Worst Railway Station in UK

[DarloRich]

Having a bit of a debate in the office on what is the worst railway station in the uk - common consensus is that you could pick any one between Euston and Crewe but I am going for ....................... Birmingham New Street.

Dirty, either too hot or too cold, smelly, dark, subterranean hell hole!

I wonder what your opinion is? Perhaps we should have a category system, small, medium, large, mega!

 

[westcoaster]

Luton.... Luton....luton

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32916

The 'winner' was Wakefield Kirkgate

 

[GNERman]

Wakefield Kirkgate, Euston, Newcastle Station's Subway...

 

[DarloRich]

Newcastle Station Subway - do you mean the metro? do they have a subway?

 

[brompton rail]

Wakefield Kirkgate. It has everything ...... no facilities, fair chance of being assaulted going through the subway, leaking roof, winos on platform 1 ..... what more could you want?

By the way, where is Newcastle Central's subway? Do you mean the Metro entrance hall?

 

[shinkansen1966]

Wakefield Kirkgate: the station looks like it's been abandoned.

In fact, the station is so devoid of life, you've been forgiven that no trains ever venture there. It has around 8 departure per hour.

 

[wibble]

Philip Hammond should pay a trip to Beaulieu Road so he can complain about the poor ticket purchasing facilities and lack of station buffet....

 

[DarloRich]

I forgot about Kirkgate - that can have the medium station prize!

 

[37401]

A lot of people say New Street, I think its great (or was should I start saying now)

 

[dickdarlington]

Sunderland. Just a dingy mess. Although I'm sure that the renovations will make a small difference once completed. It's like Euston or New Street but without the benefit of lighting.

 

[sprinterguy]

Sunderland. Just a dingy mess. Although I'm sure that the renovations will make a small difference once completed. It's like Euston or New Street but without the benefit of lighting.

But with the added joys of being much smaller, poorly signposted, lacking on waiting facilities and with no toilets. So yep, Sunderland gets my vote, even after the recent upgrade work. It's dark, grotty and depressing!

I don't see what the big fuss is about New Street. The platforms are a bit narrow when it comes to the number of passengers they have to deal with at busy times, and it's a bit dark, but it's generally fit for purpose. Given that it's coping with twice the number of train services it was designed for, that's not bad!

 

[CarterUSM]

Dalmarnock for me, though i'm not particularly fond of high st either.

 

[First class]

I'd say the MOST UNSAFE railway station, considering footfall, is Liverpool Central. Network Rail knowledge that the platforms are used by something like 150% above capacity during busy periods.

 

[Geezertronic]

A lot of people say New Street, I think its great (or was should I start saying now)

Hurry up with the Gateway Project

 

[dickdarlington]

But with the added joys of being much smaller, poorly signposted, lacking on waiting facilities and with no toilets. So yep, Sunderland gets my vote, even after the recent upgrade work. It's dark, grotty and depressing!

I don't see what the big fuss is about New Street. The platforms are a bit narrow when it comes to the number of passengers they have to deal with at busy times, and it's a bit dark, but it's generally fit for purpose. Given that it's coping with twice the number of train services it was designed for, that's not bad!

I actually like New Street. And Euston. Growing up down south near the WCML with a dad who used to take me to watch the trains, I have fond memories of both. And as an 80's child, both had their charms. Alas, I could not comment on the previous stations as they are before my time.

 

[4SRKT]

I'll thow my weight behind Wakefield Kirkgate again, as I always do on these threads. As usual it's winning, so I think its position as the worst of the worst is pretty much unassailable.

Other horrors I've recently experienced include Byfleet & New Haw and Knottingley.

 

[sprinterguy]

Hurry up with the Gateway Project

Why? The mockup images look as if an alien spaceship has vomited over the New Street site: All sorts of strange angles of glass and steel which will be covered in pigeon crap within months! :roll: The actual capacity down on the platforms isn't changing AFAIK, as they are rather hemmed into the box they curently occupy. The best that can be done is giving the station a psoh, shiny concourse, which will admittedly be able to handle a greater throughflow of passengers. Though seriously it is good to see investment being made in smartening up New Street, which is very much needed.

At least it will have Midland Metro rolling up to the door, so perhaps some of the inhabitants of the West Midlands will actually realise that there is a Midland Metro!

 

[Geezertronic]

At least it will have Midland Metro rolling up to the door, so perhaps some of the inhabitants of the West Midlands will actually realise that there is a Midland Metro!

I thought the Midland Metro was built over at the Rover plant

 

[sprinterguy]

I thought the Midland Metro was built over at the Rover plant

Indeed

 

[route:oxford]

Falkirk Grahamston

For some reason it just seems a very depressing station. It's cold, desolate, windy (a bit like Falkirk in general really).

Platforms too short to accommodate the Highland Chieftan or the sleeper too.

I managed to find some old pictures of Falkirk Grahamston from 1983 on the Railscot website - it appeared fairly traditional and attractive at the time.

 

[ashworth]

Definitely Wakefield Kirkgate
For my own personal safety I wouldn't want to risk using it at times when it's unlikely to be busy and especially not after dark.
Even though the Nottingham to Leeds service calls at Wakefield Kirkgate, I would rather change at Sheffield, and use Wakefield Westgate, than use the the through service to avoid having to use those subways and derelict platforms.
It's disgraceful that a station in a city as large as Wakefield and one that is used by so many trains each hour has been allowed to get into that state. It's actually a very poorly used station but probably many people avoid it as I do.

 

[The Barlow Boy]

It's one of the very few places that I'v actually felt uncomfortably unsafe in. No-one's mentioned Crewe - just look up, it's a shambles!

 

[GNERman]

Sunderland. Just a dingy mess. Although I'm sure that the renovations will make a small difference once completed. It's like Euston or New Street but without the benefit of lighting.

Not anymore it isn't...

The DafT, Network Rail and Nexus cooperatively spent £7 million on its redevelopment. It's now much brighter, new seating areas and platform surfaces. Money well spent!

Newcastle Station Subway - do you mean the metro? do they have a subway?

I mean the subway which runs from Platform 2 to Platform 3 via Lifts, iirc Newcastle won large station of the year recently? The judges must have pushed away from going down there... Dark, dingy, smells of p*ss...

 

[43167]

Wakefield Kirkgate abandoned, rundown, deralict. And theres a matching pub right outside aswell.

There is only going to be one winner here.

 

[dcmbarton]

A lot of people say New Street, I think its great

Me too, I don't have any problem with New Street. Gloucester is pretty bad, and Bristol TM has always looked very poorly kept.

 

[theblackwatch]

Wakefield Kirkgate abandoned, rundown, deralict. And theres a matching pub right outside aswell.

There is only going to be one winner here.

Totally agree, has been the winner for years. Not even sure it needs further debate, I'm almost tempted too lock this thread at this point!

 

[Zoe]

I'd nominate Camborne, Cornwall and Barking, Greater London.

 

[bradders1983]

For a medium sized station with connections to Leeds, Bradford, Liverpool, York and Blackburn, Manchester Victoria is a bit grim.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Holyhead.