Favourite Station...

[Deleted]

Ok - We've had polls on trains and even drinks, so how about stations? Give your favourite LUL station(s) and why.

Stations must be on the system at present to qualify.

[chris]

My favorite station is a train station! (Well, D'uh!)

I think Kings Cross St Pancras is a good 'un. It has 2 mainline stations as well as Victoria, Northern, Circle, H&C, Metroplitan and Picc underground lines. I quite like terminus stations though, and stations with only one or two lines descending upon them. In fact, i'm not fussy!

[setttt]

I personally think Chesham is the best. It is virtually indistinguishable from a NR branch terminus (the only problem is the roundels!)

[Harsig]

setttt said:

I personally think Chesham is the best. It is virtually indistinguishable from a NR branch terminus (the only problem is the roundels!)

In my opinion Chesham is very easily distinguishable from many NR branch termini simply because it has been reasonably well looked after.

[setttt]

Harsig said:

In my opinion Chesham is very easily distinguishable from many NR branch termini simply because it has been reasonably well looked after.

Erm...
Hmm.

I guess you're right, I mean Chesham does have a booking office after all - even a proper platform IIRC.

Perhaps 50 years ago?

[Deleted]

Having started this thread, it's taken some thought to come up with my personal favourites.

Maida Vale has always been a favourite, simply because of it's unmolested charm (haven't been there for a while though), hope it's still the same.

Edgware Road (Met) has loads of character, and again hasn't been messed about too much. It is interesting operationally as well, with reversing Wimblewares. I suppose it's a bit dull if you don't like C-stock ;D

[Deleted]

I like Loughton on the Central Line, it's a very interesting station (concrete platfoms and brick booking hall), and is also a reversal and stabling point. It is well looked after and Sainsburys is just across the car park (Handy for sandwiches and pasties which are cheaper in a Supermarket than at any railway station).

I also like the 1920's 'Extension' look on the Northern Line, South Wimbledon and Colliers Wood are so well kept and LU should be proud of them, also the Edgware branch has a lot of character too.

[igelkotten]

Well, Högdalen station is close to the depot entry tracks and going home time, so that is always nice...

From London, I must say that I like the old inner-city Metropolitan stations -Baker Street and Gloucester Road for example. And the 1930'ies functionalism of certain stations -Finchley Central, the further reaches of the Piccadilly- is also something that I really like.

In Madrid, the new-built stations on the Metro extension to the airport, from Nuevos Ministerios and outwards, are also somethign to behold -sort of post-modern orgies in concrete, steel and marble, with lots of eye-catching art and architecture.

And, while not a tube station, the main railwy station of Madrid, Puera Atocha, is really something to see. The old brick "industrial cathedral", complete with moat and all, has been trasferred into a huge winter garden, with ponds, artificial streams and huge tropical plants crawling all over the inside of the station building. The new railway station is an ultra-modernistic thing in glass and steel, with very severe and almost austere lines, that still manages to fit very well with the old part of the station.

Hmf. I really, really, have to go back to Madrid sometime soonish!

[the horse with no name]

I like Westminster. Functional yet stylish, top class all round.

[chris]

Guest-the said:

I like Westminster. Functional yet stylish, top class all round.

I second that

[Tom]

Igelkotten said:

Well, Högdalen station is close to the depot entry tracks and going home time, so that is always nice...

I always preferred Solna C as it meant home, but still...

I don't really have a favourite in London, the stations on the JLE are a good example of functional station design but I also like the simple designs of 'Sudbury Box' style on the Picc.

[Deleted]

Guest-the said:

I like Westminster. Functional yet stylish, top class all round.

I don't like the bare JLE style bare concrete at Westminster, it is already looking poor with cracks showing and dust ingrained in the concrete, IMO it would have looked better if it was tiled or paneled over.

[Admin Team]

David5032 said:

Edgware Road (Met) has loads of character, and again hasn't been messed about too much. It is interesting operationally as well, with reversing Wimblewares. I suppose it's a bit dull if you don't like C-stock ;D

David - whilst I concur with your idea of character and it's lack of 'messing about with', (not to metion that if you look closely you can still see the coaling point just outside the station) the issues I'd take are that the level of 'customer service' there is, frankly, appaling.

To the every day 'punter' it's bad enough, but to the tourist (and you get a lot round there) it's a confusing nightmare!

I've taken issue before about the lack of station staff at platform level - trying to change ends there is a nightmare - confusion he reigns!

[Deleted]

Agreed. When things are up the wall, there seems to be a pucity of platform staff to misdirect the punters customers to the appropriate train. The dual-island nature of the station and the lack of lifts exacerbates the issues.

[Colin]

I've always liked Earls Court, nice and big yet not too overwhelming. And of Course, if you are there long enough, you'll see every train in operation on the District line!! ;D
Personally I can't stand any of the JLE stations. I don't really know why, I just don't like em!

[Deleted]

Anywhere north of Moor Park on the Met Main, proper stations!

[citysig]

Got to be King's Cross - except when it's closed which is a little too frequently of late. Mind you it is also my least favourite station. Why both?

Well on my way into work, it's my first point of call with the state of the service that day. There's also a lack of info and some of the staff leave a lot to be desired - most are beyond lazy.

But, when I'm heading the other way, it means I'm well and truly on my way home. Then I don't care about it's appearance of either the station itself or the staff ;D

[Deleted]

Very well put Citysig

[Deleted]

Piccadilly Circus, that 'traditional' Underground look. Also, the ticket guard saw that there was a big gang of kids (us, being the kiddie tourists) so he let us through first time just incased we P.O'd anyone. Nice chap

[q8]

I always liked Chorleywood as it seems "countryfied" to my eyes. Other than that a couple of stations on the Hainault loop are nice and "peaceful" too. Chigwell comes to mind.

[piccadillypilot]

Of course we musn't forget that perennial favourite amongst a wide range of people, North Ealing.

[SE13]

My favourite was alway Arsenal station, purely because of the memories it brings (I used to have a season ticket on The North Bank at Highbury)

I also enjoy interchange stations as I can baffle people from where I now live, as they have no idea where they are heading!!