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New stations on existing heritage railway lines that could be built and reopened.

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What are the next new stations to open on our heritage railways? Are there any that are currently planned?

Note i am only talking about new stations on existing heritage railway lines. I am not talking about new stations that involve extensions of the railway. There is another thread where extensions are being discussed. So this is only for existing sections lines where trains are already operating.

Here are some that i am thinking could be reopened:

• Eardington (Severn Valley Railway) - This station already exists. The platform is in good condition and pretty much everything is there. I have no idea why they have kept a station in such good condition but no trains even stop there.

• Hazelwood (Ecclesbourne Valley Railway) - This is the only unopened station on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. I am pretty sure that they do actually have plans to reopen this station. Although i haven't heard much recently so i am not too sure how soon that this will happen.

• Pen Y Mount Junction (Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway) - This would provide an interchange between the main Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway and the short Welsh Highland Heritage Railway line. The station already exists on the WHHR so they would just need to build platforms on the FWHR line.

• West Hoathly (Bluebell Railway) - This is the only unopened station on the Bluebell Railway line. It serves the villages of Sharpthorne and West Hoathly and is just north of the tunnel.

Can anyone think of any other stations on heritage railways that could be reopened?

Also is anyone aware of any stations on heritage railways that are currently being restored or that they have plans to reopen?
 
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Before starting another WIBN (© Paul Hitchcock) or WIBBLE (©43096) list, it would be as well to do some proper background research.

For example it's well-documented that reopening the Bluebell to Kingscote was conditional on West Hoathly NOT reopening.
 

Train Maniac

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I seem to remember that they didnt reopen West Hoathley because of some NIMBY's in the village. Thing is, its one of the more potentially convenient stations on the route, being situated below the village (on exit of tunnel) rather than at the end of a 2 mile lane (Horsted Keynes) Or nowhere in particular (Sheffield Park and Kingscote)
 

trainmania100

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I seem to remember that they didnt reopen West Hoathley because of some NIMBY's in the village. Thing is, its one of the more potentially convenient stations on the route, being situated below the village (on exit of tunnel) rather than at the end of a 2 mile lane (Horsted Keynes) Or nowhere in particular (Sheffield Park and Kingscote)
Can get some nice shots from the foot crossing at hoathley, would rather keep it that way than have a new platform and shelter :LOL:
 

bramling

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• Eardington (Severn Valley Railway) - This station already exists. The platform is in good condition and pretty much everything is there. I have no idea why they have kept a station in such good condition but no trains even stop there.

Lack of parking could be an issue at Eardington. Apart from the road there’s *nothing* else there in the immediate vicinity. I’m now sure what value it would add to the railway apart from historical completeness. It might make things easier on gala days when loads of people try to cross from one platform to another at Bridgnorth from an incoming train to a departing one I suppose!
 

Belperpete

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I seem to remember that they didnt reopen West Hoathley because of some NIMBY's in the village.
Seem to recall something similar with Nantmor on the Welsh Highland. Fortunately the NIMBYs moved away, and the planning condition was removed. The halt is quite popular with walkers.
The WH were considering a halt at Betws Garmon, where there is a large campsite and there was a station originally, but the campsite owner was extremely anti-railway and opposed it.
 

reddragon

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Lack of parking could be an issue at Eardington. Apart from the road there’s *nothing* else there in the immediate vicinity. I’m now sure what value it would add to the railway apart from historical completeness. It might make things easier on gala days when loads of people try to cross from one platform to another at Bridgnorth from an incoming train to a departing one I suppose!

I have used Eardington Station when the railway ran just from Bridgenorth to Hampton Loade and used the Eardington Station car park (which is still there).

It closed simply because: -
- the steep gradient made standing starts with longer trains challenging
- its nowhere
- its on the longest section of line without a loop so to use it reduces train frequencies
 

AnthonyRail

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What’s the one on the GWSR. I can’t remember go thru with the station house still there
 

duffield

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What’s the one on the GWSR. I can’t remember go thru with the station house still there

Bishop's Cleeve?
I think all things being equal the GWSR would want a station there but I seem to remember vandalism was mentioned as a reason not to (this is a vague memory, may be wrong).
 

davetheguard

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Seem to recall something similar with Nantmor on the Welsh Highland. Fortunately the NIMBYs moved away, and the planning condition was removed. The halt is quite popular with walkers.
The WH were considering a halt at Betws Garmon, where there is a large campsite and there was a station originally, but the campsite owner was extremely anti-railway and opposed it.

Interesting to hear about the campsite owner. So now he's got the railway anyway, but his business -and his customers- don't benefit from having a station on the line. Who says turkeys don't vote for Christmas?
 

bramling

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Interesting to hear about the campsite owner. So now he's got the railway anyway, but his business -and his customers- don't benefit from having a station on the line. Who says turkeys don't vote for Christmas?

The various books on the WHR’s resurrection go into quite a bit of detail about the trouble they had from this particular camp site, who was adamantly opposed to the railway returning.

Personally the mind boggles as to why anyone would object to a heritage railway running a couple of trips per day, but there we go!
 

nferguso

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What are the next new stations to open on our heritage railways? Are there any that are currently planned?

• Hazelwood (Ecclesbourne Valley Railway) - This is the only unopened station on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. I am pretty sure that they do actually have plans to reopen this station. Although i haven't heard much recently so i am not too sure how soon that this will happen.

It's a bit of a personal objective of mine. Probably only a little single-coach halt but then very convenient for the nearby Puss in Boots pub!
 

nferguso

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What are the next new stations to open on our heritage railways? Are there any that are currently planned?

• Hazelwood (Ecclesbourne Valley Railway) - This is the only unopened station on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. I am pretty sure that they do actually have plans to reopen this station. Although i haven't heard much recently so i am not too sure how soon that this will happen.

It's a bit of a personal objective of mine. Probably only a little single-coach halt but then very convenient for the nearby Puss in Boots pub!
 

JonathanP

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RE: Eardington, it's probably worth pointing out that the current good state of the station is the result of a great deal of hard work done by a dedicated team of volunteers over the past few years on restoring the platform edging and buildings, in the full knowledge that it will never be anything more that something to see out of the window, or a place to watch the trains go by on gala days.
 

Cowley

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RE: Eardington, it's probably worth pointing out that the current good state of the station is the result of a great deal of hard work done by a dedicated team of volunteers over the past few years on restoring the platform edging and buildings, in the full knowledge that it will never be anything more that something to see out of the window, or a place to watch the trains go by on gala days.
Definitely. Some trains have stopped there on special occasions (I believe there’s a Friends of Eardington group that have organised a few).
I actually really enjoy rattling through the station non stop. The same as I like passing through disused stations on other preserved railways as it gives them something a little bit different.
Offhand I can think of at least the Bluebell, East Lancs and the Great Central North that have closed stations on them.
 

Ianno87

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Definitely. Some trains have stopped there on special occasions (I believe there’s a Friends of Eardington group that have organised a few).
I actually really enjoy rattling through the station non stop. The same as I like passing through disused stations on other preserved railways as it gives them something a little bit different.
Offhand I can think of at least the Bluebell, East Lancs and the Great Central North that have closed stations on them.

Stubbins on the East Lancs. Problem being relatively close to Ramsbottom, and only residential streets and industrial premesis nearby to park.
 

satisnek

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The one which springs to mind for me is East Leake. It would have to be a replica but it's the only example of a GCR London Extension station with underline access remaining on a surviving section.

BUT the yard has been built on so it can't have a car park/level access like the other restored stations. So I don't know where it lies on the scale between 'faint chance' and 'not at all'.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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The one which springs to mind for me is East Leake. It would have to be a replica but it's the only example of a GCR London Extension station with underline access remaining on a surviving section.

BUT the yard has been built on so it can't have a car park/level access like the other restored stations. So I don't know where it lies on the scale between 'faint chance' and 'not at all'.


I thought there was a station there that trains stop at sometimes?
 

2392

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Back in the late seventies, early eighties the North Yorkshire Moors built Newtondale Halt. The platform from memory was one from a closed station round Redcar way on the Middlesbrough Saltburn line, that had been built in I think, the thirties as a wooden structure. It's a request stop used primarily by walkers, as there are many footpaths in the area. On occasion when I'm having a ride out, I'll end up chatting with visitors to the line and highlight/explain a thing or two. Like Newtondale being a request stop, but the train can be stopped to put naughty children offo_O.......and it's a long walk back to civilisation;). It was though closed again in 2001 or 2002 [is it really 18 years ago?] during the foot and mouth epidemic, don't worry it reopened once foot and mouth was brought back under control the following year.
 

Cowley

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The one which springs to mind for me is East Leake. It would have to be a replica but it's the only example of a GCR London Extension station with underline access remaining on a surviving section.

BUT the yard has been built on so it can't have a car park/level access like the other restored stations. So I don't know where it lies on the scale between 'faint chance' and 'not at all'.
Going on the fairly insurmountable problems you mentioned and without wishing to spend the GCRNs money... ;) I’d rather see the station tidied up in the future and made to look like it’s still open, but with trains passing straight through to give you that mainline non stop express feel that only the remaining parts of the Great Central can really do properly in preservation.
 

Up Main

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The platform is still there but nothing stops to the best of my knowledge. Rushcliffe Halt isn't far away.
It's rare, but this one did recently. Commemorating 50 years since the last train stopped at East Leake. A little bit of station returned from a weed-strewn and forgotten state.

A little marker put down..jpg A little life returns - 50 years after closure.jpg
 

steamybrian

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On a recent trip on Welsh Highland Railway I noticed that a platform has been built at Pen-y-mount Junction on the WHR but trains do not stop there.
As regards closed stations on Heritage Railways then I will mention Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch which has Prince of Wales Halt, Burmarsh Road (used occasionally.!), Golden Sands Halt, Greatstone, Lade Halt and Pilot Halt. Maybe Burmarsh Road or Greatstone could be reopened to serve housing developments.
Nene Valley Railway has Castor station (closed 1957).
 

Bevan Price

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Definitely. Some trains have stopped there on special occasions (I believe there’s a Friends of Eardington group that have organised a few).
I actually really enjoy rattling through the station non stop. The same as I like passing through disused stations on other preserved railways as it gives them something a little bit different.
Offhand I can think of at least the Bluebell, East Lancs and the Great Central North that have closed stations on them.

One feature of Eardington is that the only access to the platform involved crossing the running lines. There was no path from the platform direct to the nearby road or bridge.
 

bramling

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Definitely. Some trains have stopped there on special occasions (I believe there’s a Friends of Eardington group that have organised a few).
I actually really enjoy rattling through the station non stop. The same as I like passing through disused stations on other preserved railways as it gives them something a little bit different.
Offhand I can think of at least the Bluebell, East Lancs and the Great Central North that have closed stations on them.

Wensleydale Railway has numerous, there’s a few obscure ones on the Welsh Highland Railway too, some more obvious than others. The VofR used to have a halt between Glanrafon and Capel Bangor, but there’s virtually no trace now. The Chinnor railway has a couple of halts which are still there but not used.

And, of course, Epping Ongar Railway has Blake Hall.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Wensleydale Railway has numerous, there’s a few obscure ones on the Welsh Highland Railway too, some more obvious than others. The VofR used to have a halt between Glanrafon and Capel Bangor, but there’s virtually no trace now. The Chinnor railway has a couple of halts which are still there but not used.

And, of course, Epping Ongar Railway has Blake Hall.

I was on that line a few weeks ago, very good it was too. I heard that the owner of the line also owns Blake Hall Station?
 

Spike Bank

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Going back to East Leake on the GCR(N) - as has been stated earlier, the goods yard site was lost to housing development years ago and I would imagine difficulties with planning consent for rebuilding and re-opening due to the lack of car parking. East Leake station and Rushcliffe Halt are at opposite ends of the now much expanded village and I'm sure the Halt could easily handle what local traffic is available. The cost of rebuilding would mean re-opening would probably never be a commercial proposition, certainly with the three round trips per day operation as at present. I doubt it would be so post-reunification either...
 
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