| Ribblehead | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Place | Ribblehead |
| Local authority | Craven |
| Grid reference | SD765789 |
| Operations | |
| Station code | RHD |
| Managed by | Northern Rail |
| Number of platforms | 2 |
| Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail Enquiries |
|
| Annual rail passenger usage | |
| 2004/05 * | 15,371 |
| 2005/06 * | 14,870 |
| 2006/07 * | 15,265 |
| 2007/08 * | 14,046 |
| 2008/09 * | 17,994 |
| 2009/10 * | 18,606 |
| History | |
| Opened July 1986 | |
| National Rail - UK railway stations | |
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| * Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Ribblehead from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year. | |
Ribblehead railway station is located at the southern end of the famous Ribblehead Viaduct in North Yorkshire, England. It is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services. It was re-opened in 1986 with only one platform (the southbound one) in place - the northbound one having been demolished after the station's original closure in May 1970 to allow for the construction of transfer sidings for a nearby quarry (these still exist and have recently been restored to use for timber trains - see below). A replacement second platform was opened in 1993 a short distance south of the original site.
In previous years, Ribblehead served as a meteorological station, with the stationmaster transmitting coded reports to the Air Ministry.[1] In 1957, the task was carried out by a former Royal Air Force navigator.[1] Monthly services were held in the station's waiting room by the Vicar of Ingleton.[1] These were accompanied by a harmonium concealed behind a billboard in the waiting room, which was brought to the station by a missionary who came as a minister to the construction gangs when the railway was being constructed through the moors in the early 1870s.[1] British Rail charged 2 shillings for the use of the waiting room, which saw as many as 50 worshippers at harvest festivals.[1]
This station is now leased by the Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust who have completely restored and refurbished it. There are resident caretakers, a small shop selling memorabilia, and its Visitor Centre includes exhibits about the history of the line and the fight to keep it open. One exhibit in the Visitor Centre is the original station sign and a small exhibition about the Midland Railway company, builders of the line and originally the train operators.
Contents |
Generally there is a train every two hours northbound to Carlisle (six departures on Mondays to Saturdays - one service runs through non-stop) and southbound to Leeds (seven Mon-Fri, plus one extra on Saturdays). One service each day also terminates and starts back from here (the last train of the day from Leeds) - this runs empty across the viaduct to reverse at Blea Moor signal box, where the driver changes ends before returning south.
Three trains each way call on Sundays all year round, with two additional Dalesrail services each way also serving the station in the summer.
| Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horton-in-Ribblesdale | Northern Rail Settle-Carlisle Line |
Dent | ||