What should stations be like?

[adrock1976]

I don't know for certain, but I've heard that the smoking thing is down to some detail in the way the legislation was written meaning the entire station is considered an enclosed public building, whether it's Birmingham New Street (which makes sense) or Dovey Junction (which really doesn't, unless there's been a severe drought!). The Scottish law was written differently and apparently does not forbid smoking in 'open' areas. However I have no idea if this is specifically set out in the Act or is just down to interpretation.

Thank you for that. I travel very regularly from my local station (No prize for guessing!). We've got quite long platforms with not too much going on up the west end of the station. I don't think any of the locals would grizzle if someone "puffed a crafty" away from the 'popular end'. I was just interested and in ignorance.

I can remember it was in the late 1980s (88/89) when the smoking ban for Birmingham New Street was brought in. It was understandable at the time due to the nature of the station's design i.e. being underground/sub-surface. The ban was implemented after the report into the Piccadilly Line Kings Cross fire in 1987.

In peace

Adam

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I agree, all food and drink should be free!

Oh come on -you know what I meant.

 

[londiscape]

I totally agree - I live in the USA. To have to pay for a totally normal human need is disgusting IMHO.

All the London termini with pay toilets in (AFAIK) have a pub on the premises that has a toilet you can use for nothing. I always use this as an excuse to stop for a pint but if you don't want to buy anything the bar staff won't usually have a problem with it if you ask if you can use the facilities.

Of course, there's nothing actually stopping you from walking in, using the bog and walking straight out again, but as a regular pub goer I find this rude.

On the subject of pay toilets themselves, I've no problem with them - I find 30p to be acceptable value to keep the junkies out, usually have up to date facilities, be clean, and have an attendant. Of course, it could be argued that this should be a minimum standard anyway, without paying, but let's face it, that's not the case in reality.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

On the subject of pay toilets themselves, I've no problem with them - I find 30p to be acceptable value to keep the junkies out, usually have up to date facilities, be clean, and have an attendant. Of course, it could be argued that this should be a minimum standard anyway, without paying, but let's face it, that's not the case in reality.

Now that is a fair point.

 

[6Gman]

I always think big stations miss out on providing viewing areas, especially where food and drink can be provided.

Airports do this almost as a matter of course, and they prove very popular, and not just for passengers or those waiting for passengers. Many I know drive to the airport with their children just to sit and watch the planes come in, even my mother loves me to take her there.

I think it would do a lot of good promoting the hobby as well, and would hopefully engender interest in the youngsters.

Do they? Manchester closed theirs; Liverpool doesn't have one; Birmingham's is v poor.

 

[dcsprior]

And which airports do you think provide viewing areas? All the large airports in this country actively discourage non passenger activity such as you describe. Try driving to Heathrow or Gatwick and parking somewhere to watch the planes come and go. At Stansted the police even patrol the surrounding lanes and question anybody parked up near the airport.

I think you get a decent view from the landside food outlets at Edinburgh. However I may be mistaking them with the airside ones (where you definitely get a decent view)

On the subject of pay toilets themselves, I've no problem with them - I find 30p to be acceptable value to keep the junkies out, usually have up to date facilities, be clean, and have an attendant. Of course, it could be argued that this should be a minimum standard anyway, without paying, but let's face it, that's not the case in reality.

I don't mind paying to use toilets at stations. Though in London I think there's a missed opportunity - tapping your Oyster Card on the way in to pay without having to faff with change would be a nice touch.

Where I do object to paying is in food courts. In Edinburgh this includes Princes Mall, and used to include the St James Centre too. Charging for the coffee on the way in, and again on the way out is a damn cheek!

 

[SussexMan]

From an enthusiasts point of view, (following on from Blackpool North thread,) what do you want from a station?

I've got an idea that no one seems to have mentioned. I'd quite like some trains! And the more variety the better.

 

[yorksrob]

Somewhere to get a cup of tea for under a pound.

And preferably a Victorian trainshed.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Somewhere to get a cup of tea for under a pound.

And preferably a Victorian trainshed.

Huddersfield's long-established 'Station Buffet' on P4/8 will I think still do a cuppa for a quid... (so not "under a pound" but close!) and there's a Victorian roof, of sorts.

 

[ECML180]

For me, one important thing that doesn't seem to have been mentioned is staff from every TOC that has a reasonable number of trains, for example Sheffield should have staff on the station from Northern and East Midlands, likewise Doncaster would have Northern and East Coast. This means that when there is a delay the TOC should be able to pro-actively help passengers by advising, directing and providing a presence, even if these people can just repeat what control has told them, it would be an improvement on a TOC relying on another to disseminate information.

 

[Firesprite]

Proper canopy over the platform, Platform 6&7 at Peterborough is horrible in the rush hour on a wet day. The question does arise why did Cambridge's new platforms get a proper canopy and not Peterborough's?

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Agree with most of the answers.

Other things:
1. If the main entrance is at one end of the platforms
(a) Have any trains that are shorter than the platform lengths stop at that end (ie. not the far end).
(b) If reasonable numbers of people are likely to be walking to the station from the direction of the far end, provide a side-entrance near that end.

2. Enough seats on the platforms for all the people who'd want them.
3. If people need to cross the tracks to change trains there, and the platforms are long, either put the bridge in the middle of the platforms, or have more than one bridge (so people don't have to walk the entire length of the platform to get to it).

 

[yorksrob]

Huddersfield's long-established 'Station Buffet' on P4/8 will I think still do a cuppa for a quid... (so not "under a pound" but close!) and there's a Victorian roof, of sorts.

Indeed, it's got a lot of character that trainshed.

And as for the cafe, I've enjoyed it's fry-up as well

 

[Hyphen]

I'm pleased to report that Swansea meets all of your requirements!

Does Swansea have a waiting room?

I use the station enough to feel that I should know (admittedly nowhere near as much as you!), but it's very rare I'm aiming for anything but the HST, which acts as its own waiting room given the layover times involved.

Stations Made Easy doesn't show one, but it's not been updated since the refurb.

 

[Marton]

Proper canopy over the platform, Platform 6&7 at Peterborough is horrible in the rush hour on a wet day. The question does arise why did Cambridge's new platforms get a proper canopy and not Peterborough's?

Is Cambridge listed? If so it may have been necessary for planning.

Peterborough could, I hope, never be listed other than for replacement!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Indeed, it's got a lot of character that trainshed.

And as for the cafe, I've enjoyed it's fry-up as well

I'm not sure if the roof itself is covered in the Grade 1 listing of the station or if just the main building and the 2 pubs are. Either way, it's (I think) one of only 2 Grade 1 listed stations outside London in the country, the other being Bristol Temple Meads.

When First TPE took over management of the station at the start of their franchise they tried to evict the current buffet, no doubt to replace it with yet another overpriced 'Pumpkin' type outlet... Thankfully, the sheer number of objectors caused FG to back down. Pumpkin got a kiosk at the top of the stairs from the subway, which only seems to get any custom once the buffet closes at around 4pm!

 

[Greenback]

Does Swansea have a waiting room?

I use the station enough to feel that I should know (admittedly nowhere near as much as you!), but it's very rare I'm aiming for anything but the HST, which acts as its own waiting room given the layover times involved.

Stations Made Easy doesn't show one, but it's not been updated since the refurb.

There are actually two.

There is a waiting room by the main entrance, on the left as you walk in from High Street. There is also a waiting room on the platform side, by the excess fares window, which is lovely and warm in the winter and ideal if you have to wait for a late running Llanelli train!

 

[HSTEd]

1. Long platforms and lots of them
2. An overarching roof made of ETFE with a lightweight support structure

That is all.

 

[eps200]

Entrances at both ends!

It would lots of people a lot of time and help congestion, I'm not at all bitter about having to double back both ends of my commute honest. (Birkenhead central, Bootle oriel road)

In bootle you have to cross a bridge then exit the station then go under a tunnel to get back across, instead of having an entrance on that side.

At Birkenhead central it's mildly irritating but it at least makes sense.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm not sure if the roof itself is covered in the Grade 1 listing of the station or if just the main building and the 2 pubs are. Either way, it's (I think) one of only 2 Grade 1 listed stations outside London in the country, the other being Bristol Temple Meads.

When First TPE took over management of the station at the start of their franchise they tried to evict the current buffet, no doubt to replace it with yet another overpriced 'Pumpkin' type outlet... Thankfully, the sheer number of objectors caused FG to back down. Pumpkin got a kiosk at the top of the stairs from the subway, which only seems to get any custom once the buffet closes at around 4pm!

Hooray to the people of Huddersfield !

(I sampled the excelleny breakfast offering again yesterday )

The North seems to be particularlu good for these small local enterprises.

 

[Train_Juane]

Berlin Hautbahnhof, Hope the new Euston ends up like that

 

[moogal]

I don't think any of the locals would grizzle if someone "puffed a crafty" away from the 'popular end'.

Depends which way the wind was blowing, of course...

 

[HowardGWR]

Thank you for that. I travel very regularly from my local station (No prize for guessing!). We've got quite long platforms with not too much going on up the west end of the station. I don't think any of the locals would grizzle if someone "puffed a crafty" away from the 'popular end'. I was just interested and in ignorance.

One might expect the tobacco junkie to choose an end away from the prevailing wind but my experience is that expecting smokers to consider anyone else is pipe dreaming.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

One might expect the tobacco junkie to choose an end away from the prevailing wind but my experience is that expecting smokers to consider anyone else is pipe dreaming.

Pun intended?

 

[fowler9]

One might expect the tobacco junkie to choose an end away from the prevailing wind but my experience is that expecting smokers to consider anyone else is pipe dreaming.

Massive generalisation. You probably just don't notice the vast majority who go out of their way not to let their habit affect others. Confirmation bias on your part perhaps.

 

[Drsatan]

I acknowledge this is a generalisation, but the design of Swiss stations ought to be used as a template for any station rebuilds. For example, canopies ought to be of the same design, waiting rooms ought to be of the same design, and at large stations there ought to be provisions for a small supermarket (usually called 'Avec' or 'Kiosk' at most Swiss stations).

I'd also be happy to see the withdrawal of barriers at most stations, with the possibility of retaining them for surburban services (for example, at Paddington, the mainline platforms would not have barriers, but the suburban ones would have).

 

[route:oxford]

I totally agree - I live in the USA. To have to pay for a totally normal human need is disgusting IMHO.

Just back from a US Holiday.

I'm always staggered how clean public lavatories are in the USA... Even on-train facilities are immaculate - on a train that way well have be running for 24+ hours.

Saying that, some facilities are a touch bizarre. In a Macey's store the cubicles had "salloon" style doors. The flush tends to be very aggressive too.

 

[fowler9]

I don't know, I don't mind paying a small amount to use the toilets if they are staffed and kept clean.

 

[Senex]

Berlin Hautbahnhof, Hope the new Euston ends up like that

Do you really like that station? Have you ever tried to change trains there in a hurry or waited at the top level ready to rush through the pouring rain to your coach out at the uncovered ends of the platforms?

 

[HowardGWR]

Pun intended?

No, caught there, thanks!

My gripe is having to enter an office or station through a disgusting stench of tobacco smoke. The smokers do not seem to realise that they need to move at least 30 feet away from entrances. I appreciate what 'fowler9' reprimanded me about, I should not generalise, but just to emphasis to smokers what they probably don't realise. I was talking to a sales assistant in a furniture shop the other day and I felt sick from the stink of her breath. I had to make an excuse and move away. I expect she had just returned from her 'fix' break.