Missing platforms / Unused Platforms & other bits

[SWT_USER]

Kew Bridge still has 2 disused platforms and a subway located on the freight only line which goes off towards Acton Central. No idea what year they last saw passenger use.

 

[swt_passenger]

Kew Bridge still has 2 disused platforms and a subway located on the freight only line which goes off towards Acton Central. No idea what year they last saw passenger use.

1940 according to Joe Brown's London Rail atlas.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I've been investigating British Railways since the late '70's, and that infilled bay at Lewes has always piqued my curiosity. What was it used for, and when was it filled in? It just sits there, seemingly pointing away from Brighton and London, in the middle of the big concourse...Sam

That platform would have been used for services to Uckfield! If the line was ever reopened that platform could be reused.

 

[David Goddard]

York station boasts a number of unused platforms, some more visible than others.
The 1989 rebuilding saw the removal of six of its eleven bay platforms. A number of these (such as the eastern most two of the Scarborough bays) have been filled in, while others such as the former P12 (adjacent to current P8) remain trackless from the time of removal. The five bays that remain all (mostly) see regular use throughout the day.

 

[mr_jrt]

That platform would have been used for services to Uckfield! If the line was ever reopened that platform could be reused.

You'd still have the problem that caused it to be closed in the first place - there's no room for the junction to the west unless you rebuild the road bridge due to the platform extensions. Kinda similar to the situation at Gravesend, in fact, where to lengthen the platforms for 12 car trains they've had to take out a loop line as there wasn't room for a junction before the western road bridge.

 

[rf_ioliver]

You'd still have the problem that caused it to be closed in the first place - there's no room for the junction to the west unless you rebuild the road bridge due to the platform extensions. Kinda similar to the situation at Gravesend, in fact, where to lengthen the platforms for 12 car trains they've had to take out a loop line as there wasn't room for a junction before the western road bridge.

If the Uckfield line is built to Lewes wouldn't it join between Lewes and Wivelsfield meaning that the Eastbourne platforms would be used.

IIRC, the infilled platform was used when the Uckfield line was accessed to the east of Lewes. Beyond that I have no idea of when the line was moved,

t.

Ian

 

[yorksrob]

You could, however reinstate the other side of the down London island platform (also disused) at Lewes for terminating Uckfield trains.

 

[Bill EWS]

Aberdeen's down local (Suburban) platform hasn't been in use for years. It is a long platform. Schoolhill station was just some yards north of it and if they had been joined up would have been the longest platform in the U.K. It was served by it' own entrance and ticket office on the corner of Bridge Street and Guild Street. The nice granite building is still there today but the overbridge to the rest of the station was demolished many years ago. I remember using the entrance and footbridge when I was quite young.

It was used by the suburban trains that ran between Culter, on the Deeside route via aberdeen Joint station and all local stations to Dyce. There is some talk of a new platform at Union Terrace Gardens or a new entrance from the park into the station.

The entrance at platform level. It had been boarded up for years. This was taken not long after it was opened up to view once again.
You can see the blocked up entrance where the overbridge came out from the ticket office above.

 

[mr_jrt]

If the Uckfield line is built to Lewes wouldn't it join between Lewes and Wivelsfield meaning that the Eastbourne platforms would be used.

IIRC, the infilled platform was used when the Uckfield line was accessed to the east of Lewes. Beyond that I have no idea of when the line was moved

Yup. The question was about reinstating the platform, not the link to Uckfield though. As you say, unless they restored the eastern access (either by restoring the old route or building a loop so southbound trains could run toward Brighton without reversing), then there would be little need unless you really wanted more capacity for services to overtake one another.

You could, however reinstate the other side of the down London island platform (also disused) at Lewes for terminating Uckfield trains.

Not a bad idea, but probably more useful to run them down to Seaford.

If you wanted another platform on the Brighton section it'd probably be easier to just cut the southern retaining wall back and convert the siding to a Brighton-bound platform line and just use the island platforms for non-conflicting terminating services from Brighton and Seaford. Not ideal as you'd never know if the next service would be leaving from the island or the side platforms, but far cheaper than wholesale reconstruction to restore a dual-island layout.

 

[rf_ioliver]

You could, however reinstate the other side of the down London island platform (also disused) at Lewes for terminating Uckfield trains.

Do you mean the bit completely covered by carpark on the north side of platform 1 next to the tunnel or the small siding on the east of the platform 1?

I think it is platform 1 anyway....(london->eastbourne side)

Ian

 

[mr_jrt]

Possibly helpful diagram:

 

[yorksrob]

T

Do you mean the bit completely covered by carpark on the north side of platform 1 next to the tunnel or the small siding on the east of the platform 1?

I think it is platform 1 anyway....(london->eastbourne side)

Ian

The whole loop included both, although as Uckfield trains would arrive from the West, you wpuld need to reinstate the section occupied by the car park. This would only be a slither though.

 

[SeanG]

York station boasts a number of unused platforms, some more visible than others.
The 1989 rebuilding saw the removal of six of its eleven bay platforms. A number of these (such as the eastern most two of the Scarborough bays) have been filled in, while others such as the former P12 (adjacent to current P8) remain trackless from the time of removal. The five bays that remain all (mostly) see regular use throughout the day.

Does Platform 2 get used often?
If so, I didn't realise that some trains from Sacrborough terminated at York

 

[RochdalePioneers]

A pair of platform 2 questions:

Since the closure of the Oldham loop has Rochdale's platform 2 seen any use? As an eastern bay it seems unlikely to generate any traffic.

Similarly Crewe platforms 2 and 3 - Derby trains used to run from P4 so what if anything uses 2 and 3?

 

[Eagle]

Similarly Crewe platforms 2 and 3 - Derby trains used to run from P4 so what if anything uses 2 and 3?

LM London services often use p3.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Three Oaks still has its Southern Railway-era eastbound platform in situ, with the track long gone, most of the Marshlink having been single-tracked in 1979.

 

[yorksrob]

Three Oaks still has its Southern Railway-era eastbound platform in situ, with the track long gone, most of the Marshlink having been single-tracked in 1979.

As does Winchelsea it's Westbound come to think of it !

 

[GatwickDepress]

As does Winchelsea it's Westbound come to think of it !

Pity Doleham Halt's timber platform was removed with no trace remaining at the time of the single tracking, but I am glad rationalisation didn't mean the wooden waiting shelter was replaced with a bus shelter.

 

[yorksrob]

Pity Doleham Halt's timber platform was removed with no trace remaining at the time of the single tracking, but I am glad rationalisation didn't mean the wooden waiting shelter was replaced with a bus shelter.

Indeed. I remember chatting to the occupant of Winchelsea station in the 90's who mentioned that the wooden shelter there had burnt down !

 

[sd0733]

A pair of platform 2 questions:

Since the closure of the Oldham loop has Rochdale's platform 2 seen any use? As an eastern bay it seems unlikely to generate any traffic.

Similarly Crewe platforms 2 and 3 - Derby trains used to run from P4 so what if anything uses 2 and 3?

Platform 2 at Crewe is mostly used early AM and late PM when there are units stabled in 3 and 4 or for set swaps/trains terminating due to disruption. As Eagle says platform 3 is the booked platform for pretty much all of the xx:02 LMs to London.

 

[richard1976]

is platform 7 at preston still used by any services

 

[Eagle]

Not in normal service, no.

 

[krus_aragon]

There are loads of disused platforms on the Valleys but Pontypridd has a siding into an old platform. Was that ever numbered? There was surely a subway to it from the Broadway as the muralled-wall seemingly covers up an entrance arch at the southern end of the main platform. With an old platform to come back into use does anyone know what the old and new platform numbers were and are?

When Pontypridd was rebuilt from 1907-1910, it was built as one great island platform, which is the old part of the current station. It had two through platforms (one in use today, the other was on the town side of the island) and five bays. Four bays were at the northern end, and one was at the southern end. Platform 1's number remains the same to this day. The other platforms were numbered clockwise: 2,3,4,5,(bays) 6(through), 7(bay). You can see some old signalling diagrams here and here.

I assume that it's the old platform 7 that will be reused as a bay platform, but your guess is as good as mine as to how they'll renumber them.

 

[Quakers Yard]

Thank you. Looks like the cattle pen siding is the odd platform that is still there with its track. It is on the southern end of the current up platform and rarely used these days to stable an engineering unit.
There is definitely an old subway to that platform, which you can make out from the road behind the platform for cattle pen siding. It led to the Broadway where there is now a large mural covering the presumably infilled archway.
The new terminating platform will be the old down 6. The roof has been refurbished and the bridge has been re-strengthened to go with the new booking office.

 

[Parallel]

Aberystwyth is an interesting one. The old platforms 1 & 2 (that were mainly used for Carmarthen services) have the Vale of Rheidol line platform between them by now (VoR moved in in the 1960s), but the original platforms themselves aren't used for boarding trains! Platform 3 is now the only platform in use; the Craft shop is on platform 4; platform 5 was on the other side of 4, an extra platform but it's no longer visible.

Ahh, thank you for this information. I always thought the space (left by the old platform 1 & 2) was a little odd, but that explains it! I think it's a great shame that the line to Carmarthen no longer exists. It closed long before my time, but it would mean that people from West Wales and the Cambrian Coast wouldn't need to travel to Shrewsbury to get to South Wales if it was still open, not to mention it would serve two university towns! Though Aberystwyth station is in pretty good condition, thanks to the retail/restaurant/pub outlets that share the same building. It's quite a shame that a station that used to have 5 platforms, now only has one for a two-hourly service!

 

[JB25]

In our Late Notice Case there is a bit which says Platform 7 was being reopened and would be done by December 2014, followed by as of 5th January 2014, this plan has been scrapped.

Anyone know why they have cancelled opening Platform 7 up again?

 

[kevconnor]

Next to where platform two is at Holyhead was there another platform here or was this space used for run around purposes.

 

[swissrailpassion]

Bridlington is a good one. It has three platforms, numbered 4, 5 and 6. It also has two tracked but disused platforms. Want to guess what they're numbered?

7 and 8.

All 8 platforms were used regularly until the seventies. No 3 was a short bay for the Malton Dodger. 1,2 4 and 5 were pairs of up and down platforms for the high capacity needed in Summer. 6 was a Hull bay and 7 and 8 were excursion platforms. Since 1983 when 1 and 2 were closed the station has had 5 platforms. In recent years 7 and 8 are unused. Mr Pearson, the AM in 1983, said he would like the old numbers to remain, so the present station uses 4, 5 and 6.
One day this will change but only when the track layout is renewed methinks.

 

[bigdelboy]

Next to where platform two is at Holyhead was there another platform here or was this space used for run around purposes.

Holyhead used to have at least one, I if my memory serves me right actually two more platforms to the north east.

I remember in the late 60's - early 70's used to be used by the 00:35(?) holyhead (crewe) Euston ... class 40 - then ALx .... could sometimes start well late and make up time .... a 4 hour trip springs to mind if memory serves ...

The used to be long and busy boat trains in those days ... the Irish Mail had sleepers ...

Guildford

Guildford has a platform 7 ... you might see many trains visit it but you wont be let on by the FGW guards ....

There is(was?) a platform 6a too .... but the FGW Gatwicks scheduled to stop there simply drive on past to platform 6 .... ( about a couple of years ago). I think that idea has generally stopped except possibly for breakdowns and disruptions.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Platform 3 at Worcester Shrub Hill never gets any use: it's a south-facing bay and is really short, I think it could only fit 2 carriages.

P3 has been used intermittently for two-carriage trains in the last five years - those bound for Cheltenham/Gloucester.