friday 20th December
startford station, that was the old Oyster whilst holding tea combo
just there, isn't today the shortest day?
we're at Stratford
i'm on the last, possible, train
that i can get this morning
to do this station
the train is going to Bishops Stortsford
and i can see my companion
How fine am i cutting it?
am i cutting it fine?
what the, i don't even know what the time is, what's the time?
WHAT?
i can't hear you! there's a noisy train in the background
everyone, this is Tom!
in your best Geoff voice, be like "hey everybody"
"least used station in London"
- Least used station in London, Angel Road!
i literally did only just make it with 30 seconds to spare didn't i?
Tom quickly, how do i know you?
through Twitter, years ago?
he used to live in Ealing near me, and then you came on walk the tube
- My lovely friend Sam is coming to get breakfast for everyone from McDonalds
so i have printed off the menu so i can tally up each one
but basically, you've had Angel Road bagged
since the beginning, right at the start, "i want to do Angel Road with you!"
so we've had this reserved for about a year haven't we?
two things, today i'm gonna film both
this video, and also the 2- minute
Londonist's Least Used station No.1 at the same time
i might release them at the same time
but i couldn't do one until i've done the other so i'm here basically
to do .. two videos today
i've onty got two stops to get there, so Lea Bridge
how was your Lea Bridge experience?
- Err, quite barren
but new, people are definetely using it
makes you wonder if it had more than two trains an hour
Tottenham Hale, Norhumberland Park, then we get to Angel Road
i don't want to give it away 'cause i'll explains when we get there
but basically, Angel Road has an extremely limited service
and i believe we're on the last possible morning peak train
heading north, that stops there. correct?
- that's what i gathered so if we'd have missed the 09.30
we would have, well we could have could have gone their by bus
you realise we have to get back by bus because we can't get the train back
we're not sticking around until four o'clock
look, do you realise that my drink isn't from Pret?
it's from EAT
push push push!
somebody else got off, somebody else got off!
ooh, can you small? i can smell ... i can smell creosote!
Welcome to Angel Road, where everything smells of creosote!
ah man, it is a grey winter day
welcome to England!
and there's one in the other direction, as well
- So that'll be your last morning, peak
we need to check the timetables
should point out,
it's not as if no other trains run along this line
but they now just don't stop at Angel Road
they just go fast
Ok, Ton. First impression of Angel Road ... Go!
Loud! but somehow very little going on
'cause there's the road right there
that we're gonna exit to in a minute yeah
oh no the exit's down there isn't it? - the exit is onto another road
Tom! - yes
there's a permit to travel machine - there is
you know what to do
do you have 5p?
oh! hang on, i've got something to tell you all
no! i've put my hand in my pocket as i do it and i've got no change
hang on, have you got any coins on you?
OH NO!
i was gonna say ... right
what's the one thing i hate most, on Youtube comments
Birthday
this video, when this video goes up on Youtube
i'm going to allow ONE person
to say ... i can't believe you filmed this on my birthday
'cause who's that person gonna be Tom?
it's gonne be me! - It's Tom's Birthday!
* laughs * hang on, happy birthday
would you like Comic Sans happy birthday?
it'd be beautiful - how old are you?
twenty! - but i was going to say
i was gonna give you 5p to put in the permit to travel machine
you birthday gift would have been, but i don't have
but no one's bough any change
Ok Tom, this is your big moment
how many train services stop
at Angel Road, can you explain ... the times, please?
Saturday and Sunday is easy - nothing!
Monday to Friday
Six in the morning - Going which way?
that is going towards Stratford or Liverpool Street
so the red one is to Liverpool Street
and the rest, are the Stratfords
so one to Liverpool Street at 05:57
and ...
five in the evening, all to Stratford
and what going the other way - the other way?
a much wider choice of destinations but less trains
four in the morning
and, seven in the evening
your other task, Tom
your other task ... ... is that there is a help point
would you like to press the information button and see what happens?
* Click *
Anti-climactic - What else is not working?
CRT train indicator
that looks like it hasn't worked for a VERY long time!
Greater Anglia ... come on
why doesn't the CRT screen at Angel Road work?
oh we're on the footbridge and from the footbridge I can now see a massive giant blue crane
adding to my industrious feel of Angel Road
oh god there's a like a massive .. oh, this is the worst!
this is the worst view ever from a station
there are no green fields, there are no trees
it's all just ... i'm gonna have to beep it out it's all just * clang *
* Police Sirens in background *
ok, we're onto the northbound platform, you cross the staggered footbridge
again, there's slightly better information here
maps, plans, service alterations
again, there's a few more benches
there's a shelter! there's a basic shelter
i think we might have to sit in the shelter
aaaaand for a least-used station there's the obligatory
lonely big, just looking all kind of all forlorn
it's a really ... *chuckles* it's a really grim station
* train whooses past *
is it me, or is this bench wet?
this bench is prett wet
this is what we call an iffectual shelter
it hasn't really prevented the rain from getting on the seat
this station has been here since 1840
that's almost ... 200 years
i don't think there was a rubbish tip and an industrial estate
right next door to Angel Road when it first opened up
back in the 19th Century
we're gonna do the passenger figures
but i've got something very interesting to annouce here because for ages
the least used station in London used to be Sudbury & Harrow Road
that used to be No.1
and then for the 2015-16 period
i'll put a link in the description, the ORR sort of changed ... how they
assessed their numbers
and in doing so, Angel Road .. went up
it went from having 60, 70, 80 thousand passengers per year
well it's dropped down to the 2015/26 period Tom
twenty seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty four
would you agree with me in saying it's extremely bleak?
Yup ... very much so
* church bell * * owl hoot / ghostly noises *
but also, Tom!
deceptively you've noticed the workers in the distance in PPE
'cause there is what happening to this line
so they're building a third track
to increase capacity
isn't it called the STAR project, the STratford Angel Road
again, we'll put a link in the description
theyre gonna increase the services
they're gonna build a new train service in this area
and i'll put a link in the description
down below so this, it might get regenerated
Angel Road, might then get a proper train service
and not be in the least used station list
do you think it is nicer in the summer, it's grim
but would it be more pleasant on a summers day?
or would it just have a hot warm industrious feeling to it?
it's worth coming to, just to see how depressing it is
yeah, i don't think it would improve it - No
much! - No
* Train rumbles by *
*Train horn*
Hello!
welcome to, the footbridge
at Angel Road station, and in an attempt to make it slightly more exciting
we have memories of Dilton Marsh, where i read out a poem
so Tom's gonna read a poem, called
"Alernate words, about Angel Road"
so we've gone onto the interwebs, we've found a thesaurus
What's another word for 'Thesaurus' ? * Chuckles *
ah, that's a stupid gag
and Tom's gonna read out some alternative phrases
for Angel Road, as they appear on screen ...
take it away, Tom Kell
hang on, Sombre ... depressive
and what was the last one? opressive
i like that - depressive
would all these words sum up Angel Road station do you feel? - very much so
we're now leaving Angel Road and this is
actually worth making a point about, because
to get to Angel Road station is quite convoluted you have to walk down this path
under the road then up some steps it's like a 200m walk
from the road, to get to where the station is i believe
when the Meridian Water, STAR thing happens
it might shift, but this certainly doesn't help does it? that you have to walk along
and the fact that it ends up on - a desolate path
flyover
yeah a desolate path up to a flyover
hey! there's anothe bin
wow it's a bin
and another bin
is that .. another bin? *laughs*
so the path to and from the stationw
wait for it wait for it .. wait for it!
is littered with bins
eeeeeehh!
COME ON!
you, you can go now
alright Tom, how was your least used experience
sorry there were no pretty fields or sheep, or ...
Grim, GRIM hey, but happy birthday!
ah that can make it better
could you all write in the comments .... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM
it's Toms birthday, well done Tom merry birthday-mass
Bye bye!