Visiting every station in britain

[crispy1978]

Thankyou for all the advice.
I should've made it clearer: I will begin in 2014 then continue it over maybe even 10 years.

Cost: Rovers cover the majority of the network (thanks heart of Essex.)

Now I see an hour each there is a long time, so 20 minutes or something would be about right.

Steelworks, Commando and that unusual Scottish station-I may just hop on and off.

I will include Merseyrail, Island Line but NOT Isle of Man (Made up my mind now!)

Thanks all

I think it's a great idea! I would love to have the time and money to be able to do something like this.

The problem you are going to have is on some lines where there are many stations, but only 4 trains a day (at most) - somewhere like the Far North Line or the Cambrian Coast Line - unless you are going to do this over 3-4 days? To alight at every station will be an impossibility to do in one day.

Very good luck in your mission - wish you success in it - and hopefully look forward to seeing your progress on here!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I think it's a great idea! I would love to have the time and money to be able to do something like this.

The problem you are going to have is on some lines where there are many stations, but only 4 trains a day (at most) - somewhere like the Far North Line or the Cambrian Coast Line - unless you are going to do this over 3-4 days? To alight at every station will be an impossibility to do in one day.

Very good luck in your mission - wish you success in it - and hopefully look forward to seeing your progress on here!

Depends on other means of Transport I guess? Come to think of it, there was someone who did most of the Heart-of-Wales stations by getting a train to one station (Ammanford or something) then a bus up to the next, I think then another bus to some other station, then a train to the next stop and so on. Doesn't work for the isolated stations but most are bus served. You could probably do the same with some of the Cambrian Coast combining a few bus and rail trips to each station.

My username is Heart of Wessex btw not Heart of Essex

 

[Hornet]

Hi, Yes I'm being serious.

• Anywhere I can find a full list of NR stations?
• I would include NR, the 5 heathrow but NOT london undeground, merseyrail or other light rail systems.
• Would have to include island line and maybe isle of man?
• How long/how much cost wise?
• It is all very well zooming through every station at 125mph, but I want to see Britain! So, I WANT to alight at every station, spend about an hour or so in the area then back on again
• I would take a picture of every station sign with a gnome or a teddy bear on top too!
• Any really wierd, annoying stations? (I've hears Lympstone Commando can be annoying.)
• Obviously stations on the far north line and stations with 1 train a week are going to be annoying! Any really isolated, unknown stations (E.g. Sugar Loaf?!
• Any other hints, tips or comments welcome!

Planning for next year sometime hopefully!

Thankyou

This is a subject close to my heart. Since 1982 I have managed to Photograph
every National Rail Station in Great Britain. My proviso on this is there had
to be a Train either stopping or passing through that Station included in that
Photograph. For record purposes I have a Photograph of every British Rail
Station that was open and in the National Timetable as of the last day of
Nationalised Railway Services (31st March 1994). I have subsequently Photographs
of almost every Station that has been opened by National Rail and others, that
appear in the On Line National Timetable 19th May to 7th December 2013. (The only
ones i have outstanding are Buckshaw Parkway, Conon Bridge, Ebbsfleet and
Stratford International)

To answer some of your points A full list of National Rail Stations can be found
either here:-
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse documents/eNRT/May13/Station Index and Table Numbers.pdf
or for an xls. list which you can Copy and adapt try here:-
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529 Download the Excel Data from the
2011-12 Report and Data list. You can add the outstanding ones to the list.
Alternatively I can send my Excel Lists which have every station opened and in use
up to Buckshaw Parkway.

You second point I will answer thus. For my Project I have certain rules.
1/ All Stations that I have Photographed must have been in the Passenger Timetable
as of the 31st March 1994.
2/ Subsequent Stations must appear in the On line Network Rail Current Timetable
Station Index, (Link above).
3/ To qualify for inclusion the Station must have a minimum of one calling service
a week (Denton, Reddish South). If a summer only Station (Loch Awe) then the same
rule applies.
4/ The Station must be a Permanent Station. Temporary Stations are not included.
(Finningley, Heathrow [before the Current Stations were open], Workington North).
5/ In the case of Stations that have wholly separate Platforms, ie in a Geographically
different location to the Main part of the Station either above or below ground
(Liverpool Lime Street [Main Line and Wirral Line Platforms], Glasgow Central
[High Level and Low Level], Glasgow Queen Street [High Level and Low Level],
Shotton [High Level and Low Level], Liskeard [Main Line and Looe Branch], Shipley,
Earlestown, Dinting and Meadowbank to name but a few), The separate Platforms are also
recorded.
6/ Those Stations that were previously on the East London Line as Underground Stations
are now covered as they are part of National Rail. Bakerloo Line Stations from
Queens Park to Harrow and Wealdstone, Metropolitan Line Stations from
Harrow-on-the-Hill to Amersham and District Line Stations from Gunnersbury to
Richmond are covered if a National Rail Timetabled Service is booked to call there.
There are other Stations run by London Underground that have National Rail services
call at them (Highbury and Islington is one). These are also covered by my Project
as they fall into item 2. (There is one Station which cannot be categorised on
London Underground, and that is Moor Park. It has no National Rail Services booked to
call there, but can be used by National Rail in an Emergency. Therefore it is
covered by me).
7/ No Private, Tram or Underground Stations (except as in 6 above) are included, except
for the NYMR, Okehampton and Sampford Courtney, and previously Stanhope and Witton Park.
These do or have appeared in the National Timetable as part of special services which
run onto Network Rail Track. The West Somerset Railway is not included as the Butlins
Minehead Trains were too infrequent to qualify.

Regards cost, well mine are spread over 30 years and it has set me back multiples of
thousands of pounds. I used both Rail and Motorcycle to achieve my aims. The bike
was a huge boon in Scotland and Wales where in one case on the Kyle Line I managed to
Photograph the same Train at four different Stations, much to the Drivers amazement.
I spoke to him at Kyle of Lochalsh, and he offered me a Cab Ride (this was the 80's)
back to Inverness.

For weird, Annoying or Difficult Stations I would list the following (This list is not
exhaustive, but are ones i found difficulty with):-
Altnabreac - No Road Access.
Corrour - No Road Access.
IBM - No Road Access. Restrictions of access to workforce only.
Loch Awe - Summer Service only (but regular)
Dunrobin Castle - Was Summer Service only but now year round.
Duncraig - No easy Road Access.
Tee-side Airport - very limited Service.
Some Stations between Newcastle and Chathill have a limited Service.
British Steel Redcar - No Road Access. Restrictions of access to workforce only. Limited Service.
Gainsborough Central, Kirton Lindsey, Brigg - Limited Saturday Service only.
Denton and Reddish South - One Train a week.
Dovey Junction - No Road Access.
Berney Arms - No Road Access.
Sugar Loaf - Was Summer Service but now year round.
Combe (Oxon), Coombe (Cornwall), Finstock - Limited Services.
Smallbrook Junction (Island Line) - No Road Access.
Polesworth - I believe only the Northbound Platform is in use.
Heathrow (All Stations) - No Photography allowed.
Lympstone Commando - Restrictions of access to Royal Marine College visitors only.
(Strangely there is a Public Footpath between the Station and College so there should
be no restrictions in Photographing the Station.

The following Stations are closed BUT HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH THE FORMAL CLOSURE PROCEDURE.
Therefore in my definition these Stations remain open, as I only consider them closed
once Formal Closure has taken place.
Wedgewood, Barlaston, Norton Bridge, Folkestone Harbour, Newhaven Marine, Weymouth Quay.

Hope this gives you some insight into the task you are looking to do. For your information
The Number of Stations open as of 31/03/1994 was 2481. Since then 49 Stations have been Closed
both Formally and Informally. (Many converted to Tramstops in Manchester).
According to my records up to 18/06/2013, 110 New Stations have been opened since 01/04/1994.

As you can this is a labour of love for me. I am in the Process of doing Irish Rail and
Northern Ireland Railways, but on an ad hoc basis. To me the Photography part was easy.
I am now in the process of collating the history of all the Stations I have photographed,
from the day it first opened, subsequent opening and closure Dates, Name changes, Positional
Changes and the Operating Companies from first opening to present date. Now that is a task!

 

[Buttsy]

I once planned how quickly I could visit every station on NR (excluding Weymouth Quay, Folkestone Harbour & Quainton Road) by getting off long enough to get a snap of the station sign, and, allowing for sleep etc, I worked out that it would take 26 consecutive days.

As I've almost done all lines now, I'm looking at standing on every station platform. To this end, my visit to Scotland later thsi year will see me walk from Duirinish to Duncraig via Plockton and Invershin to Ardgay via Culrain (as an enthusiastic walker, I combine 2 pastimes). Some places I haven't arrived or departed by train (Connel Ferry was done when I wanted a couple of pics of the bridge there and had driven down to Oban from Glencoe, Tackley by bike and Heyford by narrow boat).

 

[harry42]

This is a subject close to my heart....

(snip!)

Wow! Thanks for all this information! Will definitely take it on board! Just one question though: Why isn't photography allowed at Heathrow?! Oh, and do you have a public blog or something with all the station photos/details?

 

[Railsigns]

Loch Awe - Summer Service only (but regular)

Loch Awe station is served all year round. It's the next station to the west, Falls of Cruachan, that's summer only.

 

[Hornet]

Loch Awe station is served all year round. It's the next station to the west, Falls of Cruachan, that's summer only.

Old age Memory catching up on me. You are correct. I believe there is a Hydro Electric Power Station close to the Falls Station.

 

[Railsigns]

Old age Memory catching up on me. You are correct. I believe there is a Hydro Electric Power Station close to the Falls Station.

Yes, there is. As of this year, the station is no longer a request stop.

 

[Hornet]

Wow! Thanks for all this information! Will definitely take it on board! Just one question though: Why isn't photography allowed at Heathrow?! Oh, and do you have a public blog or something with all the station photos/details?

Heathrow Stations are owned by the Airport, Therefore will come under the Airport By Laws. The No Photographs rule is primarily a security issue. To my Knowledge Nexus has a No Photography rule on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

As this is a personal labour of love, I haven't really considered setting up a blog. There is some written information which I will need permissions from third parties to use. The Photo's and Train Service Details are my own information.

 

[harry42]

Heathrow Stations are owned by the Airport, Therefore will come under the Airport By Laws. The No Photographs rule is primarily a security issue. To my Knowledge Nexus has a No Photography rule on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

As this is a personal labour of love, I haven't really considered setting up a blog. There is some written information which I will need permissions from third parties to use. The Photo's and Train Service Details are my own information.

Alright, thanks!

 

[Eagle]

Loch Awe station is served all year round. It's the next station to the west, Falls of Cruachan, that's summer only.

Dunrobin Castle is also "summer only" although I think the actual period of operation is more like March to November.

Smallbrook Junction is only open when the adjoining heritage railway (IoW Steam Rly) is running.

 

[reb0118]

It can be helpful to get a copy of the most up to date copy of the network map you can find. Similar to this. Although no longer in print so to speak even an old one is useful to carry on your trips. (Easier than carrying the Baker atlas). You can mark off your progress as you travel. Old versions are available from ebay &c..

My rules for knocking off stations. You can use claim the station if you have either arrived or departed from a train. However,you can not just step onto/off the platform for the station to count. The only exception to that is where the service terminates at that station.

If possible try to use a local bank (counter not ATM), post office, pub, or shop on your travels.

Most importantly! Enjoy yourself ~ there is no pressure to complete this in any timescale ~ go at your own pace. I've been doing this since 1990 and I'm still only about 20% complete. (Maybe because I've started on Europe without finishing the UK & Ireland first).

Keep your records up to date - I'm well behind in mine! This saves you duplicating trips to be on the safe side if you forget that you have already been there.

 

[Searle]

Heathrow Stations are owned by the Airport, Therefore will come under the Airport By Laws. The No Photographs rule is primarily a security issue. To my Knowledge Nexus has a No Photography rule on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

As this is a personal labour of love, I haven't really considered setting up a blog. There is some written information which I will need permissions from third parties to use. The Photo's and Train Service Details are my own information.

I've taken photos at Heathrow Airport (just with a portable camera) a couple of times and have never had anyone talk to me about it. Saying that they weren't very good because there's not much light down there!

 

[harry42]

It can be helpful to get a copy of the most up to date copy of the network map you can find. Similar to this. Although no longer in print so to speak even an old one is useful to carry on your trips. (Easier than carrying the Baker atlas). You can mark off your progress as you travel. Old versions are available from ebay &c..

My rules for knocking off stations. You can use claim the station if you have either arrived or departed from a train. However,you can not just step onto/off the platform for the station to count. The only exception to that is where the service terminates at that station.

If possible try to use a local bank (counter not ATM), post office, pub, or shop on your travels.

Most importantly! Enjoy yourself ~ there is no pressure to complete this in any timescale ~ go at your own pace. I've been doing this since 1990 and I'm still only about 20% complete. (Maybe because I've started on Europe without finishing the UK & Ireland first).

Keep your records up to date - I'm well behind in mine! This saves you duplicating trips to be on the safe side if you forget that you have already been there.

Thanks-I think I'll do what your doing.. " You can use claim the station if you have either arrived or departed from a train. However,you can not just step onto/off the platform for the station to count. The only exception to that is where the service terminates at that station."

Also, I want to enjoy myself and it could take well over 10 years!

 

[Hornet]

Thanks-I think I'll do what your doing.. " You can use claim the station if you have either arrived or departed from a train. However,you can not just step onto/off the platform for the station to count. The only exception to that is where the service terminates at that station."

Also, I want to enjoy myself and it could take well over 10 years!

Of all the Stations to visit, this one will be your toughest.

[BRITISH STEEL REDCAR. FREIGHT FOR BOULBY. 22/09/1990]

 

[Polarbear]

Like some other posters, I also kept a note of the stations I visited over the years & reckon I got around to about 1100.

In urban areas, it's quite easy to zip up & down a line, bagging the various shacks, though it can be tedious. I did this on the Euston - Watford DC lines a few years back. Other stations, such as BSC Redcar will be much more difficult.

You may also want to consider using other modes of transport such as walking, bus, cycle, or taxi to get between certain stations. For example, when I was visiting the stations on the Cotswold line, I acquired an OS map of the area & planned walks between the more remote stations (Finstock for example) to a station with a more frequent service. Quite a few lines have canals that run parallel to them & these make excellent walks between stations.

As regards exploring the area outside each station, you'll need to adapt your plans as you go. Some places will interest you whilst others you won't want to hang around too long :-? A lot will depend on connection times too.

Try to do a little research on the places you're visiting before you get there too. Nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do for hours waiting for your next train.

Rover & ranger tickets are your best bet for doing station leaps & cover most areas of the UK. Don't waste an ALR on an area where a local day ticket can do the job just as well - use the ALR to get to the parts other tickets can't reach.

And finally - good luck!

 

[Quakers Yard]

Good luck with Pilning!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Good luck with Pilning!

I've done that a few times actually, first to tick of the station then to go back to film Valentas powering through, was a good spot for that!

If you are doing Pilning on your plan next year, you can let me know if you like and I can take you to Pilning. Is around a 20-30 minute walk from Severn Beach station (a reasonable half speed pace is about 20 minutes).

Good to do on a Saturday to intercept with the one and only train to Cardiff. Can be dodgy though if you have to count getting on/off a train only to mark off the station. Last time I tried catching this was in early GW days, and an ex-Wessex 158 rolled through on the only Cardiff train...at about 40-50mph! FGW had to send out a Taxi for us!

 

[Altnabreac]

If I was doing this (which I would love to do at some point!) I'd settle for stopping at each station.

I wouldn't, for example, fancy getting off at Altnabreac and having to wait for the next train personally!!

Rubbish. Altnabreac is a great place to stop off (I would say that wouldn't I).

My advice is to take a bike with you and cycle to either Scotscalder or Forsinard. Both routes are very pleasant and there are also a few hills you can climb along the way if you enjoy that sort of thing. Doesn't need to be a mountain bike but probably best on at least a thick tyred hybrid as the tracks are mainly fine grit.

The hotel in Forsinard is a good base for a bit of station visiting in that area. When I stayed there in late November a few years ago my fellow guests were 4 German's there for deer stalking and an father and daughter from Ireland who were doing some hunting using ferrets to chase rabbits out of holes then their Hawk would catch the running rabbits.

Not many hotels that have bespoke accommodation for ferrets and birds of prey!

 

[Hornet]

Rubbish. Altnabreac is a great place to stop off (I would say that wouldn't I).

My advice is to take a bike with you and cycle to either Scotscalder or Forsinard. Both routes are very pleasant and there are also a few hills you can climb along the way if you enjoy that sort of thing. Doesn't need to be a mountain bike but probably best on at least a thick tyred hybrid as the tracks are mainly fine grit.

The hotel in Forsinard is a good base for a bit of station visiting in that area. When I stayed there in late November a few years ago my fellow guests were 4 German's there for deer stalking and an father and daughter from Ireland who were doing some hunting using ferrets to chase rabbits out of holes then their Hawk would catch the running rabbits.

Not many hotels that have bespoke accommodation for ferrets and birds of prey!

Agree. The more remote Stations are great as the scenery and silence more than makes up for the wait for a Train. There are some City and Town Stations that I would not want to be hanging around at, due to some of the unsavory characters hanging around. There is one Station in Dublin which is well known for not hanging around at, unless you want facial reconstruction, and that is Broombridge. The Dublin LUAS Red Line is also well known for it's challenging characters. (Have spent 12 years living in Dublin and in the last few days there has been a Gangland Murder, and a serious assault leaving somebody in a coma, next to the Red Line, less than 500 metres apart). Am waiting for Ross Kemp to do one of his TV Shows from the Red Line/Maynooth Line.

 

[DarloRich]

Would it be any easier simply to travel through every station rather than visit every station? Is that possible on a week long rover ticket?

 

[CardiffKid]

If you're serious about doing so which you seem to be, you might want to tweek your criteria.

You say you want to see Britain, a great way to see Britain is through the train window. Take the Heart of Wales line for example - Swansea - Shrewsbury 4 trains a day each way (first one at 0430) and 35 Stations, that one line in itself will take ages to travel if you want to get off at every station and get on the next train and tbh there's not much at the station/local area in most cases. Builth Road for example has a pub but is 4 miles away from the town of Builth Wells itself.

You might be better off heading to Swansea or Shrewsbury on a Friday evening taking the second train of the day seeing large chucks of the countryside (which in the daylight is beautiful) and stopping of at two or three stations for lunch/coffee and a wonder etc.

Timetable is #1 here: http://arrivatrainswales.co.uk/Timetables/

 

[bicbasher]

[*]I would include NR, the 5 heathrow but NOT london undeground, merseyrail or other light rail systems.

Worth noting that some London Underground managed stations are Network Rail owned and part of the National Rail network.

Off the top of my head, Queens Park to Harrow & Wealdstone on the Bakerloo (except Willesden Junction), Gunnersbury and Kew Gardens on the District. Both lines are shared with London Overground, which is a TfL/NR/ATOC hybrid.

Harrow on the Hill, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Chalfont & Latimer and Amersham appear to be LUL/TfL owned and managed, but are served by Chiltern Railways.

 

[6Gman]

My 'rule' on this is that I've used a station if I've alighted and/or departed by a rail service. Hopping off, then straight back on as a train calls does NOT count .

One thing I've never quite resolved is what to do when I use a station on a rail-replacement bus! Has happened twice - Barton on Humber (just before the opening of the Humber Bridge when trains ran only to New Holland Pier) and St Helens Junction (during the Rainhill 150 event).

You will observe that I've been doing this for a long time hence I can claim such stations as Amlwch and Groeslon!

 

[Gathursty]

I've now visited every station in Scotland (including Altnabreac and Corrour)!

174 hours 7 minutes: Carstairs to Larkhall (including 5 hours from earlier in the year for the Dumfries and Galloway stations) and all points inbetween.

Briefly, I drove except for walking to Altnabreac, train to Corrour and walking the Cathcart circle and Glasgow centre. I stopped six times for sleep at Perth Premier Inn, Melvich (in car), Leuchars railway station (in car), Blair Atholl railway station (in car), Glasgow Charing Cross Premier Inn and Lochwinnoch railway station (in car).

Scotland is a truly beautiful country!

 

[Requeststop]

My personal goal is to travel over the entire rail network, as far as is practicable. From a very young age I kept penciled in maps of lines I covered over the years, and now I have electronic versions of the maps. There are some small lines I am determined to cover some day such as the Brokenhurst - Lymington Pier Branch, and Frome loop, Henley and Marlow Branches which you'd think would be easy to cover.

This thread has me thinking though, and I am surprised to discover that in just under 60 years there are quite a few stations from Plymouth westwards that I have never set foot on in spite of passing through them so many times. Keyham, St. Budeaux Ferry Road, St. Budeaux Victoria Road, Bere Ferres, St. Germans, Menheniot, Coombe, St. Keyne, Causeland, Sandplace, Luxulyan, Quintral Downs and Perranwell, have all been missed/avoided. I suppose there is a large number of stations close to home that we have all never visited.

Good luck to the OP in his quest, but I'd have to say better him than me.

 

[IanD]

My personal goal is to travel over the entire rail network, as far as is practicable. From a very young age I kept penciled in maps of lines I covered over the years, and now I have electronic versions of the maps. There are some small lines I am determined to cover some day such as the Brokenhurst - Lymington Pier Branch, and Frome loop, Henley and Marlow Branches which you'd think would be easy to cover.

My goal too and judging by the route coverage thread a goal of many others too. I used to do the same - every year I'd pencil in the map that came with the NRT but now just keep the electronic version up to date.

Looking at people's coverage is fascinating. As with you, there are vast swathes of lines filled in blue then just a little branch still in red and it makes me wonder what the story behind it. There's one where the Far North line is covered to Wick and not Thurso and I always wondered what happened. Was it a railtour, was it in the old loco hauled days when the trains split at Georgemas rather than visiting both or something else??

On my own map, I have a few bits that are short and should have been covered but haven't been: Grosmont - Whitby (did a round trip York-Malton-Bus-NYMR-Grosmont-Middlesbrough-York in 1981ish and didn't have time, I must have also changed at Darlington as I believe the direct line had very few services then but can't remember so haven't filled in that bit either!); Great Yarmouth (train was delayed so ran out of time, hoping to rectify this in Aug and also cover Peterborough-Ely); Aylesbury-Aylesbury Vale Parkway (it was open but it was getting dark and it seems to be an hour's round trip!) and Watford Jct - St Albans (just haven't got around to it). The latter 2 are quite local so if I have a spare Saturday might drive to both! Plus the Enfield Town, Hertford East and Stansted branches.

 

[Butts]

I've now visited every station in Scotland (including Altnabreac and Corrour)!

174 hours 7 minutes: Carstairs to Larkhall (including 5 hours from earlier in the year for the Dumfries and Galloway stations) and all points inbetween.

Briefly, I drove except for walking to Altnabreac, train to Corrour and walking the Cathcart circle and Glasgow centre. I stopped six times for sleep at Perth Premier Inn, Melvich (in car), Leuchars railway station (in car), Blair Atholl railway station (in car), Glasgow Charing Cross Premier Inn and Lochwinnoch railway station (in car).

Scotland is a truly beautiful country!

Was visiting Falkirk Grahamston the highlight of your trip ?

 

[D6975]

My 'rule' on this is that I've used a station if I've alighted and/or departed by a rail service. Hopping off, then straight back on as a train calls does NOT count .

That's my criterion too. Getting a service to a branch end and then back again does count though - it's a different service.

I mostly do the lines, the stations are secondary, but I will do extra stations if convenient. For example, I recently did Truro - Falmouth Docks, walked to and through the town then back up to Falmouth Town to return on the other set working the branch back to Truro.

Incidentally, the way the passing loop on the Falmouth branch operates intrigued me, I couldn't quite work out what was what by looking at Google Earth, but having been there now I understand - very unusual.

 

[Gathursty]

Was visiting Falkirk Grahamston the highlight of your trip ?

:P The Falkirk Wheel and Wemyss Bay station took that honour!