manchester victoria

[faltskog36abba]

the east end junction at manchester victoria was closed this sunday,as i was leaving victoria on the tram yesterday,their was a ballast train and they were track re-laying on the platform 6 up fast line,today i went past again and it looks like its been done right up the miles platting incline,those guys at network rail dont waste anytime.

[5701]

I had the misfortune to use Preston in november it was chaos with no information useless signage and the buffet was something from the victorian era.A station that is great is Glasgow Central it is easy to use signage good and the info boards well positioned and readable not so sure about low level but at least it provides a good service.By the way the loo,s are clean and policed.Virgin run Preston so that say,s it all.

[curtis64]

Do any of the posters on this thread remember the incident when a local train crashed through the buffers and finished up just short of the booking offices .

I was at the station a couple of weeks ago and, like the immediate area as you exit onto Hanging Ditch, it is, to say the least - a mess.

[Tony]

Hi Curtis,
In the last ten years they have built a new double faced platform for the Metro and platforms 1 & 2 for the Yorkshire terminating trains. Now you want more development?
Some people are never satisfied!

[Deathbyteacup]

You can see why people dislike it though Tony.

I personally like Victoria station itself, but I'm a glass half full man. I don't like the way the Arena has attached itself to it like a great big sea mine, since it's the main reason in my opinion the place looks so dark and depressing. If the place was still full of natural light it would be a million times better.

The roof has also seen better days and to see it restored and the rest of the building polished up would make my day.

But yeah that damn Arena. It's "bad news". >_>

[HM181]

I remember the times of the nightly News Paper Trains coming ang going.
If you got legged up at Guide Bridge, you could always get home to Dewsbury on the 02:15 Leeds Papers.
This train did a shunt at Dewsbury from the down line to the up.
Then the lads from Menzies would unload the train and get them out to the newsagents.

[curtis64]

Hi Tony,

We appear to be at slight cross purposes here.

I'm not critising the work that's been done in regards to platforms or any other related infrastructure.

My comments are aimed at the poor appearance of some of the retail outlets in the station hall, for example, the derelict sandwich shop located near the main entrance.Full of debris and assorted worn out fixtures and generally filthy it's not exactly a welcoming sight for the visitor - regular or casual.

Hope this clears up the matter

Curtis.

[HM181]

Originally Posted by faltskog36abba

i have been to wakefield kirkgate and thought it a grot spot,man vic has lots of problems but compared to kirkgate its a gem,why wakefield kirkgate wasnt on the top 10 worst stations i dont know,money should be spent on it asap,is it a busy station?only went there once about 5 years ago and was quiet,whether its busy or not a station night or day should be inviting to passengers.

At one time Kirkgate was very busy with the pit trippers, traffic in and out of Cobra and of course traffic from Healey Mills before it closed.
At Kirkgate is a big triangle where you can turn trains.
Just a bit futher round this triangle is Calder Bridge Junction where the old Wakefield Depot was once situated and also Wakefield Power Station.
There are facilities at Calder Bridge to go East towards Normanton, and West to go through Kirkgate Station.If you take the west roads out of Kirkgate you can go upto Wakefield Westgate and Leeds and straight on for HM and Manchester.
All the platforms have permissive working.
To the east at Kirkgate there are an up and down loop, and Turners Lane Junction.
At one time we could sign on and off at Kirkgate, and there was a mess room on the down platform.
Kirkgate SB was situated at the eastern end of the platform, and it was a Porta Cabin,it is now situated in the old goods yard.
Staff were removed from this station in the late 1980's.

[faltskog36abba]

noticed in vic on sunday,where the old bank used to be next to the mens toilets,there is a planning application to open a shop selling alcohol,agree about the state of the good life shop,it doesnt look nice[how i miss that place]lovely hot pot they used to sell,and a cup of tea for 55p,the money is available for the roof and the refurb we were promised,but theres a 5 million shortfall, which will have to be found from elsewhere,i love victoria and think its still got that bit of magic about it,i dont think it looks dark anymore on the concourse,but it is on the metrolink platforms,the arena is horrible and much prefer the station more open as it used to be,but surely the arena bumps up passenger numbers?thats a good thing for the station,as well as the 1000 who are employed at jd williams in the arena complex,they use the trains and [sparse]shops on the station,passionate as i am about the once grand old vic,that i feel like standing with a collection tin on the concourse asking for donations to do the place up,hope it gets sorted soon as its the last place in manchester to have[serious]money spent on it..rant over.

[faltskog36abba]

the new mace retail outlet is now open in victoria,called in on friday,the old-good life shop is now a small cafe[pasty and a coffee is 3 quid]the rest is alcohol and basics for the every day commuter,this shop looks fine on the station,theres a cash machine too,but it charges.