. Always cold and windy there with only about 5 services a day in each direction. Very bleak there.

Agree with all that, but is Dalwhinnie a terminal station?

 

[Scotrail84]

Agree with all that, but is Dalwhinnie a terminal station?

In fairness it's not so it doesn't fit the thread. My bad.

 

[Whistler40145]

Cleethorpes

 

[Mordac]

I haven't been since the new station building opened, but the old Londonderry station was truly grim.

 

[John Luxton]

Ellesmere Port. Full of scallies, stations a dump, towns a dump.

Yes I have used the train a couple of times in the last three years to visit the National Waterways Museum. Exit the station to a derelict hotel, then walk half a mile down the road past an odd assortment of semi abandoned shops some which might still be operating but not always obvious. Bleak and barren and that is on a sunny day - all it needs is some tumble weed blowing down the street. Also the station is only partially staffed. All locked up in the afternoon, no one to keep an eye on the Scallies.

 

[156421]

Peartree, Derby
Single platform, though rarely open

Unfortunately not a Terminus and has 2 platforms

 

[dcbwhaley]

If any trains still terminate at Stockport I would nominate that station.
(Found one https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G32337/2024-12-02/detailed#allox_id=0)
It used to be really cold and windy while waiting for the train to Stalybridge back in the day. Somehow it always seemed to be winter!

Nowt up with Stockport.
It has S a decent waiting room, a Starbucks and another coffee shop,
And pubs and bars nearby

 

[Horizon22]

Bromley North is a bit bleak. It's fairly close to town but does feel rather unloved. Also only service is a fairly underused shuttle.

 

[Peter0124]

I'd say Balloch. The area is okay but there's a big ned problem on that branch.

 

[Scouseinmanc]

My noms
Liverpool Central Low Level. Just awful.
Blackpool South. A true fall from grace.
Barton upon Humber. Who goes there exactly?