UK railway station trivia

Additional information is always gratefully received, whether entirely new records (particularly historical records), or information to fill in gaps or correct errors, via the contact link under the Miscellaneous entry in the navigation bar above. Thank you.

Please select a feature from the list below:

Introduction | Bilingual names | Sponsored signs | Not served by SFO | International | Trivia | Access rights | Barrier error codes

This page is dedicated to those things that don't fit easily into other pages. Additional items will be added as and when the editor thinks they will be of interest to readers. Feel free to send any suggestions!

Jump to: listed | post boxes | triangular | no road access | platform 0 | commercial names | elevation | Harrington humps | no trains | concourse | not opened | not served | long platform | short platform | bilingual | international | CLASP | Motorail

This document dated 1979 is a British Rail catalogue of its listed buildings (7.2Mb file, opens in new tab). It is not limited to stations; there are undoubtedly other designations since then.

To qualify for this list, the post box must be on the station platform or in a concourse area (i.e. they would become inaccessible to the public if the station were locked shut). Boxes mounted in or near exterior walls publicly accessible from the street do not count here. This list is believed to be current at 2019 with subsequent alterations where known.

Some stations, e.g. Rugby, have more than one post box on site.

Station Where Notes

Alton platform Axminster platform Banbury concourse Bath Spa platform Birmingham International concourse Birmingham New Street concourse removed? Bodmin Parkway platform Brighton concourse Bristol Temple Meads concourse Cambridge platform Cardiff Central concourse Carlisle platform Carmarthen platform Cheltenham Spa concourse removed? Chester platform Crewe concourse Darlington platform Diss platform Dover Priory platform Dumfries platform Durham platform Edenbridge Town platform Edinburgh Waverley platform Ely platform Fishguard Harbour platform Glasgow Central concourse Glenfinnan platform Glossop platform Gravesend platform Great Malvern platform Harrogate platform Harwich International platform Hexham platform Holyhead concourse Hull concourse Inverness concourse Kingussie platform Leamington Spa platform Leatherhead platform Leeds concourse Leicester platform Llandrindod Wells platform Llanelli platform London Euston concourse London Marylebone concourse London Paddington concourse Loughborough platform Lowestoft concourse Malton platform Manchester Victoria concourse Menston platform Morpeth platform Newton Abbot platform Norwich concourse Oxford concourse Penrith platform Pitlochry platform Reading concourse Rugby platform Selby platform Skipton platform Stirling platform Stockport platform Stourbridge Junction platform Taplow platform Taunton platform Tenby platform Tonbridge platform Truro platform Wellingborough platform Westbury platform Weston-super-Mare platform Windsor & Eton Central concourse Yatton platform York concourse

Platforms are required on all three sides to qualify here. Please contact the editor if you can prove (or otherwise) the arrangement where detail is unclear.

Ambergate Bishop Auckland Earlestown Forres (unclear if south-to-east platforms existed) Queensbury Rutherglen Shipley Wood Lane (London Underground Central line)

Dinting had three sets of platforms but was not built in a triangular arrangement. When built it had platforms on the main east-west line and on the east-south branch to Glossop. The layout was later rearranged with today's west-south curve (with platforms), which severed the earlier curve and platforms. A new east-south curve was built on a new alignment without platforms.

Generally, stations are accessible by footpath. Some exist(ed) for interchange only. Some were constructed by heritage railways or access arrangements changed post-preservation.

Abbey (North British Railway) Altnabreac Ash Town Ashey (Isle of Wight Steam Railway) Bala Beasdale (access uncertain) Beeston Tor (Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway) Berney Arms Black Rock Boscarne Exchange Platform Burnhill Cairnie Junction (1 June 1898-14 June 1965?) Campbell's Platform (Ffestiniog Railway) Cefn-Onn Camber Sands (Rye & Camber Tramway) Clogwyn (Snowdon Mountain Railway) Coleford Junction Colnbrook (Manchester Metrolink; initially interchange only with emergency exit, later opened as a full stop) Consall Corrour County March Country Park (Severn Valley Railway) Creosor Junction Cutlers Green Dduallt (Ffestiniog Railway) Deadwater Dovey Junction Dukeries Junction Dungeness Eastry Elvington Freshfield (Bluebell Railway) Golf Club Halt Golf Links (Rye & Camber Tramway) Grogley Haddiscoe Halfway (Snowdon Mountain Railway) Hazel Grove (Midland Railway) Holehouse Junction (2 December 1895-3 April 1950) Holton Heath (road access provided from c.1940s?) Hope Exchange (later opened as a full stop) Incline Top Ingra Tor Kelston Killin Junction (1 April 1886-?) Kirriemuir Lambley Lewiefield Linley Lochskerrow (road access provided from 1950s) Longcross Lympstone Commando Manulla Junction (Iarnród Éireann; originally full station, later interchange only) Methven Middlewood Morebath Junction Nant Gwernol (Talyllyn Railway) New Hadley Newton Dale (North Yorkshire Moors Railway) Otford Junction Pilmoor (road access provided from 1879) Plas (Ffestiniog Railway) Port Victoria Raglan Footpath Rheidol Falls (Vale of Rheidol Railway) Rhiwfron (Vale of Rheidol Railway) Riccarton Junction River Douglas Rocky Valley (Snowdon Mountain Railway) Roudham Junction Sinfin Central Smallbrook Junction Sparrowlee (Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway) Stretford Bridge (Bishop's Castle Railway) Summit (Snowdon Mountain Railway) The Midden (Wells & Walsingham Railway) Thor's Cave (Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway) Uralite Waddon Marsh West Ashfield (London Underground training 'station' in office block) Yarwell Junction (Nene Valley Railway)

In addition, these stations were used for interchange only for part or all of their existance, but it is not known if any type of external access was possible.

Abbots Wood Junction (November 1850-1 October 1855) Aberdare Junction (29 October 1855-30 April 1856) Abingdon Junction (2 June 1856-7 September 1873) Alderbury Junction (February 1872-?) Ardwick [LY] (probably 1852-1853 though existence uncertain) Bushbury (2 August 1852-30 June 1856) Carnforth [Fur/Mid] (6 June 1867-2 August 1880) East Grinstead High Level (1 August 1882-15 October 1883) Hereford Junction (dates unknown) Hunthill Junction (dates unknown) Kemble (12 May 1845-1 May 1882) North Kent Junction (1 September 1849-?) Siddick Junction (1 Sept 1880-1 March 1890)

Station Note

Cardiff Central opened by May? 2002, initially for occasional/one-off use; later upgraded for regular use Chippenham south side platform is referred to as 'platform 0', though it currently has no track Doncaster temporary platform used 27 May 2000 to at least 1 June 2000 permanent platform opened 4 December 2016 (first trains called 12 December) Gravesend opened 6 January 2014 Haymarket opened 27 December 2006 Hooton former platform 2, adjacent to station building, used by charter trains; since renumbering 18 May 1985 often referred to as 'platform 0' Kings Cross opened 25 May 2010 Leeds under construction; expected to open 2021 Liverpool Lime Street from 30 July 2018 former platform 1, now trackless, referred to as 'platform 0' Preston temporary use of old parcels platform, used in 2004 Rainham (Kent) opened 29 March 2016 Redhill opened 2 January 2018 Stockport opened for occasional use c.18 September 2005; regular use March 2008

Generally the stations listed were named according to the 'business' (in its loosest sense) they serve rather than to commemorate a site. Thus, for example, stations named after public houses are shown even if a community later took the name, but not stations named after the community that was itself named after the public house.

All stations are on the national network unless stated otherwise. Terms in [square brackets] are to aid identification only and are not part of the name. The nature of the naming is given; the term 'pub' refers to any public house, hostelry, inn or hotel.

Note that not all stations are currently open and words such as "halt" are omitted. The list is somewhat subjective; the editor's decision is final, but generally the 'benefit of the doubt' is given!

The reader is invited to explore these pages to find out more about church and pub name derivations, including for non-station assets.

Abbey [Cumbria] (church) Abbey & West Dereham (church) All Saints (Docklands Light Railway; church) Ampress (factory) Angel (London Underground; pub) Arsenal (London Underground; sport) Bat & Ball [Sevenoaks] (pub) Bay Horse [Lancaster] (pub) Bedford St John’s (church) Berney Arms (pub) Bicester Village (retail) Black Lion [Aberdare] (pub) Blue Anchor [Minehead] (pub) Boars Head [Wigan] (pub) Bournville [Birmingham] (factory) Bow Church (Docklands Light Railway; church) Braintree Freeport (retail) Brent Cross (London Underground; retail) Bricklayers Arms (pub) Bristol St Philip’s (church) British Steel Redcar (factory) Bronwydd Arms (pub) Brundall Gardens (gardens) Bull & Bush (London Underground; never opened; pub) Butlins Penychain (renamed Penychain in May 2000) (entertainment) Camels Head [Plymouth] (pub) Canary Wharf (London Underground/Docklands Light Railway; commerce) Capel Bangor [Aberystwyth] (church) Clock House [Elmers End] (pub) Craven Arms (pub) Cross Hands [Pilning] (pub) Cross Inn [Ammanford] (pub) Cross Inn [Llanfihangel-ar-Arth] (pub) Cross Inn [Pontyclun] (pub) Cross Keys [Glanamman] (pub) Cross Keys [Newport] (pub) Crymmych Arms (pub) Daimler (factory) Dartmouth Arms (renamed Forest Hill in July 1845) (pub) Dover Priory (church) Dunrobin Castle (tourist) Elephant & Castle (pub) Etihad Campus (Manchester Metrolink; sport) Exeter St Davids (church) Exeter St Thomas (church) Fighting Cocks (pub) Four Ashes (pub) Four Crosses (pub) Furness Abbey (church) Goodyear (Northern Ireland; factory) Great Central (renamed Marylebone in April 1917) (London Underground; connecting transport) Great Northern Hotel (Ireland; pub) Grey Horse [Bishop Auckland] (pub) Holland Arms [Gaerwen] (pub) Hollybush [Blackwood] (pub) Holy Trinity (Nottingham Tram; church) Horse & Jockey [Thurles] (Ireland; pub) IBM (factory) Jolly Sailor (renamed Norwood in c.1846) (pub) Kirkham Abbey (church) Lincoln St Mark’s (church) Liverpool St James (church) Loch Eil Outward Bound (entertainment) London St Pancras (church) Lympstone Commando (military) Manchester United Football Club (sport) Manor House (London Underground; pub) MetroCentre (retail) Mourne Abbey [Mallow] (Ireland; church) New Cross (pub) New Cross Gate (pub) New Inn [Glyn Ceiriog] (pub) New Inn [Rosebush] (pub) Newlands Inn (Golden Valley Light Railway; pub) Old Roan [Ormskirk] (pub) Old Swan & Knotty Ash (renamed Knotty Ash & Stanley in November 1888) (pub) Paisley St James (church) Pilot (Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway; pub) Portsmouth Arms (pub) Queens Head [Dolywern] (pub) Rams Line [Derby] (sport) Red Lion [Garnant] (pub) Roebuck [Preston] (pub) Royal Oak [London] (pub) Rye House [Enfield] (pub) St Albans Abbey (church) St Ann’s/St Anne’s [Blarney] (Ireland; church) St Anns Well [Nottingham] (church) St Anthonys [Newcastle] (church) St Devereux [Pontrilas] (church) St Enoch [Glasgow] (church) St Gabriels [Swansea] (church) St Germain’s [Watlington] (existence in doubt) (church) St John’s [London] (church) St Lawrence [Bodmin] (church) St Lawrence [Ventnor] (church) St Luke’s [Southport] (church) St Margaret’s [Edinburgh] (church) St Margaret’s [Hertfordshire] (church) St Mary’s [Lydney] (church) St Mary’s [Huntingdon] (church) St Michael’s [Liverpool] (church) St Michael’s [Tenterden] (church) St Paul’s [Birmingham] (church) St Paul’s [London] (London Underground; church) St Rollox (church) Salvation Army [St Albans] (church) Shadwell & St Georges in the East (church) Singer (factory) Six Bells [Abertillery] (pub) Six Bells [Garndiffaith] (pub) Spread Eagle [Stafford] (pub) Stadium Of Light (sport) Stag & Castle [Leicester] (pub) Swansea St Thomas (church) Swiss Cottage (London Underground; pub) Temple (London Underground; church) Temple Hirst (church) Templemore (Ireland; church) The Hawthorns (sport) Three Cocks [Brecon] (pub) Tram Inn (pub) Travellers Rest [Abercynon] (pub) Trouble House [Tetbury] (pub) Uralite (factory) Watford Stadium (sport) Wedgwood (factory) Wellington [Dundalk] (Ireland; pub) Whistle Inn (Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway; pub) White Bear [Chorley] (pub) White Hart [Machen] (pub) White Hart Lane (sport) Wolverhampton St Georges (Midland Metro; church) Wymondham Abbey (church)

Coventry Arena was originally to be named Ricoh Arena but did not open under this name

England

Dent (1,150ft above sea level)

Princetown (1,427ft above sea level) (now closed)

Scotland

Corrour (variously reported as 1,339ft, 1,347ft and 1,350ft above sea level)

Wanlockhead (1,413ft above sea level; often reported as 1,498ft but this was nearby line summit) (now closed; once highest 'main line' station in Britain)

Ptarmigan (3,559ft above sea level) (Cairn Gorm Mountain Railway)

Wales

Summit (3,493ft above sea level) (Snowdon Mountain Railway)

Waenavon (1,392ft above sea level) (now closed)

Llangynllo (c.978ft above sea level) (if you know the exact official elevation, please let the editor know)

Isle of Man

Snaefell Summit (2,036ft above sea level)

Northern Ireland

Pomeroy (561ft above sea level) (now closed)

This Wikipedia page gives a simple description of what a Harrington Hump is. Entries in this table are based on the editor's interpretation of often cryptic source information.

Station Platform Date

Aberdovey Single 3 December 2009 (formal opening) Adderley Park Both 21 February 2014 Amberley Down 5 December 2014 Ancaster Up 15 November 2013 Arram Both 1 November 2013 Battersby Single 2 December 2013 Bingham Up 13 September 2013 Blaydon Up 13 September 2013 Bootle Down 5 August 2013 Brampton Single 14 February 2014 Brandon Both 14 February 2014 Braystones Single 21 July 2013 Broome Single by spring 2015 Bryn Up 1 August 2013 Builth Road Single by spring 2015 Burnley Barracks Single 27 September 2013 Copplestone Single 14 March 2014 Corkickle Single 21 July 2013 Crediton Up 7 March 2014 Dalton Southbound October 2012 Danzey Both 23 May 2014 Drigg Up 29 July 2013 Dyffryn Ardudwy Single Earlswood Up 10 January 2014 Eccles Up 6 August 2013 Entwhistle Single 28 July 2013 Exeter St Thomas Down 28 March 2014 Exton Single 7 March 2014 Farnworth Up 21 July 2013

Station since rebuilt (2015) so probably no longer present Ferryside Single August 2015 Flimby Up 8 July 2013 Flixton Down 4 August 2013 Great Bentley Both 28 March 2014 Great Coates Down 4 October 2013 Great Coates Up 25 October 2013 Grindleford Up 20 September 2013 Hadfield Single 6 August 2013 Harrington Both 8 December 2008 (first 'hump' only) Heighington Both 18 October 2013 Henley in Arden Down 26 September 2014 Horton-in-Ribblesdale Up 8 July 2013 Hunmanby Down 15 November 2013 Hutton Cranswick Down 10 January 2014 Hutton Cranswick Up 27 September 2013 Kearsley Up 15 July 2013 Kents Bank by November 2014 Knucklas Single during spring 2015 Lapworth Down 7 February 2014 Lapworth Up 6 October 2013 Lawrence Hill Down 7 March 2014 Llanbister Road Single 31 January 2015 Llangennech Both 28 February 2015 Llangunllo Single 31 January 2015 Llwyngwril Single Lowdham Both 13 October 2013 Market Rasen Both 13 October 2013 Nafferton Down 24 October 2014 Nafferton Up 1 November 2013 New Lane Up 31 October 2014 Newton St Cyres Single 14 March 2014 North Road Single 4 October 2013 Northwich Both 1 April 2011 Oulton Broad South Single 14 February 2014 Parton Both 15 July 2013 Pegswood Up 21 March 2014 Pembroke Single August 2015 Pembroke Dock Single August 2015 Penrhyndeudraeth Single 24 January 2015 Pleasington Down 28 July 2013 Pontarddulais Single 19 January 2015 Portsmouth Arms Single 28 March 2014 Prees ? Rauceby Down 25 October 2013 Redbridge Up 22 March 2014 St Albans Abbey Single 17 July 2009 (installation)

11 August 2009 (formal opening) St Bees Northbound October 2012 Sankey Up 20 September 2013 Seascale Both October 2012 Seaton Carew Both 30 May 2014 Spooner Row Down 21 March 2014 Stapleton Road Down 7 March 2014 Starbeck Down 15 November 2013 Swineshead Down 15 November 2013 Talsarnau Single 24 January 2015 The Lakes Both 10 January 2014 Thornton Abbey Both 6 June 2014 Valley Both? 14 May 2010 (formal opening) Whaley Bridge Buxton by February 2013 Whitehaven Through by October 2011 Wigton Down 8 July 2013 Wood End Up 23 May 2014 Yorton Down 15 April 2016

These are principally rail-related ferry/shipping service points.

Alloa North Dartmouth Gravesend Hull Corporation Pier Liverpool Landing Stage Rosherville Sheerness Woolwich Roffs Ferry

London Bridge (150,000m² from 2018 when rebuilding completed)

Over the years, many stations have been proposed but never come to fruition. This list attempts to show those where at least some physical construction started before they were abandoned. All are "main line" schemes unless stated otherwise.

Barrhead (New) (Glenfield-Patterton) Brierdene (Monkseaton) Brockley Hill (Elstree South-Edgware, London Underground) Collywell Bay (Monkseaton) Coynant (Nantyffyllon) Crowlands (Chadwell Heath-Romford) Cwmgorse (Abernant colliery line) Doncaster (York Road) Dykebar (Barrhead (New)-Paisley East) Escombe (near Bishop Auckland) Ferguslie (Stanely-Paisley St James, possibly used for excursion traffic) Glenfield (Barrhead (New)-Stanely) Gwaun Cae Gurwen (Abernant colliery line) Highgate (High Level) (London Underground) Howden (Bishop Auckland-Crook) Lullingstone (Swanley-Eynsford) North End (Golders Green-Hampstead, also known as Bull & Bush; London Underground) Old Etherley Colliery (Bishop Auckland-Crook) Queens Road (Clapton) Paisley East (Dykebar-Paisley Gilmour Street) Richboro Port Snaith & Pollington (Sykehouse-Carlton Towers) Stanely (Glenfield-Ferguslie) Swithland (Rothley-Quorn) Sykehouse (Thorpe in Balne-Snaith & Pollington) Thorpe in Balne (Sykehouse-Adwick) Treforest (after Rhydyfelin on Coryton branch) Uphill (construction not certain) Warmsworth Ynysygeinon Junction (Pontardawe-Ystalyfera)

Full list on this page.

These stations have platforms 450m-long or longer. Lengths are official operational lengths where known; physical lengths can be longer especially where platforms are connected end-to-end.

Cheriton (791m long) Bournemouth (platform 3/4 combined; 522m long) Gloucester (platform 1/2 combined; 494m long) Edinburgh Waverley (platform 10/11 combined; 492m long) Perth (platform 4; 473m long) Aberdeen (platform 6; 460m long) Darlington (platform 4; 458m long) Crewe (platform 6; 450m long)

For Bournemouth, Gloucester and Edinburgh Waverley, the combined length allows a single long train to use both platforms simultaneously. Other stations where at least one platform is a bay could be a longer combined length (e.g. Colchester often quoted at ≈593m long).

These stations have platforms 30m-long or shorter. Lengths are official operational lengths where known; those prefixed with ≈ are measured from mapping systems.

Battersea Pier Staff Halt (3m long) Fratton Staff Half (≈7m long) Beauly (15m long) Conon Bridge (15m long) Dilton Marsh (both platforms, 15m long) Gilfach Fargoed (both platforms, 17m long) Berney Arms (18m long) Sugar Loaf (21m long) Hoo Junction Staff Halt (down platform ≈22m long; up platform is ≈34m long) Llandecwyn (22m long) Tygwyn (22m long) Llandanwg (23m long) Stourbridge Town (27m long) Durnsford Road Staff Halt (27.43m long) Loch Eil Outward Bound (28m long) Avoncliff (both platforms, 30m long) Causeland (30m long) Coombe (30m long) Sandplace (30m long) St Keyne (30m long)

Full list on this page.

Full list on this page.

CLASP ('Consortium Local Authority Special Programme') was a system of prefabricated concrete panels designed as a quick and easy method of making utility buildings (e.g. schools and hospitals). Thirty Southern region and three Western region stations had CLASP buildings replacing their traditional ones. Most have since been replaced though some remain (e.g. Wool).

Station Installed Replaced Notes

Ashtead 1968 2013 Aylesham 1968 Still present 2019 Belmont 1968 2004 Belvedere 1968 2000 Berrylands 1969 Still present 2017 Bristol Parkway 1972 2001 Brockley 1972 Still present 2015 Catford 1970 Still present 2018 Charlton 1968 Still present 2018 Crawley 1967 Still present 2018 Crayford 1968 2008 Some ancillary buildings still present 2016 East Grinstead 1972 2013 Fleet 1966 2014 Forest Hill 1973 Still present 2017 Gloucester 1977 Still present 2018 Hampton Wick 1969 2005 Some ancillary buildings still present 2008 Hassocks 1973 2013 Kidbrooke 1972 2015 Longfield 1972 Still present 2016 Lower Sydenham 1972 1991 Burnt down 1989 Meopham 1973 Still present 2018 New Eltham 1968 1988 Oxford 1971 1990 Poole 1970 late-1980s Rainham (Kent) 1972 1989 Slade Green 1968 Still present 2018 Strood 1973 2017 Sunbury 1965 Still present 2014 Sunningdale 1972 Still present 2018 Virginia Water 1973 Still present 2019 West Byfleet 1973 Still present 2019 Wokingham 1973 2013 Wool 1972 Still present 2018