Which stations can we be proud of?

[Cherry_Picker]

Just as a companion thread to the stations that need work doing to them thread, which stations can we be most proud of? Not so much as in which get the best services, but stations that are just a nice place to be due to the architecture or the facilities (etc)

I would offer both ends of the Chiltern mainline up to start with. Birmingham Moor Street is a lovely place these days, it has been restored beautifully and London Marylebone is one of the most attractive terminals in the capital city.

Any further offers? There have to be loads of nice stations out there. I would be interested to see some smaller stations get a name check too.

 

[es373]

I'm liking Charing Cross and St Pancras/St Pancras International, both looking good with the old style CharingX and new build SPI!

 

[driver9000]

St Pancras is stunning. I've always had a soft spot for Waterloo and London Victoria concourse/buildings too, they look great and have a nice atmosphere.

 

[strange6]

I nominate Stockport. It's a big station in its own way but full of atmosphere and very well run by the Virgin staff. It's one of the few station I don't mind being delayed at if truth be known because I can always have a chat with the really friendly platform staff

 

[SS4]

New Street

Seriously though Moor Street is a nice station as is Marylebone. Bristol Temple Meads looks nice but I've only passed through it. St Pancras goes without saying.

Sheffield is a nice station too, especially with the water fountain on a hot day

 

[TEW]

London Paddington has always looked very nice, well restored and in good condition. The refurbished span 4 just completes it.

 

[rmt-driver]

South Greenford

 

[S19]

Both Lancaster and Carnforth

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Tavistock.
Hawick.
Little Bytham.
Alnwick.
Invergarry.

Maybe not the best in the world, but not bad. I certainly hope that those involved in the construction or design of any of them would be proud.







Its just a shame that trains don't stop at any of them.

 

[Liam]

Wemyss Bay
Glasgow Central
Crystal Palace (although a shadow of it's former self)
Aberdour
Drem
Tulloch

 

[Lampshade]

York, Newcastle, Waterloo, Paddington, St Pancras.

 

[Proud Salopian]

St Pancras. Easily the nation's greatest station.

And neighbouring Kings Cross will soon be joining it.

 

[Temple Meads]

Bristol Temple Meads looks nice but I've only passed through it.

Platform 1 and the overhead roof look great, but the other parts are a bit scruffy.

 

[trentside]

I'll agree with those who have suggested St Pancras. If I have some time to kill before catching a train from King's Cross, I go and wait at St Pancras as it's so much nicer. You never know, one day the Cross might actually be finished - then it can be added to this list!

I also like York, it's stunning. Sheffield is also lovely since the refurbishment a few years ago.

 

[Gathursty]

Liverpool Lime Street
Newton-le-Willows
Glenfinnan
Lancaster

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Manchester Piccadilly, Its clean, plenty of shops and food outlets and yours truly spends alot of his working life in and out of the place lol

 

[asylumxl]

I wouldn't say St Pancras. It's a shopping centre with a few platforms attatched. To me anyway, it's far too centred around the Eurostar and seems designed with the purpose of giving a false impression of London to visitors.

The MML certainly lost out in the refurbishment too. 4 platforms? Is it any suprise it loses passengers to the ECML etc?

I don't want to go too off topic, but I do wonder how the people of the Midland Railway Co. would feel knowing their line had been relegated from the shed built for it...

 

[Rugd1022]

Paddington, dispite the shiny floor! St Erth gets my vote too, plus Teignmouth, Bristol Temple Meads and York.

 

[ACE1888]

Bere Alston and Templecombe

 

[glenbogle]

Always think the stations on the Settle/Carlisle run are very nice and well maintained, Kidderminster on the SVR is my favourite though if that does not count it would have to be Machynlleth.

 

[Tracked]

Wakefield Kirkgate ... what?

St Pancras
Manchester Picadilly
Paddington
Crianlarich
Wemyss Bay

 

[Wyvern]

I remember Derby as it was in the forties.

Never thought I'd say it but since the new canopies have been put in its a bright and cheery place. IT helps having Francis Thompsons lovely wide Platform One

 

[Class172]

Birmingham Moor Street
London Marylebone
London St. Pancreas
Kidderminster Town
Great Malvern

 

[90019]

I think once the improvements have finished at Waverley, it should be right up there.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Wemyss Bay
Glasgow Central
Edinburgh Waverley (in a couple of years)
Birmingham Moor St
Hebden Bridge
Bristol Temple Meads
Paddington

But miles ahead of the above is Perth, the west side of the station is stunning.

St Pancras? Never in a million years.

 

[WestCoast]

I nominate London St. Pancras, York, Manchester Piccadilly (except 13/14), Birmingham Moor Street, Bristol Temple Meads and London Marylebone.

 

[Liam]

But miles ahead of the above is Perth, the west side of the station is stunning.

I was going to say Perth, but the 'new' bit in the middle spoils it for me and also on the far West of the station (across from platform 7) isn't pretty.

Stirling is nice though as is Gleneagles.

 

[gnolife]

Wemyss Bay
Glasgow Central
Edinburgh Waverley (in a couple of years)
Birmingham Moor St
Hebden Bridge
Bristol Temple Meads
Paddington

But miles ahead of the above is Perth, the west side of the station is stunning.

St Pancras? Never in a million years.

I'd second Hebden Bridge, It struck me as a really nice station - but I've only ever been there once to change and twice passing through, so I might not have picked up on anything particularly bad about it

and Wakefield Kirkgate

 

[Grimsby town]

Manchester Piccadilly
Sheffield
Derby

 

[caliwag]

Wemyss Bay
Glasgow Central
Edinburgh Waverley (in a couple of years)
Birmingham Moor St
Hebden Bridge
Bristol Temple Meads
Paddington

But miles ahead of the above is Perth, the west side of the station is stunning.

St Pancras? Never in a million years.

Hear Hear Matt re Perth...

It was my old spotting territory in 1959 till end of steam. Even in 1960 it was pretty well intact...3 ticket offices, a 24 hour buffet, a steam shed with around 100 locos (including 60+ black fives), half a dozen signal boxes in the station precinct alone.
There's an excellent 'Resorts for Railfans No 20' in Trains Illustrated February 1957: almost certainly available from KWVR Vintage Carriage Trust back issue magazine store for about £2...they will organise over the phone!
If you struggle and want a copy I'll send you a photocopy!

If Perth had had 1% of the money spent on St P. it could have been restored to former glory...but why I hear the cry! I think Scotrail do well to maintain the bits that are left. Incidentally Stirling is brilliant with semaphores (for now) the superb double stair and all the hanging baskets and plants...a credit to the staff.

Good thread.