Askern railway station

Askern
Location
Place Askern
Area Doncaster
Coordinates 53°36′59″N 1°08′56″W / 53.61649°N 1.14885°WCoordinates: 53°36′59″N 1°08′56″W / 53.61649°N 1.14885°W
Grid reference SE564136
Operations
Original company Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway
Pre-grouping Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Post-grouping London Midland and Scottish Railway
Platforms 2
History
6 June 1848 Station opens
10 March 1947 Partial closure
27 September 1948 Full closure
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain
A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z
UK Railways portal

Askern railway station was a station on the former Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway between Doncaster and Knottingley. It served the small mining village of Askern in South Yorkshire, England.

History

The branch line of the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway (WP&GR) between Knottingley (on the WP&GR) and Askern Junction (on the London and York Railway, a predecessor of the Great Northern Railway) was authorised on 16 July 1846.[1] It opened on 6 June 1848, and Askern, 8 miles (13 km) from Knottingley, was one of the original stations.[2][3] In the meantime, the WP&GR had amalgamated with the Manchester and Leeds Railway and others on 9 July 1847 to form the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR). The L&YR became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The station was closed to regular passenger traffic from 10 March 1947, and to all passenger traffic from 27 September 1948.[3] It remained open for goods traffic ever since. The station was passed over to the Eastern Region of British Railways on nationalisation. It had been reopened for limited service by 3 August 1980.[3]

The site today

Trains still pass the site as the line is still open for freight traffic, and since May 2010, regular passenger trains operated by Grand Central pass through to and from London Kings Cross. Although there is no station at Askern today, the two platforms still remain from 1948. In September 2008, as part of Doncaster Borough Councils report on rail corridors in the borough Askern, along with 7 other sites, was listed as one of the stations suitable for reopening in the future.

Potential reopening

In late 2014 the reopening of the station was considered by the residents of Askern with support from Cornell and Ogdens DMBC and Askern Town Council.

Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Arksey
Line open, station closed		   London Midland and Scottish Railway
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
   Norton
Line open, station closed

References

  1. ↑ Marshall, John (1969). The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, volume 1. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 204. ISBN 0-7153-4352-1.
  2. ↑ Marshall 1969, p. 205
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 20. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.