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Seaham station needs a bridge

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Ballyheigue

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11 Sep 2025
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313
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Having used Seaham station yesterday evening, I can say first hand it needs a bridge, and whilst there at it, replace the official walking route to town along the road instead of down a hidden path. I mistakenly got off the bus from Ryhope at Seaham Town Hall when I saw a road sign pointing to the station.

When I got off at the Town Hall, I assumed the station would be nearby for a start, which it wasn't, after all the road was called station road. Luckily I just about spotted the station sign right at the end of a dead end road that branched off Station Road. What I didn't see was two drug addicts hovering around the Sunderland bound platform entrance, and I needed the other platform for Middlesbrough! No bridge to the other platform, just a subway and a dark tree filled path towards town for company. Off I went down this dark subway to get to the other side, but luckily the druggies were too off their heads to notice. I wonder how many people have been attacked or mugged down there?

I missed the train by seconds, but at least it gave me time to find out the road on the other side runs along side this dark hidden path towards town, but I bet many non locals don't know about it.
 
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RailUK Forums

The exile

The exile

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Ballyheigue said:
Having used Seaham station yesterday evening, I can say first hand it needs a bridge, and whilst there at it, replace the official walking route to town along the road instead of down a hidden path. I mistakenly got off the bus from Ryhope at Seaham Town Hall when I saw a road sign pointing to the station.

When I got off at the Town Hall, I assumed the station would be nearby for a start, which it wasn't, after all the road was called station road. Luckily I just about spotted the station sign right at the end of a dead end road that branched off Station Road. What I didn't see was two drug addicts hovering around the Sunderland bound platform entrance, and I needed the other platform for Middlesbrough! No bridge to the other platform, just a subway and a dark tree filled path towards town for company. Off I went down this dark subway to get to the other side, but luckily the druggies were too off their heads to notice. I wonder how many people have been attacked or mugged down there?

I missed the train by seconds, but at least it gave me time to find out the road on the other side runs along side this dark hidden path towards town, but I bet many non locals don't know about it.
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I wonder how many non-locals actually need to know about it? (Readership of this forum excepted, of course!)
 
starlight73

starlight73

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This is the Google maps street view in case anyone’s interested

maps.app.goo.gl

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.
maps.app.goo.gl maps.app.goo.gl

The station sign is on a big green fence with no entrance point, and the entrance is down a small footpath with a small sign
 
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davp

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5 Jun 2015
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141
I don't agree it's a hidden path. There is a sign clearly showing the way to southbound trains.

I'm a non local and found no problem navigating the station. I can think of stations with longer subway routes between platforms.

I agree I wouldn't want to be stranded there for an hour waiting for a train (which is exactly what happened to me), but I think getting off the bus a mile too soon might be the more likely reason you missed your train.
 
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RichA

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You maybe interested that the path that you used to walk under the railway was formerly a NCB worked line from Seaham colliery to Seaham harbour. You can walk the track bed in its entirety.
 
30907

30907

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davp said:
I think getting off the bus a mile too soon might be the more likely reason you missed your train.
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To be fair, you would need to have checked your route to know there might be a nearer stop - and that might depend on the route chosen. It's a sensible thing to do (aka it's something I routinely do :) ).
 
B

Ballyheigue

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Leeds
davp said:
I don't agree it's a hidden path. There is a sign clearly showing the way to southbound trains.

I'm a non local and found no problem navigating the station. I can think of stations with longer subway routes between platforms.

I agree I wouldn't want to be stranded there for an hour waiting for a train (which is exactly what happened to me), but I think getting off the bus a mile too soon might be the more likely reason you missed your train.
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It's hidden from public view, should some weirdo decide to follow a lone woman down there then it's too hidden from anything to prevent an attack, and even more importantly it doesn't lead directly onto the opposite platform, instead it just leads to the continuing path through woods with only one exit towards the road just past the subway. This is a dead end road, should nobody be knocking about then what's to stop an attack continuing further down the path? Bearing in mind there were drug addicts hanging about, and a good part of the town is quite rough (I've seen it first hand on the way to the station) then for ultra safety this subway needs replacing with a bridge, just like many other subways in similar areas do.

Just to edit as well, it said on the timetable for the 60 Seaham Interchange, as the bus was just plodding it's way through endless houses, I just saw the Town Hall and rightly assumed I was in the centre of Seaham, who puts a Town Hall in a housing estate.
 
DarloRich

DarloRich

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Ballyheigue said:
Just to edit as well, it said on the timetable for the 60 Seaham Interchange, as the bus was just plodding it's way through endless houses, I just saw the Town Hall and rightly assumed I was in the centre of Seaham, who puts a Town Hall in a housing estate.
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the town hall is in New Seaham. The station is on Seaham. You got off a bit early there! However you just walk straight down station road dont you?

You have also managed to miss out on the nicest part of seaham down by the sea front!

PS does the 60 even go to the station?

PPS Seaham interchange is a very grand title for 4 bus stops ;)
 
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