The most decrepit, derelict station photo challenge

[Joseph_Pestell]

The failure to look after the Severn Beach line and make full use of it for commuters is a long-term stain on the reputation of both the railway authorities and the City of Bristol. It's an affluent city with expensive house prices and horrendous traffic/pollution levels.

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

The failure to look after the Severn Beach line and make full use of it for commuters is a long-term stain on the reputation of both the railway authorities and the City of Bristol. It's an affluent city with expensive house prices and horrendous traffic/pollution levels.

Similarly the spectacular inability to complete a relatively simple reopening to Portishead - which should provide one of the best rates of return of any post-Beeching re-openings - reflects badly on many of the organisations involved.  It should have been opened permanently in the 1980s, not just for a couple of steam specials.

Edited May 21, 2020 by Northmoor

[Joseph_Pestell]

2 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

Similarly the spectacular inability to complete a relatively simple reopening to Portishead - which should provide one of the best rates of return of any post-Beeching re-openings - reflects badly on many of the organisations involved.  It should have been opened permanently in the 1980s, not just for a couple of steam specials.

 

Back in the 80s, the Bristol rail network was handicapped by the out-of-town location of Temple Meads. That's no excuse these days with so much office development around the station.

[Killybegs]

Temple Meads out of town?!?

[maico]

On 13/05/2020 at 15:04, montyburns56 said:

More from Ardwick

 

I suspect that the grotty 506 probably makes the station look worse than it actually is in this picture.

 

 

 

 

Ardwick Nature Park

 

 

 

I was going to vote for Ardwick in the most grass on the platform award but it's been renovated

Edited May 21, 2020 by maico

[Andy Kirkham]

37 minutes ago, Killybegs said:

Temple Meads out of town?!?

Compared with some cities where the station is bang in the commercial centre, e.g. Birmingham, Glasgow.

[The Johnster]

It’s a bit of a schlep from Broadmead and the shops, and you’ve got to cross roads, a very risky business in Bristol were all drivers are psychopaths. 

[Killybegs]

Take the river taxi!

Edited May 22, 2020 by Killybegs
correction

[montyburns56]

Bishop Auckland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

I visited Bishop Auckland in 1974. Amazing station and still with a full set of NE tangerine enamel signage as well as various NER artefacts.

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, montyburns56 said:

Bishop Auckland

 

 

 

 

Looking at the current site on Google Street view it's difficult to believe you're looking at the same location.

I like the photographer's timing for the first shot; catching (presumably) the coal hoppers TO Eastgate and the cement hoppers FROM Eastgate.

[montyburns56]

North Woolwich

 

 

 

[Ben B]

On 17/05/2020 at 14:41, montyburns56 said:

Hellifield

 

 

 

 

 

Hellifield is such a sad case, because it has so much potential; the passenger services are somewhat sparse (though better than it used to be, even if it is just a Sprinter every couple of hours)… maybe if there was a passenger service coming up the freight-only line from Lancashire to join with the Settle-Carlisle/Morecambe routes, and thus make it a busier junction/interchange it would be better.  There's so much of the historical fabric of the station surviving, and steam-hauled portions of specials almost all start/end there (or at least stop to take on water).  But what are you greeted with? Cracked and overgrown platforms, weed-strewn empty bays, rusty sidings, an unused metal shed with no doors and rakes of abandoned, graffiti-covered parcel vans.  Compared to the Settle-Carlisle stations which retain their historical structures, or nearby Skipton which is kept in far better nick, it just looks like a wasted opportunity.

[The Johnster]

Hellifield and Bishop's Aukland were clearly once fine edifices that have seen better days, when they were looked after with pride and care by their owners and those whose charge they were under, while one doubts that the likes of North Woolwich or, in my locality, Treforest Estate (should be in the OED as one of the accepted definitions of 'bleak and god-forsaken}, ever were in that category.  The faded splendour makes them all the more derelict in appearance and character.  

 

There is almost a Marylebone-esque element of Palm Court to Hellifield; bring on the aspiditstras!

Edited May 24, 2020 by The Johnster

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, Ben B said:

Hellifield is such a sad case, because it has so much potential; the passenger services are somewhat sparse (though better than it used to be, even if it is just a Sprinter every couple of hours)… maybe if there was a passenger service coming up the freight-only line from Lancashire to join with the Settle-Carlisle/Morecambe routes, and thus make it a busier junction/interchange it would be better.  There's so much of the historical fabric of the station surviving, and steam-hauled portions of specials almost all start/end there (or at least stop to take on water).  But what are you greeted with? Cracked and overgrown platforms, weed-strewn empty bays, rusty sidings, an unused metal shed with no doors and rakes of abandoned, graffiti-covered parcel vans.  Compared to the Settle-Carlisle stations which retain their historical structures, or nearby Skipton which is kept in far better nick, it just looks like a wasted opportunity.

 

Having been on more than one steam special that has stopped at Hellifield, it is infuriating that to take water the Southbound trains at least have to stop away from the platform, so passengers cannot disembark.  If there were occasions when 500 people might alight, even if only briefly, someone might, just might, open a cafe or coffee shop which would keep the place occupied.  However I suspect tour operators don't want to encourage passengers to buy refreshments off the train; I have been on other tours that have had extended layovers at stations where the cafe had closed less than 30 minutes before we arrived.

[lmsforever]

Woolich always looked like the station its only the last few years that any form of rebuilding has taken place and thats not been for residents only for the wealthy.A good tip in the fiftiesd was the 101 bus to woolwich ferry and then train to Stratford  then train to Liverpool St and then back to Walthamstow.

[Reorte]

How recent are the Hellifield pictures? Several years ago (not passed through it for quite some time) it seemed to be getting tidied up.

 

Can't be many other places left with a semaphore gantry either.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Reorte

[TomJ]

12 hours ago, Northmoor said:

 

Having been on more than one steam special that has stopped at Hellifield, it is infuriating that to take water the Southbound trains at least have to stop away from the platform, so passengers cannot disembark.  If there were occasions when 500 people might alight, even if only briefly, someone might, just might, open a cafe or coffee shop which would keep the place occupied.  However I suspect tour operators don't want to encourage passengers to buy refreshments off the train; I have been on other tours that have had extended layovers at stations where the cafe had closed less than 30 minutes before we arrived.

There is a cafe at Hellifield. Never been in it but got yelled at by the staff when my son used their toilet thinking it was part of the station

[Ben B]

13 hours ago, Reorte said:

How recent are the Hellifield pictures? Several years ago (not passed through it for quite some time) it seemed to be getting tidied up.

 

Can't be many other places left with a semaphore gantry either.

 

It had a tidy and lick of paint a few years back, but was looking scruffy in feb when we went to see "Bahamas" run past. If they started running longer trains on the S&C (fat chance) they'd really need to tidy up the platforms. They either need weedkillers or more wild flowers in the old bays.

Would also help if the parcel vans (owned by West Coast I gather) were scrapped finally; more grafitti than livery after a decade absndoned there...

[charliepetty]

18 minutes ago, Ben B said:

 

It had a tidy and lick of paint a few years back, but was looking scruffy in feb when we went to see "Bahamas" run past. If they started running longer trains on the S&C (fat chance) they'd really need to tidy up the platforms. They either need weedkillers or more wild flowers in the old bays.

Would also help if the parcel vans (owned by West Coast I gather) were scrapped finally; more grafitti than livery after a decade absndoned there...

The photo was taken from a non passenger area, well past signs saying 'Do not Pass this point'

 

Charlie

[montyburns56]

Little Kimble

 

 

 

[Nearholmer]

It wasn’t having a good day when those photos were taken, was it? For the past quite a while the station building has been a house and the station itself well maintained.

 

The next station along, Monks Risborough, could probably win awards as Britain’s most well-maintained station consisting of next to nothing.

 

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Nearholmer

[Owd Bob]

The north end of Warrington B.Q. Was a weed strewn station in the mid' 1990's for a good few years.

[The Evil Bus Driver]

On 08/05/2020 at 18:37, Chris116 said:

The building is dreadful and the footbridge is a danger to life. Half the steps are different heights and make it very difficult to walk over with any confidence.

That sentence could apply to the whole town. The only good thing about it is Charlie's burger van at Three Bridges that does what are called "Scooby Burgers"

[mullie]

Just found this and worked through it over the last few days (hence lots of likes).

 

A brilliant thread.

 

Thanks for posting everyone.

 

Martyn