Beeston railway station
Encyclopedia
Beeston railway station is a railway station on the Midland Main Line
which serves the town of Beeston
in Nottinghamshire
, England
. It lies 3.2 miles (5.1 km) south west of Nottingham railway station. The station is managed by East Midlands Trains
.
The station was built in 1839 for the Midland Counties Railway
. Services began on 4 June 1839. In 1844 the Midland Counties Railway
joined with the North Midland Railway
and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
to form the Midland Railway
.
The first station from Nottingham, at the time it was very popular with people from the city who wished to spend a day in the countryside, desiring "fresh air and recreation".
The original station building, which was little more than a cottage, was replaced in 1847 with the substantially larger white brick building with ashlar trimmings which still exists. This is notable for its carved bargeboards, some remaining diagonal paned windows and the pseudo-heraldic shields with 'MR' and '1847'. The wooden platform canopies and adjacent wrought-iron and glass canopy were installed in 1871. The wooden platform canopies were originally located at Southwell Railway Station, and were relocated to Beeston when Southwell Station was re-built.
The growth of Beeston led to substantial expansion of the station facilities in the Edwardian period. An extension containing a large booking hall, ladies' waiting room and parcels office was added to the rear of the station building, doubling its floorspace.
In 1937 the Midland Railway
drew up plans for an additional waiting room on platform 2 but the plan was never put into action.
, lattice footbridge
and signal box survived until 1969 when Beeston and Stapleford
Urban District
Council built a road bridge ("Station Bridge") across the railway to ease traffic delays caused by the frequent closure of the level crossing. This essentially also replaced the footbridge between the two platforms.
With the decline in passenger numbers in the 1980s, the entire station suffered from vandalism and neglect, and British Rail proposed complete demolition. A spirited campaign by the local civic society and rail historians led to the listing of the station building in 1987. A separate listing application was made in the early 1990s and the platform shelters were also listed.
This was followed by restoration of what remained of the 1847 building and the platform shelters. The (architecturally undistinguished) extension was demolished, revealing the original gables on the town side of the building.
Today, the station's ticket office in the station building is open seven days a week, together with a small café also in the station building, and passenger numbers using the station have risen substantially in recent years. Plans are in place for improved facilities with toilets, CCTV, a waiting room and improved parking.
It is planned that both platforms will be extended by up to 69 metres by no later than 2012.
The Nottingham-bound platform is platform 1; the Derby-bound platform is numbered 2.
, going south to , , and London (St Pancras
, 123 miles (197.9 km) from Beeston station); and north to .
Major junctions north and south of Nottingham station link the line to northern and eastern England.
Train operators using the station include CrossCountry
and East Midlands Trains
. As of late 2009 Beeston is a penalty fare
station.
The usual Monday - Saturday service pattern is as follows:
Leslie Blood worked in the booking office from 1926 to 1939 when he was promoted to the position of Stationmaster at Stoke Golding.
Sir Neil Cossons
, now Chairman of English Heritage
, worked as a junior porter in his youth.
The station has the PlusBus
scheme where train and bus tickets can be bought together at a saving. It is in the same area as Nottingham, Bulwell, Netherfield
and Carlton
stations.
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
which serves the town of Beeston
Beeston, Nottinghamshire
Beeston is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is southwest of Nottingham city centre. Although typically regarded as a suburb of the City of Nottingham, and officially designated as part of the Nottingham Urban Area, for local government purposes it is in the borough of Broxtowe, lying outside...
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies 3.2 miles (5.1 km) south west of Nottingham railway station. The station is managed by East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
.
Facilities
The station is equipped with the following facilities:-
- Both platforms accessible step free (platform accessible on the flat from the road to Beeston Business Park).
- Ticket Office staffed 7 days a week.
- Ticket vending machines adjacent to each platform available 24 hours.
- Electronic departure boards on each platform.
- Accessible toilet available when ticket office is open.
- Outdoor cycle racks.
- Taxi rank.
- 'Pay and display' car parking (very limited number of spaces).
- Bus Number 18 (Nottingham-Stapleford) passes by on Station Road.
History
Midland Counties Railway
The Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
. Services began on 4 June 1839. In 1844 the Midland Counties Railway
Midland Counties Railway
The Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
joined with the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
to form the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
.
The first station from Nottingham, at the time it was very popular with people from the city who wished to spend a day in the countryside, desiring "fresh air and recreation".
The original station building, which was little more than a cottage, was replaced in 1847 with the substantially larger white brick building with ashlar trimmings which still exists. This is notable for its carved bargeboards, some remaining diagonal paned windows and the pseudo-heraldic shields with 'MR' and '1847'. The wooden platform canopies and adjacent wrought-iron and glass canopy were installed in 1871. The wooden platform canopies were originally located at Southwell Railway Station, and were relocated to Beeston when Southwell Station was re-built.
The growth of Beeston led to substantial expansion of the station facilities in the Edwardian period. An extension containing a large booking hall, ladies' waiting room and parcels office was added to the rear of the station building, doubling its floorspace.
In 1937 the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
drew up plans for an additional waiting room on platform 2 but the plan was never put into action.
Post—WWII
The level crossingLevel crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
, lattice footbridge
Footbridge
A footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
and signal box survived until 1969 when Beeston and Stapleford
Beeston and Stapleford
Beeston and Stapleford was an urban district in Nottinghamshire, England, from 1935 to 1974.It was created by a County Review Order. Beeston had previously been part of Beeston Urban District itself, to which was added the entirety of the Stapleford Rural District, consisting of the parishes of...
Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
Council built a road bridge ("Station Bridge") across the railway to ease traffic delays caused by the frequent closure of the level crossing. This essentially also replaced the footbridge between the two platforms.
With the decline in passenger numbers in the 1980s, the entire station suffered from vandalism and neglect, and British Rail proposed complete demolition. A spirited campaign by the local civic society and rail historians led to the listing of the station building in 1987. A separate listing application was made in the early 1990s and the platform shelters were also listed.
This was followed by restoration of what remained of the 1847 building and the platform shelters. The (architecturally undistinguished) extension was demolished, revealing the original gables on the town side of the building.
Today, the station's ticket office in the station building is open seven days a week, together with a small café also in the station building, and passenger numbers using the station have risen substantially in recent years. Plans are in place for improved facilities with toilets, CCTV, a waiting room and improved parking.
Platform reconstruction 2004
The original platform masonry survived until 2004 when the platforms were completely rebuilt.It is planned that both platforms will be extended by up to 69 metres by no later than 2012.
The Nottingham-bound platform is platform 1; the Derby-bound platform is numbered 2.
Services
Rail routes run north-south through Beeston along the route known as the Midland Main LineMidland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
, going south to , , and London (St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
, 123 miles (197.9 km) from Beeston station); and north to .
Major junctions north and south of Nottingham station link the line to northern and eastern England.
Train operators using the station include CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
and East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
. As of late 2009 Beeston is a penalty fare
Penalty fare
On the United Kingdom's public transport systems, a penalty fare is a special fare charged at a higher than normal price because the purchaser did not comply with the normal ticket purchasing rules...
station.
The usual Monday - Saturday service pattern is as follows:
- Platform one -
- Hourly CrossCountry service to Nottingham
- Hourly East Midlands Trains service to Nottingham
- Hourly local East Midlands Trains service to Nottingham
- Hourly local East Midlands Trains service to Lincoln Central via Nottingham and Newark
- Platform two -
- Hourly CrossCountry service to Birmingham New Street via Derby, Burton upon TrentBurton upon Trent railway stationBurton-on-Trent railway station serves the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England. It was known as simply Burton until 1903 when it became Burton-on-Trent, by which it has been known for many years, in spite of the town's charter of 1878 which was for "Burton upon Trent"...
and TamworthTamworth railway stationTamworth railway station is located where the Cross Country Route passes over the West Coast Main Line, in the United Kingdom, although there is no rail link between the two lines... - Hourly East Midlands Trains service to London St Pancras InternationalSt Pancras railway stationSt Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
via East Midlands ParkwayEast Midlands Parkway railway stationEast Midlands Parkway is a railway station located north of Ratcliffe-on-Soar on the Midland Main Line in the East Midlands of England. It provides park and ride facilities for rail passengers on the routes from Leicester to Derby and Nottingham...
, LoughboroughLoughborough railway stationLoughborough railway station serves the town of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England. Situated on the Midland Main Line, 20 km north of Leicester, the station lies to the north-east of the town centre....
, LeicesterLeicester railway stationLeicester railway station serves the City of Leicester in Leicestershire, England.As of late 2009 Leicester is a Penalty fare station, a valid ticket or Permit to travel must be shown when requested.-Background:...
, Bedford and Luton Airport ParkwayLuton Airport Parkway railway station| Luton Airport Parkway railway station is the railway station for London Luton Airport in Bedfordshire, England. The station opened in 1999 and is located south-east of Luton and west of the airport.... - Hourly local East Midlands Trains service to MatlockMatlock railway stationMatlock Railway Station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains. It is located in the Derbyshire town of Matlock in Derbyshire, England. The station is now currently the terminus of both the Derwent Valley Line from Derby and Peak Rail who operate heritage...
via Long EatonLong Eaton railway stationLong Eaton railway station serves the town of Long Eaton in Derbyshire, in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Midland Main Line and the Derby - Nottingham line south east of Derby...
and BelperBelper railway stationBelper railway station is a railway station serving the town of Belper in Derbyshire. The station is located on the Midland Main Line from Derby to Leeds.-Description:... - Hourly local East Midlands Trains service to LeicesterLeicester railway stationLeicester railway station serves the City of Leicester in Leicestershire, England.As of late 2009 Leicester is a Penalty fare station, a valid ticket or Permit to travel must be shown when requested.-Background:...
- Hourly CrossCountry service to Birmingham New Street via Derby, Burton upon Trent
Station Masters
| Date | Name | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ca 1839 | Mr. Campbell | ||
| ca 1844 | Jonathan Raven | Described in the Nottinghamshire Directory as Station Keeper | |
| ca 1848 | Joseph Tipper | ||
| ca 1853 | John Swain | ||
| ca 1864 | Frederick Musson | ||
| Dec 1869 - 1881 - ???? | Samuel Theodore Bunning | His salary was 24 shillings a week. Here he remained for over 13 years and received advances for 9 years until he reached £120 per annum. | |
| ca 1885 | William Foster | ||
| ???? - 1900 - 1922 - ???? | John Williams | ||
1881 census
The railway employed a large number of local people. The 1881 census for Beeston shows 141 men with railway employment although there is no evidence that they all worked in Beeston.- Clerks: George Adcock age 20, William Eaton age 21, William Jas. Lee age 43, George Little age 29, Jos. Har. Hampton age 33, William Wildman age 27
- Foremen: Benjamin Baker age 38 (Foreman of Pointsmen), Robert Paling age 39, John Mills age 34, Jas. Searle age 46 (assistant), William Robinson age 37, Isaac Taylor age 33, John Richardson age 29
- Labourers: George Harper age 20, William Stewart age 23, John Stewart age 29, Walter Stewart age 20, William Greasley age 32, Richard Hewitt age 25, Joseph Dennis age 55, John Reynolds age 45, Robert Reynolds age 21, Thomas Spray age 56, John Cartwright age 25, Arthur Atkin age 23, Benjamin Broadley age 41, Frederick Paling age 36, Richard Mitchell age 18, Joseph Hewitt age 18, Richard Whittaker age 52, William Smith age 24, John Walker age 48, James Lawton age 23, William Taft age 26, Arthur Taft age 21, Herbert Taft, William Hollingsworth age 21, Samuel Towlson age 37, Joseph Williams age 19, Frederick Salmon age 26, Joseph Wright age 32, William Kilburn age 31, Thomas Kirby age 45, Charles Stapleton age 27, Jas. Beeby age 27, Daniel Harris age 31, John William Chalk age 27, John Cooper age 31, Thomas Murden age 24, George Bailey age 42, John E Makins age 23, George Turner age 25, William Alvery age 44, Edward Alvery age 23, Samuel Alvery age 18, Henry Mee age 37, John Morley age 35, Richard Mitchell age 18, Thomas Mundill age 20, William Hollingsworth age 21, Henry Cordon age 20, Edward Houlton age 18, John Collington age 21, Joseph Oldham age 31, Edward R.H.L. Harrison age 17, Richard Chamberlain age 23, John Chamberlain age 18, Joseph Hardy age 24, Samuel Coville age 28, William Coville age 68, William Goddard, George Hazledine age 37, William Newbert age 32, John Lewis age 22, Edward Lewis age 17
- PlatelayerPlatelayerA platelayer or trackman is a railway employee whose job is to inspect and maintain the permanent way of a railway installation.The term derives from the plates used to build plateways, an early form of railway....
s: Thomas Coope age 41, Jarman Johnson age 31, John Richardson age 52 - Pointsmen: John Gumley age 26, John Stroyan age 28, Harry William Froth age 23, William Simpson age 26
- Porters: George Brandell age 22, William Fisher age 22, Alfred Cowley age 21, William Jones age 40, Jas. Arthur Hardy age 24, Jas. Staff age 25, Alfred Cowley age 21, Edward Heat age 22, William Clark age 26, David Warner age 24, Edward Draper age 22, Gerald Blackwell age 22, William Westlake age 31
- Servants: Edward Throssell age 25, John Dunham age 26, James Kiffe age 24, William Mould age 18, James Walker age 26, James Harper age 34, James Dale age 31, Thomas Houlgate age 26, William Cunningham age 21
- Shunters: Samuel Hollingsworth age 22, John Bettles age 26
- Signalmen: Thomas Harris age 37, William Waplington age 30, Edward Price age 38, J.V. Francis age 24, George Hall age 23, Charles Groom age 21, John Hancock age 27, John Moore age 30, William Hillery age 26, Robert Groom age 35, Arthur Whitworth age 25, Robert W. Banks age 23, Edward Baguley age 43
- Stationmaster: Samuel Theodore Bunning age 34
- Wagon Builders: Walter Arch age 29, Andrew Jackson age 36 (Examiner), John Fletcher age 43
- Miscellaneous: Jas Chamberlain age 40 - Railway Contractor, Edward Clifford age 21 - Railway Wheel Sounder, Jas. Fairborn age 24 - Railway Carriage Inspector, Sam Fox age 20 - Railway Stoker, William Steer age 39 - Railway Guard, George Brough age 31 - Railway Collector, Joseph O'Rell age 60 - Engine Driver, Jas. Rogers age 60 - Railway Superintendent, William Barker age 73 - Railway Asphalter, Arthur Clacey age 24 - Railway Ticket Collector
Miscellaneous
In 1864, John Ashe is listed as the booking clerk.Leslie Blood worked in the booking office from 1926 to 1939 when he was promoted to the position of Stationmaster at Stoke Golding.
Sir Neil Cossons
Neil Cossons
Sir Neil Cossons OBE FSA FMA is Pro-Provost and Chairman of the Council of the Royal College of Art, of which he has been a Governor since 1989. From 1986 to 2000 he was the Director of the Science Museum, London, UK, the National Museum of Science & Industry...
, now Chairman of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, worked as a junior porter in his youth.
1840
- Fare to London first class 32s (£ as of ),, second class 23s (£ as of ),
1856
- London 6s first class (£ as of ),, 3s second class (£ as of ),
1861
- Fare to London first class 23s (£ as of ),, second class 17s, (£ as of ),, third class 10s. 6d. (£ as of ),,
1882
- 35 trains daily to Nottingham and 36 back, third-class season tickets being 15/- per quarter, with 450 quarterly ticket-holders, and 170,000 ordinary passengers in the year.
1923
- London via Trent. Single £1 5s 3d. (£ as of ), Return £2 0s 6d. (£ as of ),
- London via Nottingham. Single £1 5s 8d. (£ as of ), Return £2 1s 4d. (£ as of ),
1953
- Nottingham. Single 3d (3rd class) (£ as of ),
1956
- Nottingham. Single 8d (2nd class) (£ as of ),
1962
- Birmingham. Single 13s 6d. (£ as of ),
1964
- Nottingham. Single 8d. (£ as of ),
Tickets
Prices in parentheses show the equivalent price adjusted for inflation to prices.| Year | London First Open Return | London Standard Open Return | Nottingham Single | Birmingham Cheap Day Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | £81.00 (£) | £59.00 (£) | ||
| 1996 | £84.00 (£) | £61.00 (£) | £1.00 (£) | £9.30 (£) |
| 1997 | £91.00 (£) | £63.00 (£) | ||
| 1998 | £93.50 (£) | £68.00 (£) | ||
| 1999 | £93.50 (£) | £68.00 (£) | ||
| 2000 | £93.50 (£) | £68.00 (£) | ||
| 2001 | £101.00 (£) | £74.00 (£) | ||
| 2002 | £117.00 (£) | £85.00 (£) | £1.20 (£) | £9.30 (£) |
| 2003 | £121.00 (£) | £88.00 (£) | £1.20 (£) | £9.50 (£) |
| 2004 | £126.00 (£) | £91.00 (£) | £1.20 (£) | £9.80 (£) |
| 2005 | £130.00 (£) | £94.00 (£) | £1.30 (£) | £9.80 (£) |
| 2006 | £142.00 (£) | £104.00 (£) | £1.40 (£) | £10.60 (£) |
| 2007 | £147.00 (£) | £109.00 (£) | £1.50 (£) | £11.10 (£) |
| 2008 | £167.00 (£) | £118.00 (£) | £1.50 (£) | £11.90 (£) |
| 2009 | £172.00 (£) | £131.00 (£) | £1.60 (£) | £13.20 (£) |
| 2010 | £195.00 (£) | £132.00 (£) | £1.60 (£) | £14.10 (£) |
| 2011 | £201.50 (£) | £139.50 (£) | £1.70 (£) | £15.00 (£) |
The station has the PlusBus
PLUSBUS
PLUSBUS is an add-on ticket, which can be purchased with rail tickets in Great Britain. It allows unlimited travel on participating bus operators' services in the whole urban area of rail-served towns and cities.-History:...
scheme where train and bus tickets can be bought together at a saving. It is in the same area as Nottingham, Bulwell, Netherfield
Netherfield railway station
Netherfield railway station serves the area of Netherfield in the borough of Gedling in Nottinghamshire, England. It comprises a single island platform with two tracks, with only a single waiting shelter...
and Carlton
Carlton railway station
Carlton railway station serves the suburb of Carlton in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. The station is east of Nottingham on the Nottingham to Lincoln Line operated by East Midlands Trains.It was opened circa 1846...
stations.
Station Master's House
- The first station masters house built in 1839 was a small cabin.
- A larger building, originally at Southwell was moved to Beeston and erected in 1857.
- The Station Master's House at 211 Station Road is now private property, used as Station House Childrens' Day Nursery.
Other information
- The Victoria Hotel public housePublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
is adjacent to the Nottingham platform and had its own gate access to the platform, for which it reputedly paid an annual peppercorn rent of 50 pence. However in recent years it has been locked. - There was also a Beeston Castle and Tarporley railway stationBeeston Castle and Tarporley railway stationBeeston Castle and Tarporley railway station was a railway station serving the villages of Tarporley, Tiverton, and Beeston in Cheshire, England...
in CheshireCheshireCheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England, for the villages of BeestonBeeston, CheshireBeeston is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in the north of England. It is south of Tarporley, and close to the Shropshire Union Canal. Beeston Castle nearby is a spectacular clifftop ruin in the care of English...
and TarporleyTarporleyTarporley is a large village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England....
. Between 1840 and 1868 it was called simply "Beeston".