Yeah, that is up there!
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Bleakest UK Station (Trivia)
- Thread starter sad1e
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Yeah, that is up there!
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Dave W
Member
Harringay.
See Hornsey for how to do a v similar station in a much better way!
See Hornsey for how to do a v similar station in a much better way!
I wouldn't really call it too bleak , From my times there the facilities are decent , it gets a freqentish service and it's near a high street with shops. Although the area isn't the best , the station does feel quite unsafe in the evenings and at night.
Express380
Member
Lelant Saltings, St Columb Road and Dockyard get my votes down the far west
150249
Established Member
Similarly, I always find Keyham pretty bleak
Express380
Member
I'll second that
I wouldn't describe the Medway Valley as "generally bleak". The line south of Maidstone is very scenic as it follows the river, and although the northern half is a bit post-industrial, there are some interesting views around Cuxton. Yalding station is perhaps less quaint than it once was, but I'd have thought Beltring ( a former halt) has even fewer amenities.
brad465
Veteran Member
During the Scottish Referendum campaign, Frankie Boyle joked about how an independent Scotland would do well in euthanasia, where he suggested that after patients land in Glasgow, they'd get transferred to an industrial estate in Bellshill, by which point they'd be begging to be killed. Based on that I'm willing to believe the railway station is a bleak place.
CaptainHaddock
Established Member
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- 10 Feb 2011
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Sugar Loaf.
izvor
Member
Indeed, it was certainly hard to beat on this thread.
For modern bleakness, try Thanet Parkway. For a brand new station it is dire. Two narrow platforms, 12 cars long, backed by black walls with no relief. It's hideous, and a horrible place to wait for a train. I pity anyone leaving the splendours of St. Pancras on a Javelin, with a great impression of British design, and arriving at this disgrace.
MadMac
Established Member
I submit This Example: Carfin in its heyday. Apparently, two American tourists ended up on an Edinburgh via Shotts service and were rather perplexedly trying to locate in the timetable the station called “Provos” the train had stopped at…..
cjw714
Member
The higher platform at Worcestershire Parkway perfectly fits that description. Sitting there on a sunny summer's evening the view of the Cotswold and Malvern hills is delightful but I can imagine at other times the platform can feel very isolated and exposed.
I’d guess the lower level must be grim on days when XC can’t be ar5ed to run the hourly Cardiffs.
Statto
Established Member
Bidston, feels cold & bleak even in July when its 30C, even worse in Autumn/Winter.
m79900
Member
I'd argue that Blaenau Ffestiniog can seem pretty bleak with the towering slate tips at all angles, but I like that. Bleak, but not depressing.
InkyScrolls
On Moderation
Surely Ribblehead in winter must be up there! When the pub is shut of course.
Carstairs, early in the morning in winter felt pretty bleak. There was a Manchester-Glasgow Voyager which stopped there and dropped off passengers for Edinburgh, then a Glasgow-King’s Cross service rattled through without stopping, then a Pendolino empty from Polmadie arrived for us to Edinburgh. The Pendolino then formed a service to Euston.
This was a few years ago, mind.
This was a few years ago, mind.
Just watch out for the local kids...
fwsmVor
On Moderation
St Andrew's Road, especially now the coal's gone. Something about the silence of the big machines with nothing but the distant roar of the M4.
Clearly not *the* bleakest, but for stations with 1 million+ passengers a year, Cambridge North is pretty bleak.
Everything is drab gray, no colour or character at all, except for the Wolfram-inspired 'Life' patterns that really only serve to let wind and rain in. Almost no facilities, no ticket office, one side of the station blocked off with a huge fence that often has many unhappy-sounding dogs barking on the other side. Vast quantities of CCTV cameras for some reason (there are at least 12 (!) cameras on the short overbridge alone, goodness only knows who thought that many cameras were 'necessary'). Once you leave the station you're in a large open windswept concrete square with almost no civilization to be found within a five minute walk in any direction, bar an isolated hotel, an isolated office building, a fairly rubbish Co-op that opened recently, and the occasional speeding cyclist trying to run you down. Oh, and more recently 2 (!) overpriced kebab vans which appeared within weeks of each other.
Everything is drab gray, no colour or character at all, except for the Wolfram-inspired 'Life' patterns that really only serve to let wind and rain in. Almost no facilities, no ticket office, one side of the station blocked off with a huge fence that often has many unhappy-sounding dogs barking on the other side. Vast quantities of CCTV cameras for some reason (there are at least 12 (!) cameras on the short overbridge alone, goodness only knows who thought that many cameras were 'necessary'). Once you leave the station you're in a large open windswept concrete square with almost no civilization to be found within a five minute walk in any direction, bar an isolated hotel, an isolated office building, a fairly rubbish Co-op that opened recently, and the occasional speeding cyclist trying to run you down. Oh, and more recently 2 (!) overpriced kebab vans which appeared within weeks of each other.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I'd say it overall has a similar feel to Bletchley.
I've only been to Bletchley a handful of times (I recall 3 off the top of my head) but I do see the similarities, yes. Though at least at Bletchley you have a town within walking distance if you have time to kill when eg. a train is cancelled, even if (as I recall) (a) the walk from the station to the town isn't particularly pleasant and (b) it isn't terribly exciting once you do get there!
Presumably there is at least one pub within 15 minutes walk of the station, too, which beats Cambridge North...
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
Bidston has to be high on the list, a narrow island platform which feels like it is stuck in the middle of nowhere. Nothing to see except swamps and the motorway flyover to the north, and post-industrial desolation to the south. It is always windy there. It is staffed though, so it never feels unsafe.
If we're including former stations, then nowhere is as bleak as the old Bradford Forster Square.
If we're including former stations, then nowhere is as bleak as the old Bradford Forster Square.
Western 52
Established Member
Not much left at Filton Junction these days, or at Cefn Onn.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's fairly short though not exciting. Walk south towards and past the signal box, down the stairs, turn left, under the bridge, cross the road and you're there. You would have a pint in the Park (not a very good pub but it is the nearest) or be seated for a curry in either the Rose of India or Golden Curry (just under the viaduct, both are good and the Golden Curry is one of the longest established curry houses in the UK) within 5 minutes at most. If you're after 'Spoons the very well-named "Captain Ridley's Shooting Party" (a clever reference to the Bletchley Park pioneers who when checking the place out did so under that booking) is maybe 10 minutes away at the other end of the high street. There's also the Eight Belles if you go the other way on the Buckingham Road which is OK but can be a bit random with opening hours.
If you walk on the street past the college it's quite a lot further and I'd agree totally unremarkable (though I wouldn't say unpleasant).
Yes, several as noted above.
Cambridge North does have the Novotel on site which I assume has a hotel bar where you can refresh yourself between trains if you want (being an Accor hotel it isn't going to be exciting, but I'm sure it'll be OK if probably a little pricey), or alternatively the Green Dragon (no idea if it's any good) is 18 minutes' walk according to Google.
Good info, thanks - will try to remember that next time I'm there
Never thought about trying the hotel, not sure if the bar is public or not. Though I note a TripAdvisor review from 2021 claiming a pint there was £9 (!), so goodness only knows how much it would be now!
Haven't been there in a while, but the Green Dragon certainly used to be a decent pub. If you're up for the walk, you can do part of it along the river which is pleasant in nice weather.
There's also the Golden Hind at a similar distance, on Milton Road, but that's not so good a pub or indeed as nice a walk.
Dren Ahmeti
Member
Was just about to post that. Having suffered the misfortune of having to use it semi-regularly as a commute during all types of weathers - I’d sometimes just cycle up to Severn Beach for the (relatively) nicer wait.
edwin_m
Veteran Member
Not much going from it either.
I recall Pitsea being really bleak when visiting back in the 80s. It may have changed since, I have no desire to go back and check.
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