Worst Stations

[MidnightFlyer]

gotta be Coventry, New Street, Euston, Kirkgate, Manchester Victoria, Castleford, Bradford Interchange, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Tamworth, Derby

all terrible in their own way, but if I was to vote for one it would be

Castleford

Whats up with Coventry, Wolves, tamworth & Derby?

Isn't Castleford due investment - I thought they were putting a bus interchange in next to the station?
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I'm changing my mind and now nominate Gourock, at least until it is rebuilt.

I was there on Saturday - it is pretty bad. It was redeveloped in 1987 or somewhere around that time: the then-new ticket office is now shut, as are the toilets & other facililties, and are all replaced by portable buildings outside the station... and the plaque commemerating the 80's upgrade is faded out.

 

[trainfanatic]

Boston gets my vote, though to be fair, I've not inspected it close up. But the whole area looks down at heel with rusting track and weeds everywhere.

How about cheering everybody up and voting for the nicest station? 'Nice' could include categories such as architecture, access, facilities, interface with other public transport etc etc.

I was going to nominate Sleaford but it fails on numerous counts except architecture.

I think my own favourite must be Temple Meads, but as it was many years ago!

 

[Lampshade]

Can you find me the NRES Page for this station - I can only find the Main Bedford Station.

Or am I missing something?

You're missing something

 

[t0ffeeman]

Wakefield Kirkgate deffo. Worst small station is Emerson Park between Romford & Upminster near Hornchurch. Not on either main line. A poor service ,none on Sundays, hopefully no-one will notice attitude.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Just another one - Hattersley (in between Glossop and Manc Picc). Look at the stations made easy station plan thing on NRE. Especially the booking office - just awful.

 

[ert47]

Bethnal Green NR gets my vote, walked passed there with a mate and to say it doesnt look safe doesnt cut it =/

 

[CarterUSM]

I was there on Saturday - it is pretty bad. It was redeveloped in 1987 or somewhere around that time: the then-new ticket office is now shut, as are the toilets & other facililties, and are all replaced by portable buildings outside the station... and the plaque commemerating the 80's upgrade is faded out.

Yes, i remember the old/new booking office shutting due to a mink infestation amongst other things, if i remember correctly. The place is a bit of a tip, but when work is complete perhaps the town will have a station to be proud of again.

 

[4SRKT]

Kirkgate continues to get a pasting. Can't even be bothered counting now.

 

[eddygrim]

Crewe was actcully voted the worst second station and no won has mensoned it???

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Crewe was actcully voted the worst second station and no won has mensoned it???

Probably because theres loads of stuff there - cafes, waiting rooms etc. Kirkgate tho has absolutely nothin.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm not sure, Crewe always seems a bit untidy but the canopies look as if they could be quite nice with some tlc and it's got a few facilities.

 

[4SRKT]

Who voted for Crewe as worst station? It's nothing special, but nothing too bad either. Whoever voted for it certainly hasn't been to Wakefield Kirkgate (or Westgate come to that).

 

[Bittern]

Crewe was actcully voted the worst second station and no won has mensoned it???

Not mentioned probably because it actually looks like a half-decent station.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

And an honourable mention for Croxley Green

Which, incidentally, is still there. I was looking at it on Google Maps and Streetview yesterday. The Streetview image is dated 2009 and it the station entrance is still there, complete with Large roadside BR sign and Network Southeast "Croxley Green" sign - albeit both are a bit green and dirty. You can see the NSE red lampposts disappearing up the hill into the trees. Watford West is the same, although the NSE / BR sign looks in remarkably good condition for a station closed 14 years ago!

As regards Wakefield Kirkgate, I wouldn't class it as a small station. It is the only station in the city where you can catch direct trains to Nottingham, and also has trains to London from Sunday. It also has trains to other important places such as Sheffield, Huddersfield, Leeds. And was used in recent weekends by crosscountry when the main line was closed.

A colleague of mine had cause to wait there for 20 mins the other week, and in that time got soaked as the canopy, subway and entrance building are all as waterproof as a teabag, witnessed someone doing drugs in the subway and got menaced by hoodie chavs one of whom urinated on the platform right in front of her. She announced she was very pleased when her train turned up!

 

[Sceptre]

I'm going to have to agree with Kirkgate as well. For a station that's supposed to be doing direct trains to London from Sunday morning, it's woefully behind all the other stations on the route, which includes Halifax, which until recently still had the scaffolding up that I remember from the early 2000s.

 

[33056]

Havn't been to Kirkgate in years and it was a dump last time I went there - doesn't sound worth rushing back to.

My nomination for the worst station is Wembley Central, despite an effort to tart it up some time ago it is still a leaking concrete dungeon covered in pigeon poo. It's one redeeming feature are the staff there who are usually friendly and helpful.

 

[NLC1072]

Havn't been to Kirkgate in years and it was a dump last time I went there - doesn't sound worth rushing back to.

My nomination for the worst station is Wembley Central, despite an effort to tart it up some time ago it is still a leaking concrete dungeon covered in pigeon poo. It's one redeeming feature are the staff there who are usually friendly and helpful.

Lol I used to work there a year ago, know what you mean, it's quite a wind tunnel too

 

[swt_passenger]

London Bridge is fine - until you get out of the splendid LB&SC trainshed. It's a shame that they can't replace some of the viaduct under the through platforms with a large mezzanine concourse.

The Thameslink work will provide a large concourse under the viaduct, with associated lifts and escalators, as part of the work to add 3 more through platforms. As you suggest the work will be phased but three of the terminal platforms close to allow the first new through platforms to be built in their place.

The Blackfriars bays won't be much help though, because they will be on the wrong side of the Thameslink through tracks.

 

[paulravuslante]

Yes, Pontyprid is a very sad sight these days. On the plus side, it has a BTP office! Or it used to, unless it;s been closed now!

I got off there once and for a true picture of its grottiness, you really need to approach it from the street! What a dump!

Indeed. Ponty could be so much better if some effort was made to tidying it up. That said, the rest of the town centre is nothing to write home about either.

For a further suggestion from the Welsh contingent I would suggest Grangetown (around the corner from Cardiff Central). No facilities at all other than a unique looking shelter, which is so high that it does nothing to prevent the rain from soaking you and it also leaks. Also the signal layout means that when the service is disrupted late running trains sail past and then wait a few yards away at the red signal. I used to have many frustrating waits here when I commuted.

Regards,
Paul.

 

[Capybara]

Whoever voted for it certainly hasn't been to Wakefield Kirkgate (or Westgate come to that).

Indeed. About the only positive thing you can say about Wakefield Westgate is that it isn't Wakefield Kirkgate.

 

[Oswyntail]

I am another for Wakefield Kirkgate. But, IMHO, when a station is simply run down, unused and unloved, it isn't its fault. But when a station has had a recent massive rebuild, but still manages to feel like an industrial back yard, dirty, gloomy and with unresponsive staff, then that truly is a bad station. Step forward, please, Leeds and receive this accolade.

 

[j0hn0]

Whats up with Coventry, Wolves, tamworth & Derby?

Isn't Castleford due investment - I thought they were putting a bus interchange in next to the station?

As I said, all crap in their own way. Cov, Wolves, Tamworth and Derby are all architectural carbunkles, they remind me of Coventry and Leeds swimming pools.

Rugby also used to be amazing (architecturally) and now it is *****. Sure it is clean and new and functions well, but has anyone seen the tiles on the outside of the new building already looking about 40 years old? The water doesnt run off them properly somehow. I hate the platform shelters too, if this is what "investment" looks like then are we sure we want it?

Of course I want new and clean stations, but they really must try a little harder with the design.

Castleford has been due investment for years and years.

At least we can actually talk about investment now, which is nice

 

[yorksrob]

The Thameslink work will provide a large concourse under the viaduct, with associated lifts and escalators, as part of the work to add 3 more through platforms. As you suggest the work will be phased but three of the terminal platforms close to allow the first new through platforms to be built in their place.

The Blackfriars bays won't be much help though, because they will be on the wrong side of the Thameslink through tracks.

Cheers for the info, I assumed they'd just be levelling half of the terminal station and building the extra through platforms on it.

 

[Bittern]

Hey now, Dalmarnock should be on that poll.

 

[ert47]

I personally dont understand why London Bridge is there... although it is probably one of the worst, if not the (2nd) worst London Terminus behind Euston.

Whenever travelling into London, I've always prefered to go via London Bridge instead of London Victoria. I probably dont like large wide open spaces

 

[LE Greys]

Whenever travelling into London, I've always prefered to go via London Bridge instead of London Victoria. I probably dont like large wide open spaces

Victoria gives you an example of both. You have decent archetucture and fairly good facilites on the Chatham side and a hideous concrete raft over horribly dark platforms on the Brighton side. What idiot decided to build that thing?

 

[ert47]

Victoria gives you an example of both. You have decent archetucture and fairly good facilites on the Chatham side and a hideous concrete raft over horribly dark platforms on the Brighton side. What idiot decided to build that thing?

Living in Croydon means I have to come in on the cramped side of the station.

Don't exactly understand why the Brighton platforms are like that, but Victoria was originally 2 separate stations that were built next to each other but weren't connected (*stares @ the 2 Catford stations*)

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EDIT: (Dont really know how to do the Old Post/New Post thing)

Thinking about it, most of the South London terminuses all seem to have low ceilings above the station platforms usually because of office expansion. (obviously except for Waterloo from what I've seen and London Bridge
- not really sure whats going to happen to the engine shed there once the "Shard" is built)

Does anyone remember what Holborn Viaduct Station was like? Im a bit too young to remember it

 

[Bittern]

EDIT: (Dont really know how to do the Old Post/New Post thing)

Just post again and it does it automatically.

 

[starrymarkb]

EDIT: (Dont really know how to do the Old Post/New Post thing)

Thinking about it, most of the South London terminuses all seem to have low ceilings above the station platforms usually because of office expansion. (obviously except for Waterloo from what I've seen and London Bridge
- not really sure whats going to happen to the engine shed there once the "Shard" is built)

Does anyone remember what Holborn Viaduct Station was like? Im a bit too young to remember it

Its because all the trains are electric, with diesels you'd need extractors if you are roofing over.

 

[Aictos]

Birmingham New Street, Euston, Peterborough are all pretty abysmal.

I can agree with Peterborough to a certain extend BUT bear in mind it's going to be refurbished in the next few years with new platforms, improved access to platforms, better cycle facilities, better access to the station by way of two entrances and much more.

It certainly needs more platforms though.

If you want the worst station I've ever used, I'll say Stevenage or Westbury. Stevenage now has tea/coffee stalls on the platforms, but the one outside the barrier is cheaper (annoyingly). That little ticket office over the platforms is far too small in the peak and level access is awkward, since only the staff can use the lifts. Then, no shelters further out along the platforms, not even canopies, and horrible modern architecture.

The thing with the ticket office is the fact that there is actually two ticket offices, you have the small East Coast one and the larger First Capital Connect one.

If DfT had any sense, they would merge the two into one and just have one ticket office managed by the TOC managing the station which in this case would be FCC.

Take Peterbrough and Cambridge for example, they are manned by National Express and East Anglia but they don't have separate ticket offices but rather just the one.

I don't get that. Simply hide a bomb in a KFC bag or something. Someone didn't really think things through!

Don't ask me, I just follow the guidelines which have been set.