Chester-le-Street Station

[ThePannier]

Hi,

Bit of an odd question coming up, although I'm sure there is someone on here who'll have an answer. Was looking through some old stuff online, and was a bit surprised to read that the current stationmaster (Alex Nelson) was interviewed quite a while back about why they started Chester-le-Track.

This was ages ago, by the way, so I don't know if I can find the website (if I can I'll edit this post), but he mentioned how Chester-le-Street station was in quite a bad way, and didn't have any staff, etc, when they took over. I also recall reading about how there were no trains stopping at the station for quite a few years. Would anybody be able to tell me what the station was actually like leading up to the year when I was born (2000)?

Again, like I say, I did this donkeys ago, and can't remember exact details. If anyone can shed any light on this for me, it would be greatly appreciated, as I'm actually planning to do something on the subject for my History homework, as we're doing local history at the minute.

Many thanks,
Marcus

 

[flymo]

In the 1998 timetable Chester-le-Street was served by a few local services, this was the time there was a Saltburn - Newcastle via ECML which picked up most of the calls at Chester-le-Street.

Northbound Mon - Fri

0753 - Newcastle
0805 - Sunderland (from Leeds)
0842 - Morpeth (from Saltburn)
0942 - Newcastle (from Saltburn)
1045 - MetroCentre (from Saltburn)
1252 - Newcastle (from Saltburn)
1457 - Newcastle (from Saltburn)
1713 - Newcastle (from Saltburn)
1755 - Sunderland (from Liverpool)
2028 - Newcastle (from Saltburn)
2058 - Newcastle (from Saltburn)

Southbound

0821 - from Newcastle (to Saltburn)
1013 - from Newcastle (to Saltburn)
1225 - from Newcastle (to Saltburn)
1422 - from MetroCentre (to Saltburn)
1614 - from MetroCentre (to Saltburn)
1645 - from Carlisle (to Durham)
1720 - from Sunderland (to Liverpool)
1749 - from Carlisle (to Saltburn)
1930 - from Newcastle (to Middlesbrough)
2130 - from Newcastle (to Darlington)

 

[DarloRich]

As for the state of the station: it was an absolute dump

 

[ThePannier]

Thanks both for your help.

I'd love to be able to see some photos of the station when it was in that condition. It's a bit of an odd thing, like! - but it's just local history and it's something I have a strong interest in.

 

[Hornet]

Thanks both for your help.

I'd love to be able to see some photos of the station when it was in that condition. It's a bit of an odd thing, like! - but it's just local history and it's something I have a strong interest in.

Southbound Class 37. Taken 03/10/1990. Station doesn't look too decrepit!

 

[ThePannier]

Southbound Class 37. Taken 03/10/1990. Station doesn't look too decrepit!

Thanks very much for the image, Hornet.

I see one or two things that would look odd on a station pilot today on there, like!

 

[ainsworth74]

Heh that electrification gantry is very shiny!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It was around 1990 (I'd give or take two years either way) that the station was destaffed, so I presume the further you got into the Nineties the worse it would begin to look. Judging by the bay window in the foreground [not being boarded up] I'd say the station was still manned at the time, which usually ensues some form of tidiness.

 

[Clip]

Was watching a repeat of Great British Railway journies the other day and he interviewed the station master on there about it

 

[ThePannier]

It was around 1990 (I'd give or take two years either way) that the station was destaffed, so I presume the further you got into the Nineties the worse it would begin to look. Judging by the bay window in the foreground [not being boarded up] I'd say the station was still manned at the time, which usually ensues some form of tidiness.

Thanks very much for your response.

Just got this from Wikipedia - 'Chester-le-Track began operating the station in 1999, Chester-le-Street having lost its part-time staff some 10 years previously.'

From what I can analyse, if the image posted by Hornet is from 1990, and Chester-le-Track started operating in 1999, I've got the 1990-1999 period to look into. I'm going to visit my local library at some point tomorrow, they could have some old records or photos.

 

[DarloRich]

it looks in much better nick than i remember. I guess it went downhill after that.

 

[ThePannier]

it looks in much better nick than i remember. I guess it went downhill after that.

Just spoke to my Grandma, and she says that the station itself was constantly being vandalised (nowt serious, just little things like spray painting) because there were no staff to look after the place.

According to her, the condition of the station itself led to people opting for Durham as a boarding point!

 

[DarloRich]

Just spoke to my Grandma, and she says that the station itself was constantly being vandalised (nowt serious, just little things like spray painting) because there were no staff to look after the place.

According to her, the condition of the station itself led to people opting for Durham as a boarding point!

i would agree - my family come from the area - and tended to use Durham if wanting a train

 

[ThePannier]

i would agree - my family come from the area - and tended to use Durham if wanting a train

Nowadays, I use Durham anyway, because there's only a train at Chester every 2 hours in each direction off-peak!