Hackney Downs Rail Station

This station runs to Liverpool street which is a big plus to me, getting from the City into Hackney. I didn’t even know that this service existed as I don’t go into Hackney often.

This station has trains that run to Chingford, Enfield Town and Cheshunt as well as trains in the other direction taking you into Liverpool St. If you’re heading into town, it’s a fairly good option. You can either get a fast train or a local one but both take less than 10 mins, for city workers this is your fastest way to Liverpool St. The problem is if you’re travelling out of town. There is very little information on any screens and platform changes are only announced as the train is pulling into the station (and occasionally not at all whilst the guard is outside smoking). The rest of the staff are clueless and exist only to take money for tickets or check people aren’t jumping the gates.
You can also expect severe delays with a little snow and constantly changing ‘expected’ times displayed on the board. Every few minutes an extra 2 mins were added on to my recent train eventually arriving 35 mins late :-(I usually cycle to work so maybe I’m unlucky when I do decide to take the train.
The Stansted express comes through here but doesn’t stop, you can catch a train to Tottenham Hale though and change there for the Stansted express although weirdly, you always seem to arrive *just after* one of them has gone and have to wait for the next one. Beats having to go into Liverpool St though.
They have some vending machines and a little café on platform 1. Occasionally they have little Art exhibitions in some of the disused rooms on the platforms.
Lots of steps, no elevators but occasionally the skies to the south from the Platforms can be amazingly beautiful.