Monsal Dale railway station
| Monsal Dale | |
|---|---|
|
The station remains in 2006 | |
| Location | |
| Area | Derbyshire Dales |
| Coordinates | 53°14′40″N 1°44′09″W / 53.2445°N 1.7357°WCoordinates: 53°14′40″N 1°44′09″W / 53.2445°N 1.7357°W |
| Operations | |
| Pre-grouping | Midland Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| History | |
| 1 September 1866 | Station opened |
| 10 August 1959 | station closed |
| 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 | |
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Monsal Dale railway station was opened in 1866 by the Midland Railway on its line from Rowsley, extending the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway.
The original intention was merely to have a goods depot to serve the nearby Cressbrook Mill, to be called Cressbrook or Cressbrook Sidings. However a passenger station would also serve the villages of Upperdale and Cressbrook.
The down line and platform was built on a shelf carved in the rock face, while the up was built on wooden trestles over the hillside. The wooden buildings for the latter were obtained from Evesham railway station.
It was written :
| “ | "There is not in the whole range of Peak scenery such a lovely landscape in so small a space as can be viewed from the platform of this singular and romantically situated station." [3] | ” |
The station closed in 1959,[4] the down platform edge can still be seen, nothing remains of the up platform or timber buildings.
From Monsal Dale, the line proceeded through Cressbrook 471 yards (431 m) and Litton 515 yards (471 m) tunnels to Millers Dale on its way north. Cut through solid limestone, they were both complex tunnels on a gradient of 1 in 100, and curved to allow the line to conform to the terrain.
Today this section of line forms part of the Monsal Trail, an 8.5 miles (13.7 km) walk and cycleway. The tunnels previously mentioned were re-opened in 2011, and the previous path diversions over the river via a permissive path by Cressbrook Mill are still available.
Route
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millers Dale | Midland Railway Monsal Trail |
Longstone | ||
References
- ↑ "Monsal Trail Derbyshire Peak District Litton Cressbrook Mill Cycling Bike Track Disused Railway". Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- ↑ "Monsal Trail structures". Retrieved 2010-04-17.
- ↑ Truman, P., Hunt, D., (1989) Midland Railway Portrait Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing
- ↑ 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 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199.