Saltaire railway station

Railway station in West Yorkshire, England

53°50′19″N 1°47′25″W / 53.8385°N 1.7904°W / 53.8385; -1.7904Grid referenceSE138380Managed byNorthern TrainsTransit authorityWest Yorkshire (Metro)Platforms2Other informationStation codeSAEFare zone3ClassificationDfT category F1HistoryOriginal companyMidland RailwayPost-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish RailwayKey datesMay 1856opened20 March 1965closed9 April 1984reopenedPassengers2018/19Decrease 0.900 million2019/20Decrease 0.887 million2020/21Decrease 0.218 million2021/22Increase 0.547 million2022/23Increase 0.636 million
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Saltaire railway station serves the Victorian model village of Saltaire near Shipley in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated 3+1⁄2 miles (6 km) north of Bradford Forster Square.

History

The original station was opened in May 1856 by the Midland Railway, which had absorbed the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway between Shipley and Colne in 1851. It closed on 20 March 1965 following the Beeching Axe, but West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and British Rail reopened it on 9 April 1984, at a cost of £139,000 (equivalent to £564,300 in 2023).[1][2] The current station has wooden platforms and waiting shelters (though these are stone-built rather than the metal and plexiglass designs used elsewhere). Its predecessor was of more substantial stone construction, with buildings on each platform; these were demolished in 1970, five years after the station closed.[3]

The station is on the Airedale line, between Bradford and Leeds, and Skipton. It is a busy commuter station both for passengers travelling to Leeds and Bradford and for staff in companies based in Salt's Mill, as well as serving tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Saltaire.

The lower station of the Shipley Glen Tramway is about half a mile from Saltaire Station. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal, River Aire and Roberts Park, Saltaire are also close by.

Stationmasters

Sometime after 1927 the position of station master was merged with that of Shipley.

  • J. Mitchell until 1861[4]
  • William Secker 1861 - 1907[5]
  • Thomas Ripley 1907[5] - 1920[6]
  • Albert John Bell 1921 - 1927[7]
  • F.J. Dando from 1927 (formerly station master at Embsay, afterwards station master at Cherry Tree)

Facilities

Though unstaffed, the station has ticket machines available. There is step-free access to both platforms via ramps from the street above.[8] Train running information can be obtained via digital information screens, timetable posters and an automated public address system.

Services

Since the May 2023 timetable update, there is a half-hourly service to Leeds, an hourly service to Bradford Forster Square and three trains per hour to Skipton throughout the day Mondays to Saturdays.[9] The Bradford service increases to half-hourly at peak times, with some additional services also to Leeds and Skipton. One early morning train to both Carlisle and Carnforth also call here (the former on weekdays only).

On Sundays, there is an hourly service to Leeds and to Bradford Forster Square, with two trains per hour to Skipton. The first departures from Leeds to both Lancaster and Carlisle also stop.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Shipley   Northern Trains
Airedale Line 		  Bingley
  Historical railways  
Shipley   Midland Railway
Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway 		  Bingley
  • The view from platform 2.
    The view from platform 2.
  • Platform 2.
    Platform 2.
  • Two Class 333 trains cross at the station.
    Two Class 333 trains cross at the station.
  • Both platforms viewed from Victoria Road. Platform 2 is on the left, and platform 1 on the right.
    Both platforms viewed from Victoria Road. Platform 2 is on the left, and platform 1 on the right.

References

  1. ^ Whitaker, Alan (1986). Bradford Railways Remembered. Clapham: Dalesman Books. p. 12. ISBN 0852068700.
  2. ^ Brown, Murray (1985). Jane's railway year (4 ed.). London: Jane's Publishing. p. 83. ISBN 0-7106-0338-X.
  3. ^ Saltaire Railway Station Saltaire Stories; Retrieved 29 November 2016
  4. ^ "1859-1866". Midland Railway Miscellaneous Depts: 15. 1914. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  5. ^ a b "1899-1908 Coaching; Piece 1026". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 208. 1899. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Stationmaster's Death". Shipley Times and Express. England. 10 December 1920. Retrieved 3 May 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Death of Mr. A.J. Bell". Shipley Times and Express. England. 25 March 1927. Retrieved 3 May 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ Saltaire station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 29 November 2016
  9. ^ GB National Rail Timetable May 2023 Edition, Table 35

Bibliography

  • Bairstow, Martin. Railways Through Airedale & Wharfedale. ISBN 1-871944-28-7.
  • Chapman, Stephen. Railway Memories No. 7: Airedale & Wharfedale. Bellcode books. ISBN 1-871233-05-4.

Further reading

  • "Saltaire's new station opens". Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. June 1984. p. 22. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saltaire railway station.
  • Train times and station information for Saltaire railway station from National Rail
  • Proposals to improve the station
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See also