Fiona B.
Clapham
54 reviews
Britain's Busiest Train station
31 Oct 07, 16:43
As expected
Clapham Junction (which is in Battersea) is regarded as the nations busiest station (some say Europe).
It has already had an overhaul and tidy up a few years back but is having another one soon (the surrounding area will become pedestrianised and vehicles restricted to buses and taxis). At the moment the concourse leading to the ticket hall & ticketing machines has a few shops which include Sainsbury’s local, M&S, Joy, Superdrug, Blockbusters, Café Nero, Costa, West Cornwall Pasties, Dry Cleaner/shoe repair, news stand, WH Smiths and a mobile phone store. So if you are after food, toiletries, reading material or a last minute gift/card before your journey it is pretty much there and available to you. Plasma screens are fitted overhead and show music videos whilst the music is pumped through.
The station is very useful for access to south England (including Brighton and Bristol) and London. Trains run to Waterloo (Euro star), Victoria, the Silver Link to Kensington Olympia & Watford Junction, Gatwick Airport (fast train takes 26mins) and a train bus link to Heathrow amongst many others.
The social calendar of the Clapham locals can be seen at the station, Ascot ladies day brings with it seas of hats and feathers, you can’t move for bikes after the London to Brighton bike race, marathon runners limping through the barriers in April. And Halloween/Xmas and New Year all are re
16 working platforms in all, an under and over pass, it is busy in the mornings, lots of pushing and shoving, queues for the ticket office and the usual fair. A large electronic display clearly shows the train destinations, times and platforms. Grab your free London paper and your on your way.
There are toilets passed the barriers (cost £0.20p) not dirty but they don’t feel clean. But when you got to go at least you know they are there.
Busy this station maybe, but for many of the locals when you use it so often and become familiar with its platforms and layout it’s not too big bad or scary.
