Seven Sisters (SVS)

Seven Sisters is a stop on the London Underground's Victoria Line in North London between Finsbury Park and Tottenham Hale. It is also a stop on the London Overground's Enfield & Cheshunt Line between Stamford Hill and Bruce Grove. 

LO 710 106 arrives with a London Liverpool Street bound service

Information
Type:	Transport for London (London Overground & London Underground Victoria Line)
Station code:	SVS
Opened:	1872
Platforms:	5

The station was opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1872 on it's Stoke Newington & Edmonton Railway line. The London Underground Victoria Line part of the station was opened in 1968. A new combined entrance for both parts of the station was built replacing the original GER entrance. The Underground part of the station has three platforms, one for terminating services. Seven Sisters is the close to the Victoria Line's depot at Northumberland Park [1].

The National Rail part of the station was served by Greater Anglia until 2015 when most services were taken over by the London Overground. A small number of Greater Anglia services still serve the station at peak times.

One of the station entrances

View down the above ground platforms

Preparing to depart

Looking towards the centre

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 154

Milton Keynes Central (MKC)

Milton Keynes Central is the main station of Milton Keynes located on the West Coast Main Line between Wolverton and Bletchley.

LNWR 350 124 arrives

Information
Type:	National Rail (West Coast Main Line)
Station code:	MKC
Opened:	1982
Platforms:	7

When Milton Keynes became a "new town" in 1967, the existing but rather outlying Bletchley was the town's main station until the building of Milton Keynes Central in 1982 after pressure from the city development corporation (and after they provided two-thirds of the money needed!) [1] The station was an immediate success with passengers.

Milton Keynes Central has seven platforms, making it the largest station in Milton Keynes as well as the busiest. It has platforms serving the WCML's fast and slow lines though not all services stop at the station. It is served by London Northwestern Railway and Avanti West Coast.

Bridge crossing the platforms

The station is managed by LNWR

View down the platform showing the platform buildings and canopies

In London Midland days, 319 457 stands waiting for a signal

LM signage for comparison with the sign shown above

[1] John Glover, BR Diary 1978-1985 (Ian Allan, 1985) p. 74

Bromborough Rake (BMR)

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

Merseyrail 507 024 arrives

Information
Type:	National Rail (Merseyrail Wirral Line)
Station code:	BMR
Opened:	1985
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by British Rail in 1985 as part of the upgrade and electrification of the line from Rock Ferry to Hooton which allowed through trains to Liverpool [1]. The station is a standard Merseytravel operated station with a staffed booking office. There are bus shelter style facilities on both platforms.

The station is in a cutting with ramps down from the main station building at street level. The station is served by trains between Liverpool Central and Ellesmere Port at up to every thirty minutes. Chester bound trains no longer stop at the station.

Bridge across to the booking office

View down the platform

The little booking office is ahead

To the platform

507 030 departs, a friend is going the other way

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Chester to Birkenhead (Middleton Press, 2017) Fig. 51

University (UNI)

University is a stop on the Cross-City Line in Birmingham between Five Ways and Selly Oak.

Under the old station canopy, the new canopies can be seen in the background!

Information
Type:	National Rail (Cross-City Line)
Station code:	UNI
Opened:	1978
Platforms:	2

In 1978 services were restored on the former Birmingham West Suburban Railway between Longbridge and Birmingham New Street through to Lichfield as the Cross-City Line. University was a new station opened to serve Birmingham University and the Queen Elizabeth hospital. The station is near the site of a former station called Somerset Road which closed in 1930.

The Cross-City Line was an immediate hit with passengers with service frequencies quickly increased [1], also there were extensions made to the route. The Cross-City Line was electrified in 1993. University is the second busiest station on the line after Birmingham New Street with around three million passengers a year. The station has a red brick station building and two corrugated metal canopies over part of the two platforms, a design used on a number of stations on the line [2]. Access is via a stairway from the ticket hall at road level, the line and platforms being in a cutting.

Work began in 2020 on a complete redevelopment of the station with new much larger station buildings and full length canopies to equip the station ready for the 2022 Commonwealth Games which were held in Birmingham (some events taking place on the University campus). Unfortunately the work was not completed in time for the games and is now due to be completed in 2023.

As well as West Midlands Railway Cross-City Line services, other WMR services also stop here to/from Hereford and Worcester as do some Cross Country services.

A Cross Country service passes the new (but not completed) station buildings

One of the new station buildings

WMR 323 209 arrives at University

View down the platform at the new station

Another Cross County service passes the station, the old station in the background this time!

[1] John Glover, BR Diary 1978-1985 (Ian Allan, 1985) p. 19
[2] David Lawrence, British Rail Architecture 1948-97 (Crecy Publishing, 2018) p. 155

Clapham North (ZCN)

Clapham North is a stop on the London Underground Northern Line in South London between Stockwell and Clapham Common. 

Northern Line 51608 arrives at the station

Information
Type:	Transport for London (London Underground Northern Line)
Station code:	ZCN
Opened:	1900
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as Clapham Road in 1900 by the City & South London Railway on it's extension to Clapham Common. The station has both underground platforms on a fairly narrow island in a single tunnel, a once more common layout but removed from some stations like Angel. The original station building was remodelled in 1924 by Charles Holden [1]. The station was renamed Clapham North in 1926.

Below the station is a deep-level air raid shelter (photos from the similar shelter at Clapham South can be seen here).

View of both platforms

A North bound train is about to depart

Escalator down to platform level

Station entrance

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 112

Matlock (MAT)

Matlock is the terminus of the Derwent Valley Line. The station used to be an intermediate stop on the Midland Railway's line to Manchester but National Rail only goes as far as Matlock now. The Peak Rail preserved railway continues up the line as far as Rowsley South. The station is located between Matlock Bath and Matlock Riverside.

EMR 170 420 stands at Matlock

Information
Type:	National Rail (Derwent Valley Line) & Preserved Railway (Peak Rail)
Station code:	MAT
Opened:	1849
Platforms:	2

The station was opened, originally called Matlock Bridge, by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock & Midlands Junction Railway in 1849. The current station buildings date from 1850 remain though most are no longer used by Network Rail (the main station building is now a railway bookshop run on behalf of Peak Rail). The station was renamed to just Matlock in 1905 [1].

The former Station Master's house is a Grade II listed building. The line North of Matlock was closed in 1968. Peak Rail began reopening part of the closed line in 1991 and in 2011 returned to Matlock itself.


National Rail use Platform 1 (where the main buildings are) and Peak Rail use Platform 2. Interchange between the 2 platforms requires going via a bridge and an access route to an adjacent supermarket. East Midland Railway run services from Matlock to Nottingham and Newark Castle via Derby.

Preserved 31 270 stands on the Peak Rail platform

View down the platform

Station building with canopy

Station frontage

EMR 153 319 arrives at Matlock

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Ambergate to Buxton (Middleton Press, 2019) Fig. 22

Bloxwich (BLX)

Bloxwich is a stop on the Chase Line in the West Midlands between Walsall and Bloxwich North. 

LNWR 350 232 arrives at Bloxwich

Information
Type:	National Rail (Chase Line)
Station code:	BLX
Opened:	1858 (Closed 1965)
Re-opened:	1989
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the London North Western Railway in 1858. The station was closed in 1965. A new station opened in 1989 a few hundred metres to the north as part of the re-opening of the Chase Line. The original station was a much grander affair with a brick station building, platform canopies and a goods  yard [1]. 

The current station is unstaffed and has the usual bus shelters and information points. It is managed by West Midlands Railway, services are currently operated by LNWR branded units. In 2019 electrification of the Chase Line through Bloxwich up to Rugeley Trent Valley was completed.

LNWR 350 262 departs heading for Rugeley

Station shelter

Preparing to go

View down the platform

Station sign

[1] Vic Mitchell, Walsall Routes (Middleton Press, 2013) Fig. 26

Godalming (GOD)

Godalming is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line in Surrey between Farncombe and Milford.

South Western Railway 444 003 arrives at the station

Information
Type:	National Rail (Portsmouth Direct Line)
Station code:	GOD
Opened:	1859
Platforms:	2

Godalming's first station was opened in 1849 by the London & South Western Railway as a single platform terminus. This was replaced by the current station (though the original station remained in use for passenger services until 1897) which was opened in 1859 as the line was continued southwards to Havant.

The original station was retained as a goods yard, the original station building being used as the office. The yard was closed in 1969 [1].

The original LSWR station building still exists and is in a good condition with the original style canopy. However, the shelter on the up platform (platform 1) have been replaced by modern shelters [2]. A modern footbridge with lifts is a recent addition, replacing a subway.

Godalming is managed by South Western Railway, there are usually at least two trains an hour in each direction.

Station building

SWR 444 014 departs south

Standing at the station

View down the platforms

Heading off towards London

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Woking to Portsmouth (Middleton Press, 1985) Fig. 38
[2] Ibid. Fig. 43

Camden Town (ZCT)

Camden Town is a major junction of the London Underground Northern Line in North London, the High Barnet and Edgware branches of the line merge North of the station and then split to the South into the Charing Cross and Bank branches. The station is therefore between Kentish Town or Chalk Farm and Mornington Crescent and Euston depending on the branches taken.

51685 arrives with a High Barnet bound train

Information
Type:	Transport for London (London Underground Northern Line)
Station code:	ZCT
Opened:	1907
Platforms:	4

The station was opened by the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway in 1907. The station was where the line split into it's two Northern branches. In 1924 the City & South London Railway extended North to Camden Town from Euston. Trains arriving at Camden Town from either branch can continue onto either branch thanks to junctions to the North and South of the station.

Each branch has a named platform and is marked on the platform signage as seen below, interchange between the branches is via cross-platform tunnels. The station was built with lifts and stairs for access between surface and platform levels but the lifts were replaced by escalators in 1929 due to congestion. However, the station has continued to be congested and there have been plans to redevelop the station but as of 2022 these plans have come to naught and are unlikely to be realised for the foreseeable future.

Down one of the High Barnet branch platforms

Cross branch interchange

One of the Edgware branch platforms

Ready to depart

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 108