Hebden Bridge station (and other lovely railway stations)
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teuchter
je suis teuchter
It was originally a junction station where the main line from the south diverged into two lines; one of which was closed by Mr Beeching. The disused line was partially reopened as the Strathspey steam railway, but BR refused to let them use the third platform at Aviemore and they had to build a new station just up the line.
Then a few years back Network Rail decided to allow the preserved railway to use the mostly unused platform in the main station and as part of this the whole station was renovated.
An unusual example of different bits of railway working together for once and ending up with a sensible solution.
(Although I think that there may have been some sort of grant involved which might partly explain NR's helpfulness)
MsShirlLaverne
wearing purple
_angel_
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yes yes it's a town... but the train station is seriously tiny. There's sod all standing space on the platforms and it always seems quite busy.
Dillinger4
Es gibt Zeit
wow! that one has picnic benches and everything.
you could go on a day out there.
you could go on a day out there.
I guess it doesn't look too good from the station. It does get better, the, er, further away you get from it though... That train goes past my bedroom window. I could have given you a wave. 
teuchter
je suis teuchter
It's fairly much the only reason you'd go there. Rannoch isn't exactly renowned for its wealth of facilities...
longdog
What is it you can't face?
"Customers are reminded that smoking is not permitted anywhere on this station"
No, wouldn't like to dilute all of that diesel smog with nicotine would we?
Fucking vile station that needs bombing flat.
I wonder if the Luftwaffe could be coaxed out of retirement for one last mission.
longdog
What is it you can't face?
Actually, while I'm moaning about announcements, whoever is responsible for the tannoy system at Sheffield wants a damn good fucking, it's fucking constant.
Yes I know not to leave luggage unattended you stupid cunt, you told me two minutes ago just after and just before you told me not to smoke now shut the fuck up!
Yes I know not to leave luggage unattended you stupid cunt, you told me two minutes ago just after and just before you told me not to smoke now shut the fuck up!
davesgcr
Reading books
Ref Beauly ......
It was a recent re-opening under the now defunct Rail Partneship Plan - cost less than a £100k (still too much) - but a station is better than nowt ! the same fund tarted up Liskeard , Penzance , made a big contribution to Sheffield (Midland) which now looks great !
There is a bit more awareness these days - trust me !
It was a recent re-opening under the now defunct Rail Partneship Plan - cost less than a £100k (still too much) - but a station is better than nowt ! the same fund tarted up Liskeard , Penzance , made a big contribution to Sheffield (Midland) which now looks great !
There is a bit more awareness these days - trust me !
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Birmingham Moor St is lovely 
citygirl
friendly fire
couldn't agree more. bradford interchange in't a whole lot better, either. but the old forster square, if they'd done it up, rather than letting it fall to wrack and ruin, would've been an amazing centrepiece in todays plans for that part of the city.
pogofish
Testicle Hairstyle
It was still nice a couple of years back. Pub was alongside the platform IIRC.
_angel_
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You should have seen it before!
When was Halifax made a city - must have missed that.
ETA - missed ed's post (and others) - sorry.
editor
hiraethified
Sure. But we're supposed to be better at things now.
Leeds is a wildly over engineered slab of functional ugliness - compare its pipe laden dark roof with the light majesty of the Victorian engineering at St Pancras/Kings Cross/York and it's utterly depressing.
_angel_
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I was talking practicalities. At least they have got lifts in the station now and you don't have to book assistance if you're in a wheelchair to get to the platform/ have a pram.
Plus, there is quite a nice view over Leeds from the top.
Leeds station isn't still as bad as one of the central Manc ones (I forget which) that took me twenty minutes to locate the exit!!
Milton Keynes railway station is the worst in Britain. The buildings are all bus shelters, most of the trains whizz through at 100+ mph on their way to london, and above all, it's in Milton Keynes. The one redeeming factor was graffiti sprayed along the length of a pedestrian bridge that had the anarchy sign and told commuters to call in sick today.
editor
hiraethified
It's awful on a practical level too with passengers (sorry 'customers') forced to negotiate endless steep and narrow stairways between platforms.
_angel_
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There are lifts *now* in Leeds train station.
Hence my comment. They took their time but they finally did get around to putting them in!Also escalators.
_angel_
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I've not been inside the train station but I can vouch for the utter grimness of the bus station.
editor
hiraethified
Yes, but the majority of people don't need or want to use slower lifts, hence my comment about the steep, narrow stairs. And the escalators are only one person wide and awkward if you've got big bags.There are lifts *now* in Leeds train station.
Also escalators.
editor
hiraethified
Behold the clumsy, over-engineered ugliness of Leeds station:
http://www.urban75.org/railway/leeds-railway-station.html
http://www.urban75.org/railway/leeds-railway-station.html
teuchter
je suis teuchter
I've only been there once and just to change trains (nor do I know what was there before) - but I don't find it all that bad.
Clumsy? Maybe a little. Over-engineered? Maybe a little. At least it's fairly generous in scale and has some natural light. It could be a lot worse. It's better than the extension to St Pancras, for example.
I think it's a bit unfair to compare it with the great Victorian terminii - they had a lot more cash to spend, lots of cheap labour, and a fraction of the technical requirements any building has to satisfy these days.
