Parkway stations

[Ian Hargrave]

And the potential for quick  connection between GWR SWML and XC at BP is under utilised. This was highlighted for me during the current XC Nottingham- Cardiff disruption when I achieved my fastest ever Burton - Cardiff time by literally stepping off a Voyager and walking a few paces to the facing platform to join an incoming IET to Cardiff .No climbing steps,no need of lift.

Edited Friday at 13:02 by Ian Hargrave
Missprint

[Michael Hodgson]

When first built Bristol Bleakway would have been a better name.  The wind fairly whistled through that station and for a main line station its facilities were not much better than bus shelters - my recollection of its architectural features is of a large black station clock over each ots its two platforms.  It certainly lacked the character of Temple Meads.

 

As a location however it was particularly well chosen, as it was close to the M4, the M5 and the M32 in road terms, and the NE/SW main line and the S Wales Main line.  It didn't serve only the Bristol/South Glos area, it was very useful from the other side of the Severn Bridge (what is now called the M48) if you wanted to go to London from Chepstow/SE Monmouthsire - it made little sense to travel in the wrong direction to Newport to catch a train, and the service going via Gloucester was slow, and if memory serves parking was originally free.

[KeithMacdonald]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

The changes at Bristol Parkway over the years have been massive and the place is now unrecognisable from the original

 

I'm glad to read that. My own memory of it (from 30+ years ago) is of a bleak windswept place that didn't feel safe or welcoming. Plus anecdotal stories from colleagues who would get off a train there on a dark, cold, wet winter night, only to find their car had been stolen, or was vandalised and undriveable.

 

[AY Mod]

ORR Estimates for 2022/23

 

[wombatofludham]

Good to see Tame Bridge Parkway in the top 10 especially when you consider many of those with much higher passenger numbers are serving airports or London bound passengers.  When opened it hadn't got the parking provision as there had been a delay in securing the land so it became "Tame Bridge" for a while, which isn't actually the name of any settlement nearby.  When the land issue was resolved and parking built, it became a "Parkway".  It's primary purpose was to intercept car commuters from the surrounding areas of Walsall and Sandwell, but also to try and act as a strategic park and ride for anyone insane enough to want to drive to Birmingham via the M6 or M5 being close to both.  I'm not sure how successful it has been as strategic park and ride but whenever I've used the station when in the area it has been pretty well used.

Coleshill Parkway is another interesting station, long ago when I was a cub planner in the area the local Chief Planning Officer was desperate to reopen Coleshill station but it wasn't until many years later it was built, largely on the site of the station that closed in 1968.  Considering it is probably a very localised catchment area and not adjacent to any natural commuter radial routes it too is good to see doing reasonably well.

[Ian Hargrave]

51 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

ORR Estimates for 2022/23

 

Interesting to note that 3 of the top ten performers serve airports. Liverpool South has short platforms thus LNWR 2x 350 units can serve only one section . ATM New Street-Lime Street services seem restricted to 4 car use .

[Enterprisingwestern]

24 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Interesting to note that 3 of the top ten performers serve airports.

 

I would surmise airport car parking charges might have something to do with this?

 

Mike.

[Ian Hargrave]

15 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I would surmise airport car parking charges might have something to do with this?

 

Mike.

That raises an interesting question.What does it cost to park at one of these stations ? I confess I’ve used the Birmingham International Station car park when attending the Warley Show..but that was several years ago.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Isn't Port Talbot Parkway basically just a renamed Port Talbot?

[Compound2632]

Didcot Parkway is a bit of a fudge though, as a Parkway station? 

[Jeremy Cumberland]

I wonder how many people drive to the stations and park. The airport ones are probably more used to get to the airport without having to park, and might once have been called Something Road by the Great Western or Somewhere And [name of nearby barn] by the LMS.

 

Even Bristol Parkway I've only ever used to catch a bus to places in north Bristol, and I suspect more people these days get the bus there rather than park their car.

 

Then there are stations that serve large rural areas and have lots of parking but which don't have Parkway names, such as Castle Cary.

[Northmoor]

49 minutes ago, Jeremy Cumberland said:

I wonder how many people drive to the stations and park. The airport ones are probably more used to get to the airport without having to park, and might once have been called Something Road by the Great Western or Somewhere And [name of nearby barn] by the LMS.

 

Even Bristol Parkway I've only ever used to catch a bus to places in north Bristol, and I suspect more people these days get the bus there rather than park their car.

 

Then there are stations that serve large rural areas and have lots of parking but which don't have Parkway names, such as Castle Cary.

Only just up the line from there - if it ever gets built - will be Devizes Parkway.

[KeithMacdonald]

19 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

Only just up the line from there - if it ever gets built - will be Devizes Parkway.

 

Anyone know whether it would have been at Patney or Lavington?

But not that it really matters because:

 

Quote

Devizes railway station 'unlikely' to go ahead due to cost

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-65136012

[SM42]

On 19/07/2024 at 23:22, MidlandRed said:

Worcestershire Parkway is somewhat of an outlier, apparently (if taken literally) a park and ride for an entire rural shire County!! It accesses the M5 on the outskirts of Worcester, the Birmingham/Gloucester/Bristol line and the Hereford/Worcester/Oxford/ Paddington line. Presumably it serves commuters and travellers using both rail routes. 

 

There is planning application for a "new town" to be built nearby so maybe it won't be so rural for long

 

Andy

[figworthy]

5 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

That raises an interesting question.What does it cost to park at one of these stations ? I confess I’ve used the Birmingham International Station car park when attending the Warley Show..but that was several years ago.

 

The only one I've used is Oxford PW.  That is £4.00 for 24 hrs and £2.00 for 11 hours (prices in June).  I think something like £14.00 for 3-7 days.  The day parking rates haven't changed in years (don't tell DaFT).

 

Adrian

[Michael Hodgson]

7 hours ago, Jeremy Cumberland said:

I wonder how many people drive to the stations and park.

 

 

Nothing to do with Parkway stations, but quite a lot of people drive to the station and park.  I need a residents' parking permit just to park in the street because I'm walking distance from the station -  I chose this house because it meant I wasn't dependent on the car to catch the train to work.  The parking restriction is only for one hour (11.00 to 12.00) Mon-Fri, but it's necessary to stop the street being cluttered with commuters' cars.

 

The station does have a car park, although it's not cheap (you can add another £1500 to your annual season ticket) and it does fill up so people park in such nearby streets as permit it.  Hardly surprising that those who are in a position to do so get their wives to drop them off.

[wombatofludham]

14 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Hardly surprising that those who are in a position to do so get their wives to drop them off.

So called "kiss and ride".  A description clearly dreamt up by a lonely single transport planner.

[Oldddudders]

19 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

And the potential for quick  connection between GWR SWML and XC at BP is under utilised. This was highlighted for me during the current XC Nottingham- Cardiff disruption when I achieved my fastest ever Burton - Cardiff time by literally stepping off a Voyager and walking a few paces to the facing platform to join an incoming IET to Cardiff .No climbing steps,no need of lift.

I had cause to appreciate the reverse effect. My usual return service from Newton Abbot, the 05.05 Penzance to Paddington, was cancelled for some reason, but by being at NA a little early, I caught a Voyager to BP and almost immediately an up South Wales IEP whisked me off to London, in plenty of time for my 12.29 Eurostar. 

[The Stationmaster]

On 13/09/2024 at 16:24, Compound2632 said:

Didcot Parkway is a bit of a fudge though, as a Parkway station? 

Basically it was renamed because it got a massive multi-storey car park.    And technically it is really more of an Abingdon and Wantage/Grove Parkway rather than a Didcot Parkway.

 

On 13/09/2024 at 16:43, Jeremy Cumberland said:

I wonder how many people drive to the stations and park. The airport ones are probably more used to get to the airport without having to park, and might once have been called Something Road by the Great Western or Somewhere And [name of nearby barn] by the LMS.

 

Even Bristol Parkway I've only ever used to catch a bus to places in north Bristol, and I suspect more people these days get the bus there rather than park their car.

 

Then there are stations that serve large rural areas and have lots of parking but which don't have Parkway names, such as Castle Cary.

There were some thoughts about adding a 'Parkway' suffix to Castle Cary when it was redeveloped in the mid 1970s and given some station calls by InterCity trains.    But I understand the idea didn't get anywhere because  there was no space to create any additional car parking.

[Miss Prism]

I asked a well-known AI machine "List the GWR railway stations that had 'Road' in the name". ('Road' being the old-fashioned version of 'Parkway'.)

 

The answer given was:

 

"Here are some Great Western Railway (GWR) stations that have ‘Road’ in their names:

Acton Main Line

Bath Spa

Bristol Temple Meads

Didcot Parkway

Exeter St Davids

London Paddington

Reading

Slough

Swindon

Taunton

If you need more details about any specific station or have another question, feel free to ask!"

 

 

wtf

 

 

[Mol_PMB]

41 minutes ago, Miss Prism said:

I asked a well-known AI machine "List the GWR railway stations that had 'Road' in the name". ('Road' being the old-fashioned version of 'Parkway'.)

 

The answer given was:

 

"Here are some Great Western Railway (GWR) stations that have ‘Road’ in their names:

Acton Main Line

Bath Spa

Bristol Temple Meads

Didcot Parkway

Exeter St Davids

London Paddington

Reading

Slough

Swindon

Taunton

If you need more details about any specific station or have another question, feel free to ask!"

 

 

wtf

 

 

Ask it to list its references and it will make up some web addresses that have never existed.

 

It's no wonder that university students are using AI to write their theses; AI is just as lazy as most students and it's hard to tell the difference!

[Jeremy Cumberland]

1 hour ago, Miss Prism said:

I asked a well-known AI machine "List the GWR railway stations that had 'Road' in the name". ('Road' being the old-fashioned version of 'Parkway'.)

 

The answer given was:

 

"Here are some Great Western Railway (GWR) stations that have ‘Road’ in their names:

Acton Main Line

Bath Spa

Bristol Temple Meads

Didcot Parkway

Exeter St Davids

London Paddington

Reading

Slough

Swindon

Taunton

If you need more details about any specific station or have another question, feel free to ask!"

 

 

wtf

 

 

It was nearly right with Acton Main Line, just one station away from Ealing Broadway.

[The Stationmaster]

On 16/09/2024 at 19:52, Miss Prism said:

I asked a well-known AI machine "List the GWR railway stations that had 'Road' in the name". ('Road' being the old-fashioned version of 'Parkway'.)

 

The answer given was:

 

"Here are some Great Western Railway (GWR) stations that have ‘Road’ in their names:

Acton Main Line

Bath Spa

Bristol Temple Meads

Didcot Parkway

Exeter St Davids

London Paddington

Reading

Slough

Swindon

Taunton

If you need more details about any specific station or have another question, feel free to ask!"

 

 

wtf

 

 

The problem with asking questions online about 'GWR' is that it often picks the wrong GWR (let alone not getting stations with Road in their name.

 

Ask the same thing in a different way and you get a very different answer (although you'll have to go through it to find them all)

 

https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GWR-STNS-GWJ-STNS-1941-TO-1947-COMBINED-ISS-C-31-03-2024.pdf

[Compound2632]

On 16/09/2024 at 20:36, Mol_PMB said:

It's no wonder that university students are using AI to write their theses; AI is just as lazy as most students and it's hard to tell the difference!

 

No. 1 Son, currently a PhD student, does some first year undergraduate teaching. His view is that ChatGBT produces essays that are at the level of a middling first year undergraduate - one who has yet to learn to assess, evaluate, and structure their material. 

[Mol_PMB]

6 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

No. 1 Son, currently a PhD student, does some first year undergraduate teaching. His view is that ChatGBT produces essays that are at the level of a middling first year undergraduate - one who has yet to learn to assess, evaluate, and structure their material. 

At the university where I work (not in teaching), sadly there are some who have yet to learn those skills by the third year...