Where is your local station?

[alexf380]

Mine's Wallyford. An unstaffed halt on the Edinburgh to North Berwick line. it gets one train per hour operated by shiny, almost brand new 380s.
It is a pleasent station with a platform that is made of what looks like marble? however it is in quite a rough neighbourhood and that may be what repells most of the town's people from using the train.

 

[dvboy]

Wolverhampton

Trains every ten minutes or so to Birmingham from 4 different platforms in three different directions from the station entrance; one single northbound platform as northbound the bay platform 6 is very rarely used unless there's disruption on the Shrewsbury line. Platform 2 has a terminating London Euston service sat at it for 34 minutes of every clock hour.

Kept in relatively decent condition by VT. Average station facilities, with Pumpkin cafes on platform 1 and between 2 & 3, and what must be the world's smallest WH Smith. First Class lounge on platform 4 that I rarely see anyone in. Long directionless ticket office queues in the morning and long directionless car park machine queues in the evening make getting in/out of the station a challenge sometimes. Gets crowded when they decide to do ticket checks. No automated announcements = good, generally good at announcing the "next service to Birmingham New Street will depart from platform X" if many southbound departures are delayed, as I'd say that's where at least half of people using the station are going to/coming from.

Has a brand new Sainsburys Local opposite now that the new bus station has opened. There's a rail departure board in the bus station but it's too small too high to read.

 

[313103]

Mine is Crouch Hill, north London.

Once served by a National Express Silverlink trains class 150s. Now it's back in state hands with frequency doubled, new class 172 trains and you can use your Oyster card - only £1.30.

I use this Crouch Hill London Overground service a fair bit. Seems to get busier with each trip. It's a great service for getting everyday people crossing north London so they can go about their everyday business.

Two of us living here!

 

[table38]

My local station has real ale, all-day breakfasts, pie and black peas, and the added entertainment of watching people on Platform 2 have to suddenly leg it down to Platform 3 once they have worked out why their train isn't on the PIS and everyone else has disappeared off behind the waiting room.

 

[Buffer68]

Nice job they make looking after that, with the flower tubs and the little garden.

And if you go in the waiting room, which is normally open until about 10am, there are lots of photos and items from the steam era - well worth a visit and Malcolm that works on the station is always up for a good railway chat.

 

[1018509]

Another one on the Weymouth line. Mine is New Milton.

I can watch the trains between New Milton and Sway from my lounge window.

I enjoy the weekly steam specials.

 

[Chapeltom]

Mine is Chapel en le Frith on the Buxton to Manchester line. Unstaffed, located way out of town, a good mile/20 min walk from the centre. No yobs, pleasant station.

I use Chinley more often which is 2 miles from me and on the Sheffield to Manchester line, with a couple of services to Norwich/Nottingham and Liverpool a day. Sunday service is dire and I've never used it Sunday anyway. Island platform and cold.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Finstock is my nearest station, 4 or 5 miles away.

What do I think of it? It'd be potentially quite useful - if it had more than one train a day in each direction! As it is that fact is precisely why I have never used it and can't imagine being in a position to do so.

There is a regular (well, hourly, daytime, with one late evening journey on Friday and Saturdays) bus service there from where I live. (OK. Operated by a fairly small local independent operator whose buses have seen better days, and who are generally not up for integrated ticketing arrangements at all, and whose monthly season ticket is almost grotesquely overpriced for what it offers, compared with what more established and bigger bus operators around here offer...).

I'm sure the road to that station is less congested than the road to Oxford station (9 or 10 miles away) that I instead travel along on the Stagecoach Gold. I kind of think it might make sense even to turn that station into a sort of "Witney Parkway" (for what is after all the largest town in West Oxfordshire). I can understand why some of the North Cotswold line halts have such a limited service (Combe certainly, Shipton and Ashcott-under-Wychwood perhaps a little less so), but Finstock could actually be of some use, given its location on a B-road between larger settlements. If (big if) it was given a car park and so on, It certainly could serve for Witney a useful purpose, possibly more effectively than Kingham does as a gateway for Chipping Norton.

Fairly clear it's not gonna happen though....

 

[DiscoStu]

Northampton. The services to London are generally very good, and we now have the relatively new direct services to Crewe, which used to require a (sometimes long) change at Rugby.

 

[TheJRB]

Ashford International is my local and quite an impressive station it is too in my opinion. Of course the Eurostar part isn't as well used as it could be, but there are thirteen trains per hour of which six head to London (two trains per hour by three routes; via Tonbridge, Maidstone East or HS1). The facilities are good with a café on each of the domestic platform islands. The only noticeably bad thing is the understaffed ticket offices with often only one or two of the three being open leading to rather long queues.

My local line is the Marshlink and I'm only a couple of miles closer to Ashford than Ham Street really. There are a few improvements that could happen on that line, but don't start me there...

 

[142094]

My local station has real ale, all-day breakfasts, pie and black peas

Sounds like one of those "If Carling did stations..." adverts, although without the Carling of course!

 

[Bevan Price]

My nearest stations are:
About 2 miles away, St. Helens Central (which I still think about under its old name, Shaw Street). Three trains per hour on Liverpool Lime Street to Wigan North Western line, including hourly semi-fasts continuing to Preston / Blackpool North. Recently rebuilt, mostly friendly, helpful staff. Nice large waiting room on Wigan-bound platform. Toilets now usually locked, but key obtainable from ticket office. Smaller waiting room on the busier Liverpool-bound platform. Lifts to footbridge. Car park could be a bit bigger (or maybe better checks on use by non-passengers ?)
About 4 miles away, St. Helens Junction. Again, friendly helpful staff. Original brick ticket office and waiting room on Manchester-bound platform, but basic Merseyrail "bus-shelters" on Liverpool-bound platform, with inadequate protection from draughts & wind-driven rain. . Three trains per hour to Liverpool; in the other direction one each to Manchester Airport (express), Manchester Victoria or Stalybridge, and to Warrington Bank Quay. Unfortunately rather too many Pacers at both stations. Car park much too small - often full by 08:30 on weekdays. Although I can get to the station by bus, my local bus service ends before 18:00 so I often need to drive to the station; hence I sometimes drive to Earlestown, where parking can be easier.

 

[LE Greys]

I like to say it's Hitchin, but Stevenage is closer, although both Letchworth and Baldock are about the same distance as Hitchin.

Of course at uni it's Aberdeen.

 

[CP165]

Also it is here that different trains come occasionally from London and reverse into Bournemouth works. Recently we have had Junipers and Darth Vaders.

I know that Junipers are being refreshed at Bournemouth works, but why are Darth Vaders going there?

 

[Buffer68]

I know that Junipers are being refreshed at Bournemouth works, but why are Darth Vaders going there?

When I was talking to a 458 driver a couple of weeks back he was that the junipers were coming down for their "MOT" so I guess the Darth Vaders may well be down for the same reason.

 

[jopsuk]

Cambridge. Recently expanded- not the best job of expansion if I'm honest, rather done in a way that caused minimal disruption whilst it was being built. Perhaps something much, much more radical would have meant a better station in the long run. Still waiting and hoping for something to be done about the entrance/exit/ticket hall; this is far too small for what is required. The other week I tuend up, late morning on a December Saturday, and the ticket queues were out the doors, with people that had tickets struggling tio get in and people arriving struggling to get out. This happens on weekday mornings (especially mondays), on Friday evenings and at other less obvious times.

 

[merlodlliw]

Mine is Wrexham General, not many Generals left now, with the opening of the lifts & walkway to Platform four Plus brand new train info signs now on all four platforms, it looks really tidy. All we want now are more trains, one an hour to Chester & Shrewsbury just don't cope. The old W/S bays now used by ATW for 150 store are still in good order.
Interesting how the volumes of passengers have increased, even though WG provide a 12 minute bus shuttle to Chester Rail Station 18 hours a day from Wrexham.

Bob

 

[anthony263]

My local station is Pyle located between Bridgend & Port Talbot Parkway.

It is ok although it could do with new bigger waiting shelters and some information screens.

The station is very well used during the peaks especially since it has free parking so is used by commuters to Cardiff, Swansea & beyond to drive from the local villiages and as far as Porthcawl, Margam Park villiage and Margam.

Not a bad service during the peaks - hourly to Swansea in the morning and half hourly in the evening peak with a service to Cardiff every 30 minutes in the morning and every hour in the evening.

Off peak however the service is every 2 hours with some trains running to/from Shrewsbury via the Heart of wales line which does cause problems as if trains are delayed they wait til the hst has departed Swansea and follow a few minutes behind them and can sometimes run non stop through Pyle with the following Manchester service making a stop at Pyle instead.

ATW have decided to stop some of the Milford Haven - Manchester train at Pyle on saturdays however there are now additional westbound service's which is a bit stupid as they have more than enouugh time to make a call at Pyle considering they wit in Swansea for up to 12 minutes.

On sundays Pyle is the only Swanline station to get a service with a 2 hourly service provided by the Milford Haven/Carmarthen - Manchester services that said there are stupidly large gaps of 4-5 hours between trains late on a sunday evening and Pyle does get a later train to Cardiff at 23:59 compared to 23:00 on weekdays.

Another problem with the sunday services is that the 2nd westbound trains is booked to call at Neath or Swansea and I believe overtakes the London - Carmarthen service running about 15 minutes in front of it by running via the Swansea district line.

 

[gasheadsteve]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here!

I live pretty much halfway between Patchway and Bristol Parkway. Patchway is on the South Wales Main Line and consists of two platforms, each with a small bus shelter, and a footbridge. It's served by one train per hour in each direction, one heading towards Cardiff and the other towards Bristol Temple Meads. Parkway has got a newsagent, ticket office, two refreshment outlets and most importantly nice warm indoor waiting rooms. It also has many more services stopping there. No prizes for guessing which of these stations I use more often!

Steve

 

[first_ade]

My local station has real ale, all-day breakfasts, pie and black peasQUOTE]

IF ANYBODY FROM DFT/ORR/ATOC/NR IS LOGGED IN, THIS IS THE 'MODEL' STATION REQUIREMENT - TOP NOTCH!

 

[Nym]

So long as these are proper breakfasts and not some SSN version of what a full breakfast should be where you only get ONE tiny sausage, ONE rasher of bacon, ONE slice of toast, ONE egg and a spoonful of beans! (That cost £11 in a mid range London hotel, business hotel, cost me £180/night!)

Tripple them measures would be a start, but then you need to add in everything that's missing, black pudding, fried bread, hash browns, pot o tea, and if you're on the Fylde Coast, 20 bensons...

 

[Buffer68]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here!

I live pretty much halfway between Patchway and Bristol Parkway. Patchway is on the South Wales Main Line and consists of two platforms, each with a small bus shelter, and a footbridge. It's served by one train per hour in each direction, one heading towards Cardiff and the other towards Bristol Temple Meads. Parkway has got a newsagent, ticket office, two refreshment outlets and most importantly nice warm indoor waiting rooms. It also has many more services stopping there. No prizes for guessing which of these stations I use more often!

Steve

Yes, warm waiting rooms are essential this time of the year.
Welcome to the Forum BTW Steve - good to have you on board!

 

[neilmc]

Going off Google it would be Pemberton but taking into account footpaths, it's definitely Gathurst.

Pemberton is typical of a suburban TfGM station but it's a bit rundown. There's a design on the platform symbolising Lancashire's red rose I think but it's uncared for. There's shelters and seats too which are basic. Outside is a frequent bus service and The Railway Inn.

Gathurst can be picturesque in decent weather. It's set in the Douglas valley and the M6 viaduct is within view. I think the facilities are basic (shelter, some seats, lights, potted plants and some flowerbeds) but I'd rather wait in the pub next to the station which is quite nice.

At uni, Lancaster station is my local. The bulidings are quite impressive; very inkeeping with the castle behind it. It is staffed unlike the above two and has 4 placs to buy food, two of which you can sit down in. There's waiting rooms, lift access and is just outside of town on top of a hill. I think it's nice to spend some time in and the staff are great.

I seem to recall travelling to Southport about 20 years ago and the environment of Gathurst station was enlivened by the presence of parked freight wagons which carried explosives from a local factory.

 

[LE Greys]

Cambridge. Recently expanded- not the best job of expansion if I'm honest, rather done in a way that caused minimal disruption whilst it was being built. Perhaps something much, much more radical would have meant a better station in the long run. Still waiting and hoping for something to be done about the entrance/exit/ticket hall; this is far too small for what is required. The other week I tuend up, late morning on a December Saturday, and the ticket queues were out the doors, with people that had tickets struggling tio get in and people arriving struggling to get out. This happens on weekday mornings (especially mondays), on Friday evenings and at other less obvious times.

Just been there, and a lot of this could have been solved by access from the Cattle Market site - which they have gone and turned into a Cineworld :roll: . It's still a very nice looking station, and I hope they leave the appearance of that imposing frontage alone, even if it means sending some people round the side to make access easier.

 

[linesider]

Chester-Le-Street is my local station.Now privately owned its a big improvment on what it was like under BR.Mainly used by commuters and shoppers going to newcastle,but also handy for days out to York.Many trains pass through but only Transpennine and Northern trains stop.It has its own website run by Chesterletrack.

 

[McBoo]

My first post

Clunderwen, two staggered platforms with a shelter on each platform, not great service usually 1 every 2 hours each way. The only stock passing through are 175's and 150's Arriva should buy some pendolino's to run to Milford :P

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Arriva should buy some pendolino's to run to Milford :P

How would a station in rural Surrey affect services at Clunderwen? I think you mean Milford Haven

 

[ValleyLines142]

How would a station in rural Surrey affect services at Clunderwen? I think you mean Milford Haven

Although it is officially Milford Haven, and yet there is Milford Surrey, I think Milford Haven was quite self-explanatory :P

 

[LE Greys]

No worse than trying to persuade SWT to increase the service to Ashford

 

[northernrail]

Mills Hill Manchester, Used to be there every night for 4 or 5 hours, it was my second home, but recently Manchester Victoria/Picadilly are more useful, not been there for a few months now, maybe me and that little station will meet again someday.....