[Request] How do I go about visiting British Steel Redcar (Station)?

[ParleLover]

Considering visiting in the next few years (if it manages to stay open - hah).

I've heard that it is not publically accessible so I am just wondering how exactly would I go about exiting the station?

I intend to take lots of pictures and video and walk back to Redcar Central (Who doesn't like a good 2 mile walk eh?)

If anyone can help me out that'd be great - thanks!

 

[trainmania100]

Get the train, there's one in each direction each day

 

[Intermodal]

There's a peak time service in each direction each day - one up service and one down AM, and one up one down PM. Good luck getting off. It's not really the best idea - the area surrounding the station is private land and a security company van turns up for each train (no, really, they do) and if anyone gets off they will be escorted to the exit.

Other than that, if you plead with the people in the van, you can just walk to the Trunk Road roundabout and carry on from there.

If you are getting off at British Steel I'd advise you tell the guard beforehand as they won't be expecting it.

 

[Esker-pades]

There are 4 trains per day, very well spaced for a visit.

• A train from Saltburn to Bishop Auckland at 07:57
• A train from Hexham to Saltburn at 08:24
• A train from Saltburn to Bishop Auckland at 16:58
• A train from Bishop Auckland to Saltburn at 18:17

Therefore, it is possible to arrive and depart by train. Given that it is surrounded by private property, I wouldn't want to try walking to Redcar Central.

 

[ainsworth74]

the area surrounding the station is private land and a security company van turns up for each train (no, really, they do) and if anyone gets off they will be escorted to the exit.

Really? They didn't when I visited the station. Admittedly this was a few months ago but there was zero sign of anyone waiting for either train (in the morning it's possible to arrive and depart by train).

If you are getting off at British Steel I'd advise you tell the guard beforehand as they won't be expecting it

I'm not sure that's necessary. It isn't a request stop.

That being said I ensured I was very visible to the driver of the train that was taking me home just in case

 

[ainsworth74]

Therefore, it is possible to arrive and depart by train. Given that it is surrounded by private property, I wouldn't want to try walking to Redcar Central.

Received wisdom is that as long as you walk with purpose and directly to the exit on the Trunk Road you are unlikely to be hassled.

 

[Intermodal]

Really? They didn't when I visited the station.

It is a real thing that I've seen on numerous occasions travelling up and down the line! They drive off as soon as the train starts to move.

As for informing the guard, you are correct it is not technically necessary but I have heard of someone being overcarried their because the guard did they doors VERY quickly.

 

[VT 390]

There's a peak time service in each direction each day - one up service and one down AM, and one up one down PM. Good luck getting off. It's not really the best idea - the area surrounding the station is private land and a security company van turns up for each train (no, really, they do) and if anyone gets off they will be escorted to the exit.

Surely as long as you don't leave the station then they can't really stop you as the station is owned by Network Rail (at least I think it is). So as long as you got off one train stayed on the station and got the next train there shouldn't be a problem?

 

[Intermodal]

Surely as long as you don't leave the station then they can't really stop you as the station is owned by Network Rail (at least I think it is). So as long as you got off one train stayed on the station and got the next train there shouldn't be a problem?

Correct, hence why I said you can just go anyway and talk to them, but you can expect a small amount of hassle.

 

[Adlington]

Neither http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/RBS/details.html nor https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/stations/RBS mention any access restrictions.

 

[Intermodal]

Neither http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/RBS/details.html nor https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/stations/RBS mention any access restrictions.

Yep, it is a public use station, and you can get to the main road from the entrance. I am just telling you what happens in reality.

 

[Kite159]

I was under the impression (from something which was mentioned in a copy of the Branch Line News) these days the path from the station towards the exit was blocked off with a large fence and hence you can't actually leave the station site without going climbing

 

[Kite159]

The subway footpath towards the old Steel House building has been walled up

Spoiler: Picture

However it was too foggy to confirm that you could still exit via an old footpath which goes up alongside the fence on the below picture. I couldn't see anything at the top of the footpath where it joins with the road when passing on the train later in the day. The site was moderately busy with vehicle traffic so I didn't want to go exploring and kept to the station footprint.

Spoiler: Picture 2

The area on the other exit to the station appears to be wasteland, no doubt you could probably get to a road going out in that direction.

Spoiler: Picture 3

If leaving the train it is best to be at the rear as it gets busy (and I would imagine most of the time the guard will just do the local door)

 

[sftfan1909]

I've just attempted this - the guard let us off even though she warned us she didn't know how to exit. We took the south entrance going right up the old footpath and we came out onto the road, only getting stopped when we were asked if we were lost but he went ahead to get us permission to leave. So the exit is intact, although I think a daylight visit is preferable!

 

[Adlington]

we were asked if we were lost but he went ahead to get us permission to leave.

Who was "he"? Railway employee? British Steel security chap?

 

[sftfan1909]

Who was "he"? Railway employee? British Steel security chap?

One of the guys driving a patrol van - we saw three or four cars/bikes go past and not one paid attention to us

 

[Kite159]

I've just attempted this - the guard let us off even though she warned us she didn't know how to exit. We took the south entrance going right up the old footpath and we came out onto the road, only getting stopped when we were asked if we were lost but he went ahead to get us permission to leave. So the exit is intact, although I think a daylight visit is preferable!

Ah good, the rumours of that footpath getting fenced off were incorrect.

I wonder what the guards are thinking, having two visitors to Redcar British Steel in two days

 

[sftfan1909]

I suspect there'll be more to come, I'm just interested in how the landowner will react to the increased number of visitors since it's now the least used in the country

 

[Esker-pades]

I suspect there'll be more to come, I'm just interested in how the landowner will react to the increased number of visitors since it's now the least used in the country

There isn't anything they can do as long as the visitors stay inside the station.

 

[ainsworth74]

There isn't anything they can do as long as the visitors stay inside the station.

Only things that spring to mind are to ask Northern to make it more difficult again to visit (i.e. cutting the service back to two trains per day rather than the four it's been since May 18!) or fencing off the exits from the platforms. The former seems reasonably easy to achieve the latter might be harder to achieve.

 

[Esker-pades]

Only things that spring to mind are to ask Northern to make it more difficult again to visit (i.e. cutting the service back to two trains per day rather than the four it's been since May 18!) or fencing off the exits from the platforms. The former seems reasonably easy to achieve the latter might be harder to achieve.

If they do that, it had better be after I visit.

 

[Kite159]

Only things that spring to mind are to ask Northern to make it more difficult again to visit (i.e. cutting the service back to two trains per day rather than the four it's been since May 18!) or fencing off the exits from the platforms. The former seems reasonably easy to achieve the latter might be harder to achieve.

Agreed, I would put 10p on the station at some point either getting mothballed IBM style or getting reduced to a token weekly service.

Putting a fence across the overgrown footpath probably wouldn't be the hardest thing to do for the owners.

 

[ainsworth74]

Agreed, I would put 10p on the station at some point either getting mothballed IBM style or getting reduced to a token weekly service.

I'm still recovering from finding out about the doubling of the service in May 2018! I can only assume it was a cock up that no one's got around to correcting!!

 

[Kite159]

I'm still recovering from finding out about the doubling of the service in May 2018! I can only assume it was a cock up that no one's got around to correcting!!

Agreed, one of the seemingly mad things to come out of the may timetable.

 

[noddy1878]

When I did the station a couple of years ago I saw no one. I left the station and walked up to the road where there was a big gate across the road (under the bridge). I had to climb up the underside of the bridge and round the fence (where it wasn't fenced to the top of the underside of the bridge). I then just walked out and onto Redcar central, about 30 mins walk.

I wasn't aware the timetable changed and had an additional two services. That makes it hell of a lot easier to visit the station.

 

[Cletus]

Geoff (but not Vicki) has just been there.

 

[VT 390]

How would you be able to leave the station it you travel to British Steel Redcar on one service and the rest of the services that call there are cancelled? As if you have a vaild ticket the TOC is required to get you to your destination but you can not exit the station to get to any alternative transport or even walk to Redcar Central.

 

[Esker-pades]

How would you be able to leave the station it you travel to British Steel Redcar on one service and the rest of the services that call there are cancelled? As if you have a vaild ticket the TOC is required to get you to your destination but you can not exit the station to get to any alternative transport or even walk to Redcar Central.

Others have suggested that it is very possible to leave the site. Of course, Northern would be under some form of obligation to get you to your destination. They may decide that the easiest method is to put in an additional stop order on a subsequent service.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Others have suggested that it is very possible to leave the site. Of course, Northern would be under some form of obligation to get you to your destination. They may decide that the easiest method is to put in an additional stop order on a subsequent service.

Indeed, that was exactly what they did when Geoff Marshall recently visited British Steel Redcar and the train was cancelled.

 

[Brighton Belle]

Agreed, I would put 10p on the station at some point either getting mothballed IBM style or getting reduced to a token weekly service.

Putting a fence across the overgrown footpath probably wouldn't be the hardest thing to do for the owners.

Spot On. All access around the station has now been closed plus services will cease to call at British Steel Redcar after Saturday 14th December 2019 - the stops have been deleted from the winter timetable data. The station is indeed being mothballed (i.e. not officially closed) indefinitely, exactly like IBM Halt.