Marsden railway station
Encyclopedia
Marsden railway station serves the village of Marsden
near Huddersfield
in West Yorkshire
, England
. The station is on the Huddersfield Line
, operated by Northern Rail
and is about 7 miles (11.3 km) west of Huddersfield station
. It was opened in 1849 by the LNWR
and is the last station before the West Yorkshire
boundary with Greater Manchester
.
) are accessed by separate flights of stairs from the road over bridge which crosses the line to the west of the station. Platform 3 is accessed from the same road by a bridge across the nearby canal. Only platform 3 (which was built on the former Up Goods Loop in the mid 1980s) has step-free access to the street. Other than simple shelters on the platforms, there are no station buildings and the station is unmanned. The station did have two additional platforms up until the mid-1960s (the current platform 2 having an outer face, with the fourth side platform standing where platform 3 is now) when the line was quadruple all the way from Huddersfield to Diggle Junction, but these were decommissioned when the main line was reduced to two tracks in 1966. The station managed to avoid closure in the wake of the 1968 cutbacks that claimed many others on this section of route, but for some years acted as the terminus for local stopping trains from the Leeds direction (hence the provision of signalling that allows trains to start back east from platforms 2 & 3) and had no regular service towards Stalybridge & Manchester.
The station is situated about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) to the east of the entrance to the Standedge rail and canal tunnels
. The tunnel entrance, with its exhibition and boat trips, can easily be reached by walking along the towpath
of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
, which runs adjacent to the station. The station's former goods yard is now the headquarters of the National Trust
's Marsden Moor Estate
, and the goods shed contains a public exhibition, Welcome to Marsden, which gives an overview of the area and its transport history.
There was formerly another area of sidings situated to the south of the railway and canal, to the west of the station, which was originally built to accommodate the heavy traffic generated during the building of the reservoir
s in the nearby Wessenden Valley
. The steeply graded Huddersfield Corporation Waterworks Railway connected these sidings to the reservoir works. The area is now a heavily wooded country park, but an abutment
of the long demolished bridge by which the waterworks railway crossed the River Colne
can still be found amongst the vegetation.
service from Manchester Victoria station
to Huddersfield station, with a few extra services at peak times. There is also an hourly service in operation on Sundays.
The more frequent TransPennine Express
service, from Manchester Piccadilly station
and points west to Huddersfield station and points east, passes through Marsden without stopping.
Marsden, West Yorkshire
Marsden is a large village within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield and located at the confluence of the River Colne and the Wessenden Brook...
near Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, 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...
. The station is on the Huddersfield Line
Huddersfield Line
The Huddersfield Line is the name given to one of the busiest rail services on the West Yorkshire MetroTrain network in northern England. Local services are operated by Northern Rail with longer distance services operated by TransPennine Express...
, operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
and is about 7 miles (11.3 km) west of Huddersfield station
Huddersfield railway station
Huddersfield railway station serves the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England.The station is managed by First TransPennine Express who provide trains between the North East, North and East Yorkshire, and Leeds to the east and Manchester Piccadilly and North West.It is also served by local...
. It was opened in 1849 by the LNWR
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
and is the last station before the West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
boundary with Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
.
Description
The station has three platforms which if not unusual enough, have each their own entrance and exit. Platforms 1 and 2 (which was once an island platformIsland platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
) are accessed by separate flights of stairs from the road over bridge which crosses the line to the west of the station. Platform 3 is accessed from the same road by a bridge across the nearby canal. Only platform 3 (which was built on the former Up Goods Loop in the mid 1980s) has step-free access to the street. Other than simple shelters on the platforms, there are no station buildings and the station is unmanned. The station did have two additional platforms up until the mid-1960s (the current platform 2 having an outer face, with the fourth side platform standing where platform 3 is now) when the line was quadruple all the way from Huddersfield to Diggle Junction, but these were decommissioned when the main line was reduced to two tracks in 1966. The station managed to avoid closure in the wake of the 1968 cutbacks that claimed many others on this section of route, but for some years acted as the terminus for local stopping trains from the Leeds direction (hence the provision of signalling that allows trains to start back east from platforms 2 & 3) and had no regular service towards Stalybridge & Manchester.
The station is situated about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) to the east of the entrance to the Standedge rail and canal tunnels
Standedge Tunnels
The Standedge Tunnels are four parallel tunnels that run beneath the Pennines at the traditional Standedge crossing point between Marsden and Diggle, on the edges of the conurbations of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester respectively, in northern England.There are three railway tunnels and a...
. The tunnel entrance, with its exhibition and boat trips, can easily be reached by walking along the towpath
Towpath
A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge...
of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Huddersfield Narrow Canal
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal is an inland waterway in northern England. It runs just under from Lock 1E at the rear of the University of Huddersfield campus, near Aspley Basin at Huddersfield to the junction with the Ashton Canal at Whitelands Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne...
, which runs adjacent to the station. The station's former goods yard is now the headquarters of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
's Marsden Moor Estate
Marsden Moor Estate
The Marsden Moor Estate is a large expanse of moorland situated in the Pennines, between the conurbations of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester in the north of England...
, and the goods shed contains a public exhibition, Welcome to Marsden, which gives an overview of the area and its transport history.
There was formerly another area of sidings situated to the south of the railway and canal, to the west of the station, which was originally built to accommodate the heavy traffic generated during the building of the reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s in the nearby Wessenden Valley
Wessenden Valley
The Wessenden Valley is a moorland valley nestled amidst the Dark Peak, immediately south of the large village of Marsden in the English county of West Yorkshire...
. The steeply graded Huddersfield Corporation Waterworks Railway connected these sidings to the reservoir works. The area is now a heavily wooded country park, but an abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
of the long demolished bridge by which the waterworks railway crossed the River Colne
River Colne, West Yorkshire
The River Colne is a river in West Yorkshire formed by a confluence at the foot of the Pennines close to the village of Marsden.-Course:Numerous brooks formed by rainwater high in the Pennines of West Yorkshire, flow down the hillsides through the small valleys to feed two Yorkshire Water...
can still be found amongst the vegetation.
Services
From Monday to Saturday, Marsden is served by an hourly Northern RailNorthern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
service from Manchester Victoria station
Manchester Victoria station
Manchester Victoria station in Manchester, England is the city's second largest mainline railway station. It is also a Metrolink station, one of eight within the City Zone...
to Huddersfield station, with a few extra services at peak times. There is also an hourly service in operation on Sundays.
The more frequent TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
service, from Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales, the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and routes throughout northern England...
and points west to Huddersfield station and points east, passes through Marsden without stopping.
Gallery
External links
- A walk between Marsden Station and Standedge Tunnel from TripsByTrain.com