Hello Phil, Glad to be your first or second person to comment on this video. Awesome video, Villawood should get a upgrade honestly. Thank god you got your airpods back from the track and that a train did not come through and crush it, thank station staff at Villawood for helping Phil out and Phil please be careful and secure your belongings when filming and stay safe.
So basically it's pretty much what Unanderra was like before the upgrade last year. Hopefully this station gets upgraded soon, it sounds like it really needs it!
At frist I thought the worst station was going to be either Yenorra or Leightonfield. They also need a lift at Chester Hill station, as it's one of the busiest stations on the Regents Park line.
The suspense that came with not hear "hey and welcome back to Sydney Trains Vlogs". Great video as usual. Let's hope these accessibility issues going forward. Equality for all i'd say!
Leightonfield is the station that you need if you are "visiting " the Villawood immigration detention centre. Maybe it gets more attention than Villawood😅
Also set T122 has gone through what looks like to be a deep cleaning, and new “Press button when lit to open doors” stickers were added in the same spots where they once were when it was a G set.
This has to be the most nonsensical walkway/footbridge that I have ever seen. Not only is there no room to do a side walkway that could lead to a lift going up to the footbridge but the start of the stairs are several metres from the end of the platform (and the footbridge is several metres away from the landing of the top of the stairs). It is a really badly designed station. They may as well built a long ramp leading from the Woodville Road bridge down to the platform. It would have at least made it more accessible and less of a pain to use.
Thanks, Phil for an interesting video. Did I tell you about leaving my hearing aid in a Sleeping compartment on the Southern Aurora or might have been Indian Pacific, coming back to Sydney? I was able to get Town Hall staff to contact the yard at MacDonaldtown and I went back there and a staffer brought my hearing aid to me! Only time I have ever been to Macdonaldtown!
Why it's Villawood station, not any other train station in North Shore line? Is that a conincident that the worst train station just happen to be in one of the lowest social-economic suburb? Govenment needs to answer these questions, seriously!
Unlike some stations the overhead walkway bridge is beyond the end of the platform, so you can't simply install lifts off the centre down onto the platform. Will need a whole new bridge, stairs and lifts further in, or a platform extension. Denistone is actually the next busiest station from Villawood in passenger numbers. It got its lifts early in 2024 (probably a bit of favouritism there because of Sharath!!).
It does not look too bad to me. A lot of steps for sure but that can happen if an escalator breaks down or is being replaced. Earlier this year I was in San Francisco and the BART Embarcadero station's escalator was being replaced. This meant walking up a big flight of stairs or using an elevator - which also seemed to be out of action. I think people were meant to push a button & ask for access to the elevator. So, what I'm trying to say is that any station can become a bad station with equipment failure.
The worst thing is it looks desolate and uninviting. And as someone who has difficulties with stairs, I would not voluntarily use it anyway. In an age where climate change requires greater public transport usage, stations need to be more than just functional. They need to be inviting, and this station is the worst of Victorian era inconvenience, with mid-20th century architectural ugliness. Plus it does look tatty and neglected. You would use this station only because you have to, but not because you want to.
I'm curious about the rail gauge use for Sydney metro trains. Do they use the same gauge as Sydney city trains? I cannot find any information online and I am unable to see if they are replacing the current tracks between Sydenham to Bankstown.
@@TheNakedWombat I'm not sure what they are doing. I don't live on that line. The only thing I have read is - "Final adjustments to overhead wiring and tracks to metro standards". Even if they don't replace all the track, some of it may need replacing. And then there are also a lot of bridges. The testing phase on the previous section lasted for quite a while, despite the fact it was a new construction and not a conversion. The Metro will be responsible for anything that happens on that line in the future.
I went to Villawood whilst recording my C set Farewell film in 2021. The station buildings are nice, though not so much as Carramar’s, but the access situation seemed a bit non-sensical. The word I used to describe the station was “bleak”; it’s not a pretty station or in a very pretty area, plus only had two trains per hour in 2021 (and now). As a filming location I didn’t mind it at all; I got a lot of mileage out of one C set picture I got at Villawood, but it is quite bleak. I don’t think calling the “worst station” is justified really and that was definitely news hyperbole in play; it’s certainly not the greatest though because the accessibility is very poor and the facilities are very basic.
THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH EVERY STATION IS THE LACK OF LEVEL BOARDING, IF THERE WAS LEVEL BOARDING WITH A GAP COVER MOBILITY SCOOTERS/ WHEELCHIRS AND PRMS WOULD HAVE AN EASIER TIM BOARDING. AS AT THE MOMENT TO GET ON A TRAIN WITH WHEELCHAIR/ MOBILITY SCOOTER THE RAMP IS ONLY AS WIDE AS THEM AND YOU CAN ONLY GO STRAIGHT ONTO THE TRIN, AND SOMETIMES THE RAMP IS SO STEEP IT IS UNSAFE
@@sydney_trainspotting YES I KNOW, BUT MY POINT WAS EVERY STATION NEEDS TO BE DISABILITY ACCESSIBLE, AND THAT WOULD INVOLVE RAMPS, LIFTS, LEVEL BOARDING ETC I MOVED FROM PERTH WE HAVE LEVEL BOARDING AT EVERY STATION, THE TRAIN CARS HAVE THE "FLOOR" PROTRUDING OUTSIDE THE CARRIAGE WITH 1-2 INCH GAP BETWEEN TRAIN AND PLATFORM NO HELP NEEDED TO GET ON OR OFF THE TRAINS
Those TV networks often have their slow news days and are looking for articles to take up the time (other than ads that is) I've sometimes seen rail employees go over and above their normal duty to properly treat the "customers". There's always a means to compliment them via the Cityrail web site so don't forget to take the time to give them a pat on the back that their bosses might also see.
All the Tempe slander in the comments makes me very sad…I really like that station haha. In other news, I still think there are a fair few Hunter Line stations that’ll probably fall to dust before being upgraded.
Redfern still isn't fully accessible (11/12 have no lifts). Others in Sydney include. (A lot more if you go outside) Villawood, Carramar, Bardwell Park, Clyde, Tempe, Loftus, Macdonaldtown, Lewisham Macquarie Fields and Leightonfield Bardwell and Macquarie Fields to be completed in 2026. Macdonaldtown, and Lewisham in design phase. Villawood is 3rd lowest on that list in patronage and if you look at the layout would likely need a new overpass towards the middle of the station and three lifts.
Terrible Condition, no shelters, stairway ramp a long way from station. Who is the local state member, I'd be screaming at them to get this station upgraded immediately, 3rd world Quality !
Hi Phil, interesting video. It sounds like that Villawood is much li8ke what many of the other stations were like prior to upgrading. More likely, it will eventually be upgraded as well. It actually doesn't look too bad. It is good that they had staff there. Here in Melbourne, some of our stations are completely unmanned. Anyway, take care. Rob in Melbourne Australia.
I agree with you Phil. I don’t mind the station in its present state. In fact I find the patina and burnish of years of service to be appealing. While the many new stations are impressive such as the new Metro stations, a lot of the older stations have an endearing charm. And thankfully, so glad that many older buildings in the rail network have been protected and restored. Villawoods station is absolutely perfect the way it is.
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Hello Phil, Glad to be your first or second person to comment on this video. Awesome video, Villawood should get a upgrade honestly. Thank god you got your airpods back from the track and that a train did not come through and crush it, thank station staff at Villawood for helping Phil out and Phil please be careful and secure your belongings when filming and stay safe.
So basically it's pretty much what Unanderra was like before the upgrade last year. Hopefully this station gets upgraded soon, it sounds like it really needs it!
it won because its not one of the stations on metro southwest
I went to unanderra for some reason, even the old stairs was somewhat better maintained than this….
@@electro_sykesit doesn’t matter! All stations deserve a accessibility upgrade
Nice video Phil! saw this on the news too!
THE WAY I IMMIDIATELY YELLED VILLAWOOD😭😭😭😭
Not the only one. When I saw the white railing, "Is that Villawood?" Checked the comments, there it was
Weird how I guessed it was Villawood by the thumbnail, and yet I was there nearly 10 years ago. One of my family members lives out that way too!
At frist I thought the worst station was going to be either Yenorra or Leightonfield. They also need a lift at Chester Hill station, as it's one of the busiest stations on the Regents Park line.
The suspense that came with not hear "hey and welcome back to Sydney Trains Vlogs". Great video as usual. Let's hope these accessibility issues going forward. Equality for all i'd say!
Hi Phil, It is basically Unanderra but in Sydney lol.
Surprised it’s not Leightonfield
Leightonfield is the station that you need if you are "visiting " the Villawood immigration detention centre. Maybe it gets more attention than Villawood😅
ironically leightonfield's platform 1 is accessible... i dont know how that happened
not platform two though that's stairs only
Yeah had a feeling it would be one of the stations west of birrong
Also set T122 has gone through what looks like to be a deep cleaning, and new “Press button when lit to open doors” stickers were added in the same spots where they once were when it was a G set.
(it’s currently with T31)
This has to be the most nonsensical walkway/footbridge that I have ever seen. Not only is there no room to do a side walkway that could lead to a lift going up to the footbridge but the start of the stairs are several metres from the end of the platform (and the footbridge is several metres away from the landing of the top of the stairs).
It is a really badly designed station. They may as well built a long ramp leading from the Woodville Road bridge down to the platform. It would have at least made it more accessible and less of a pain to use.
It's likely been like that since the 70's - things were different back then. It was likely gravel not asphalt until the early 90's!
Haha I saw it on the news
still much better than many of the stations we have up here in brisbane.
Thanks, Phil for an interesting video. Did I tell you about leaving my hearing aid in a Sleeping compartment on the Southern Aurora or might have been Indian Pacific, coming back to Sydney? I was able to get Town Hall staff to contact the yard at MacDonaldtown and I went back there and a staffer brought my hearing aid to me! Only time I have ever been to Macdonaldtown!
High Street on the HUN line also doesn’t have disabled access
Why it's Villawood station, not any other train station in North Shore line? Is that a conincident that the worst train station just happen to be in one of the lowest social-economic suburb? Govenment needs to answer these questions, seriously!
Unlike some stations the overhead walkway bridge is beyond the end of the platform, so you can't simply install lifts off the centre down onto the platform. Will need a whole new bridge, stairs and lifts further in, or a platform extension. Denistone is actually the next busiest station from Villawood in passenger numbers. It got its lifts early in 2024 (probably a bit of favouritism there because of Sharath!!).
and f1 went there when the lifts opened for some reason
I know that already.
That's pretty much all train stations in Sydney where the express train doesn't stop
Welcome to my neck of the woods Phil 👍
Only thing I know about Villawood is the existence of immigration detention centre. 😅
It does not look too bad to me. A lot of steps for sure but that can happen if an escalator breaks down or is being replaced. Earlier this year I was in San Francisco and the BART Embarcadero station's escalator was being replaced. This meant walking up a big flight of stairs or using an elevator - which also seemed to be out of action. I think people were meant to push a button & ask for access to the elevator. So, what I'm trying to say is that any station can become a bad station with equipment failure.
The worst thing is it looks desolate and uninviting. And as someone who has difficulties with stairs, I would not voluntarily use it anyway. In an age where climate change requires greater public transport usage, stations need to be more than just functional. They need to be inviting, and this station is the worst of Victorian era inconvenience, with mid-20th century architectural ugliness. Plus it does look tatty and neglected. You would use this station only because you have to, but not because you want to.
I'm curious about the rail gauge use for Sydney metro trains. Do they use the same gauge as Sydney city trains? I cannot find any information online and I am unable to see if they are replacing the current tracks between Sydenham to Bankstown.
1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
@@daveg2104 No need to rip up all the tracks and lay new one's then. That will reduce time.
@@TheNakedWombat I'm not sure what they are doing. I don't live on that line. The only thing I have read is - "Final adjustments to overhead wiring and tracks to metro standards". Even if they don't replace all the track, some of it may need replacing. And then there are also a lot of bridges. The testing phase on the previous section lasted for quite a while, despite the fact it was a new construction and not a conversion. The Metro will be responsible for anything that happens on that line in the future.
Wait, this isn't South Kensington.
🤣🤣🤣
Next station inbound from here is General Motors' long lost cousin.
i recognise this station - it is villawood (i recognised from the station building and the thumbnail)
Going to Sydney's worst station during the worst possible time of RTBU industrial action.
I went to Villawood whilst recording my C set Farewell film in 2021.
The station buildings are nice, though not so much as Carramar’s, but the access situation seemed a bit non-sensical.
The word I used to describe the station was “bleak”; it’s not a pretty station or in a very pretty area, plus only had two trains per hour in 2021 (and now).
As a filming location I didn’t mind it at all; I got a lot of mileage out of one C set picture I got at Villawood, but it is quite bleak. I don’t think calling the “worst station” is justified really and that was definitely news hyperbole in play; it’s certainly not the greatest though because the accessibility is very poor and the facilities are very basic.
Just a sydney sweaty concrete sweatbox.
THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH EVERY STATION IS THE LACK OF LEVEL BOARDING, IF THERE WAS LEVEL BOARDING WITH A GAP COVER MOBILITY SCOOTERS/ WHEELCHIRS AND PRMS WOULD HAVE AN EASIER TIM BOARDING.
AS AT THE MOMENT TO GET ON A TRAIN WITH WHEELCHAIR/ MOBILITY SCOOTER THE RAMP IS ONLY AS WIDE AS THEM AND YOU CAN ONLY GO STRAIGHT ONTO THE TRIN, AND SOMETIMES THE RAMP IS SO STEEP IT IS UNSAFE
THERE IS NO LIFT FOR WHEELCHAIR PEOPLE TO USE!!!
@@sydney_trainspotting YES I KNOW, BUT MY POINT WAS EVERY STATION NEEDS TO BE DISABILITY ACCESSIBLE, AND THAT WOULD INVOLVE RAMPS, LIFTS, LEVEL BOARDING ETC
I MOVED FROM PERTH WE HAVE LEVEL BOARDING AT EVERY STATION, THE TRAIN CARS HAVE THE "FLOOR" PROTRUDING OUTSIDE THE CARRIAGE WITH 1-2 INCH GAP BETWEEN TRAIN AND PLATFORM
NO HELP NEEDED TO GET ON OR OFF THE TRAINS
Those TV networks often have their slow news days and are looking for articles to take up the time (other than ads that is)
I've sometimes seen rail employees go over and above their normal duty to properly treat the "customers". There's always a means to compliment them via the Cityrail web site so don't forget to take the time to give them a pat on the back that their bosses might also see.
I would have picked Casula
Lakemba, Auburn, etc. - these are the worst.
Huh!🤔😳
Wish people would stop knocking these older stations.at least they have carpenter. The new stations have none of that.
6.02 not sure id want to walk through that tunnel at night
Looks slightly better than tempe
Sort of
I'm surprised it's not Mount Druitt
All the Tempe slander in the comments makes me very sad…I really like that station haha.
In other news, I still think there are a fair few Hunter Line stations that’ll probably fall to dust before being upgraded.
How many stations aren't accessible? I know of a few
As of last September 73% (Google is my friend)
@tacitdionysus3220 Google didn't help me with that Thank You
Redfern still isn't fully accessible (11/12 have no lifts).
Others in Sydney include. (A lot more if you go outside)
Villawood, Carramar, Bardwell Park, Clyde, Tempe, Loftus, Macdonaldtown, Lewisham Macquarie Fields and Leightonfield
Bardwell and Macquarie Fields to be completed in 2026. Macdonaldtown, and Lewisham in design phase.
Villawood is 3rd lowest on that list in patronage and if you look at the layout would likely need a new overpass towards the middle of the station and three lifts.
@@mark123655Redfern has 10/12 platforms accessible due to the southern concourse
That’s true for me
the platform is illlegal under internationl law for act of disabilities no "dots" for the blind community . totally agree what you say
Terrible Condition, no shelters, stairway ramp a long way from station. Who is the local state member, I'd be screaming at them to get this station upgraded immediately, 3rd world Quality !
why do they lock off a carriage?
When did the trains started picking up speed again at one time they were going by steam train timetables yes they were going very slow years ago
The steam timetable was quicker from Liverpool to Central than the modern one!
Hi Phil, interesting video. It sounds like that Villawood is much li8ke what many of the other stations were like prior to upgrading. More likely, it will eventually be upgraded as well. It actually doesn't look too bad. It is good that they had staff there. Here in Melbourne, some of our stations are completely unmanned. Anyway, take care. Rob in Melbourne Australia.
Tempe will rank second worst
Why did the thumbnail make me think it was tempe
They prioritised new station signage over safety and accessibility...its disgraceful
Where do you find a staff in this train station?
Railway station.
I love people commenting before they could have even watched the full video
I agree with you Phil. I don’t mind the station in its present state. In fact I find the patina and burnish of years of service to be appealing. While the many new stations are impressive such as the new Metro stations, a lot of the older stations have an endearing charm. And thankfully, so glad that many older buildings in the rail network have been protected and restored. Villawoods station is absolutely perfect the way it is.
Hi
My worst is McDonald town
you should carry a wooden walking cane and you can pomposly poke at holes in the platform and rickety stairs and talk in outraged tones.
First one 🥇