As we called at all sorts of little stations - often for no passengers - across the north of Spain I noted a lot of investment and wonder if we're going to see a blooming of services.  Just 2 a day each way in the central section between Oviedo and El Ferrol, but a more frequent setvice at the ends ... and some substantial new engineering even amongst the remains of the old.

This reminded me of Bradford-on-Avon

at a nil-off, nil-on station.

But then it's far more magnificent than B-o-A


Is it also more practical?  At B-o-A the ramp is accessed from a side road some distance from the main station entrance - and the ticket machine; kinda impractical if you're in a wheelchair and need to buy your ticket before boarding.  At least in Spain there are parallel steps, it's the main station entrance, and the lady train manager was quite happy to sell tickets.

 
The Spanish are very hot on accessibility. When the Malaga to Cordoba line was closed, the rail replacement coaches were all equipped with wheelchair lifts, plus an army of very smartly dressed young people helping the infirm on and off them.   

 

Indeed.  Lisa gives a "false impression" these days.  Mobility aid "Henry" is vital for and distance more than a few metres, but she can and does get up and down from trains and most coaches via steps, with Henry folded to the size of a suitcase and lifted on and off by me.   Far from a unique setup, I'm sure, but yet sufficiently unusual to panic staff.

Yesterday, I stopped to take (yet another) picture ... Lisa, who remains independent rode on ahead, and here's my picture ...

with the young lady from Acerca running after her to provide assistance onto the train.   She had probably been waiting all day to help someone (trains and stations here are well staffed in spite of the trains being less than frequent!) and was disappointed with our - I hope polite - "Thank you but we are fine" when I caught up!

It's nice to be back amongst fill sized trains ...

... though tomorrow, the train from where we are now is a bus. A story to follow ...

 
I recall when we visited Benidorm for the very first time circa 2000

Not sure which station we used but it was just a single line with both up and down trains using the same platform.

Twelve months on from out first visit,a second platform had been built with an underpass under both lines.
Don't think its network rails policy to allow a brand road under their railway lines.
The only exception I can recall is the South Bristol link road at Long ashton where the rail line goes over the top of the road
 

 

Sounds like the coastal tram/train from Alicante which was gradually converted from an old diesel service to overhead electric during that decade.  From memory, the convertion required different height temporary platforms at whichever station the changeover from old to new system had reached, Benidorm being one of them....I think.  We stayed in El Campello a few times and the station there was formerly an important changeover station from the modern Alicante Tren to the old diesel service to Denia.
Interesting enough line....even went within eyesight of what we were informed was Roger Moore's old Spanish retreat.