In the London suburbs there are lots of little wooden station buildings, with trellised roofs and so on. Until the 70s Thornaby was a similar station. But then the buildings were levelled, probably at the same time the glass roof was removed from stockton station (which locals will tell you cost more than repairing it would have.) Thornaby, previously known as Stockton South, is important as it follows the route of the world's first passenger railway, the Stockton and Darlington railway. You can get trains on possibly the country's best service, the Transpennine Express, across country to Leeds, Manchester and even Manchester airport. There are shelters built now, and a little snack bar, and the main concrete platform has been turned into a carpark, so it doesn't feel quite as threatening as it once did. It's always freezing though. Be careful walking from Stockton centre: allow ten minutes, but worth it for the view from Victoria Bridge. Swans. read more