Gloucester Eastgate railway station
Encyclopedia
Gloucester Eastgate railway station was a station in Gloucester
, England, used by trains from Birmingham to Bristol
. Originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
(which later became part of the Midland Railway
) used a terminus station roughly on the site of the current Gloucester station car park.
. The station, originally known simply as Gloucester, opened on 12 April 1896; it had three through platforms and one bay. It was sharply curved and featured a main entrance building as well as buildings on both platforms. Buildings were of typical Midland Railway design in red brick with terracotta decoration. Extensive cast iron and glass ridge and furrow awnings covered the platforms. There was a direct footbridge
connection to the ex-Great Western Railway
Gloucester Central station
.
Following Nationalisation, the station was renamed Gloucester Eastgate on 17 September 1951, to distinguish it from the nearby ex-GWR station, .
After 1968, the station was rationalised. The island platform was lengthened at the Barton Street end and the tracks were removed from the other two platforms. The extensive goods yard and sidings were also lifted at this time. Colour light track circuit block signalling was installed and the station was effectively merged with Gloucester Central.
Eastgate station closed on 1 December 1975, along with the Tuffley Loop. This was partly an attempt by British Rail
to cut maintenance costs and partly a result of pressure from the road lobby and local councillors who wanted to rid Gloucester of four of its level crossing
s. Services that had previously called at Eastgate now had to perform a reversal at Central station, an operational inconvenience that has led to fewer trains calling at Gloucester. As the rebuilt Gloucester Central station was not completed until 1977, the administrative offices on Eastgate station lingered on in use for nearly two more years until demolition came in 1977. The site is now an Asda
supermarket
. Only a very few traces of the former Tuffley Loop can now be found.
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, England, used by trains from Birmingham to Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
. Originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway is a railway route linking Birmingham to Gloucester in England.It is one of the world's oldest main line railways and includes the famous Lickey Incline, a dead-straight stretch of track running up the 1-in-37 gradient of the Lickey Ridge...
(which later became part of 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....
) used a terminus station roughly on the site of the current Gloucester station car park.
History
In 1896 a new through station was constructed on the Tuffley Loop line on a site that had previously housed the Midland Railway engine shedMotive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
. The station, originally known simply as Gloucester, opened on 12 April 1896; it had three through platforms and one bay. It was sharply curved and featured a main entrance building as well as buildings on both platforms. Buildings were of typical Midland Railway design in red brick with terracotta decoration. Extensive cast iron and glass ridge and furrow awnings covered the platforms. There was a direct 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...
connection to the ex-Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
Gloucester Central station
Gloucester railway station
Gloucester railway station serves the city of Gloucester in England. The station was originally built as the terminus of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway in 1840, but the arrival of the Bristol and Gloucester Railway and Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in 1844, and then conversion...
.
Following Nationalisation, the station was renamed Gloucester Eastgate on 17 September 1951, to distinguish it from the nearby ex-GWR station, .
After 1968, the station was rationalised. The island platform was lengthened at the Barton Street end and the tracks were removed from the other two platforms. The extensive goods yard and sidings were also lifted at this time. Colour light track circuit block signalling was installed and the station was effectively merged with Gloucester Central.
Eastgate station closed on 1 December 1975, along with the Tuffley Loop. This was partly an attempt by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
to cut maintenance costs and partly a result of pressure from the road lobby and local councillors who wanted to rid Gloucester of four of its level crossing
Level 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...
s. Services that had previously called at Eastgate now had to perform a reversal at Central station, an operational inconvenience that has led to fewer trains calling at Gloucester. As the rebuilt Gloucester Central station was not completed until 1977, the administrative offices on Eastgate station lingered on in use for nearly two more years until demolition came in 1977. The site is now an Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
. Only a very few traces of the former Tuffley Loop can now be found.