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Darlington station expansion
- Thread starter BorderCollie
- Start date
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RailUK Forums
MboroFC
Member
Still waiting for an open access to jump on Darlo to Dunrobin Castle out of P2&3 with reversal on the mainline through tracks
DarloRich
Veteran Member
Have more staff have been taken on to "man" the new part of the station - does anyone know?
Are the escalators working yet?
Have all the works been completed or are there still jobs to do?
Are the escalators working yet?
Have all the works been completed or are there still jobs to do?
Surely you run via Stockton to tap the Northeast Tees castle/tartan market
NER1621
Member
The overrun was getting embarrassing (the refurbishment was meant to be completed by autumn 2025) so the bare minimum has been done to get the new platforms open for the start of the new timetable, but the original station, especially the Victoria Road entrance, remains a mess.
There's certainly plenty of room to put another bay platform in on the new side. Indeed the current layout of the station very much looks like it has been built with that in mind. Might even be able to get a third platform in on that side if you wanted.
There was meant to be 2 bay platforms and one through from the initial plans and publicity that Ben Houchen put out.
Then very quietly one bay platform was dropped and all the publicity material and information online was changed to remove any mention of 2 bays.
Given that it's a single hourly service using the bay at present, it's probably hard to justify a second one yet. So long as it could be added in future if necessary then that's probably adequate.
The photos I've seen actually look as though the bay could be converted to a through platform relatively easily - the bridge is in place but I don't know if there's anything buried under the tarmac that would make it difficult.
The photos I've seen actually look as though the bay could be converted to a through platform relatively easily - the bridge is in place but I don't know if there's anything buried under the tarmac that would make it difficult.
The new works allow for further expansion with provision for another through platform, as per the NR Enhancements doc;
"New platforms will provide capacity for a 7th ECML passenger path through Darlington and help to enable future infrastructure improvements for a potential 8th or 9th path."
The current arrangement is one part of the enhancements required for the 7th path from York to Newcastle, allowing a second hourly TPE service to be delivered as promised by the TRU works.
"New platforms will provide capacity for a 7th ECML passenger path through Darlington and help to enable future infrastructure improvements for a potential 8th or 9th path."
The current arrangement is one part of the enhancements required for the 7th path from York to Newcastle, allowing a second hourly TPE service to be delivered as promised by the TRU works.
Indeed, although 3 was rarely used anyway and 2 only got the quick turnaround on the hourly Darlo-Saltburn shuttle which is now on 6 of course.
It's the loss of regular service on 1 which feels most strange with only an hourly use on the Bishop-Saltburn service with a handful of longer distance north/south bound trains timetabled to use it throughout the day. Outside of Northern there's 4 x Crosscountry, 3 x TPE and 2 x LNER using it per day (most of these presumably due to freight clashes or to provide extra resilience where close to another departure on 4). I would go as far as to say it may be a little confusing these services do use 1 given that it's previously always been pretty simple at Darlington - northbound on 4 and southbound on 1.
As part of this 7th path I believe it was said previously that the Bishop-Saltburn service would need to be split at Darlington to remove the crossing of the ECML - not sure if that's still the case now. I presume the extra platform capacity would allow for an increased frequency to Bishop Auckland, as you could add an hourly shuttle with relative ease using P1.
I wonder if in theory there would be enough capacity with the new platforms for an extra tph between York and Darlington in lieu of extending through to Newcastle (whether there would be suitable demand to justify it I'm not sure) or if there are other enhancements required at the likes of Northallerton or north of York station that would be needed first.
Interestingly I've just been reading the RAIL article write up and David Horne of LNER said "We think that the benefit of coming straight off the fast line into the platform, rather than crossing over, will give us potentially the performance benefits or options to stop other services." Admittedly there's a lot of non-committal language in that sentence but it does rather imply that it could allow the Kings Cross-York-Newcastle-Edinburgh fasts to stop at Darlington.
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D1537
Established Member
Seven late night services and ECS Class 156/158 workings (2D59, 5D92, 2D63, 5A55, 2D67, 5E34 and 2D69) end up in Platforms 2 and 3.
These then depart early the next morning to work 5N51, 5N53, 2D04, 2D08 and 2D12 (some of which are 2 x 156/158 for balance).
mrgreen
Member
I was surprised to see that Platform 1 is used by at least one northbound ECML service (1S01 Doncaster-Edinburgh, depart 06.15). Doesn't this involve crossing from the DM to the UM and then accessing the platform by the diamond back across the DM? I did wonder if it was because Platform 5 wasn't in use until later in the day, but an earlier service does call.
Yeah there's a missing crossover so annoyingly you do have to cross from the Down to the Up briefly to access P1 from the south. An annoying bit of missing flexibility (would be especially useful in a future world where we split the Bishop at Darlington as then P4 could be a virtual bay for that leaving P1 for all the northbound stuff). Like you I was also somewhat puzzled why it used P1 rather than P4 and as yet haven't been able to come up with an answer!
Could 1S01 be using platform 1 due to Northerns 2D97 0619 Darlington to Bishop Auckland being in platform 4 at the time 1S01 would need to use it?
Where does the unit come from for 2D97?
Does it shunt from 2/3 or does it arrive off an ecs from Heaton?
Ooh that's a good shout! Yes it'll be 2D97s fault or more accurately 3D01 which is a bit of a jumbo train down from Heaton as it usually brings down four 156s into P4 at 0610. One of them goes off at 0619 to Bishop as 2D97, two more go to Saltburn at 0621 (one dropping off at Middlesbrough) as 2D06 and then the final unit shunts out of P4 at 0631 to Darlignton South Junction before finally ending up in P3 ready to form 2D08 to Saltburn at 0649.
I suppose they probably could do that rigmarole in P1 now to be fair as the only other thing that requires it around the same time is 1N51 a Middlesbrough to Carlisle Northern via Darlington but it goes behind 1S01 anyway so could easily swap to P4 as well.
Finally got to the bottom of that one!
Ah no you probably couldn't do it in P1 as then 1N51 and 2D97 would conflict at the north end of the junction whereas right now they can depart basically simultaneously without getting in each others way.
Norther Monkey
Member
- Joined
- 7 Aug 2011
- Messages
- 270
Used it for the first time last week. Entered via Victoria Road as I was walking from town. This entrance seems somewhat forgotten and run down which, as the natural pedestrian entrance/exit, is disappointing. The lack of any work/smartening up on the existing train shed makes it feel neglected and unloved.
It's a long haul to 5/6, especially with luggage. With time to spare I looked around the new building. Whilst the, air conditioned, new waiting room was welcome in last week's heat the rest left me somewhat underwhelmed. Escalator/lifts to footbridge not working, people getting lost as the alternative route via platforms 5/6 not obvious. Overall the new building felt like one long corridor. The travel centre is now a single 'hatch', what will be food outlets don't feel like they'll offer much. Overall very sterile and not particularly user friendly.
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Potentially a start of finishing off the Neasham Road side of the external works today.
Neasham Road has been closed to traffic in one direction (at the drop off point area) couldn't see what was going on but maybe a start to finishing off the project?
Edit 02/06/26
So, I've been down Neasham Road today, and contractors have started to remove all of the Hoarding and fencing which runs from Parkgate Railway Bridge around onto Neasham Road where entrance to the new Car park is.
So hopefully this is now the start of tidying up that area and finishing the station entrance.
Will be good to finally have people be able to walk on footpath and not walking on the road onto oncoming traffic.
Neasham Road has been closed to traffic in one direction (at the drop off point area) couldn't see what was going on but maybe a start to finishing off the project?
Edit 02/06/26
So, I've been down Neasham Road today, and contractors have started to remove all of the Hoarding and fencing which runs from Parkgate Railway Bridge around onto Neasham Road where entrance to the new Car park is.
So hopefully this is now the start of tidying up that area and finishing the station entrance.
Will be good to finally have people be able to walk on footpath and not walking on the road onto oncoming traffic.
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AlanRailer
New Member
Looks complete now. Travelling with a bike I have explored all(I think) exits. It adds about 5 minutes exiting. The longish walk to Newshan Road might be my best bet, the lift faff slowing my usual Victoria Road route to the south.
My conclusion and feelling about the new and now ginormous station is "WTF".
My conclusion and feelling about the new and now ginormous station is "WTF".
I've used it once and the new extension is massively oversized and seems to be just corridors and a car park.
Could of be built a lot small and passenger friendly
I think it's inefficient that the new ticket gateline is distant from the new ticket office, and the new ticket office is an old-fashioned ticket window behind glass. A consolidated layout could have allowed staff to work together at busy times, and allowed one staff member to cover both roles at quiet times.
Good thinking ref staffing; but that would have required LNER to regrade the barrier staff and ticket office staff into a multi skilled role.
The pay rate currently is a lot higher for a Ticket clerk than it is for barrier staff.
I was there a couple of days ago (I'm originally from Darlo) and must admit I'm not quite sure how to feel about it.
Positive to see what is clearly a large spend and nice new areas and useful platform capacity.
But agree the long corridor to the new exit seems a confusing design and not convinced the waiting area with the Greggs is going to get much use given how remote it is from the two currently "known" entrances and all the platforms. I passed through admittedly late but it was fully lit and a bank of screens was broadcasting train times to an empty room.
Also doesn't integrate aesthetically with the existing station. It's like they built a standalone station to a generic modern design next door with no consideration of the existing train shed and its fittings at all. The new bridge particularly looks like they just cut a hole in the Victorian train shed roof with little thought.
Positive to see what is clearly a large spend and nice new areas and useful platform capacity.
But agree the long corridor to the new exit seems a confusing design and not convinced the waiting area with the Greggs is going to get much use given how remote it is from the two currently "known" entrances and all the platforms. I passed through admittedly late but it was fully lit and a bank of screens was broadcasting train times to an empty room.
Also doesn't integrate aesthetically with the existing station. It's like they built a standalone station to a generic modern design next door with no consideration of the existing train shed and its fittings at all. The new bridge particularly looks like they just cut a hole in the Victorian train shed roof with little thought.
Regarding the new exit, it should get good footfall as that's where the main car park is, as the tempory car park on Clifton Road is now permanently closed.
It is obviously a modern addition to the old building, personally I prefer that kind of thing rather than "pretend old". Makes it clear what's original and what's not. Aesthetic preference is personal, though.
AlanRailer
New Member
When leaving the station for the Neasham road exit I followed an LNER staff member who was yomping it. On turning the corner I was expecting to reach the road but no, it was that long grandiose corridor hallway. On my puzzlement I asked a passing rail staffer what it was for. 'To look nice' was the lightly grinned reply.
Intended to celebrate the 20th anniversary maybe., it sort of harks back to Brunel.
Intended to celebrate the 20th anniversary maybe., it sort of harks back to Brunel.
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The station expansion is proving to be worth its weight in gold today. A points failure is meaning that down trains are having to go wrong line and are using platform 1 as the down main.
This would undoubtedly have been a lot more difficult without the new layout.
This would undoubtedly have been a lot more difficult without the new layout.
Yes I suspect it is easier to manage this now with the new layout. Not perfect of course because as noted elsewhere in this thread to go from the Down Main to P1 you still have to cross the Up Main briefly but at least the Up trains can happily sit in P5 whilst that's going on instead of having to wait for P1 to become clear before they can arrive! It really used to cause plenty of congestion before the new layout when they tried that manoeuvre.
Though we really do need someone to come back and fettle it so that trains can arrive into P1 without ever having to touch the Up Main at all...
I've also noticed that it's been a boon for the Darlington - Saltburn service as well. The ECML can be in complete chaos including at Darlington but the Northern service is happily still trundling in and out of the station on its own little spur. Obviously Bishop is still fighting for its life crossing the ECML. But at least only half the trains are subject to ECML induced delays now!
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Yes, a new crossover to enable independant access to P1 down trains would be handy for day to day running.
I also experienced Northern trains passing eachother at the Southern end of P4, which I hadn't realised was a thing.
Oh yeah that's a little rare but it does happen from time to time. The layout at Darlington has always been very flexible (apart from that one little niggle). It was more painful when a down LNER (or XC/TPE) had to pass a Northern at the southern end of P4. The bypass loop is painfully slow compared to the direct P4 approach (10/20mph I think versus maybe 50 or 60?).
zwk500
Veteran Member
But extremely difficult to replace the switched diamond with 3 turnouts in the space available to keep the connection to Eagleascliffe. Could possibly be done though - but may require losing the line adjacent to 1 and moving the turnouts for 2/3 on to the Down Loop.
I suspect the opportunity was identified in the project, but presumably passed up for cost reasons. Not sure if they ever considered putting in the trailing/left-handed crossover at the north end to avoid the need for wrong-road moves to need to run all the way to Aycliffe.
Bypass loop is 20mph, southern half of 4 is 35mph according to the Sectional appendix. It changes to 50mph in the northern half after the points from the loop. https://vaildata.uk/sa?lor=LN600&seq=010&name=DARLINGTON
Interestingly, 1S06 LNER 0730 King's Cross - Edinburgh, which doesn't stop at Darlington, was routed on the Up Main through the station and is using the Bi-Di to Aycliffe Crossovers while other trains were in platforms 1 and 5.
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