Stations far away from the towns they serve

[150222]

Halifax is similar to Preston with the bus station at the opposite end of the town centre to the rail station. In most European countries the bus station would be at the railway station even though it might be slightly out of town. Local buses would generally pass through the town centre on the way to the station.

bradford interchange is a good example of that

 

[Lampshade]

The walk from Preston bus station to Preston railway station is, there's no other word for it, an utter ballache.

 

[Mark_re]

Durham isn't far from the City Centre, but it is up a pretty bloody big hill.

 

[jonesy3001]

What about Lancaster?

I know when me and my brother went there, it looked like we were in the middle of nowhere

just a 2 minute walk from the station and 5 mins from my house.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The walk from Preston bus station to Preston railway station is, there's no other word for it, an utter ballache.

I do that most weekends, rail to bus only. If I'm feeling really fearless, I go via the Guild Hall and subway, some weird people down there... The only reason I walk is because I have 23 minutes to waste and don't like hanging around at the stop opposite Waterstones!

 

[WestCoast]

I do that most weekends, rail to bus only. If I'm feeling really fearless, I go via the Guild Hall and subway, some weird people down there... The only reason I walk is because I have 23 minutes to waste and don't like hanging around at the stop opposite Waterstones!

That's the best way, before they opened the "flat" way across the bus station's roads, you had to choose between the Guild Hall subway and the St Johns Centre (?) subway.

 

[radamfi]

bradford interchange is a good example of that

It used to be a good example before deregulation but First (or possibly Yorkshire Rider beforehand) decided that they didn't want most buses to go there any more and merely stop on city centre streets. This has led to the bus station being rebuilt much smaller.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

0.3 miles / 5 mins according to Google...

Also, it is a 'railway station'. I apocalyptically hate the phrase you used

Google must walk a damn sight faster than I can Seriously, where was the fulcrum point of that measurement. You have to walk past the Piece Hall to arrive at the station.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I have just been to see my Oxford English Dictionary (The big one that weighs a lot..none of the "concise" editions for me) which gives the following:-

TRAIN.....A series of railway carriages or waggons moved as a unit by a locomotive or integral motors.

STATION.....A place where passenger trains stop on a railway line, typically with platforms or buildings and sometimes covered by a train shed.

I do, of course, accept that "railway station" is in common useage. I have enjoyed our repartee this afternoon. A pity that Laura Robson was not here to "umpire" our match.:roll:

 

[truckman060473]

Saundersfoot and Ebbw Vale Parkway are well away from the towns

 

[Lampshade]

I do that most weekends, rail to bus only. If I'm feeling really fearless, I go via the Guild Hall and subway, some weird people down there... The only reason I walk is because I have 23 minutes to waste and don't like hanging around at the stop opposite Waterstones!

You could always get the 88A from outside the railway station but by the time it's arrived and gone the long way round it's quicker to walk.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Durham isn't far from the City Centre, but it is up a pretty bloody big hill.

Do they still run that bus service to the Cathedral from the station. Not only is the station up a steep hill, the Cathedral is up a similar steep hill. They were repaving that road last time that I was there and I had to walk up that hill from the square outside the indoor market.

 

[LE Greys]

London Paddington. Yes, it's in Paddington, but that's a good hour's walk from the City of London.

Swindon didn't really serve anywhere when it was built, it just happened to be a big green-field site on which to build a workshop, therefore requiring houses and turning into a town. Same's true of Woodford Halse, but to a lesser extent.

 

[stanley T]

If you want to go to Cirencester: Kemble.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

But Kemble station serves Kemble...

 

[trainophile]

If we're including local rail networks, Formby station is a good 10 minutes brisk walk from the near end of the town.

 

[imagination]

Tiverton parkway?

 

[trainophile]

Tiverton parkway?

What does "Parkway" mean, in the context of station names? It crops up all over the place.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

An out of town site with massive car parks (usually upwards of 200 spaces) for commuters to park at and get on a train to their destination. Didcot is trying to get a name change as it is actually in the town centre, not in the middle of a field as the name implies!

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Saundersfoot and Ebbw Vale Parkway are well away from the towns

There is going to be a station in Ebbw Vale town eventually

 

[Big Chris]

Lakenheath Station is nearly three miles from the centre of the village and is actually closer to Hockwold.

 

[ushawk]

Berwick (Sussex) is 1.4 miles away from the small village itself (although a small village - called Berwick Station - is now around the station.

Crowborough is 1.6 miles away from the centre of the town and is actually in an area called Jarvis Brook.

Wivelsfield is 2 miles away from the village itself and is actually closer to Burgess Hill.

Godstone is 2 and a half miles away from the village (station is actually in South Godstone).

Theres loads really

 

[Mark_re]

Do they still run that bus service to the Cathedral from the station. Not only is the station up a steep hill, the Cathedral is up a similar steep hill. They were repaving that road last time that I was there and I had to walk up that hill from the square outside the indoor market.

Aye - 50p for a day ticket, which isn't bad value.......unless you're a Durham council tax payer...!

 

[Class172]

Bromsgrove station isn't near the town centre, for a town of it's size. It's about 1.5mi from the shops.

Ashchurch for Tewkesbury definitely isn't near Tewkesbury town centre (but remember Tewkesbury lost its original station)

 

[caliwag]

There isn't really a settlement called Gleneagles, the station itself if a couple of miles from the hotel, and a good 3 or 4 from Gleneagles House and the end of the glen.

Lairg Station is 2 miles from Lairg.

On the Settle-Carlisle and Leeds-Morcambe lines there are a few, Kirkby Stephen, Clapham, Hellifield. Dent station is in the absolute middle of nowhere, its a good 5 miles away from the town.

Glenrothes with Thornton is probably 3 or 4 miles from the centre of Glenrothes. Markinch Station is closer to Glenrothes than Glenrothes station.

Quite so, but then before Gleneagles hotel opened it was Crieff Junction. Similarly the next station, Aucherarder was no nearer it's town. Indeed more trains in 19th century stopped at Gleneagles so an enterprising bus company connected with G trains to Auchterarder...I mind it as a kid!!!

Errol, on the Perth to Dundee line, was no better...though should now be open. Do you know, it was gas lit to the end...in 19++ (come on boys?) I sort of know, my first wife was from Errol...haha.

 

[DavidBrown]

What does "Parkway" mean, in the context of station names? It crops up all over the place.

Whilst you can discount Tiverton Parkway for obvious reasons, Tiverton Junction, when open, was just as far, if not further from Tiverton than the current station.

 

[bILLOO]

Wellingborough. Seems miles out when walking!

 

[pmgarvey]

If you don't like walking up stupidly steep hills you've got no business going to Durham in the first place.

 

[Scotty]

Swineshead station is outside of Swineshead (although in a smaller settlement called Swineshead Bridge), Rauceby is south of both North Rauceby and South Rauceby (Greylees is where it's located!), Bottesford is on the edge of town and Elton & Orston is inbetween both Elton and Orston

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Berwick (Sussex) is 1.4 miles away from the small village itself (although a small village - called Berwick Station - is now around the station.

Crowborough is 1.6 miles away from the centre of the town and is actually in an area called Jarvis Brook.

Wivelsfield is 2 miles away from the village itself and is actually closer to Burgess Hill.

Godstone is 2 and a half miles away from the village (station is actually in South Godstone).

Theres loads really

That happens alot in Sussex lol

 

[SprinterMan]

Seems to happen in East Anglia alot:

Wickham Market Station is in the village of Capsea Ashe, a good 3 miles from the town of Wickham Market.

Audley End Station is in the village of Wendens Ambo, since Audley End is a Manor House a few miles away.

Buckenham Station is closer to Strupshaw than Buckenham by about 0.5 miles I think, and 2.5 miles from Buckenham village.

Shippea Hill is a weird one, as there was no settlement of that name, and no hill as it lies in the middle of the fens. The motley collection of houses around the station is referred to "Shippea Hill station" by some maps.

Braintree Freeport station is a long way from Braintree town centre but it exists mainly to serve the large "Freeport" shopping complex and to act as a parkway station for villages like Silver End.

Whittlesea, Ely and Littleport stations are all about 0.5 miles out of the town centre.


Outside of East Anglia:

Micheldever (already been mentioned)

Swineshead (already been mentioned)

Winchelsea Station is a few miles down a very narrow road down a steep hill from the town.

Upminster Bridge is a long way from Upminster town central.

Doleham & Havenhouse have no settlements, and are named after a farm a few miles away and I think a house respectively.