RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 21, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 21, 2010 A hot summers day, flowers in bloom and the bees buzzing. A distant plume of smoke means a train is on its way.... Blue Anchor station. Been there, experienced that and something that will never be forgotten.... Really strikes a chord, even though sadly I've not been to Blue Anchor, although I have been accused of something that sounds similar! My comparable experience in recent years was at Wittersham Road, just sitting on the platform in fine weather, and,as you say, the (preserved) steam train drifting slowly towards me. I am happy living in France, but even crowded SE England has some fine railway memories for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Adlestrop? Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan-Leeds Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Damemms on the keighley and worth valley railway and of course Glenfinnan on the west highland line Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Sheer poetry It was and something my wife and I will never forget. We'd walked from Watchet along the coast and arrived at the station about 20 minutes before the train arrived. There wasn't a soul there and the silence was amazing. You can see right down the line towards Minehead and the plume of smoke appeared well before you could make out the loco.... There is panoramic view in this link... http://www.wsr.org.uk/ba.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Singpoint Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 There's always something special about stations with a big train shed so Preston and Stoke-On-Trent are up there with York, Bristol TM etc etc. Emma Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted November 22, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2010 For a preserved station, I really like Staverton on the South Devon Railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
number6 Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I think you have to go Underground for the most beautiful. Take your pick in Moscow or perhaps City Hall in New York. I'm quite partial to some of the Paris metro stations but above ground you can't beat the northern end of the Piccadilly: Mainline? How about Surbiton or a classic Southern Railway all-concrete halt like Southease and Rodmell? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Well I have to agree with York, and I was surprised it was only the exterior of St. P that got a vote - but I think others have dropped that caveat - it now has to be both perhaps the nicest interior and one of the ugliest (the modern extension) at the same time. AND the most improved station - St. Pancras Thameslink (OK I know it is really a new station!) I also like Ulverston http://www.railbrit.co.uk/location.php?loc=Ulverston%20and%20Lancaster%20Railway and Beverley is rather nice - and retains the original NER huge tile map. http://www.railbrit.co.uk/location.php?loc=Beverley Paul Bartlett Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted November 22, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2010 For a preserved station, I really like Staverton on the South Devon Railway. Absolutely - despite my love of all things Southern, it gets my vote - a real gem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted November 22, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 22, 2010 A hot summers day, flowers in bloom and the bees buzzing. A distant plume of smoke means a train is on its way.... Blue Anchor station. Been there, experienced that and something that will never be forgotten.... Summer's day at Blue Anchor, must be raining then Still my favourite caravan site Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 In preservation I'd go for Carrog, currently the western extremity of the Llangollen Railway, as a showpiece example of what can be done with attention to detail. On the national network the decaying parts of Paddington rob it of first place for me which is a shame as I come from a line of servants of the GW and came to be very fond of it as a spotty spotter. St Pancras is my winner. Its transformation from unloved barn with a tatty hotel at one end to international gateway was done with care and sympathy and its architect in charge, Alastair Lansley, well deserved the CBE that he was awarded by HM The Queen. Wait till the hotel refurb is finished and you will have a world-beater. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Well another vote for York from me, for starters. I tend to like stations that have little hidden corners and viewable stabling points. Someone's already mentioned Perth, and I'd add Inverness and Carlisle. At the other end of the scale, few places can match the simple charm of Berney Arms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Too many really. Liverpool Street (original, but the new is also very good). St.Pancras of course. But why not Baker Street (Met). Busy, character, those wonderful A60's. Lovely chaotic old-fashioned mess! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I selected Liverpool Street as the most beautiful interior for a couple of reasons. The incredible brickwork and architecture that was hidden under decades of grime. The "sky walks" which thankfully have been retained (and added too?) - these were significant to Liverpool St.'s attraction to me as a young kid - tremendous views of the ceiling, which is still magnificent and the trains themselves. This station has always been the "Cinderella" of the major London terminii despite the massive volume of train movements it has had since the days of the "JAZZ" service (in fact my Father told me that there used to be a thriving prostitute service in the 20's and 30's between Liverpool St. and Bethnal Green (plus the quick train ride back for the women). Here's a recent photo of just part of the concourse:http://commons.wikim...n_concourse.jpg I bet a lot of RMweb'ers have never visited this station I urge you to do so, very interesting and built on site of "Bedlam" (or close to). Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CullingworthGNR Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I'll have to say, as a bit of a curveball, that Crewe has a strange magic and beauty that I can't quite describe. The old bits are so jaded and worn out that like an old jumper, it'll always be my favourite. See here... Photo Link Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Glad to see Carlisle finally got a mention, fine masonry, nicely scaled. But I am another who feels the crown goes to York, with most honourable mentions for St Pancras (and another who feels Alastair Lansley deserves great credit), and Edinburgh Waverley, very interesting and benefitting from its' superb location. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Hertford East, anyone? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 To be honest I've never understood the attraction for Paddington.............but what do I know? Me neither. It's the coldest, dampest & darkest of all the London Termini. St Pancras is a lot nicer. Sacrilege! Paddington is Brunel's temple to THE railway, or perhaps more accurately, the railway's temple to Brunel. I'll grant you that it is dark and not really at all a fun place to have to wait for a train - other than for acolytes to all things 'western'. Despite the impressive size of the space enclosed by the roof and its cathedral qualities, it does honestly feel dingy and weighted down with age but I won't admit to saying any of that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Sacrilege! I'll grant you that it is dark and not really at all a fun place to have to wait for a train - other than for acolytes to all things 'western'. Despite the impressive size of the space enclosed by the roof and its cathedral qualities, it does honestly feel dingy and weighted down with age but I won't admit to saying any of that. Take a look at the photo of Liverpool Street (in my post about three posts up) - hardly ever mentioned anywhere yet it has the third highest use of any station in London on a daily basis. I used to use both Paddington and Liverpool Street regularly whilst living in London - I know which one I preferred to use - and it wasn't heading West! Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Liverpool street is in my book the best of the london main stations. As a young child I always looked forward to going home to Billericay from Liverpool Street. The contrast between there and Euston or Broad Street, my arrival stations in London depending on the time of day, was amazing. To get from Broad Street to the Southend line platforms could be done by walking around of end of the longer main line platforms and through a very dingy area, if I remember correctly, or you could go the longer way via the steps and the walkways. It was always up the steps for me, even at four years old I liked the place. Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 .....and who can forget this little baby in lined out Great Eastern blue..... A loco that will remain with me forever.... http://www.time-caps.../number1304.asp Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Adlestrop? Ed Yes I remember Addlestrop the name because ......... Perhaps not the most beautiful station but certainly the most beautiful description of a railway station ever written. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
northendboy Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 A couple in Manchester for me. I quite like the faded grandeur of Victoria with it's wooden ticket windows and huge tile map of the L&Y network, but also Manchester Oxford Road,one of the few stations designed in the 60's that still has it's looks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
station cat Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I think my favourite thing about Liverpool Street is that it's so compact. Not that it isn't nice otherwise. I like Carlisle too, they seem to have done a nice job of modernising it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan_disorderly Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 The old frontage at Welwyn Garden City station was fantastic - a sort of miniature version of the Whitehouse. Unfortunately it got pulled down in the 1990s and replaced with a shopping centre - a real shame Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.