Trivia: Stations that have two platforms for one track.

[swt class 450]

What stations have two platforms that serve one track?

I can think of the following ones so far:

National Rail:
• Banbury
• Edinburgh Waverley
• Finsbury Park
• Greenford
• Guildford
• London Euston
• Norwood Junction
• Yeovil Pen Mill

I believe that Ascot and High Wycombe used to but they no longer do as they have since been fenced off.

Heritage Railways:
• Horsted Keynes

London Underground:
• Arnos Grove
• Barking
• Cockfosters
• Golders Green
• Loughton
• Morden
• Stratford
• Uxbridge
• White City

Docklands Light Railway:
• Canary Wharf
• Tower Gateway

Manchester Metrolink:
• Manchester Victoria

At the National Rail stations it seems like the doors are only ever opened on one side. For example at Guildford only the platform 6 side is used but never the platform 7 side. I don't think i have seen any National Rail stations where they will open the doors on both sides.

On the Docklands Light Railway it seems that they always open the doors on both sides. I am not sure about Manchester Metrolink (at Manchester Victoria station).

I am not sure how it works on London Underground? It seems that certain stations will open both sides whilst others will only open one side?

Can anyone think of any other railway stations in the UK which have two platforms that serve one track (and if you could advise which side is used that would be great as well)?

Many thanks.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Ulverston is another one.

At the National Rail stations it seems like the doors are only ever opened on one side. For example at Guildford only the platform 7 side is used but never the platform 8 side. I don't think i have seen any National Rail stations where they will open the doors on both sides.

I believe it is infact Platforms 6 and 7 at Guildford, as opposed to 7 and 8, and it's the Platform 6 side which is used because the Platform 7 side has the third rail running beside it, so I'm told.

 

[swt class 450]

Ah yes you are right. It is indeed P6 and P7 rather than P7 and P8 as i thought. I am getting the platform numbers mixed up.

 

[Mag_seven]

I think certain busy stations on the Glasgow Subway (Ibrox, Hillhead, Buchanan St) were rebuilt in 1979 to have some platforms with that functionality.

 

[Ianno87]

I think certain busy stations on the Glasgow Subway (Ibrox, Hillhead, Buchanan St) were rebuilt in 1979 to have some platforms with that functionality.

No, one side of the middle island was fenced off, with a platform built on the opposite side of the track.

 

[Ianno87]

Oh, add Carlisle Platform 2 to the list, and Grantham Platform 3.

 

[Mag_seven]

No, one side of the middle island was fenced off

I'm sure that fencing off happened only recently - as built there was no fence for at least the first few post 1979 years of operation.

 

[Meerkat]

My Dad said he was on a slam door at Guildford 6/7 many decades ago when another passenger heard the PA announce that his train (that he was already on) was leaving from platform 7.
He looked out the window at the platform 6 sign and tore off like a rabbit.
He just managed to catch his train from 7, sitting down and feeling quite happy until he noticed a lot of familiar faces grinning at him......

 

[moogal]

What stations have two platforms that serve one track?
I am not sure how it works on London Underground? It seems that certain stations will open both sides whilst others will only open one side?

Depends on the station - Stratford platforms 3 and 3a both serve the same direction of travel so it opens both sides. At White City, reversing trains will first open their doors on the right (to allow transferring passengers to cross the platform and pick up a following train in the same direction), then close that side and reopen on the left to pick up eastbound passengers.

Similarly on the DLR, Canary Wharf opens both sides to allow passengers to transfer in either direction, whereas at Tower Gateway one side is designated as the entrance and the other the exit.

 

[swt class 450]

I remember last year there was a last minute platform alteration from P8 to P6 at Guildford and everyone had to walk over the footbridge or down through the subway to switch platforms. Is there any reason why they couldn't have just used some common sense and just get the train to open the doors on the P7 side (which is the same island that P8 is on)? Surely this would have been better than making everyone rush over the footbridge or subway to the other side (many passengers had lots of luggage with them)? Is there actually any rules or regulations preventing them from opening the doors on this side?

 

[furnessvale]

Unless things have changed recently, Sheffield has a couple of bays that fit the bill.

 

[MadMac]

I recall getting on a train at Derby many years ago from a bay with two sides.

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

Banbury lost it's bay platforms when the layout was remodeled in 2016. They filled in the one with platforms both sides.

 

[_toommm_]

Unless things have changed recently, Sheffield has a couple of bays that fit the bill.

Only P7 has two sides - the London end of platforms 6 and 8. Doors are only meant to open on P8 side.

 

[thenorthern]

Ulverston is another one.

Sort of as the doors don't open on the island platform side for the Barrow bound trains.

 

[Eccles1983]

Wigan wallgate bay.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Reading had a bay or two that fitted the topic before the rebuild, not been there since so I've no idea if it still does.

 

[Muttley]

Scarborough.

 

[GusB]

Platforms 6 and 7 at Inverness serve only one track, but I'm not sure if both are still in use these days.

 

[chefchenko]

I’m sure one side is now just a walkway from the car park at Inverness and if it were ever used it would be a massive step up !!! Nobody has mentioned Ulverston yet either

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Nobody has mentioned Ulverston yet either

I mentioned Ulverston in post #2.

 

[Timrud]

Only P7 has two sides - the London end of platforms 6 and 8. Doors are only meant to open on P8 side.

Is 2c the same?

 

[AlastairFraser]

Reading had a bay or two that fitted the topic before the rebuild, not been there since so I've no idea if it still does.

It was Platform 16 and I think Platform 7 maybe but definitely Platform 16. All platforms are normal through platforms apart from 1,2 and 3 (the Western bays for Berks and Hants local services) and 4,5 and 6 (the Southern Third Rail platforms) and they are just regular bays.

 

[theageofthetra]

Quite a few airport shuttles could be added to that list.

 

[_toommm_]

Is 2c the same?

Oops - completely forgot about 2C!

 

[Gathursty]

I'll arrive with the awkward one:

Penryn

2 platforms for one track.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

I believe that Ascot and High Wycombe used to but they no longer do as they have since been fenced off.

Historically, the platform at Wycombe was just a conventional bay. I'd imagine the bay line became double sided in order to lengthen the bay. Perhaps it had to go on the outside as there was the subway in the way. I don't know as to whether it was ever operated double sided.

 

[The Planner]

I think the Banbury bay had the track taken out in the resignalling and Euston will lose its one soon as part of HS2.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I'll arrive with the awkward one:

Penryn

2 platforms for one track.

Arguably it's one platform (face) for two tracks!

 

[Llama]

Blackburn platform 3 bay.