What is the least used station on our Heritage Railways?

[swt class 450]

What do you think is the least used station out of all of the stations on our Heritage Railways? I know that Heritage Railways don't seem to publish any usage statistics but i am wondering if anyone knows of any Heritage Railway stations which get very little usage? Are there any stations you can think of where you hardly ever see any passengers boarding and alighting?

 

[Shimbleshanks]

The guard on the Welshpool & Llanfair seemed quite upset when I stuck my hand out at one of the request stops, many years ago.

 

[Ben.A.98]

Towiemore on the Keith & Dufftown, I don't think had more than 25 last year. It is a request stop though.

 

[vlad]

I can't see Towiemore getting many passengers.

EDIT: Bah - just pipped to the post!

 

[Iskra]

Damems must be in with a shout- also a request stop.

 

[pdeaves]

What about all the ones at the end of a line that are simply reversing points without any other access?

Most miniature railways seem to be littered with 'stations' at which there is never any intention to stop.

 

[ian1944]

Kinneil, as in Bo'ness and ?

 

[Bedpan]

I would think that Eardington on the Severn valley Railway must be, it's there and is a proper station n so far as it's not fenced off or anything like that, but no trains stop there.

 

[E100]

Deeside Halt on the Llangollen railway.

 

[Journeyman]

Kinneil, as in Bo'ness and ?

That has to be a contender. I've used it once or twice, but I've never seen anyone else do so!

 

[broadgage]

I doubt that any definite answer can be found as most heritage lines don't collect data on station use.
There is also the potential for arguments as to what exactly constitutes a "station"

Two contenders occur to me, Doniford halt on the West Somerset, Which is a request stop, but it could be argued that it is a halt and not a station.
Also Norton platform on the West Somerset, very few trains go to Norton and those only stop and reverse. There is not normally any public access to/from Norton platform, though some people alight very briefly for photography. Could be argued though that this is not a station.

 

[Llanigraham]

I suppose technically you could say Maespoeth Junction on the Corris RLWY, since no passengers are allowed to start or finish their journeys there under our Planning Consent.
However they do alight to have a short talk about the railway, view the Engine Shed and walk through the Carriage Shed to see the work we volunteers are undertaking.

 

[341o2]

I was going to suggest Ashey (IOW) which is normally request, but all trains do stop for the IOW Grand National and Scurry race day, this year March 24

If halts not admissible, perhaps some intermediate stations on the Tallyllyn. Pendre or Brynglas?

 

[trainmania100]

I'd say sampford Courtenay on the Dartmoor railway must be very rarely used other than a quick leg stretch. It's a terminus for the summer services but nothing there whatsoever, just a platform (or so that's how I remember it).

 

[Peter C]

I'd say that Gotherington on the GWSR may be a contender, but I think that it is actually used by quite a few people every year as it is apparently good for walkers. Wainhill Halt on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway may also be in the top ten, but I'm not sure if it's really a passenger station.

 

[James H]

Wittersham Road on the K&ESR?

 

[swt class 450]

Many thanks for all the replies so far. Yes i am including halts as well. Anything that has a platform and where trains will stop at and passengers can board and alight (whether it is a request stop or a compulsory stop) can be included. So if you can think of any little used tiny basic halts then i would definitely be interested to hear about them as well.

 

[Peter C]

I think that Broadway on the GWSR probably has very low passengers numbers as I'm not sure if the car park and ticket office have opened yet. However, I'm not sure if you can buy a ticket online or something.

 

[xotGD]

Holywell Halt on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey

I've seen track gangs using it but not passengers.

 

[jopsuk]

Kinneil, as in Bo'ness and ?

isn't that basically disused these days, with services not timetabled to stop?

 

[Ianigsy]

Damems must be in with a shout- also a request stop.

Far from it, I'd say- some galas will have service trains terminating there and it becomes a badge of honour for some to make the largest possible loco stop!

 

[GCRS]

I can't imagine that Llanbadan, the first stop out of Aberystwyth on the Vale of Rheidol gets many passengers as it's little more than a nameboard.

 

[Dryce]

isn't that basically disused these days, with services not timetabled to stop?

The normal service days trains are still timetabled to stop.

On event days such as the diesel gala it seems to be increasingly omitted with many or most services not stopping..

 

[reddragon]

I'd say that Gotherington on the GWSR may be a contender, but I think that it is actually used by quite a few people every year as it is apparently good for walkers. Wainhill Halt on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway may also be in the top ten, but I'm not sure if it's really a passenger station.

On Steam Gala days you can get 100 passengers boarding / alighting at Gotherington on a single train because the old station is open!

 

[reddragon]

I think that Broadway on the GWSR probably has very low passengers numbers as I'm not sure if the car park and ticket office have opened yet. However, I'm not sure if you can buy a ticket online or something.

16% of 144,000 tickets sold at Broadway so 23,000 tickets sold there and nearly all 144,000 visitors go to Broadway. The ticket office opened March 2018 and the car park will open soon.

https://www.gwsr.com/news/Press_Office/GWSR_passenger_numbers_up_42.html

 

[Peter C]

On Steam Gala days you can get 100 passengers boarding / alighting at Gotherington on a single train because the old station is open!

Oh cool! I thought that the old station building was now someone's house, and personally, I wouldn't let 100s of strangers into my house, even if it was only for a few days a year!

 

[Peter C]

16% of 144,000 tickets sold at Broadway so 23,000 tickets sold there and nearly all 144,000 visitors go to Broadway. The ticket office opened March 2018 and the car park will open soon.

https://www.gwsr.com/news/Press_Office/GWSR_passenger_numbers_up_42.html

Oh ok. I think that when they open the car park the numbers will increase at Broadway dramatically. However, that could take away the numbers from other stations; I wonder how many people have to drive past Broadway station to get to Toddington?

 

[reddragon]

Broadway village has 750,000 visitors a year, many who do not use the train but could once the station car park opens. At 100 spaces, I am sure it will fill early in the summer peaks.

The main issue with Broadway is the the village parking fills very early, which is why so many now travel by train to Broadway.

 

[Peter C]

Broadway village has 750,000 visitors a year, many who do not use the train but could once the station car park opens. At 100 spaces, I am sure it will fill early in the summer peaks.

The main issue with Broadway is the the village parking fills very early, which is why so many now travel by train to Broadway.

I like the way that people are now using the railway for two reasons; the fact that it's a heritage line and the fact that you can get around by using it. It's a shame that it doesn't connect with the mainline - yet!*

*I think I read about a plan to extend the line all the way back to Honeybourne in the future after Broadway's completely finished... I'll do a Google!..

 

[Peter C]

Here we go: http://everythinggwr.com/2015/03/and-after-broadway-where-next/
Basically, they can't rebuild the line to Cheltenham National Rail as it used to be, but they could build a new piece of track by selling some of their land for housing.
Honeybourne may not generate enough money for them, so there's very little chance of the railway changing in the (near) future.