Third class transport links..............

[mk1]

Coming back to Hartlepool on the train tonight and we all  had to carry on to   Seaton because a freight train had broken down in the station and no platform was available.
We were told a bus was going to be made available to take us back to the town but I am much too wise to be caught that way. In my experience you wait at least  an hour whilst they find the cheapest contractor somewhere around Newcastle and then the journey time to get to Hartlepool has to be added.
Anyway...............it got me thinking and it suddenly hit me. Hartlepool is the only town in the area that has single platform operation! Yes every single station on the line except us have 2 platforms in operation.
Our station did away with the footbridge to the 2nd platform but Stockton.Thornaby, Billingham, Seaton, Seaham all kept their 2 platform operation.
Nothing illustrates the  way we are sidelined better. We end up with facilities inferior to everyone else and a simple breakdown renders our railway station useless.
Hartlepool, the town that always gets the booby prize!

Train spotting geeks-do not bother pointing out their is a second platform bay at Hartlepool Station. It is a terminus and not a through platform.

[Straight Talking]

You are absolutely right, our train station has only the one line in operation other than if a freight train uses the second line.

But you've got to admit if passengers were using the second platform those out of date pictures wouldn't last 5 minutes.

[marky]

I was on the Grand Central the other day and it was great. £35 each way, no f*n*ying about changing trains from Kings X and a free KitKat to boot 

http://youtu.be/I-7YRqOEWbU

[suvin]

When I first moved to Leamington Spa in the late eighties I could get a direct train...........no changes.  The train carried on to Poole and Bourenmouth. .......and it had compartments  .Bliss

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

Why does the theme from 'Get Carter' going round and round in my mind? 

[Inspector Knacker]

I reference to the title of this topic, it would be even more accurate to replace the word 'class' with the word 'world'.

[Sunken Ships]

Coming back to Hartlepool on the train tonight and we all  had to carry on to   Seaton because a freight train had broken down in the station and no platform was available.
We were told a bus was going to be made available to take us back to the town but I am much too wise to be caught that way. In my experience you wait at least  an hour whilst they find the cheapest contractor somewhere around Newcastle and then the journey time to get to Hartlepool has to be added.
Anyway...............it got me thinking and it suddenly hit me. Hartlepool is the only town in the area that has single platform operation! Yes every single station on the line except us have 2 platforms in operation.
Our station did away with the footbridge to the 2nd platform but Stockton.Thornaby, Billingham, Seaton, Seaham all kept their 2 platform operation.
Nothing illustrates the  way we are sidelined better. We end up with facilities inferior to everyone else and a simple breakdown renders our railway station useless.
Hartlepool, the town that always gets the booby prize!

Train spotting geeks-do not bother pointing out their is a second platform bay at Hartlepool Station. It is a terminus and not a through platform.

Given a maximum of three trains an hour call at our station I don't think it really justifies the large cost of opening up the opposite side as a passenger platform, twice as many trains could call there without an issues.

While Stockton, Thornaby, Billingham, Seaton and indeed Seaham all use two platforms they have far inferior facilities to our own station, none of those stations are staffed, none have a direct train to London, in fact four of those five don't even have a proper waiting room. Hardly inferior is it?

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

Pity the same rationale wasn't used when spending all that money on the transport interchange.

[Sunken Ships]

Pity the same rationale wasn't used when spending all that money on the transport interchange.

Indeed. It seems odd that the original poster, who I presume has seen the massive waste of space and money that is the interchange, would want even more money to be wasted on re-opening the disused platform when a single platform is more than enough for the amount of trains that run through the station.

[mk1]

Indeed. It seems odd that the original poster, who I presume has seen the massive waste of space and money that is the interchange, would want even more money to be wasted on re-opening the disused platform when a single platform is more than enough for the amount of trains that run through the station.

Well I suppose the contrast between  one horse Seaham and Seaton (along with I donkey Billingham) having the use of 2 platforms means they are stupid and Hartlepool are very clever in  making sure their station is  out of use whenever there is a mishap-like when the guttering came loose over the SINGLE platform we have and the station was shut down.


I use the train extensively and I know how we stand in comparison to others-at the bottom of the pile.

And of course it wouldn't have cost mush to keep open an already existing second platform. Instead they have systematicaly dismantled it to make sure we can never re-use it.
Who let it happen?

[The Shadow]

Never re-use it? Build a footbridge and repave the otherside and hay presto, a working second platform in case of an emergency like yesterday.

[Straight Talking]

Ask Ray if he's got any spare cash - he's always good for a few bob for a worthy cause.

[The Shadow]

Yes I hear Manor Residents have lots of spare cash to spend on worthy causes. Maybe Ray could help?

[Straight Talking]

Wrong Ray, Shadow
But maybe he has overspent on the cheese this month.

[The Shadow]

Petty personal comments. You really have graduated from the school of HTH.