Expanded stations

[Kingston Dan]

Tottenham Hale
Northumberland Park
Angel Road / Meridian Water
Shenfield
Beccles
Abbey Wood
Doncaster
Darlington*
Dunbar
Gatwick
Wellingboro’
Kettering
Tring
Bletchley*
Milton Keynes
Rugby
Nuneaton
Wolverhampton
Stockport
Salford Cresecent*
Roby
Huyton
Kirkham & Wesham
Waterloo
Clapham Jn
Redhill
Oxford
Bham Moor St
Finsbury Park
Ally Pally
Swindon
Haddenham & Thame
Bicester North
Princes Risboro’
Edinburgh Waverley
Glasgow Central
Newport (Wales)


*yet to see passenger services

I’m sure there’s lots more.

Dunbar went from 2 to 1 platforms and back again (I think it also went from 4 tracks to 2 to 3).

 

[BarryD]

Bromsgrove actually saw a new 4-platform station built on a new site, replacing the old one.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Dunbar went from 2 to 1 platforms and back again (I think it also went from 4 tracks to 2 to 3).

Never 2 tracks, the double track main line bypassed the station which had been reduced from 2 to 1 track

 

[InTheEastMids]

Haven't seen Bedford mentioned which went from 4 to 5 platforms at some point since its reconstruction for electrification.

MK Central has had platforms added as I think it was built with only 5

 

[William3000]

In recent decades there have been a significant number of stations which have seen their capacity expanded. However, unlike new stations, there doesn't appear to be any publicly available list, comprehensive or otherwise, of existing stations which have been expanded. So I thought I would make a start:

Station Name	Current platforms	Previous platforms	Upgrade date
Bradford Forster Square	4	3	2025
Bristol Parkway	4	3	2018
Bristol Parkway	3	2	2007
Bromsgrove	4	2	2016
Cambridge	8	6	2011
Doncaster	9	8	2016
Leeds	18	17	2021
Leeds	17	12	2002
London Bridge	15	15*	2018
London Kings Cross	11	11*	2010
London Marylebone	6	4	2006
London St Pancras	15	4?	2007
Peterborough	7	5	2013
Reading	15	12	2014
Stevenage	5	4	2020

* - new platforms built which increased capacity, but no overall change in number of platforms.

What other capacity upgrades and rebuilds have there been in recent decades?

I guess Rugby would be an example of a station which expanded but reduced its number of platforms

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2026 ==

In recent decades there have been a significant number of stations which have seen their capacity expanded. However, unlike new stations, there doesn't appear to be any publicly available list, comprehensive or otherwise, of existing stations which have been expanded. So I thought I would make a start:

Station Name	Current platforms	Previous platforms	Upgrade date
Bradford Forster Square	4	3	2025
Bristol Parkway	4	3	2018
Bristol Parkway	3	2	2007
Bromsgrove	4	2	2016
Cambridge	8	6	2011
Doncaster	9	8	2016
Leeds	18	17	2021
Leeds	17	12	2002
London Bridge	15	15*	2018
London Kings Cross	11	11*	2010
London Marylebone	6	4	2006
London St Pancras	15	4?	2007
Peterborough	7	5	2013
Reading	15	12	2014
Stevenage	5	4	2020

* - new platforms built which increased capacity, but no overall change in number of platforms.

What other capacity upgrades and rebuilds have there been in recent decades?

I think London St Pancras was 7 platforms previously

 

[Mattplans]

Dartford went from 3 to 4 platforms - I think in connection with the resignalling 50+ years ago

That’s interesting. Do you know what the track layout looked like beforehand? It’s strange to imagine a station with 2 island platforms, but one of them only has one track at the side.

 

[BeijingDave]

I guess Rugby would be an example of a station which expanded but reduced its number of platforms

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2026 ==

Rugby, as I recall, was numbered 1 to 8 (1 and 8 either side of the original main island) but only 2 bays were in regular use. Some may have even had their track removed by around 1998, when I last went before the redesign.

So really 8 to 4 operational platforms to 6 now.

Nuneaton went from 5 to 7.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2026 ==

I guess Rugby would be an example of a station which expanded but reduced its number of platforms

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2026 ==


I think London St Pancras was 7 platforms previously

Old St Pancras was 7, correct.

Never saw it filled to anywhere near capacity.

 

[M60lad]

Can someone remind me how Liverpool Lime Street went from 9 to 10 Platforms only I thought only a couple of years ago it actually lost a Platform (What was Platform 1)

 

[Djgr]

Can someone remind me how Liverpool Lime Street went from 9 to 10 Platforms only I thought only a couple of years ago it actually lost a Platform (What was Platform 1)

The former "cab road", between former platforms 7 and 8 (now 6 and 9) was replaced by two new platforms. At the same time platform 1 was lost and all the remaining platforms renumbered.

 

[Strathclyder]

Airdrie, Drumgelloch, Livingston North and Uphall all gained platforms when the line was redoubled. Haymarket Platform 0? Forres?

Just for the sake of clarity and not to be 'that guy', but the current Drumgelloch is entirely new and built on a different site (on the site of the 1862-1956 Clarkston station specifically) 550m east of where the 1989 single-platform station once was, and is not an expansion of the '89 station.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Just for the sake of clarity and not to be 'that guy', but the current Drumgelloch is entirely new and built on a different site (on the site of the 1862-1956 Clarkston station specifically) 550m east of where the 1989 single-platform station once was, and is not an expansion of the '89 station.

Thanks for the clarification. Presume it was deemed convenient to retain the 'Drumgelloch' name when the re-sited station opened in March 2011. 550m is a fair distance between 'old' and 'new'.

 

[Whisky Papa]

I haven't spotted a mention of Rochdale's P4, the Manchester-facing bay dating from 2016.

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

I guess Rugby would be an example of a station which expanded but reduced its number of platforms

Also Banbury, which made at least one new through platform from and filled in other bay platforms.

 

[Smwrff]

Cardiff Bay - Was 1 now being fitted out to 2 - with 3 planned.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

I recall Welshpool had some enhancement work done, bringing a second platform into use, to allow for hourly services along the line.

The 'new' Welshpool station was always an island platform with 2 faces (see: http://disused-stations.org.uk/w/welshpool_1st/index8.shtml), the enhancement was to extend the double track section to provide a 'dynamic loop.'

Of course it was still a downgrade from the original, much larger station, which was closed for building the bypass, with the track slewed to the east.

 

[oglord]

My recollection from the late 70s is that Platform 1 was not used for passenger traffic, which is what I was thinking of, but you are right that there has always been a platform there.

Indeed, as there has always been a fourth platform (the old Platform 8) now extended.

 

[Bodiam]

That’s interesting. Do you know what the track layout looked like beforehand? It’s strange to imagine a station with 2 island platforms, but one of them only has one track at the side.

There was an island platform on the north side, used mainly for down trains and terminators, and a single sided platform mainly for up trains. That platform had a bay at the down end, used mainly for parcels vans. The main station buildings were on the road side of the single-sided platform - a 2-storey building probably dating from 1849 and the original North Kent line, used for parcels in the 1960s in my observation, and a timber extension which was the booking office. The buildings were knocked down and the site used for the fourth track.

 

[MadMac]

Just for the sake of clarity and not to be 'that guy', but the current Drumgelloch is entirely new and built on a different site (on the site of the 1862-1956 Clarkston station specifically) 550m east of where the 1989 single-platform station once was, and is not an expansion of the '89 station.

Ah, I wondered about that! Thanks.

 

[The exile]

Are there (m)any stations which have seen such an upturn as Edinburgh Waverley “since Beeching” (other than new ones / reopenings of course). Although IIRC always reaching 21, it has gone from 2,20 and 21 being barely used and 3-9 not at all to a full set, hasn’t it?

 

[David Bullock]

Castleford recently had a second platform open

 

[james73]

Thanks for the clarification. Presume it was deemed convenient to retain the 'Drumgelloch' name when the re-sited station opened in March 2011. 550m is a fair distance between 'old' and 'new'.

They couldn't go back to calling it Clarkston, cos there's a Clarkston on the East Kilbride line.


Anniesland went from 2 platforms to 3 platforms around 2005.

 

[leedslad82]

Castleford recently had a second platform open

Well it was brought back up to passenger standards and into use again

 

[fat_boy_pete]

Are there (m)any stations which have seen such an upturn as Edinburgh Waverley “since Beeching” (other than new ones / reopenings of course). Although IIRC always reaching 21, it has gone from 2,20 and 21 being barely used and 3-9 not at all to a full set, hasn’t it?

I would say Stratford is the obvious answer. I remember using it in the 1980's when practically only the only traffic was interchange between the Central line and the Shenfield line. Now a massive station.

 

[MadMac]

They couldn't go back to calling it Clarkston, cos there's a Clarkston on the East Kilbride line.

They could have reverted back to Clarkston & Stamperland…..

 

[satisnek]

Loughborough 2 to 3, Nottingham I think and Derby.

Yes, Nottingham had the old Platform 4 split into two (through plus bay) and Derby has gone from 5 through and 1 bay to 6 maybe 7 through platforms.

Birmingham New Street had an old loco spur converted into Platform 4C some time back.

 

[KHCT]

Hull went from 6 platforms to 7 with the reopening of platform 1 in 2024.

 

[plugwash]

Crossrail added new platform pairs to a number of NR stations (plus some stations that were previously just tube/dlr stations)

Paddington
Farringdon
Liverpool Street (conjoining it to moorgate in the process)
Whitechapel
Abbey wood

Stockport got a new through platform in the 2000s (according to wikipedia the new concourse and platform were finished in 2004, but did was not brought into service until 2008) and has also had the main through platforms extended a couple of times as the length of the pendolinos grew, OTOH it has lost most of it's bay platforms over the years.

Cambridge got a new platform island in 2011, It also got a platform extension in 2001.

Salford crescent is in the process of getting a third platform at the moment.

 

[cle]

Similar vein to Rochdale, Stalybridge has been expanded more than once.

Huddersfield - bay removal but expansion from a capacity POV. Others similar I believe (two short bays to one longer one, or even lost to a longer island) - not necessarily the OP topic re platform count though.

 

[Killingworth]

Dore & Totley went from 1 to 2.

Originally 2, became 4 in 1904, Platforms 3 and 4 out of use in 1960s, Platforms 2, 3 and 4 totally demolished in 1985. Recently had completely new second platform added and old Platform 1 made Platform 2.

 

[Belperpete]

Didn't Birmingham International gain an extra platform? Platform 1 certainly gives the impression of being an after thought.

Porthmadog Harbour has gained an extra platform.