Nobody asked, but here’s some railway stations I like and dislike

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Recently, there was a Twitter trend in the rail enthusiast’s community where people were sharing which railway stations they liked and disliked, so I thought I’d offer an explanation on my blog.

Station I dislike: Stratford International

A Eurostar train passing through the concrete jungle of Stratford International station in East London.
Photograph courtesy of Ed Webster.

Sorry to begin the article on a low, but Stratford International station is horrible in my opinion. Similarly to Ebbsfleet International further down the line, the station is a sea of uninspiring concrete, but Stratford takes the prize because (unlike Ebbsfleet), it isn’t even served by any international trains! All the Eurostar services to the continent pass straight through. The station is very useful for access to Stratford Regional station and the Westfield Shopping Centre, but architecturally this station is abysmal. Thankfully, it doesn’t look like the HS2 stations are going to look as bad as the HS1 ones!

Station I think is overrated: Brighton

A view of platform 4 at Brighton station where a Thameslink class 700 is waiting to return to Bedford.
Photograph courtesy of Richard Green.

A controversial choice, perhaps? Brighton station has a nice roof I suppose, but I don’t think its got much else going for it looks-wise when you compare it to other large terminal stations from across the country. I think also my past experiences come into my decision on this one. I’ve spent many hours here over the years, freezing cold, having just missed the train to Bexhill after been delayed coming down the Brighton Mainline from London. Sorry Brighton!

Station I think is underrated: Manchester Victoria

A view across Manchester Victoria. A Metrolink tram can be seen on the left.
Photograph courtesy of Richard Green.

I’ve chosen Manchester Victoria as the station which I think is most underrated because I love the blend of old and new here. It isn’t perfect – the mainline platforms are underneath Manchester Arena so they’re dull and dark. But the concourse and Metrolink platforms are under a sweeping glass roof which really showcases the mixture of old and new architecture. Several other stations in Britain do this really well, St Pancras International being probably the best example. But Manchester Arena is actually another reason I love this station. I’ve attended some great events there over the years, and I think you’d struggle to find many arenas in the UK with transport connections as good and as close-by as here.

Station I like: Handforth

A station sign reading "Handforth" in the style of Iarnrod Eireann, the Irish national railway operator.

Handforth station is located on the line between Stockport and Wilmslow in Cheshire and I like it because its unique. It includes lots of replica station signs from around the world, proudly displayed on the platforms by the station’s dedicated adopters. The one shown above is in the style of Iarnrod Eireann (the Irish national railway operator) but there are many more including London Underground, the Docklands Light Railway, SNCF (the French national railway operator), British Railways, MTR (the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway), Regional Railways, Deutsche Bahn (the German national railway operator) and many more. These are of course sprinkled in between the many Northern signs, the train operating company who actually manage the station. Its clearly a station well-loved by the people who look after it, and one which as a railway enthusiast I love to visit.

Station I love: Huddersfield

Felix the cat licks her lips as she lays on a bench at Huddersfield railway station.
Photograph courtesy of TransPennine Express.

Whilst Huddersfield station does have some nice physical features, the reason I love it isn’t because of these but is in fact because of the way it makes me feel. Huddersfield is home to Felix and Bolt, ’employed’ by train operator TransPennine Express as pest controllers. They have a huge following online including over 160,000 followers on Facebook. The joy that these two cats bring people is heart-warming, with people travelling from across the world to meet them. They’ve helped to raise loads of money for local charities too. The station has a lovely atmosphere, and the staff working there have always been so welcoming and friendly when I’ve visited for work. Its a station which I always look forward to returning to.

Station I feel most myself at: Bexhill

A view of the two platforms at Bexhill railway station in East Sussex.

Bexhill station will always hold a special place in my heart, mainly because it was my local station from when I was born in 1993 right through until I moved into my first flat in Eastbourne in 2015. But aside from that, I think the station really stands out architecturally when compared to others on the East Coastway route. It has long, almost fully covered platforms because of the seaside trains which served it many years ago. And the booking hall sits above the tracks on Sea Road, meaning there are some steep ramps to exit the platform. I have many great memories of this station, and once even passed through it behind a steam locomotive!

Station I need to visit: Wemyss Bay

A view of Wemyss Bay station, with a glass roof. There are small trees in pots lining the right-hand wall.
Photograph courtesy of Zack Hallam.

I’ve never been to Wemyss Bay station, which is a terminus on the Inverclyde Line about 26 miles west of Glasgow Central. But I’d love to. The station was designed by James Miller in 1903 for the Caledonian Railway and is remarkable in its use of glass and steel curves. Its also connected to the terminal for Caledonian MacBrayne’s Bute ferry. A major refurbishment scheme carried out from June 2014 to the spring of 2016 has seen the station buildings and adjacent ferry terminal fully restored, and now the station is well looked after with plants and heritage posters for good measure. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit Wemyss Bay in the not too distant future!