Darlington Development Decision (1)

Darlington Today

One way into Darlington Station takes you via the splendid clock tower which, according to most accounts, was controversial when built as it was an expensive and unnecessary embellishment. But keep an eye on the tower as it will be a useful point of reference as we explore the station.

These days, this is very much the "side door". But more of that later!

The so-called East Coast main line runs north to south and is served by no less than THREE railway companies. 

The nationalised London North Eastern Railway (successors to Virgin East Coast, successors to National Express, successors to GNER) is currently running two trains an hour.

These serve Newcastle with a selection continuing on to Edinburgh.

Deutsche Bahn's Cross Country ...

... has an hourly service from Plymouth to Newcastle ...

... with some onward bound to Edinburgh.

The third operator is First Transpennine ...

... also with a hourly train; from Liverpool to Newcastle.

There has been a lot of debate about franchising and its failure; with opinion formers almost fully agreed that there are too many companies each with a BurJ Khalifa tower of management. Some have campaigned for the merger of Northern and Transpennine for a start as they share tracks on so many of their routes.

Certainly THREE operators along one main line does seem excessive and ludicrously confusing, with three different ranges of tickets on offer between York, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Transpennine's Edinburgh trains are currently suspended, but, if nothing changes, a FOURTH company will start zooming up the main line.

First Rail has won train paths for journeys between Kings Cross and Edinburgh (but not stopping at Darlington). Then the mysteries of trains running via High Speed 2 may well add further complication.

Local trains via Darlington run from Bishop Auckland to Middlesbrough and Redcar.

Northern Trains (also nationalised) had in recent decades used the much derided Pacers but these are now retired and shiny new trains are on the way. The current reduced service is hourly as through trains.

Under happier circumstances, Middlesbrough trains may well leave from the south facing bays.

Which brings us to an overview of the station as it is currently operated.

Apart from the aforementioned south facing bays, the station is one huge island platform with its main buildings in the centre of the Island, In the above aerial view the clock tower is on the left (western) side of the three barrel overall roof - so we are looking northwards. Also note for subsequent blogs that the overall room has a bend in it - at the northern end.

Also at the northern end is what, for most passengers, is the station's main entrance.

Parkgate (later Yarm Road) runs under the railway which crosses on two bridges, one for each direction of rail travel.

Between the two is the road ...

... which takes you up and under the middle section of the tripartite roof.

Here you will find a station entrance, a car drop off pointy and a taxi rank.

This access was always part of the original station - it was never, as you might think, a set of northern facing bays to match those at the south end.

So that is the station today, with reduced services due to the "unprecedented circumstances", but broadly a simple layout well suited to the average passenger.

We will look a bit further back in history in tomorrow's blog.

The Latest Modelling Project

fbb has bought three of them and glued them together. But there is a problem - they are second hand, old and WARPED. In the real world, cast concrete station canopies should not be bent.

Can this be bodged by the arch-bodger?

Bye Bye Fly Be

Readers will remember the collapse of regional airline FlyBe, based at Exeter Airport. From time to time Devon newd purveyors hint at the airline's return; so far to no avail.

Were it to be resurrected, it might need to source some replacement planes. Several have flown away to Canada where they are in use ...

... as firefighting planes.

Scotrail Grot Rail ...

... financially so.

As you read this please bear in mind that the poor results were generated BEFORE the start of the first lockdown (March 2020).

Maybe it should come as no surprise that The Sturgeon's government will be taking Scotland's railways back into public ownership from Spring 2022.

Yet another example of the success of franchising and the steady return to a nationalised railway system; that return accelerated by a nasty little virus.

First Rail, who lost the franchise to a "better bid for the benefit of passengers" must be quietly sniggering at the failure of Dutch State Railways to deliver the quality of service that they promised. Generally speaking, after a few hiccups, First did a good job.

Carriage Shed - A P.S.

No 3 son has a very posh and clever camera on his phone. He has kindly taken some excellent pictures of fbb's illuminated edifice - of far better quality and composition than fbb could ever manage.

Sweet.

Must sort out that floor!

 Next Darlington blog : Tuesday 20th April