Bolton Abbey railway station

Bolton Abbey railway station is on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. It serves Bolton Abbey, although it is closer to Bolton Bridge, in North Yorkshire, England and several countryside walking routes. The station is the current terminus of the steam railway.

Bolton Abbey
Station on heritage railway
Bolton Abbey station
LocationBolton Abbey, North Yorkshire, Craven
England
Coordinates53.976200°N 1.908643°W / 53.976200; -1.908643
Grid referenceSE060533
Operated byEmbsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Platforms1 (originally 2)
History
Original companyMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
16 May 1888Opened[1]
17 June 1940Closed[1]
17 March 1941Reopened[1]
22 March 1965Closed[1]
1 May 1998Reopened
Bolton Abbey Station with a Down train of tank wagons in 1961
View NW, towards Skipton; ex-Midland Leeds - Ilkley - Skipton line in 1961
Mince Pie Special No.140 arriving at Bolton Abbey Station with a 'Mince Pie Special' on Boxing Day 2006.

History

The station was opened in 1888 by the Midland Railway and was taken over by the London, Midland and Scottish railway. Bolton Abbey station has had a long Royal connection. It was the nearest station to the Duke of Devonshire's Bolton Hall. The hall was very popular with British monarchs such as:

During the Second World War, an Air-raid shelter was constructed for the Royal family in an air-raid. The last time the royal train came to Bolton Abbey was in 1947. It closed along with the line in March 1965 and the buildings soon became derelict. Following the purchase of the site and associated trackbed by the railway trust in 1995, the station was lovingly restored to its 1888 condition. It was officially re-opened on 1 May 1998 by Sir William McAlpine.

Project plans

The station originally had two platforms and a footbridge throughout its heyday, but one of the platforms became disused and the footbridge has been dismantled since closure.

However the E&BASR plans to reconstruct and restore the disused platform, possibly as an island platform which would include a platform 3, and also to rebuild the old station footbridge in order to link both platforms together again. This would return Bolton Abbey station to its former state in the days of the LMS (and BR London Midland Region), especially to what it was right up until the line's closure many years before.

This is all part of the E&BASR's expansion plan(s) to extend the line back down to as far as Addingham, (where a replica LMS style, temporary replacement station, will be built, as part of the proposed project).

Information

The Holywell Halt site is 1.5 miles away from the Bolton Abbey. The station includes:

  • The ticket office
  • The gift shop
  • The coffee shop
  • The car park
  • The walking routes

See also

References
  1. Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199., p.38
Preceding station   Heritage railways Following station
Holywell Halt   Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway   Terminus
Disused railways
Embsay   Midland Railway
Skipton to Ilkley Line		   Addingham
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