Disused stations (BR not London Underground)

[Butts]

Don't know if there is a thread on this....

1. Are there any secret stations ...ie that were not supposed to know about

2. Are there any disused stations that are visible on a normal journey (not temp closures)

Thanks

Mods Note: This extra thread split from the LU thread on this subject. For LU stuff please see http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=52158

 

[43167]

There are probably afew disused stations visable. Brightside and Attercliffe Road between Sheffield & Meadowhall are still there, as is Rotherham Masborough.

Another one I can think of is Arkholme on the Carnforth-Settle Junction line and is now a celebrity home.

The Secret ones are probably on the underground, though the one thats not much of a secret now is the one used by Sir Winston Churchill in WW2 and has been featured on afew TV programmes.

Cant remember its name, but Billy Connolly visited it on his World Tour of England, Wales & Ireland series, stopped a train to board it from there and surprised the passengers on the train when he came out of the cab.

 

[CarterUSM]

Off the top of my head, Thornhill and Holywood on the Glasgow and Sou'west. Old Rutherglen station is still visible on the slow lines after Polmadie depot too.

 

[jonesy3001]

Do any trains call at salwick on the blackpool line? Also i think theres a few on the poulton-fleetwood line.

 

[deltic]

There were many private unadvertised stations in the past serving industrial sites - served by unadvertised passenger trains. These ranged from trains serving collieries in S Wales to those serving Royal Naval dockyards - Rosyth Dockyard had an unadvertised rail services to at least the 1980s.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Curzon Street in Birmingham is the first thing I thought of. You can see it as you go into New Street.

 

[WL113]

Birmingham's first station and now a listed structure.

Such a shame Snow Hill was lost.

 

[EM2]

For disused stations, what about Manchester Mayfield?

 

[Cherry_Picker]

And of course, Manchester Central. Briefly known as the GMEX when they first brought it back to life, its now a conference hall.

 

[causton]

Curzon Street in Birmingham is the first thing I thought of. You can see it as you go into New Street.

Ah! I always thought that area looked weird with all that grass there as well, so close to the city centre...

 

[NightatLaira]

For disused stations, what about Manchester Mayfield?

I really hope they don't demolish Manchester Mayfield or Waterloo International for that matter (which I often see as a Manchester Mayfield in the making) - it just seems ludicrous to me, with all the forthcoming rail projects (northern hub, HS2, increases in passenger numbers, 70million people in this country before long, etc, etc... to start demolishing extra-capacity right by existing stations.

The last thing Manchester needs right now is another office block full of 5,000 civil servants.

Link it up with the line to Manchester Oxford Road by knocking through the sidings and doing a merger with the viaduct at the west end of platforms 13 and 14 of piccadilly I say, and bring back 4 of the terminus platforms for fast shuttles to Manchester airport and other places. Whilst they're at it they should also look at sorting out Victoria and building extra capacity there as well. Yes it will cost money, but a lot less than building a completely new building in 15 years time when there's no brownfield land left to slot one in.

It'll be needed by 2025, and they may as well start preparing for the future now... especially with the time these things take.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Ah! I always thought that area looked weird with all that grass there as well, so close to the city centre...

It is looking rather different this week. They have started major construction works there recently. There is a large hole where the road behind the pub (the building in the middle, being dwarfed by Curzon Street station and the Think Tank/IMAX) used to be. I'm not sure what they are building there, but it looks pretty significant.

**edit**

Actually, I think it is the new city centre park that is supposed to put the east side of the city centre back on the map. And of course, it will all change again in ten years or so when HS2 terminates there.

 

[causton]

Oh! I'm up there on Tuesday so I'll have a look as I pass!

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Dunno how much of it you can see from the train at the moment. I just happen to drive that way to and from work and it has really changed the layout of the roads down there.

[youtube]WluyF9mBv3w&[/youtube]

Looking at this, I can see it is really going to screw up my route into work!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think that platform remnants still remain of the former Godley East station on the line to Glossop/Hadfield.

 

[Kingfisher200262]

I really hope they don't demolish Manchester Mayfield....

The last thing Manchester needs right now is another office block full of 5,000 civil servants.

Link it up with the line to Manchester Oxford Road by knocking through the sidings and doing a merger with the viaduct at the west end of platforms 13 and 14 of piccadilly I say, and bring back 4 of the terminus platforms for fast shuttles to Manchester airport and other places.....

It'll be needed by 2025, and they may as well start preparing for the future now... especially with the time these things take.

It's a little known fact that in the early days after privatisation, there was a micro-franchise proposal for the Buxton line (from memory, I think the company was called The Manchester & High Peak Railway Company).

One of it's proposals was to re-open Mayfield to free up terminus platforms at Piccadilly and reduce congestion through Platforms 13 & 14.

Another was to extend through Dowlow and Hindlow to Parsley Hay and eventually Hartington, using tram-train type DMUs to share the alignment on the Tissington Trail with walkers and cyclists.

There's an idea that was way ahead of it's time if ever I saw one. Shame it never got off the ground!

 

[gordonthemoron]

aren't the platforms/buildings still visible at Lincoln St. Marks? Also, Leicester Central

 

[umontu]

Do any trains call at salwick on the blackpool line? Also i think theres a few on the poulton-fleetwood line.

Yes they do, have gotten off there myself this year to see a relative. There are three trains a day for each direction.

As for the Fleetwood line there are five stations, or more correctly were five on that line. Fleetwood, Wyre Dock, Burn Naze, Thornton for Cleveleys and Poulton Curve Halt. Sadly only the last three remain in any form but you'll only be able to see Thornton's station with any ease.

Want to know more look here http://www.pwrs.org/index.php

 

[BlythPower]

Kings Cross Thameslink - plastered with loads of 'Do Not Alight' notices.

 

[burns20]

Lincoln St Marks booking hall is now a Lakeland Plastic store with a nice small museum inside.

 

[DarloRich]

what about "excursion platforms" say at Longsight

 

[ObservationCar]

Kings Cross Thameslink - plastered with loads of 'Do Not Alight' notices.

Funny why they have to do that considering all trains are central locked sliding doors. Imagine the fun if it was all old slam door stock, and it was held at a red at Kings Cross Thameslink.

Don't know if this counts, but up until the 80's I heard that some Kyle line trains would stop on request anywhere west of Dingwall, but looking at the old working timetables from the 70's and 80's it had a note underneath timetable which said "On Saturday Train sets down Crossing Gates Operaters Wife at Dingwall no.2 level crossing". It also had other other calling points which weren't stations. Passengers in the know could also alight at Clunes up until the 80's, as there was a signal man, and some trains had to stop to obtain tokens before RETB.

So have a look at old working timetables or current ones if you can obtain them to find out if there are extra stops in places. IBM and Lympstone Comando are the only two private stations(although advertised in public timetables) I can think of.

 

[ainsworth74]

Grangetown station between Redcar British Steel and South Bank, trains heading towards Middlesbrough/Darlo/Bishop still go along one of the platform faces and trains heading for Saltburn might as well (it's an island station).

 

[HYPODERMIC]

It's a little known fact that in the early days after privatisation, there was a micro-franchise proposal for the Buxton line (from memory, I think the company was called The Manchester & High Peak Railway Company).

One of it's proposals was to re-open Mayfield to free up terminus platforms at Piccadilly and reduce congestion through Platforms 13 & 14.

Another was to extend through Dowlow and Hindlow to Parsley Hay and eventually Hartington, using tram-train type DMUs to share the alignment on the Tissington Trail with walkers and cyclists.

There's an idea that was way ahead of it's time if ever I saw one. Shame it never got off the ground!

Wow, I've never heard of either of these proposals. That first idea sounds pretty fantastic.

I too would nominate Manchester Mayfield. Partly because I live in Manchester and am so frequently exposed to it, but partly because it's so blatant - it's literally just sitting there, fully exposed, right alongside Manchester's mainline terminus.

I really hope it's reinstated and reopened one day, but what would they use it for? Let's rule out HS2. I can see it being used as a dedicated terminal for Manchester Airport and non-HS2 London terminals arrivals, a sort of "express" station.

Does anyone know who owns the estate now? Is it still BRB(R)? The area is in a poor state, too - a new station and a bit of redevelopment would clean that whole street up.

 

[Buttsy]

There were many private unadvertised stations in the past serving industrial sites - served by unadvertised passenger trains. These ranged from trains serving collieries in S Wales to those serving Royal Naval dockyards - Rosyth Dockyard had an unadvertised rail services to at least the 1980s.

I was on Inverkeithing station in the late 80s/early 90s (89 or 91) and remember seeing the ECS for this service leave being signalled down the branch. If I'd have known, I'd have run over and jumped on for some line bashing... (I think it was a 117 unit, possibly 2 of them).

 

[SWTCommuter]

The platforms of Wilton South on the Salisbury to Exeter line are still visible.

 

[Buttsy]

Waddesdon Road platforms are still visible when travelling from Quainton Road to Aylesbury. Also, Melton on the mainline into Hull has extant platforms and can be seen clearly from the level crossing. This was an unadvertised station for many years until it was in its death-throes when it appeared as a footnote in the GBTT.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So have a look at old working timetables or current ones if you can obtain them to find out if there are extra stops in places. IBM and Lympstone Comando are the only two private stations(although advertised in public timetables) I can think of.

Also British Steel Redcar and Dunrobin Castle are private stations, though the latter is now open to the general public according to the timetable.

The excursion platforms still exist at Aintree I believe, though disused.

 

[DarloRich]

British Steel Redcar is also open to the public but as it is on Corus land you cant leave the station unless you have business there!

 

[Greenback]

On my daily journeys into Swansea I can see a short remnant of the old up platform at Loughor. There used to be a lot more of it untila new road ploughed through the site!

A little later, at Cockett, the platforms are still in situ and the old access path has been refurbished to allow safe access to the trackside cabinets.

 

[John Webb]

There are still traces of Camden Road, Haverstock Hill and Finchley Road Stations on the line out of St Pancras.

Good site re disused stations is http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/sites.shtml.