Trivia: Most Platforms lost.

[edwin_m]

Nottingham Midland strikes me as a station that would have been bigger in it's glory days.

I believe it has more platforms now than at any time in its history. There were tracks south of platform 7 (was 6) but they were goods lines. There were also mid-platform crossovers on 3, 4 and I think also 5 (now 6) but I believe each still had one number although I can't immediately find a source to check this. The signal boxes controlling the crossovers can still be seen embedded in the platform buildings.

 

[krus_aragon]

I knew the bay was being built but as I don't live anywhere near there any more had no idea it was finally open.

I can however remember the "new" platform (on the up line) being built taking the station to 2 platforms...

So the question is now, how long was Pontypridd operated as single platform station?

t.

Ian

The old layout was rationalised in December 1969, and the new platform opened to public use in September 1991, so just over two decades. There are some signalling layouts from pre-rationalisation, and just before the second platform was built, on this Flickr page.
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I always feel quite sad when I go there, as it's very easy to imagine (if not see) what it must have been like "in the old days". As the Wiki article says, most of the current station buildings are still there, and they are even now very impressive, even though most of them aren't used and are locked.

I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. If money were no object, I'd like to see the abomination that is the modern footbridge removed, the "new" platform abandoned, and the old through platform on the town side reinstated (along with the remedial bridge work done at the northern end to connect it with the tracks leading up the valleys).

 

[Marton]

Ambergate has been mentioned a couple of times, being a former triangular station. One of the surviving triangles is Shipley which lost one face on the Bradford to Skipton arm but gained two (over a period of 40 years or so!) on the Leeds to Skipton arm in order to create the triangle layout. Prior to the current P2, Leeds to Skipton services called at what is now 4, then reversed back out to take the then platformless side of the triangle towards Bingley.

It wasn't platform less when I lived there. There were 4 platforms and the trains called at 1 and 4 or 2 and 3.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It wasn't platform less when I lived there. There were 4 platforms and the trains called at 1 and 4 or 2 and 3.

What is now P2 I think was added in the 1960s to avoid the multiple reversals required by Skipton services. Prior to that, reversals were required (I'd have thought a single reversal on the Bradford arm would have been better, but perhaps the pointwork/signalling didn't allow this at the time). I remember Leeds services having to cross over prior to electrification, before what is now platform 1 was built to coincide with the sparks.

 

[Darren R]

What is now P2 I think was added in the 1960s to avoid the multiple reversals required by Skipton services. Prior to that, reversals were required (I'd have thought a single reversal on the Bradford arm would have been better, but perhaps the pointwork/signalling didn't allow this at the time). I remember Leeds services having to cross over prior to electrification, before what is now platform 1 was built to coincide with the sparks.

A platform on the Leeds - Skipton side of the triangle wasn't built until 1979. Prior to that, trains reversed at Bradford Junction. Curiously, for a time after dmu operation began, Leeds to Skipton trains called at Shipley twice!

Skipton to Leeds services had to wait another year before the signalling changes were made allowing them to use the new platform; they continued to reverse at Bradford Junction in the meantime.

 

[30907]

A platform on the Leeds - Skipton side of the triangle wasn't built until 1979. Prior to that, trains reversed at Bradford Junction. Curiously, for a time after dmu operation began, Leeds to Skipton trains called at Shipley twice!

Skipton to Leeds services had to wait another year before the signalling changes were made allowing them to use the new platform; they continued to reverse at Bradford Junction in the meantime.

Down trains reversed at Bingley Junction into the now-disused Bradford platform, Up Skipton trains went round the triangle.
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Ashurst (the Kent one) has halved from 4 to 2 in its time. And the usable part of the country end of the current Down platform is now only about a quarter of the width it used to be.

Ashurst surely never had more than 2 passenger platforms? On the other hand, East Grinstead went from 6 to 2.
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Not as dramatic a loss as some, but I believe Loughborough Junction used to have six platforms. Now it has two (poorly maintained) platforms.

Possibly the earliest example on the thread, as the station was rebuilt in 1926, the Brixton platforms having closed in 1917 (along with 3/5 of Clapham and Wandsworth Rd!).

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A platform on the Leeds - Skipton side of the triangle wasn't built until 1979. Prior to that, trains reversed at Bradford Junction. Curiously, for a time after dmu operation began, Leeds to Skipton trains called at Shipley twice!

Skipton to Leeds services had to wait another year before the signalling changes were made allowing them to use the new platform; they continued to reverse at Bradford Junction in the meantime.

Didn't realise it was so late! The double calls is an odd one, especially as they're consecutive rather than the double calls at Haymarket for WCML-Aberdeen Cross-country services which had Edinburgh Waverley in-between.

 

[martinsh]

Rochdale used to have a lot more than the current 2

 

[satisnek]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Windsor & Eton Central!

 

[tsr]

Ashurst surely never had more than 2 passenger platforms? On the other hand, East Grinstead went from 6 to 2.

It certainly did. There were 2 bay platforms on the Down side, serving the Groombridge route. You can still see Platform 3 if you look very very carefully. Platform 4 has pretty much disappeared. A gate exists where the buffers used to be.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Rochdale used to have a lot more than the current 2

Isn't the Oldham loop bay still in situ, albeit neither use nor ornament since the tramification?

 

[rf_ioliver]

The old layout was rationalised in December 1969, and the new platform opened to public use in September 1991, so just over two decades. There are some signalling layouts from pre-rationalisation, and just before the second platform was built, on this Flickr page.

Thanks and much appreciated for the links! Quite amazing to think that a station and junction so large and complex can be so "rationalised".

As a kid venturing up to Pontypridd was a rare occurrence - Trefforest was my local and not to mention Devil's Bridge for train spotting (and general hanging out)

t.

Ian

 

[yorksrob]

Isn't the Oldham loop bay still in situ, albeit neither use nor ornament since the tramification?

It always looks in place whenever I go past. Not sure what the signalling situation is though as the signal box went out of use after the loop closed.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Rochdale used to have a lot more than the current 2

Eight, currently three, soon to be four.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Eight, currently three, soon to be four.

According to Wikipedia (yes, I know!) the bay is used to turn late-running services occasionally but other than that serves no purpose, nor will it now the loop has closed. A bay in the other direction might've been useful though...

 

[Joseph_Locke]

According to Wikipedia (yes, I know!) the bay is used to turn late-running services occasionally but other than that serves no purpose, nor will it now the loop has closed. A bay in the other direction might've been useful though...

If you ask Santa nicely ....

Platform 2 is fully functional and whilst Northern Hub tried to recover it (because nothing used it) it will be retained.

Should Rochdale ever become a station that has three through platform lines then I can see P2 being recovered when Rochdale East junction is remodelled. Just saying.

 

[edwin_m]

I seem to recall a south-facing bay was considered, but as the formation is already there a loop wouldn't be that much more expensive. This provides flexibility for slower Calder Valley trains to be overtaken by the fast ones as well as terminating in either direction. I'm not sure if any of these things are planned in the Hub timetables but it seems worthwhile to spend a bit more to allow them to happen if needed.

 

[Penmorfa]

I can't think of any platforms closing in Doncaster. Platform 0 is now under construction so it is about to gain one.

 

[Y961 XBU]

Here is one someone will probs be able to help out on, Rock Ferry Station in Merseyside has 2 Bay Platforms (Are they both in use?) 2 Through Platforms and 2 more dis-used Through Platforms that seem to of been not used for some time (Anyone know when they closed?) And it seems the Signals for these 2 Platforms still work!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Here is one someone will probs be able to help out on, Rock Ferry Station in Merseyside has 2 Bay Platforms (Are they both in use?) 2 Through Platforms and 2 more dis-used Through Platforms that seem to of been not used for some time (Anyone know when they closed?) And it seems the Signals for these 2 Platforms still work!

I think the bays are still used occasionally, when the line South of there is closed. They were used for stabling a few years back but not sure now.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The old layout was rationalised in December 1969, and the new platform opened to public use in September 1991, so just over two decades. There are some signalling layouts from pre-rationalisation, and just before the second platform was built, on this Flickr page.
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I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. If money were no object, I'd like to see the abomination that is the modern footbridge removed, the "new" platform abandoned, and the old through platform on the town side reinstated (along with the remedial bridge work done at the northern end to connect it with the tracks leading up the valleys).

I agree, but sadly, it's not going to happen, as they've been spending a lot of money putting a new bridge including lifts from the "island" platform to the "new" platform.

 

[HullMichael]

Hull Paragon had 14 passenger platforms when rebuilt in 1904. Over the years it has lost a staggering 8 platforms to now operate on only 6, bizzarely numbered 2-7 as platform 1 has been out of passenger use for many years.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

Well, it was a major junction on the Valley network. This is what Wiki says (I have emphasised the bold bits):

"The station was built by the Taff Vale Railway (TVR) and opened on 9 October 1840. It was known as Newbridge Junction until March 1866 when it was renamed Pontypridd.

The west side of the island platform has two, stepped platform faces (originally platforms 1 & 2) each originally capable of accommodating a full-length train. The east side of the island platform has three stepped platform faces (originally platforms 5, 6 & 7) arranged as a north bay platform, a through platform and a south bay platform. The north end of the island platform accommodated two bay platforms (originally platforms 3 & 4), now filled in. The north end bay platforms were used for services to Aberdare, Nelson and Ynysybwl, and the south bay platform (originally platform 7) for services to Llantrisant and Cowbridge.

Platform 7 was also used for services to Caerphilly and Newport; Barry via Wenvoe and Cardiff (Clarence Road) via St Fagans.

 

[racyrich]

I think Willesden Junction has lost 7 mainline through platforms and 2 bays, plus a high level platform and a DC line bay.