Racecourses & Railways

[transmanche]

Gosforth Park (Newcastle)

Historically there were 'race course platforms' on the down side just before Killingworth station (closed)...

Ooh and a tram service right into and through the park, stopping at the racecourse. (Gosforth Park Light Railway, from early 1900s to about 1930. The trolleybuses which replaced the trams stopped at the gates to Gosforth Park - and never went to the racecourse.)

 

[yorksrob]

Westenhanger - The two island platforms for race days were pretty much intact up until the chunnel rail link works a few years ago. The main station is also quite close should they ever decide to run races again.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Wye and Westenhanger (Folkestone) both had racecourses next to them but both racecourses are now closed.
Gatwick Racecourse closed in 1956 and the site and station became Gatwick Airport.
Woodside was adjacent to Croydon Racecourse the latter closed around 1890.
Tattenham Corner is close to Epsom Racecourse.
Wetherby had its own racecourse station closed around 1960

oops - missed this post.

Don't forget that Epsom also had the Epsom Downs branch !

 

[theageofthetra]

In Germany, Berlin's Hoppegarten race course has its own station on the S3 line . A trip to this wonderful historic course is highly recommended!

 

[tsr]

Don't forget that Epsom also had the Epsom Downs branch !

Indeed. But of course racecourse traffic (including the Royal Train, as required) has used Tattenham Corner for some considerable time now, and this switchover is linked to the decline of the Epsom Downs branch to its current sorry state.

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed. But of course racecourse traffic (including the Royal Train, as required) has used Tattenham Corner for some considerable time now, and this switchover is linked to the decline of the Epsom Downs branch to its current sorry state.

Yes, the decline is quite sad to see.

 

[Cyberbeagle]

A big thank you to everyone who has replied, it is a fascinating area.

As a thanks, here's a great pic of a tamper "stabled" (pardon the pun) at Limerick Junction and races taking place at Tipperary Racecourse

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/936396_466434790098167_208341908_n.jpg

 

[Hellfire]

I believe that Bogside racecourse (near Irvine, Scotland, closed 1963) had it's own station, but I'll have to check my old maps.

Bogside did indeed have it's own railway station. Opened in 1840 it was renamed Bogside Race Course in 1952. The race track closed in 1965 and the station was renamed Bogside, finally closing to passengers in 1967

 

[Eire Sprinter]

Three pieces of info about the subject in Ireland:

1. Proudstown Park, just north of Navan, County Meath on the now disconnected line to Kingscourt (disconnected from operational network at Tara Mines Junction, Navan) served the nearby racecourse (racecourse still open: http://www.navanracecourse.ie/Navan/Home/ ). Incidentally if the line from M3 Parkway to Navan North ever materialises (a big if) the Navan North terminus station will be just a short distance south of the former racecourse halt. Any “run off track” (don’t know if this term is technically accurate) from Navan North would probably come within metres of the former Proudstown Park.
http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Railway%20Stations%20P/Proudstown/IrishRailwayStations.html

2. Powerstown, Clonmel, South County Tipperary on the dismantled Clonmel – Fethard – Thurles line (racecourse still open: http://www.clonmelraces.ie/ ). Platform still there but largely overgrown. There is an informal grass walking “path “ past the platform. The platform is located just beyond a car park on the right of the main internal road just a little way into the Industrial Estate (entrance to Ind Est at Carrigeen roundabout). About a fifteen minute walk or so from Clonmel rail station (Waterford-Limerick Jct line).
http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Railway%20Stations%20C/Clonmel/IrishRailwayStations.html

3. Sometimes shuttle buses are operated to Fairyhouse Racecourse from M3 Parkway Station.

 

[43167]

Station and racecourse at Thirsk are very close to each other, one of the starting points is right by the station, main entrance about 10-15mins walk.

 

[Old Shire]

http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/paulsgrove/racecourse/racecourse_p1.html

 

[Waldgrun]

Further to Old Shires reply, details of Paulsgrove halt can be found here;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulsgrove_Halt_railway_station
I was told that its wooden platforms survived the war, but where hastily removed on night in 1949. The store I was told by an old driver, who as a young fireman, was working a special out of gauge train, one night between Eastleigh and Lancing, after passing Fareham the crew realized that all Station Platforms en-route had been gauged;apart from one. Pauldgrove Racecourse Halt. The train was halted before the Halts platforms, which it was found would have fouled the stock being hauled. So that platform was very quickly removed!
To allow the special working on its way, the stock was the 4 DD units.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR_Class_4DD

 

[Llanigraham]

Ludlow Racecourse used to have a station on it's doorstep, called Bromfield.

Cheltenham Racecourse station on the G/WR.

Pershore Station had a racecourse where the trading estate now is.

 

[jopsuk]

Newmarket used to have four stations, mainly to cope with racegoers.

 

[ynmr]

Hedon Racecourse situated to the east of Hull had its own station.

 

[Bevan Price]

Newton Le Willows. Station was on a short branch off the colliery line that connected to LNWR at Earlestown station. Closed circa 1896 when the Newton racecourse was closed & replaced by Haydock Park.

 

[island]

I'm going to add Laytown in Ireland, although the "racecourse" only operates one day a year and is a mile or so from a commuter halt.

 

[johnnyp_360]

Newmarket isn't that far away although the station itself is in a bad state, well two thirds of it is anyway

Odd really as GA have to keep the last carriage of a three car 170 locked as it doesn't make the platform that used to hold 12 carriages lol

Newmarket station building is in a terrible state. I remember Michael Portillo commenting on it in Great British Railway Journeys.
You have to walk around the side of the entire building and disused car park and then round a corner to reach the (short) platform. I personally think with all the horse racing money in the town, it could be a lot better.

 

[yorksrob]

To be fair, the building does at least seem well maintained from the photo.

 

[johnnyp_360]

The other side is pretty bleak. But it's hard to get a photo of it unless on the train itself.

 

[Andyjs247]

I believe Four Oaks station was built with an extra platform to serve the nearby race course at Four Oaks Park. The race course has long gone (1890s?) since re-developed for rather exclusive housing.

 

[TBY-Paul]

Redcar Central is near the racecourse, but something I didn't know till I was looking through old photo's it had a siding for unloading horse boxes :-
http://www.saltburnlineusergroup.co.uk/
(The Pictorial line History section)

 

[mb]

I vote for Norbury, where there are no steps down to the platforms - only slopes, which were for the transportation of the horses:

A Victorian racetrack, dating from 1868, held the ‘Streatham Races’ in the fields (which were the sports ground of the National Westminster/NatWest Bank) that formed part of the old Lonesome Farm. The race meetings attracted huge crowds of racegoers, bookies and other notorious characters. The course also included a water jump across the River Graveney. Sadly, this exciting but disreputable period of history came to an end in 1878 when the Racecourse Licensing Act banned racecourses within a radius of 10 miles of London.

 

[oddiesjack]

Hurdlow station, on the LNWR Buxton to Ashbourne line / Cromford & High Peak was used as the station for Flagg Races which are traditionally held on the Tuesday after Easter Monday. At one time, special trains were run from Buxton to Hurdlow for this event, and little Hurdlow probably saw more passengers on that day than on all the other days of the year combined!

 

[Carlisle]

I'm going to add Laytown in Ireland, although the "racecourse" only operates one day a year and is a mile or so from a commuter halt.

I saw a race on tv there a few years ago, it looked like just a few cones set up on the beach .shame we have nothing like that here

 

[Quakers Yard]

Ludlow Racecourse used to have a station on it's doorstep, called Bromfield.

Cheltenham Racecourse station on the G/WR.

Pershore Station had a racecourse where the trading estate now is.

Was going to say Pershore - got relatives there - though there seems to be remains of a line that runs behind the stand at Worcester racecourse also.

Newton Abbot is very near its course but Cark which says for Cartmel seems a bit of a distance from the station.

Only one I can think of in the valleys is Llanbradach dogs / trotting stadium that is between there and Ystrad Mynach. S4C show a lot of trotting races from Tregaron - wonder if rural courses like that and point to point courses ad a rail link in its day?

 

[Gwenllian2001]

Only one I can think of in the valleys is Llanbradach dogs / trotting stadium that is between there and Ystrad Mynach. S4C show a lot of trotting races from Tregaron - wonder if rural courses like that and point to point courses ad a rail link in its day?

Not exactly in the valleys but there was Ely Racecourse in Cardiff which was served by Ely (Main Line) station. The racecourse closed in 1939 but the station lasted until 1962.