Intercity110
On Moderation
This thread will be my station reviews of stations I have visited.
To give everyone a taster of what to expect I’m going to do my local station. There will be some experimentation with formats in these first few posts, though.
Northampton
Facilities: 4/10 the station has some modest offerings, like a soho piccolo, which replaced a Starbucks in 2021/22 and a WHSmith shop, since the remodelling in 2017. the downstairs retail space has struggled to keep a permanent shop. it was once an enterprise car rental, but in 2022, it hosted a model railway display by the town’s model railway society, of northampton rail station in the 1960’s, pre electrification. It now sits empty once more.
platforms: 6/10 The platforms are the standard platforms for a station of it’s size, with 3 active bays and one very much abandoned. The main platforms are 1 and 2, however. There is a waiting room with a vending machine, and further down, large advertisements. Platform 3 is encompassed on one side by a staff building and the bay platforms, and on the other, a passing line used for freight. Here, at least the station is unchanged from the 1960’s renovation.
Ticketing: 9/10 The ticketing at Northampton station is superb, and an example to the rest of the west coast main line. There are ticket offices, and at least 2 are always in use at busy times. The ticket machines are often unused, with a large rack of timetables, passenger’s charters And delay repay forms.
Onward travel: 7/10: Stagecoach bus provide an acceptable onward bus service, there are racks of VOI E-scooters, a storage space for bicycles , a moderately sized car park, and a taxi rank. There are large tube maps, maps of the surrounding areas and bus timetables dotted around the exit/entrance of the station. The bus shelters have large electric dot matrix indicators, but none are inside the station, a major oversight sadly found all around the country.
Other thoughts: Northampton has provisions for Avanti west coast services to stop here, and indeed some do. Why can’t they stop, even once an hour in each direction, normally? The station indicators in Northampton station for trains are of the older analogue variety, and not of the modern kind found at larger stations. The station is situated as a near straight walk to the town center.
Up next: Birmingham new street, with photos!
To give everyone a taster of what to expect I’m going to do my local station. There will be some experimentation with formats in these first few posts, though.
Northampton
Facilities: 4/10 the station has some modest offerings, like a soho piccolo, which replaced a Starbucks in 2021/22 and a WHSmith shop, since the remodelling in 2017. the downstairs retail space has struggled to keep a permanent shop. it was once an enterprise car rental, but in 2022, it hosted a model railway display by the town’s model railway society, of northampton rail station in the 1960’s, pre electrification. It now sits empty once more.
platforms: 6/10 The platforms are the standard platforms for a station of it’s size, with 3 active bays and one very much abandoned. The main platforms are 1 and 2, however. There is a waiting room with a vending machine, and further down, large advertisements. Platform 3 is encompassed on one side by a staff building and the bay platforms, and on the other, a passing line used for freight. Here, at least the station is unchanged from the 1960’s renovation.
Ticketing: 9/10 The ticketing at Northampton station is superb, and an example to the rest of the west coast main line. There are ticket offices, and at least 2 are always in use at busy times. The ticket machines are often unused, with a large rack of timetables, passenger’s charters And delay repay forms.
Onward travel: 7/10: Stagecoach bus provide an acceptable onward bus service, there are racks of VOI E-scooters, a storage space for bicycles , a moderately sized car park, and a taxi rank. There are large tube maps, maps of the surrounding areas and bus timetables dotted around the exit/entrance of the station. The bus shelters have large electric dot matrix indicators, but none are inside the station, a major oversight sadly found all around the country.
Other thoughts: Northampton has provisions for Avanti west coast services to stop here, and indeed some do. Why can’t they stop, even once an hour in each direction, normally? The station indicators in Northampton station for trains are of the older analogue variety, and not of the modern kind found at larger stations. The station is situated as a near straight walk to the town center.
Up next: Birmingham new street, with photos!
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