Trivia: Worst stations for anti social behaviour.

[tsr]

(Although sometimes late afternoon can be unpleasant owing to some school kids going home, not sure how many of them have tickets either, especially when they are only travelling a couple of stations along the line.)

In most of my patch, a very high proportion of them have seasons or valid Oysters (some even have smartcards now! Never had that when I was at school ), but that doesn't stop them from misbehaving, interfering with dispatch, hiding in First Class, you name it. If you build up a rapport, which with some effort is possible even as a member of rail staff who is only on shift to see the same kids once in a blue moon, it does help, but few people bother.

On the other hand, I do bother because some of them are absolutely lovely. There's one line where I'll go through three or four school runs in fairly quick succession, and only one of them ever really causes any serious trouble. Again, that is possibly one of the places which gives a level of bad behaviour that you wouldn't initially expect, being an up-and-coming private school...

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Blackpool South
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Squires Gate

In fact, the whole South Fylde line!

 

[anti-pacer]

Wakefield Kirkgate

 

[Kneedown]

Any station on the Robin Hood line. Spalding, Sleaford, Heckington, Boston and even Wainfleet seem to attract groups of "Ner do wells" in the evenings as well.

 

[bramling]

What do you think are the worst stations in the UK for anti social behaviour? For example lots of chavs and yobs hanging around / lots of vandalism / lots of crimes / etc?

One to add to the list - James Cook.

For a new station, I was surprised how all-round unpleasant this one is. It's difficult to reach by road - you have the choice of parking in the hospital car park on the up side or a dodgy estate on the down side. The station is reached along a footpath which doesn't have a particularly nice atmosphere, and the platform is reached via a path off this footpath. Quite a few undesirable types hanging around, plus evidence of drug use on the station platform and under the footbridge. One supposes the station was built to serve a specific purpose which to be fair it achieves, but all-in-all this is a pretty unpleasant station.

 

[northwichcat]

Is Widnes really that bad? I'm not doubting you, its on the route I frequently use and it never "appeared" to be bad (Maybe that is my answer, Ha ha.)

That may be down to the infamous so called rail enthusiast from Widnes who reportedly attacked rail staff with his camera tripod. He also reportedly gave Pacers names as he thought it would impress a female guard.

 

[fowler9]

That may be down to the infamous so called rail enthusiast from Widnes who reportedly attacked rail staff with his camera tripod. He also reportedly gave Pacers names as he thought it would impress a female guard.

Yeah,sounds a bit of a crank to be honest. Doesn't take many to make a place uninviting. Ha ha.

 

[SeanG]

I remember growing up that Hag Fold always had bullet holes/marks on the running in boards...

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I remember growing up that Hag Fold always had bullet holes/marks on the running in boards...

I think that's a great name for a station, must be something about that area, as I think there are a couple of others with unusual names, Hall in the Wood and Besses of the Barn, or similar.

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Not wanting to sound pedantic, but they're:

Besses o'th' Barn & Hall i'th' Wood

 

[bearhugger]

One to add to the list - James Cook.

For a new station, I was surprised how all-round unpleasant this one is. It's difficult to reach by road - you have the choice of parking in the hospital car park on the up side or a dodgy estate on the down side. The station is reached along a footpath which doesn't have a particularly nice atmosphere, and the platform is reached via a path off this footpath. Quite a few undesirable types hanging around, plus evidence of drug use on the station platform and under the footbridge. One supposes the station was built to serve a specific purpose which to be fair it achieves, but all-in-all this is a pretty unpleasant station.

I am one of the undesirable types from the dodgy estate who uses this station at least twice a week since it was built and i've never seen evidence of drug use, especially as i was a level 2 station adoptee for this station until fairly recently.

 

[iknowyeah]

Just noticed tonight, Hattersley has wire mesh protecting the lights, presumably from projectiles

 

[J-2739]

Just noticed tonight, Hattersley has wire mesh protecting the lights, presumably from projectiles

Mesh wire on lights or windows are really ugly. It gives the sense that anything could be broken because of drunken yobs, object abuse, etc..

 

[Clansman]

Bridgeton
Glasgow Central
Ibrox (Subway)

No explanation needed

 

[Strathclyder]

Bridgeton
Glasgow Central
Ibrox (Subway)

Further to that list - Coatbridge Central, Dalmarnock & Yoker.

Wouldn't want to have to use any of them after the sun went down. That said, Dalmarnock has undoubtedly improved since it's refurbishment 3 years ago, but it's still a station I'd be wary of using after dark.

 

[Clansman]

Further to that list - Coatbridge Central, Dalmarnock & Yoker.

Wouldn't want to have to use any of them after the sun went down. That said, Dalmarnock has undoubtedly improved since it's refurbishment 3 years ago, but it's still a station I'd be wary of using after dark.

Wonder how many times the public loos have been replaced?

No wonder Abellio have been fined over the state of a number of stations

Furthermore to the list;

Airbles
Hamilton West

Atleast 4 times a year will the number of Buckfast bottles exceed passenger numbers at these two

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Not wanting to sound pedantic, but they're:

Besses o'th' Barn & Hall i'th' Wood

I knew my spelling was not quite right, I could not remember exactly how they were spelt. (Maybe I should write them out correctly 100 times each)

Infact I am sure that I read of a policeman in Essex a few years ago, making a yob write out an imposition of 1000 Lines for some type of anti social behavior, it was done with the permission of his parents and school. I did also read in the Daily Telegraph about a policeman who saw a youth doing graffiti on a wall and he was in a position to give him a scrubbing brush and bucket of water & made him clean it up.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Ellesmere Port, Overpool, Little Sutton...

I disagree with you totally about Little Sutton, my local station. It is looked after by a Friends group, wins "Best kept unstaffed station" awards and its murals and flower beds have seldom, if ever, been vandalized.

 

[Llanigraham]

Apparently Blaenau Ffestiniog Station (Arriva Trains Wales / Ffestiniog Railway has been giving BTP concern. Here is a link to a newspaper report from last year: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/blaenau-ffestiniog-barbecue-railway-track--9653458

here is an earlier report:

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/ffestiniog-railway-fighting-losing-battle-2945766

BFfest Police have clamped down HARD lately and things do appear to be improving.

 

[bramling]

I disagree with you totally about Little Sutton, my local station. It is looked after by a Friends group, wins "Best kept unstaffed station" awards and its murals and flower beds have seldom, if ever, been vandalized.

Must admit I've always found Little Sutton okay. Overpool is another matter entirely though!

 

[kevconnor]

I knew my spelling was not quite right, I could not remember exactly how they were spelt. (Maybe I should write them out correctly 100 times each)

Infact I am sure that I read of a policeman in Essex a few years ago, making a yob write out an imposition of 1000 Lines for some type of anti social behavior, it was done with the permission of his parents and school. I did also read in the Daily Telegraph about a policeman who saw a youth doing graffiti on a wall and he was in a position to give him a scrubbing brush and bucket of water & made him clean it up.

Reminds me of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIAdHEwiAy8

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Reminds me of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIAdHEwiAy8

Ha Ha, really like that, (Reminds me of parts of my school days )

 

[janahan]

Eh? In all of the years that I've been using Waterloo I've never encounter any anti social behaviour of any kind. Staines however is a different kettle of fish and Feltham is little better.

I have to disagree slightly on Feltham, a town which seems to have a issue with its perception not matching its reality. Having moved from Harrow to Feltham 7 years ago I too had the perception of a rough town and station, however, was pleasantly surprised. Its a fairy clean well kept station, with many commputers and well lit entrances and exits, and compared to some of the stations in Harrow (including the before mentioned Harrow & Wealdstone, my previous local station, and Harrow on the Hill) it seems a lot more quieter.

I have seen far worse scenes in Richmond, Twickenham, Putney & Clapham Junction.

Not too sure about Staines, as I never have experienced that station.

 

[Bromley boy]

Lewisham
Bat & Ball (surprising given its proximity to Sevenoaks)
Plumstead
Most of the Catford Loop Line stations at various times, general presence of wannabe-gangster types.

 

[bionic]

I'd add Northfleet and Swanscombe to that list.