For me, it's a toss up between Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International and Bescot....places I used to frequent as a child, back in the Eighties.....too many Pendolino's & Multiple Unit's for my liking these days though.

Steve

I would say york. but watching the trains come over the royal border bridge
at berwick-upon-tweed is somthing else

hi,
mine got to be grove park station,your probaly wondering why,this is why,class 465 traction 24/7,hastings mainline with class 375's every couple of minute's and the accousional roar of a DB class 66 and class 59!
calum mclean,14

Favourite Stations
 

It has to be Grosmont. It has everything, including a four-track level crossing, junction with Network Rail, plenty of stock movements, right at centre of the town (or is it village?), lovely signalbox, and atmosphere - and last time I was there, on a filthy day, I was allowed into the ladies' waiting room to sit in front of the roaring fire. What could be better? And yes, the NYMR is my favourite of them all - but I have Yorkshire blood in me so perhaps I am biased!

Other than that - Bristol Temple Meads - where I spent most of my waking hours as a boy in the 1950s.

Ian J :) :) :)

Hi, mine has got to be London Paddington. A great place to be during the 80,s. Lots of Vallenta action, class 50,s plus a whole lot more to boot.

Difficult to narrow it down to just one. My selection would include York and Paddington for sure.

I would also add Pickering as a heritage site, as I've been there many times and has a good atmosphere.

My nearest station is Liverpool Lime Street, which currently undergoing a major face lift (at last!). When completed I think it will look very impressive once again.

How about a nomination for worst station? For me that would have to be Manchester Oxford Road - IMO it's the most depressing station in terms of atmosphere and looks. Plus I've waited for connecting trains freezing cold on it's platforms more times than I care to remember! :)

My favourite has to be edale station in the peak district. beautiful surroundings, peace and quite. Its quite easy to sit and imagine how it used to be during steam days!! The old signal box still in use stands well, and is wonderful to see with a sprinkling of snow on the ground. Alas there is very little variety of loco's these days and the choice is either diesel sprinter cars or EWS yeoman pulled freights, mainly full of limestone from the blue circle cement factory at castleton. Ah, how i long to return to the 80's when no two trains were the same....
My second favourite would have to be sherinham station on the north norfolk railway that runs from sheringham to holt, beautifully preserved, and lovely to see steam sat at the platform!!

hmmm, I have a few favourites so here are the top five:

5th - Birmingham New Street
4th - Liverpool Lime Street
3rd - Crewe
2nd - Preston
1st - York

I know this wasn't part of the question, but my favourite route would have to be the West Coast Main Line.

Mine would be Weybourne on the North Norfolk Railway.

My favorite stations have got to be Doncaster, Carlisle, Peterborough and Tamworh.

Everyone in Auckland would say Britomart, so I'll be different and say the new under-construction Newmarket station. :D

Woody Bay, North Devon. It's a full sized Southern Railway station in the middle of blissful nowhere but the tracks are only two-foot gauge!!! Otherwise, if past stations are allowed, Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Here Victorian trains came out of a long, deep tunnel straight into a station built in a chalk quarry noisy with seagulls and lined with caverns full of coal! And this was 1960 not 1860. Beat that!

fave station
 

this may sound odd :p but i would have to say Plymouth as most of my favourite trains (high-speed first great western) depart and arrive there.

other fave is Loughborough as i have family there and it looks pretty in winter.


Squeaky88 :)

I always enjoy looking up and enjoying the great Victorian train sheds of big city mainline stations, and Paddington has to be my favourite terminus - I really hope that it doesn't get spoilt as it gets fully equipped with overhead lines over the next few years - perhaps they'll do it sympathetically and refurbish it while they're at it?
Waverley is such a fantastic through station, and gradually getting better - such a shame the old goods station was re-developed in the 80s which has meant that its expansion is 'bitty', as I'm sure that area could have been developed into a useful extension of the passenger space.
As for smaller .. I still enjoy being on the platform of some of the old HR and West Highland stations that have retained crossing loops and original buildings. Nairn is a bit of a gem, as is Brora, and Crianlarich quirky and interesting!

Abroad, had the pleasure of a trip to Milan last summer - stunning terminal, with its tracks all so clean!

I often wish I'd been around to see many of the lost stations in the 'Golden Age' ... St Enochs, and the Old Euston especially. :)

Tilehurst station (Reading) was the first station I was taken to as a toddler some 57 years ago, when it was all steam except for the occasional ex-GWR AEC railcar.My grandad used to take me there on a Sunday morning, turns out he was waiting for 'The Roebuck' to open; I visited the station last year for the first time since the 60's, and although only the Oxford trains call there, it's nevertheless a very busy location, and pretty much in original condition (except for the goods yard & signalbox which disappeared way back). I visited 'The Roebuck', eager to tell the staff that I'd waited 56 years to find out what the INSIDE of the pub looked like, also to use the toilets, since the one at the station was locked. Typically, the pub was closed for refurbishment. Rats. Lovely station, and very well-kept, great for photography, but rush now, before the masts start going up!

Evening all , this is my first post.
My favourite station is (or should I say was) Crystal Palace High level which closed in 1954 and was demolished in the early 60's. It was the terminus of a branch line from Nunhead and was a completely O.T.T and very elaborate station which soon looked unkempt and quite sinister as the number of passengers dwindled.
I also have a soft spot for Kings Cross prior to electification , when the tunnels to and from Moorgate where still open.

J.C

Favourite Station
 

If I could go back in a time machine to the late 70s or early 80s some of my favourite stations would be-
Glasgow Central
Carstairs Junction
Crewe
Birmingham New Street
York
London Paddington
Clapham Junction
Manchester Victoria
Edinburgh Waverley
Guide Bridge
Newcastle Central
Finsbury Park

I'd happily sit all day at Minehead.

Mine has to be LLangollen Station at the side of the River Dee.
It brings back memories of the last days of operating in the late 60's when I was on my way to school.
Unfortunately in those days the only trains were freight and track lifting wagons.

It's got to be Wigan North Western, if only because I was born almost in sight of it, and spent most of my train spotting days around it. Our house was midway between that station and Springs branch depot, where my granddad worked. Happy days:D
mickey

I too like York, because like you I liked the Deltics. When I was young, we used to go to "Donny" forbexotic stuff like A1s, streaks, and the other eastern Pacifics.
mickey

I love Kidderminster on the SVR. Not old I know but is a great looking station with the old world feel. Loughborough is really back to my early days. Lincoln Central was my old stomping ground but on the ECML has to be Kings x and York back in the 50's. Loved them both.
Cheers
Phil

Favourite Station well it would have to be York in the 70's/80's

No wires

through lines in tact lots of noise and smoke (even diesel smoke)
This is a scanned 35mm slide from 1986

Retford pre-flyunder. Flat crossing at southern end with Whisker Hill curve linking the then one level three platform station with the GCR line to Sheffield.
Also another vote for Victoria (the proper one in Nottingham!) Plus quirky and confusing Trent (famous variation on the Lord's Prayer 'Lead us not into Trent station')

From what I remember of Retford, Windy and cold in winter but still worth a trip now and again, I however prefered Grantham with its sheds full of Steam and loads of sidings and marshalling yards. Those were good memories for sure.
Regards
Phil

I think that York would be first but if it were steam days I would'nt get many cops there.
Others would be: Bristol (TM), Carlisle, Exeter (St David's) Crewe, Waterloo, Leeds, Hellifield etc One could go on but where one has lived plays a considerable influence.

With a name like Dent you might want to consider visiting the highest station in England.Great place for spotting on'Special Days'.The views are spectacular.
You might need an overnight stay though.

Glad to see this thread has got a new lease of life. Long time since I last posted in it.

Another great Station is Bristol Temple Meads.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Dent at Dent
 

Hello 66627

I have visited Dent village twice but only passed through Dent station a few times. From the S & C there is a lovely view of the Dee valley where Dent lies.
It's just a pity that Dent was in Yorkshire until Heath messed with local government placing it in Cumbria.
There is a Yorkshire joke. A visitor from the south of England asks a local
man why Dent station is so far from the village (4 miles). He replies 'Perhaps
they wanted it near't station.' It's a bit pathetic. Thanks for your note.
Chris

Cromford on the Matlock line I dont think its changed since Midland days.

I personally love Leeds Station, There Are 20 Platforms and they are so long, probably THE BIGGEST STATION IN THE UK, AND I LOVE WATCHING THEM ALL COME AND GO.

I suppose it has to be the two stations I have travelled from most - York (1st) and Exeter(St David's)2nd but I would prefer it to be the 1950's . I can still an A3 skidding on take off from platform 9 for the north.There is a great 1950's BT film 'This is York' with the voice of my favourite train announcer(female).Worth seeing was LlanfairPG now closed on Anglesey. Put bottom a filthy Manchester(Victoria) in steam days.

Victoria Station:

I dread to think what George Stephenson would think of the station that he designed and is now rated as filthy.
I must say though that I read that the station is now a 'deserted relic'. Having spent many hours at the station in my youth and not visited it for over 50yrs I decided to satisfy my 'need to know obsession' and took a train ride into it, and sadly, I agree.
The tiled map of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway at the entrance of the station is still an outstanding feature.

manchester victoria is my favourite station-i have stated this previously,i remember this station in the 70s as a child,17 platforms and through roads,even back then though the place was filthy,how can you say the station is a deserted relic?6.125 people use the station annualy-according to wikipedia,this doesnt even include tfgm travel cards,metrolink usage,1.000 people who pass through the station to jd williams catalouge upstairs near the arena entrance,you must of been at the station at a very quiet time?ok the roof is a disgrace as are the old diesel clapped out 142s,150s etc,in the last two years-new platforms on 1 and 2,new lighting on the concourse,new wind break shelters currently being built-platforms 3-6,new lighting has been installed on the same platforms,the new toilet facilities have also been opened[the old ones were a disgrace],next..a new roof,electrification,new shops,cafes,escalators,direct links to manchester airport-via piccadilly,this was once a proud station and still is..

My favourite stations would be York and Exeter(St David's) because they are the two stations I have made most journeys from. However to be at their best it would have to be in the 1950's. One of the worst would be Manchester (Victoria) again as it was in the 1950s.