TRIVIA: Short-lived stations from 1948 onwards

[Merthyr Imp]

Platform is still there, isn't it?

But no longer with any track to it.

 

[topydre]

Welshpool West, Welshpool East (during works to divert the railway in order to build a bypass)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Welshpool West, Welshpool East (during works to divert the railway in order to build a bypass)

When was that? Early 1990s? And were 'Welshpool West' and 'Welshpool East' official designations?

 

[mike57]

Just misses the 1948 cut, and is longer lived than most here:

Filey Holiday Camp, opened 1947 closed 1977, It was a substantial 4 platform terminus station that could take 9/10 coach trains.The platforms survived until a couple of years ago but the current landowner appears to be reinstating the land, having cleared them.

 

[frankmoh]

Just misses the 1948 cut, and is longer lived than most here:

File Holiday Camp, opened 1947 closed 1977, It was a substantial 4 platform terminus station that could take 9/10 coach trains.The platforms survived until a couple of years ago but the current landowner appears to be reinstating the land, having cleared them.

This misses the point of this thread completely... but having such a big station for a Butlins is very interesting nonetheless.

 

[SargeNpton]

My memory may be playing tricks here. Wasn't there a temporary station at Ebbw Vale for the National Garden Festival in 1992?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Cottingley (opened 1992) will close at some point in the hopefully not-too-distant future, subject to the issues at White Rose being sorted out.
Not quite fully on-topic but not completely off-topic either is Deighton (opened 1982) which closed this weekend for rebuilding and won't reopen until 2027.

An "honourable mention" for Huddersfield (Hillhouse) which was planned for the current and subsequent TRU blockades, until it was decided that using Brighouse would be more cost-effective.

 

[frankmoh]

Not quite fully on-topic but not completely off-topic either is Deighton (opened 1982) which closed this weekend for rebuilding and won't reopen until 2027.

World's longest delay between trains?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

World's longest delay between trains?

There's probably a fair few reopenings with a much bigger gap, but might well be the longest gap without going through the official closure process (due to being "temporary"). Though Barlaston will beat it if it ever "reopens"! Barlaston along with Wedgwood are in a limbo-state as they haven't been served by trains for over 20 years but aren't officially "closed". A rail replacement bus serves them instead.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

My memory may be playing tricks here. Wasn't there a temporary station at Ebbw Vale for the National Garden Festival in 1992?

If so, was this temporary station located anywhere near to where the present-day Ebbw Vale Parkway station now is?

 

[D6130]

Wasn't there also a station for the Gateshead garden festival?....or did they use Dunston?

 

[pdeaves]

Indeed, but hadn't it (Maentwrog Road station) been previously open between 1882 and c. 1960/61 in its previous incarnation?

Slightly different site (7 chains apart). I leave it to others to debate what does and doesn't count!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Sep 2025 ==

Welshpool West, Welshpool East (during works to divert the railway in order to build a bypass)

Do you have further details there, please? There is no mention in contemporary issues of Branch Line News, nor in Michael Quick's 'Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain A Chronology'.

 

[BanburyBlue]

How long did Sinfin Central in Derby last?

 

[pdeaves]

How long did Sinfin Central in Derby last?

4 October 1976 to 17 May 1993 (with taxi service for some years after).

 

[Gloster]

Welshpool West, Welshpool East (during works to divert the railway in order to build a bypass)

No such stations are marked on Cooke’s Diagrams (Section 60). Could these have been temporary designations to differentiate the old platforms from the new ones when the station was moved in 1992?

 

[Trackman]

How about Debdale Park station in Manchester, lasted 17 days in 1987 then dismantled to build another railway station elsewhere.

 

[Dr Hoo]

How about Debdale Park station in Manchester, lasted 17 days then dismantled to build another railway station elsewhere.

I thought that that was just a platform for invited guests while a DLR train temporarily adapted to run off overhead wires as a light rail demonstration for the potential future Manchester Metrolink.

It wasn’t open to the public for journeys to anywhere else.

 

[LickeyIncliner]

Think that's definitely a valid contender. Normally only ever open on Watford FC match days. Opened December 1982 and was last rail-served thirteen-and-a-bit years later in March 1996, excluding it's being subsequently "served" by rail replacement buses.

Thinking of a rather similar station: does anyone know when Easter Road Park Halt was first and last used? It was an arrivals-only platform close to Hibs' Easter Road ground, purely for football excursions. The only mentions of it that Google finds are RailScot and Wikipedia, which disagree.

 

[Gloster]

Thinking of a rather similar station: does anyone know when Easter Road Park Halt was first and last used? It was an arrivals-only platform close to Hibs' Easter Road ground, purely for football excursions. The only mentions of it that Google finds are RailScot and Wikipedia, which disagree.

In Quick’s Chronology Easter Road Park Halt is shown as opening 8 April 1950 (alighting only), probably last used 4 January 1964, officially closed 24 July 1967.

 

[geoffk]

A temporary station was built at Over Bridge, west of Gloucester, owing to River Severn flood water damaging the bridge, and it was in use from 6th February until 21st February 1990, with local trains from South Wales terminating there and inter-city trains diverted via Bristol Parkway.

 

[LickeyIncliner]

In Quick’s Chronology Easter Road Park Halt is shown as opening 8 April 1950 (alighting only), probably last used 4 January 1964, officially closed 24 July 1967.

Thanks! And thanks for the mention of Quick's Chronology, which I didn't know about. For anyone wanting info on station openings and closures, it's available here:

https://rchs.org.uk/railway-passenger-stations-in-great-britain-a-chronology/

Already spent a distracted half an hour browsing it!

 

[AY1975]

I'm a bit surprised no-one has mentioned the previous Corby station (IIRC 29th September 1986-2nd June 1990). It's debatable whether that one counts as it has now permanently reopened, albeit on a slightly different site I think.

And what about Sampford Courtenay (2002 to 2019 IIRC)?

 

[frankmoh]

It's on me for not specifying how long is too long for "short-lived", but I can probably say with a little bit of certainty that the Addiscombe line was one of the first routes to be closed post-privatisation. It's very rare to remove an electric line, even back in the day.

 

[xotGD]

Wasn't there also a station for the Gateshead garden festival?....or did they use Dunston?

There wasn't a station built for the event. Access by bus.

However there was a temporary tram line installed with three vintage trams operating (with stops at each end) and a narrow gauge (toy) train going round in circles.

I did yellow pen the tram line. As a local resident, I got a complimentary ticket.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I'm a bit surprised no-one has mentioned the previous Corby station (IIRC 29th September 1986-2nd June 1990). It's debatable whether that one counts as it has now permanently reopened, albeit on a slightly different site I think.

And what about Sampford Courtenay (2002 to 2019 IIRC)?

Corby had originally opened long before 1948 although with a different name initially, I believe, so the 1986 revival wasn’t a ‘new’ station. It used one of the original platforms. The current permanent station is on the footprint of the other one (ignoring platform lengthening).

 

[SargeNpton]

I'm a bit surprised no-one has mentioned the previous Corby station (IIRC 29th September 1986-2nd June 1990). It's debatable whether that one counts as it has now permanently reopened, albeit on a slightly different site I think.

And what about Sampford Courtenay (2002 to 2019 IIRC)?

Sampford Courtenay was not a National Rail station, being located on what was a heritage line at the time.

 

[AY1975]

Sampford Courtenay was not a National Rail station, being located on what was a heritage line at the time.

I thought it was served by normal GWR service trains, though.

 

[pdeaves]

I thought it was served by normal GWR service trains, though.

Sort of. Seasonal service called 23 May 2004 to 8 September 2019. Summer Sundays only for the Dartmoor Rover (was that the name?) service. Whether it counts as a normal service or a charter (it was sponsored by Devon council) is a matter of debate.

 

[317362]

I seem to remember there was a temporary station at Chettisham between March and Ely for some weekend engineering possessions at Ely North Junction in 1991

See post #22

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Thanks! And thanks for the mention of Quick's Chronology, which I didn't know about. For anyone wanting info on station openings and closures, it's available here:

https://rchs.org.uk/railway-passenger-stations-in-great-britain-a-chronology/

Already spent a distracted half an hour browsing it!

Thanks so much for posting then link