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Location notes
Situated on the East Coast Main Line between York and Newcastle.
Railway type and traffic
This station sees regular East Coast, Virgin Cross Country and Arriva Trains Northern traffic. From 1 February 2004 it will be served by Transpennine Express. It hosts mail traffic and a large number of daily freight services. While the outside parts of the station have no platform monitors, there are regular services throughout the day and late into the evening. A Jarvis (soon to become Network Rail) depot close to the station often sees visiting tampers and other track machines. Network Rail's New Measurement Train "flying banana" HST visits every two weeks, passing north on every other Monday morning and returning early afternoon, though times can vary massively. New trains from Bombardier Transportation's Derby and Wakefield works sometimes make test runs to Darlington and back. Railtours pass the station almost every Saturday during the spring/summer/early autumn months. On a typical day, expect Classes 60, 66, 91, 142, 144, 156, 158, 220 and 221.
Link to Real Time Trains
RTT Link Darlington Bank Top
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
Environment
Darlington is quite a busy town (population approx 50,000), though the
station is in a quieter area.
Road directions
Leaving the A1 at Scotch Corner, turn onto the A66 and head for Darlington. Once you reach the town, the railway station is clearly signposted from most major roads. If approaching from the north, be sure not to end up at Darlington North Road station instead!
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Darlington Bank Top map co-ordinates
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Darlington Bank Top map co-ordinates
Parking
The station has car parking facilities, but with *very* limited space, and they cost £5 an hour. Cars parked in the street outside the station's main entrance, Park Lane, will probably earn a parking ticket as the street is only to be used for pick-ups and drop-offs for the station.
Public transport
The railway station is served by number 21/26/27/28/X54 Arriva services and 25/26 Stagecoach services.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
The station has toilets, a cafe, a branch of WH Smith and a small snack shop. The nearby Hogans pub, is not recommended.
Accommodation
Near the station, in Victoria Road, is the Coachman hotel and Dalesman Bed and Breakfast.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Darlington Bank Top
Streetmap links
Darlington Bank Top general view map
Darlington Bank Top close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Darlington Bank Top
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Darlington Bank Top
Googly map
Darlington Bank Top general view map
Darlington Bank Top close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Darlington Bank Top
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
The best vantage points are at the southern ends of Platform 1/2 and 3/4a, where there will be very few people. This is also the best point for freight trains, most of which bypass the former North Eastern Railway trainshed. It can take a few minutes to get between the southern ends of Platforms 1/2 and 3/4a as the crossing point is at the north end of these platforms.
Southbound freight trains often stop at the signals visible from Platform 1, waiting for a path to continue. They may also call at the signal further down the line, beyond the extent of the platforms. A wooden fence can be found across the end of Platform 1/2,which may affect the view.
At the south end of the station are two bay platforms, 2 and 3. During the day there's usually Class 142s and 156s parked up here, but Class 144 and 158 DMUs also visit occasionally. New diesel units from Bombardier Transportation also park in Platform 3 when they visit on test runs. At the north end of the station, at the end of Platform 4, there is a car park from which trains can also be seen. To get here, walk north through the station past the taxi rank, then left into the car park before the long sloping road out of the station's north exit. The leading locomotives of northbound trains stand next to the car park, and good views are also possible by the fence at the far north.
Afternoon is the best time to photograph, as you'll have the sun at your back for most passing trains, though in the evening any trains stopping at Platform 4/4a will be difficult to photograph due to the low sun silhouetting them. Non-stopping trains (mostly GNER, and the odd Virgin XC) pass behind the trainshed, and the east wall will block out most of the noise and almost entirely hide the approach of southbound, so they may sneak up on you with barely seconds notice. A relatively clear view down the ECML will give you plenty of notice of northbound trains.
Southbound freight trains often stop at the signals visible from Platform 1, waiting for a path to continue. They may also call at the signal further down the line, beyond the extent of the platforms. A wooden fence can be found across the end of Platform 1/2,which may affect the view.
At the south end of the station are two bay platforms, 2 and 3. During the day there's usually Class 142s and 156s parked up here, but Class 144 and 158 DMUs also visit occasionally. New diesel units from Bombardier Transportation also park in Platform 3 when they visit on test runs. At the north end of the station, at the end of Platform 4, there is a car park from which trains can also be seen. To get here, walk north through the station past the taxi rank, then left into the car park before the long sloping road out of the station's north exit. The leading locomotives of northbound trains stand next to the car park, and good views are also possible by the fence at the far north.
Afternoon is the best time to photograph, as you'll have the sun at your back for most passing trains, though in the evening any trains stopping at Platform 4/4a will be difficult to photograph due to the low sun silhouetting them. Non-stopping trains (mostly GNER, and the odd Virgin XC) pass behind the trainshed, and the east wall will block out most of the noise and almost entirely hide the approach of southbound, so they may sneak up on you with barely seconds notice. A relatively clear view down the ECML will give you plenty of notice of northbound trains.
Links to photographs at this location
RailwayScene - Website
Transport Images - Darlington
General views - All photographs © Rich Mackin unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north
Taken from Platform 2/1, looking back toward the station, at Platform 1 where southbound trains normally call.
Fig 2 - Looking south
From Platform 3/4a
Fig 3 - Looking east
Taken from Platform 1, looking toward the loop lines.
Fig 4 - Looking north
Taken from the end of Platform 4a/3, looking toward the station.
Fig 5 - Looking south
From the car park at the end of platform 4.
Fig 6 - north east
Towards the platfrom 1 approach.
Fig 7 - Looking north
From the car park.
Fig 8 - Looking north
The bay platforms.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
