A (hopefully) comprehensive listing

Stations not served by their Station Facility Owner (SFO)

Last update 7 April 2021

Please select a feature from the list below:

This is a list of stations operated by one company but only served by other companies.

TOC controlled stations served only by other TOCs

Throughout the years there have been some anomalies where a station is the responsibility of a particular train operating company (TOC), but the service patterns mean that those stations are only served by other TOCs. This list shows all known examples.

Notes

1. Stamford station, operated by East Midlands Trains/Abellio East Midlands, is often quoted as one not served by its SFO. Since 11 November 2007 (franchise change), it has mainly been served by XC Trains, but East Midlands Trains/Abellio East Midlands does run a few very early and very late trains.
2. Batley, Cottingley, Morley and Ravensthorpe stations, operated by Arriva Rail North, are sometimes quoted as not served by their SFO. From the published 20 May 2018 'all line' timetable, they were mainly served by First TransPennine Express, but Arriva Rail North ran occasional trains (stopping patterns varied). From the 10 December 2018 timetable Arriva Rail North increased its service level. The published 15 December 2019 'all line' timetable shows no Northern calls at any of these stations though they returned with the May 2020 edition. However, online systems show limited Northern calls at all four stations throughout.
3. Stourbridge Town station, operated by London & Birmingham Railway/West Midlands Trains, has been served only by Pre Metro Operations since June 2009 (a weekend service operated before then, believed from 2006 but certainly after 9 May 2002 when certain regulatory process were completed, with the SFO providing the weekday service). This service is provided under contract to the SFO TOC.
4. Owing to a combination of issues, Arriva Rail North had to withdraw its Windermere branch service from 4 June 2018. After two weeks, charter operator West Coast Railway ran a service, funded by the DfT and free to the public, for nearly a fortnight until Arriva Rail North restarted its own service. West Coast Railway operated a similar service over the weekend 20/21 April 2019 (funding agreement unknown) to cover engineering work disruption. On both occasions Arriva Rail North also provided replacement buses.
5. Bat & Ball, Eynsford and Shoreham (Kent) stations are sometimes quoted as one not served by its SFO since 19 May 2014. However, London & South Eastern Railway ran some very early and/or evening services from this date, finally withdrawing its service in May 2018.

Bi-level stations such as Tamworth are interesting, where it is possible to consider the different levels as separate stations. In this case, the high level platforms are operated by London & Birmingham Railway/West Midlands Trains but served exclusively by CrossCountry Trains/XC Trains; London & Birmingham Railway/West Midlands Trains serves the low level platforms. Both levels together are technically the same station.

Non-TOC controlled stations

Some station facility owners do not run any trains themselves and are shown here. Note that strictly, Network Rail took over from Railtrack from 3 October 2002 but the name change took four months to take effect.

Notes

1. The summer Saturday service to Corfe Castle, operated by the main line TOC, is run as a charter service but open to the public, funded by Swanage Railway.
2. The summer Sunday service to Okehampton (and later also Sampford Courtenay), operated by the main line TOC, was run as a charter service but open to the public, funded by Devon county council. However, it ran as an experimental service, regulated as such. In future it may become part of the franchised service.
3. There is potential for confusion as to the operator at Ebbsfleet and Stratford International. See this international operator page.

Here is an article illustrating the Railtrack symbols used at the Major Stations site registration now required.

Pre-privatisation examples

This listing gives equivalent arrangements to the top list but before privatisation. As the list concerns itself with station operator, not owner, it excludes the numerous instances (mainly in the early years of railways) where a larger company leased a line from a smaller, usually local, company. Also excluded are the many occurrences of joint committees that controlled stations and lines where at least one of the constituents ran trains there.

In addition, the District line ran to Upminster, Central line to Ongar and West Ruislip and Northern line to Barnet and Mill Hill East over LMS/LNER/GWR lines. Full details are awaited.