Spital (SPI)

Spital is a stop on the Merseyrail Wirral Line between Bromborough Rake and Port Sunlight. 

Merseyrail 507 033 arrives at Spital

Information
Type:	National Rail (Merseyrail Wirral Line)
Station code:	SPI
Opened:	1846
Platforms:	2

Spital was opened by the Birkenhead Railway in 1846 [1]. It was later a stop on the former London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside main line. The station had a goods yard which closed in 1964. The line was electrified in 1985, direct services to Liverpool also being enabled. The station is now on the Merseyrail Wirral Line branch to Ellesmere Port or Chester.

The station is staffed and has a booking office. Access to platform level is via steps down from the booking office.

Station sign

View down the platform

Merseyrail 507 002 departs

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Chester to Birkenhead (Middleton Press, 2012) Fig. 52

Wootton Wawen (WWW)

Wootton Wawen is a stop on the "Shakespeare Line" (also known as the North Warwickshire Line) in Warwickshire between Henley-in-Arden and Wilmcote. It is one of a number of request stops on the line.

WMR 172 218 departs bound for Stratford

Information
Type:	National Rail (Shakespeare Line)
Station code:	WWW
Opened:	1908
Platforms:	2

The station was opened in 1908 as Wootton Wawen Platform (which meant it had basic staffing and a parcels facility) by the Great Western Railway. It was renamed in 1974 [1]. The station was threatened with closure in the 1980s but managed to survive.

The station has two through roads, platform access is via two ramps down to road level. It is served by the hourly service on the line though as a request stop trains may not stop at the station unless a passenger on the train requests it to the guard (or holds out their arm to an approaching train).

The station is unstaffed and has basic facilities. Each platform has a single concrete shelter and there is a single information display per platform plus help points and a payphone. The station is managed by West Midlands Railway.

View down the platform, the next train is on time

Station view taken from the road bridge which crosses the line (see above photo)

After seeing the author wave, WMR 172 337 comes to a stop

Station sign and shelter

In London Midand days, 172 336 arrives

[1] Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham (Moor Street) (Middleton Press, 2006) p.41

Holloway Road (ZHR)

Holloway Road is a stop on the London Underground Piccadilly Line in North London between Caledonian Road and Arsenal. 

A West bound (Heathrow to be exact) Piccadilly Line train arrives

Information
Type:	Transport for London (London Underground Piccadilly Line)
Station code:	ZHR
Opened:	1906
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway in 1906. The station was built with two lift shafts though only one was used for an actual lift, the other was used for an experimental spiral escalator though this was not a success and never entered service [1]. The station building was designed by Leslie Green.

After Arsenal Football Club moved to their present ground in 2006, Holloway Road became the station closest to the ground and not Arsenal station. However, as access between the surface and platform levels is via a lift and stairs only the station struggles to cope on match days and is made exit only.

Original destination information

This signage is also on the platforms

View down the platform

Ready to depart

Station name displayed using tiles

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 133

Canley (CNL)

Canley is a stop on the West Coast Main Line in the West of Coventry between Coventry station and Tile Hill. 

LNWR 350 260 departs for Coventry

Information
Type:	National Rail (West Coast Main Line)
Station code:	CNL
Opened:	1940
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as a halt by the London Midland Scottish Railway in 1940 to serve the Standard Motor Company factory. It was known as Canley Halt until 1968 when the name was shortened [1]. A level crossing existed at the ends of the platforms until 2002 when it was replaced by a bridge. A signalbox controlled the crossing but this was closed when the crossing was removed.

The station has a ticket office and a number of platform shelters. The station has a number of free car parks. Access to the platforms is via a ramp. The station is managed by West Midlands Railway though most services are run under the London Northwestern Railway brand, there are two services each way every hour between Birmingham New Street and London Euston, some via Northampton. There are also some extra local services in the peaks.

Looking towards Birmingham

Main station building

View down the platform

Platform shelter

Heading off

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Rugby to Birmingham (Middleton Press, 2008) Fig. 76

Walton (WAO)

Walton is a stop on the Merseyrail Northern Line's Ormskirk branch in North Liverpool between Kirkdale and Orrell Park. 

Merseyrail 508 111 arrives with a Liverpool bound service

Information
Type:	National Rail (Merseyrail Northern Line Ormskirk Branch)
Station code:	WAO
Opened:	1849
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as Walton Junction in 1849 by the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway in 1849. The station is located just North of the junction of the Ormskirk and Kirkby branches of the Merseyrail Northern Line. The station was renamed Walton by British Rail.

The station is staffed with the usual bus shelters and public information screens. Access between the platforms is via a footbridge. The station is a very short walk from Rice Lane on the Kirkby branch.

Station building

One of the platform shelters

Station footbridge

A Merseyrail train prepares to depart

507 016 departs for Ormskirk

Arsenal (ZAS)

Arsenal is a stop on the London Underground Piccadilly Line in North London between Finsbury Park and Holloway Road. 

1973 Tube Stock arrives at Arsenal

Information
Type:	Transport for London (London Underground Piccadilly Line)
Station code:	ZAS
Opened:	1906
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as Gillespie Road in 1906 by the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway. In 1913 Arsenal Football Club moved from Woolwich to nearby Highbury. A campaign to rename the tube station after the club began, the station was renamed Arsenal (Highbury Hill) in 1932 though still carries the original station name on some platform tiles (see below). The final name change to just Arsenal was in about 1960. This is the only tube station named after a football club (no West Ham doesn't count!)

The station was rebuilt and expanded in the 1930s, the original station building replaced by a larger more modern design. Arsenal station has no lifts or escalators instead, unusually for a deep level tube station, access between the surface and platform level is via a long sloped ramp [1]. An extra access tunnel was built during the 1930s rebuilding to handle the greater flow of passengers on match days. A unique tidal flow system is fitted to the ramps to allow people to still get down to the platform when loads of football supporters are coming up the other way (and vice versa of course!)

View down one of the platforms

View down the other platform

Current and original name

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 100

Little Kimble (LTK)

Little Kimble is a stop on the Aylesbury - Princes Risborough Line in Buckinghamshire between Aylesbury and Monks Risborough. It serves the villages of Little and Great Kimble.

London Marylebone bound Chiltern 165 035 arrives

Information
Type:	National Rail (Aylesbury-Princes Risborough Line)
Station code:	LTK
Opened:	1872
Platforms:	1

Little Kimble was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1872 on a line which had originally been opened by the Wycombe Railway a few years earlier. The area around the station was only sparsely populated (that hasn't really changed a great deal nowadays) but the station still had a staff of two [1].

Nowadays the station is managed by Chiltern Railways who also run all services to the station. The station usually has an hourly service between Aylesbury and London Marylebone. Some peak time services terminate/originate at Princes Risborough.

Little Kimble has always been a small station, served by steam autocoaches and in latter years diesel multiple units. However, in 1998 Little Kimble hosted the Royal Train which had bought the wives of world leaders during the G8 Summit. held in the UK that year. to a reception at the Prime Minister's official residence Chequers which is a short distance away. So, while Little Kimble has always been a small station it has been used by Hilary Clinton and Cherie Blair!

The station is unstaffed and the station building is a private residence. The only facilities are a Permit to Travel Machine, a Public Information Screen and some seats.

View down the platform towards Princes Risborough

Station frontage

A Chiltern service departs for Aylesbury

Permit to travel machine, there are no ticket purchase facilities at the station

A Chiltern 165 stands at the station

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Branch Lines to Princes Risborough (Middleton Press, 2003) Map. VII