Favourite Station to Trainspot?

[Up_Tilt_390]

This is actually just a leisure thing asking your opinions on something that is completely subjective to every individual. But the question is what is your favourite location to do trainspotting or train photography/filming, should you ever participate in these activities?

For me personally, some of my favourites are Clapham Junction because of it's constant traffic movement (I've never done it there, but it'd love to do it one day). Liverpool South Parkway because of it being a good place to see Merseyrail and National Rail together, plus being an easy to get to location. Crewe because of it's atmosphere and history, plus a decent amount of traffic. Finally, I also like Preston because of it's atmosphere and it's traffic where some trains change crews or connect/disconnect from each other.

So what are your favourite places to trainspot? What places might you be have an interest in trainspotting at? Again, this is just for fun and leisure, you don't need to take it too seriously. Thanks

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Doncaster (best for range of trains), Hull Paragon, Sheffield are my non Grimsby stations where I try to take pictures of trains.
When I lived in Fleetwood I loved visiting Preston station.

 

[Condor7]

I love Carlisle station. It is for me easy to get to which is important, but you get such good variety loco wise including loco hauled passenger trains serving the Cumbrian coast line. Freight wise it is not what it was especially with the loss of coal traffic, but still has a substantial amount of freight both day and night. Although freight is spread out through the day there does tend to be on some days a couple of periods where none appear for one to two hours which can be a little frustrating.

Although I use RealTimeTrains what I do like is being close to Kingmoor depot the surprise element is always there, as often services are sent out from there and they suddenly pop up on RTT almost as they are approaching, these can be STP's or just booked freight sent out early or even late.


My other favourite station is Lancaster. It is not far from Carnforth, and for me comes the closest to that 'Brief Encounter' feeling, with expresses both stopping at the station and others racing through, and with a decent variety of freight.

 

[59CosG95]

Tamworth's a good spot if you're in the West Midlands. If you're in Brum however, Bescot Stadium is good as you have the yards there; Kings Norton is another of my favourite haunts as it's a bit closer to get to from where I live for uni.

 

[james60059]

Tamworth, Nuneaton or even Water Orton were my regular places until I got my own transport and started doing more lineside stuff.

 

[D6975]

Eastleigh, Stratford, Ipswich, Newport, Tamworth, Doncaster, Milford Jn, Barnetby/level crossing just to the east, the east-west stretch between Ulceby and Immingham exchange sidings, Thirsk, Warrington BQ and Carlisle.
I used to like the little platform thing just to the south of Mossend yard, but it’s completely inaccessible now, likewise under the bridge at Holgate Jn (York). Wandsworth Rd was another favourite that’s no good anymore as the chunnel freight mainly goes the other way now. Perth was good back in loco hauled days. Another place I used to go was the bridge just south of Stenson Jn, but I haven’t been there in ages.

 

[PeterY]

I find Berkhamsted a nice place to spend half hour or so, just watching trains.

 

[TheNewNo2]

I'm not sure I had any favourites, I just go where's nearby. I do have places I don't like - Clapham Junction, London Bridge, Waterloo - just too busy. I guess I'd probably go for Willesden Junction or Grantham.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Okay, I'll be the one that says it...

Newhaven Marine!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Bethnal Green and Clapham Junction plus Preston on a summer Saturday

 

[Strathclyder]

My pick would be Singer, due to it's ease of access (it being my local station), the decent variety of traction (47s/57s, 66s, 73/9s, 156s, 318s, 320s & 334s, plus the odd track machine/tamper and 'kettles', mainly Black 5s for the Jacobite ECS moves), the long straight platforms (allowing for shots such as these) and the friendly station staff.

 

[Gathursty]

Ardwick because the footbridge gives a commanding view of the Manchester Piccadilly approach and is close to Piccadilly and connections to Wigan.

 

[dangie]

I don't get to many places nowadays, but I often spend quite a bit of time at Stafford if the weather's ok.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Basingstoke was a favourite of mine back when 50's still commanded the mule along with bagpipes and TC's. XC workings with 47's and HST, pigs, REP's, VEP's, thumpers, 165's, freight in the hands of 33, 73, 47...

Nowadays its all DES, voyagers, 159's and 66's. The variety has gone sadly.

Eastleigh probably still conjures up some suprises and might be worth a gander even today.
Doncaster probably has the most variety today along with Ashford, Derby Wolverton or Crewe as these have significant train works still in use or for sheer volume it has to be Clapham Junction.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Doncaster probably has the most variety today along with Ashford, Derby Wolverton or Crewe as these have significant train works still in use or for sheer volume it has to be Clapham Junction.

I used to travel from Preston and do an overnight on Doncaster station. These days I would stay in a hotel - when younger, overnight Crewe and Doncasters were common for me.

 

[33056]

I don't "trainspot" as such (ie don't take numbers) but one place that I never tire of is Niebüll in northern Germany. Not because there is a huge variety of traffic, or that it is particularly busy but I find it interesting from an operational view and it has semaphore signals

 

[NoMorePacers]

I would say the Hessle road flyover as you get to see the freight lines to the docks branch off and 24 tpd (which = 1 train per hour!) and lots of passenger as well. The Hull lines will hopefully become more varied with eletrification. Doubt it though, especially regarding many places have been ruined by it.

 

[73001]

I'll add my vote to Preston too... quite busy, plenty of variety (when I used to go spotting a lot) and no avoiding line!

 

[birchesgreen]

Clapham Junction and Peckham Rye are my favourite places in London, other honourable mentions for Derby, Stafford and Tamworth though my favourite place of all is Leamington Spa.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

--- though my favourite place of all is Leamington Spa.

Wow - pray tell why. That is interesting.

 

[birchesgreen]

Easy for me to get to (20 or so mins from Moor St), good canopy if it rains, on a weekday lots of freight and quite a few interesting services (ECS et cetera), and the coffee shop seems to be one of the few around which actually has someone who knows how to make it

 

[AJM580]

Locally to me, I always enjoy Ely. There's always plenty to see and in the spring and summer months, the chirping of the birds just adds to the pleasant atmosphere.

 

[BlythPower]

Drayton Park - quiet, in the open (with birdsong from the scrub to the east) and the 313s changing voltage.

 

[richieb1971]

WCML - Nuneaton, Tamworth, Stafford, Carlisle
ECML - Peterborough, Doncaster
MML - Leicester, Derby, Chesterfield
Southern - Eastleigh, Basingstoke
GWR - Didcot, Cholsey, Severn Tunnel Junction


Others -

Banbury
Barnetby
Ely
Oxford


Leicester and Doncaster are my favourites.

 

[leomartin125]

In my opinion, it has to be Cheddington. The variety of WCML action is absolutely huge, there is always something to see plus railtours frequently use the WCML for their routing so lots of the rarer traction too. Also the fact that it has free access plus four easy to spot platforms and a huge 125mph speed zone for pendolino's and voyagers and 110mph desiro's too.

 

[railnerd]

Hi.
Totally agree with Cheddington. Its in the middle of nowhere, plenty of platforms to choose from and its on opentrain times!

Long Buckby near Northampton is another fave of mine. Northampton station as well but can be more crowded.

Im not really a station dweller but i do like Leamington Spa. The line runs east west so whichever platform youre on, the sun isnt a problem.

My fave local station is Whittlesey. Semophores, signal box, gates 'et al' and plenty of freight.

 

[Freightmaster]

WCML - Nuneaton, Tamworth, Stafford, Carlisle
ECML - Peterborough, Doncaster
MML - Leicester, Derby, Chesterfield
Southern - Eastleigh, Basingstoke
GWR - Didcot, Cholsey, Severn Tunnel Junction


Others -

Banbury
Barnetby
Ely
Oxford

[shameless plug]All the above are FMonline 'hotspot' timetable locations,
apart from Oxford and Cholsey, as they are so close to Didcot.[/plug]


MARK

 

[MisterWhippy]

Ive recently found a good spot west of March. I spent a good hour last week with a variance of traffic. Network Rail even used one of my photos for their daily pick tweet on Twitter.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Back in the 70s I spent a lot of my holiday time at Birmingham New street. It was convenient when visiting my grandparents and had a good variety - certainly compared to my home on the Southern region !. Big drawback was very little freight (there were some) so I used to tear myself away for freight at Bescot. I often spent many days around Christmas and new year stood in the snow at New Street trying not to crack and get on the nice warm DMU back to Sutton Coldfield !.

Otherwise I suppose any busy station depending on what part of the country I am going to.
List of frequented places includes :-
Clapham Junction and London Bridge.
Didcot. Ealing Broadway.
Willesden Junction. Birmingham New Street. Preston.
Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh Waverley.
St Pancras (all levels).
Kings Cross, Doncaster.
Bethnal Green (Stratford for addition of freight)

 

[47513 Severn]

The north end of platforms 4/5 at Peterborough. Spent many summer Saturdays there in the late eighties and early nineties watching the holiday trains to Yarmouth. Obviously they no longer run but it's still a good place to spend an hour or two on a weekday if I'm passing through. Lots of variety and frequent movements.

47513