Which stations can we be proud of?

[Swr28]

Stafford is cared for and looked after verywell by the station staff, not the prettiest station in the UK but the friendliest in my opinion. How many mainline stations have books in the waiting rooms.

Nuneaton as it is one of the few stations left where you can get a decent cup of tea.

 

[matchmaker]

Incidentally Stirling is brilliant with semaphores (for now) the superb double stair and all the hanging baskets and plants...a credit to the staff.

Good thread.

I think (hope) the semaphores will be with us for some time. Yes, Stirling is nice. Pity about the hideous new footbridge.

 

[exile]

Of stations I know in the North West
- St Helens Central - but then it is brand new!
- Liverpool South Parkway - ditto

Warrington Central isn't too bad now it has lifts and a new concourse
Hough Green is good considering the passenger numbers - staffed full time, waiting rooms on both platforms, buildings in reasonable condition
Manchester Piccadilly - one of the best large stations in the UK

 

[chefchenko]

aviemore gets my vote !! followed by hebden bridge

 

[Mojo]

Externally, Temple Meads is great and I think it'll be even better in a few years once most of the traffic is relegated to the side and more facilities are added to sort out the crowds in the concourse. The state of the roof in the main trainshed lets it down though, as does platform 1 and the horrid Royal Mail bridge.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Berney Arms

 

[Lampshade]

Berney Arms

Denton

 

[Cherry_Picker]

For a small unmanned station, Wilmcote is very nice. It gets about 16,000 passengers a year which probably puts it in the bottom 20% of stations by footfall but it is kept in a lovely condition. The fact that is is where William Shakespeare's mum lived almost certainly helps with people willing to pay for the station to be so nice, but I think it is a hidden gem.

 

[Yew]

London victoria is nice, but needs a bit of paint on the roof

The entrance hall to nottingham isnt bad but there is nothing special about the platforms.

Lincoln is nice, not in a stp kinda way, but the entrance suits the rest of the station

 

[Bungle73]

Why does the roof at Victoria need "a bit of paint" when they've only just finished doing it up?

 

[158_Sprinter]

Teignmouth

Seconded.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Shrewsbury has an attractive frontage.

Hebden Bridge has many large original station signs.

 

[MK Tom]

Stafford is an exelent example of how care and attention can make 1960s architecture stay attractive.

The sad truth is many of the UK's finest stations are on preserved lines. Chief among them for me are Horsted Keynes and Loughborough Central.

 

[Butts]

Crianlarich - great surroundings and a wonderful little cafe

 

[bocaj]

I have got a few, St Pancras, Kings Cross, Leeds City and York. Desipite a few members of grumpy station staff at York, it's stiill a grand station.
Garforth Station is quite nice considering it is un-manned for most of the day!

Jacob

 

[AlterEgo]

Shrewsbury has an attractive frontage.

Agreed - as does Chester (shame about the decay once you get inside the station though!).

I find Darlington to be quite pleasant inside. It's just a shame East Coast have barriered it.

 

[cle]

Externally, Temple Meads is great and I think it'll be even better in a few years once most of the traffic is relegated to the side and more facilities are added to sort out the crowds in the concourse. The state of the roof in the main trainshed lets it down though, as does platform 1 and the horrid Royal Mail bridge.

I think the ticket gates let it down - there are about 3 and when a London train comers in, you really feel the squeeze.

That needs relocating somehow.

 

[Bristol Rover]

Another vote for Temple Meads. Walking from the centre to there on a sunny morning is a joy - the sun lights up the magnificent facade and it truly gleams. Can be properly enjoyed once you've negotiated the Big Issue seller on the corner near the traffic lights!

The ticket office is too small and can get very crowded though, especially when a few passengers have bikes.

At the other end of the line, Paddington's roof is truly stunning and gives a wonderful sense of grandness to the GWML.

 

[Rational Plan]

Newcastle, York, Leeds, St Pancras, Liverpool Street, Waterloo, Paddington and Kings Cross when it's finished. I've only nominated stations I've been to.

 

[Class172]

Add to my list:

London Paddington
Bexhill
York
Shrewsbury

 

[Blindtraveler]

4 pages and nobody mentioned carlisle? Nice atmosphere and great staff

 

[Toots]

Yes but the decor was spoiled in the makeover for the Homebase advert,everyone knows that!

 

[Class172]

Birmingham New St could do with a Homebase makeover.

 

[Blindtraveler]

they have I think put it rite since that homebase thing.

 

[Yew]

Why does the roof at Victoria need "a bit of paint" when they've only just finished doing it up?

It's not the platform area, that's ok. But the hall area (with some shops and the escalator up to wetherspoons, the roof and floor tiles there aren't great :/

 

[Butts]

I was at Dundee Station the other day ( changing trains for Leuchars).

The bit's I saw looked straight out of the seventies with regards to signage - there was even a sign for "Inter City 125 stop here" on one of the columns by the platform edge.

Half expected to round the corner and see a "Travellers Fayre" in all it's glory.

Come to think of it Leuchars was just two huge platforms with a little "ticket office" in the middle. Outside of Leuchars - the bus bit was far posher than the station

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Birmingham New St could do with a Homebase makeover.

It's currently getting one!

 

[Temple Meads]

It's currently getting one!

And not a moment too soon:-x

 

[DarloRich]

York
Newcastle
Darlington

Kings Cross (when it is finished - the little bit of roof they have opened up above platform 8 completely changes Kings Cross from a tunnel into a light, airy station!)

I like St Pancras but the domestic services have been relegated to an apendix

 

[junglejames]

I wouldn't say St Pancras. It's a shopping centre with a few platforms attatched. To me anyway, it's far too centred around the Eurostar and seems designed with the purpose of giving a false impression of London to visitors.

The MML certainly lost out in the refurbishment too. 4 platforms? Is it any suprise it loses passengers to the ECML etc?

I don't want to go too off topic, but I do wonder how the people of the Midland Railway Co. would feel knowing their line had been relegated from the shed built for it...

Theres a lot of sense in the above. I myself have mixed feelings on it.
If you stand in front of the Eurostar platforms and look along the station, then its awe inspiring. No doubt. The outside architecture is the same.
However I do believe it has a few too many shops, and EMT and SET are shoved away to the sides in what is a pretty poor extension. It does not go with the original part of the station at all.

Its a lovely station, but annoys me at the same time. In fact, its not so much a station now, as an interchange. With 4 different stations located throughout.

So because of the fact it annoys me, it doesnt come top of my list.
Above it come:
York
Newcastle
Lancaster
Carlisle
Most of the little stations up the West Highland Line.
Paddington as well is above St Pancras.
Oh, Wemyss Bay as well. Quite surprised me the first time i was there.