Stations where one platform starts where the other side ends. Why?

[themiller]

There is a stagger of this type at Ravenglass. No level Xing, but there used to be a barrow Xing. In this case the Xing is in front of the stationary train.

The situation at Ravenglass comes from the station building on the down side being located south of the main road into the village and up a vehicle access ramp. The up platform could not be opposite because of the link into the small goods yard and exchange sidings so it had to be further north in order to fit the barrow crossing which led to it being built over the road into the village and over the river Mite. Since the new bridge was installed over the road, the platform stops short of it and has been extended south thus overlapping the down platform. It has since been extended again.

 

[Pompey00]

Raynes Park is staggered

 

[swt_passenger]

Raynes Park is staggered

Post #10 and subsequent covered Raynes Park?

 

[renegademaster]

Spooner row has the same staggered at the level crossing pattern, but the trains stop before it

 

[Pompey00]

Post #10 and subsequent covered Raynes Park?

Cheers

 

[NeilCr]

If I understand correctly what staggered platforms are Rye is quite a distance between the two. No idea why

Sturry, too (level crossing?)

 

[zwk500]

If I understand correctly what staggered platforms are Rye is quite a distance between the two. No idea why

Sturry, too (level crossing?)

Rye is pretty much ramp to ramp, I thought. There used to be a level crossing, it was replaced by a footbridge apparently in expectation of electrification.

 

[NeilCr]

Rye is pretty much ramp to ramp, I thought. There used to be a level crossing, it was replaced by a footbridge apparently in expectation of electrification.

Quite likely

I guess, maybe, it seems a long way because you have to go over the footbridge

 

[Magdalia]

I recall this was done in another discussion not long ago.

The Liverpool Street-Kings Lynn route has 5 stations with staggered platforms: Roydon, Harlow Mill, Elsenham, Waterbeach and Watlington. All have, or used to have, a level crossing between the platforms. Watlington is an interesting example because it originally had standard opposite platforms.

The pre 2012 Cambridge layout with one long through platform and a central scissors crossing could also be described as "one platform starts where the other ends".

Bishops Stortford is almost completely staggered with only a short overlap. Audley End and Great Chesterford are also partially staggered.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Sydenham is staggered. Anyone know why? Alignment with the junction from Crystal Palace perhaps?

And Sydenham’s stagger has moved. Up platform used to be country end of road bridge. There’s certainly no level crossing in play. Apparently it was originally built with two platforms to the South of the bridge, with the down one being moved to accommodate the Crystal Palace spur in the mid 19th century. The up platform was moved in 1982 as the retaining wall was failing.

 

[Snow1964]

Esher could be added to the list, the 3 additional Sandown Park rail course platforms (now gone) were on north side, but just west of the 4 main platforms. They had an entrance near Lower Green Road to the racecourse

 

[JKF]

Bramley (W.Yorks) is staggered, no crossing. Platforms sit either side of an underbridge. Might be related to access as it’s quite a climb up to the down platform and might not have been room for the ramp on the other side.

The original station (current one was a 1980s reopening) had both platforms to the west of the underbridge, and a footbridge which would have provided access to the down side.

 

[Allwinter_Kit]

How about stations where the stagger has swapped?

Looking at historical photos, Steeton and Silsden appeared to originally be staggered either side of a level crossing, with the platforms locations meaning that the trains stopped before they got to the road in both directions (there was also a footbridge). So the B&W photo is off the bottom of the modern photograph on the left-hand side (now a timber yard) and the other platform was by the old station building (in the trees on the right hand-side) which also is where the goods yard was located.

Now these are reversed, so that the new platforms (BR-80s?) are staggered the other way, although the level crossing (and footbridge) is long gone (replaced by a road bridge the modern photo is taken from).

Presumably the swap was because they couldn't use the old locations (one now being a private house the other a timber yard) and so ended up the other way round on bits of land they could buy up / already owned).

May also explain why they aren't lengthening platforms at Steeton and Silsden as part of the Airedale platform lengthening project ready for 6 car 331s in December. SDO ahoy!

 

[D6975]

Anyone mentioned Frizinghall yet? There's about 40m or so from the end of one platform to the start of the other.

 

[Purple Train]

Anyone mentioned Frizinghall yet? There's about 40m or so from the end of one platform to the start of the other.

On that subject, might Buckenham be a contender for the longest stagger? It's quite a way between the start of one and end of the other, is it not?

 

[Bradford PA]

Anyone mentioned Frizinghall yet? There's about 40m or so from the end of one platform to the start of the other.

Frizinghall original station had both platforms on the same side of the road bridge and were also connected by a footbridge. Presumably, the pavements on the road bridge saved the cost of reinstating a passenger-only bridge when the station re-opened.

 

[alholmes]

In the Netherlands there’s a few stations with staggered platforms either side of a level crossing, but I’d call out Daarlerveen station (between Marienberg and Almelo) as it’s on a single track. Two platforms, both on the same side of the track, with a level crossing in between. And the platform that the train stops at is determined by the direct of travel. Platforms are numbered 1a and 1b.

 

[jdp30]

Hatfield (Hertfordshire) is also staggered, if anyone knows the reason for this?

 

[DustyBin]

Some Tyne Wear Metro platforms are staggered the other way, because on parts of the Metro infrastructure they are not gated crossings. So the Metro driver can start off from the station call able to visually check the road traffic has stopped.

Although staggered platforms either side of a level crossing are usually located so that an arriving train clears the crossing there are exceptions. Roydon, on the West Anglia line has staggered platforms either side of the level crossing but they are before the crossing, not after it.

Heighington (which is a gated crossing) is another example. I believe it’s the oldest railway station in the world, and appears to have been originally constructed with this configuration.

 

[InkyScrolls]

Apperley Bridge has a significant stagger, bisected by a road bridge. There is no foot crossing over the line (just as well, as it's extremely busy!).

 

[gshock]

Featherstone also has staggered platforms .. separated by the Level Crossing there.