Middlesbrough railway station

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Middlesbrough
National Rail
Class 185 DMU at Middlesbrough Station (geograph 5555724).jpg
LocationMiddlesbrough, Borough of Middlesbrough
England
Coordinates54°34′45″N 1°14′04″W / 54.5791464°N 1.2345092°W / 54.5791464; -1.2345092Coordinates: 54°34′45″N 1°14′04″W / 54.5791464°N 1.2345092°W / 54.5791464; -1.2345092
Grid referenceNZ495207
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byTransPennine Express
Platforms2
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeMBR
ClassificationDfT category C1
History
Original companyStockton and Darlington Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
  • London and North Eastern Railway
  • British Rail (North Eastern Region)
Key dates
December 1830Opened[a]
1839Resited (second)[b]
26 July 1847Resited (third)
16 December 1874Closed (third)
December 1877Resited and reopened (fourth)
3 August 1942Station extensively damaged in World War II air raid
Passengers
2015/16Decrease 1.331 million
2016/17Increase 1.356 million
2017/18Decrease 1.313 million
2018/19Decrease 1.290 million
2019/20Increase 1.312 million
Location
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Middlesbrough is a railway station on the Durham Coast Line, Esk Valley Line and Tees Valley Line. The station serves the town of Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by TransPennine Express.

According to the Office of Rail and Road statistics, Middlesbrough railway station is the fourth busiest in the North East region, with 1,312,402 total entries and exits (2019–20 period).[1]

History[]

Present-day site of the first Stockton and Darlington Railway station, now occupied by an industrial estate.
The station, seen in August 1942, following extensive damage after an air raid.
Looking east from the station towards Thornaby, as seen in July 1977.

The first railway line was opened in the area as long ago as December 1830, as an extension of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, to connect with the port of the (then new) town of Middlesbrough. From the opening of the line until 1837, passengers were served by a wooden shed on the route to the riverside coal staithes. The line was extended to the new exchange along Commercial Street in 1837, with a new station being constructed two years later. This new, more substantial station was opened by the S&DR in 1839.[2][3]

In June 1846, a branch line extending eastwards from the Stockton and Darlington Railway towards Redcar was opened by the Middlesbrough and Redcar Railway. Situated on the Redcar branch line on the southern edge of the new town, a new passenger station was designed by John Middleton, which opened on 26 July 1847.

As the town expanded rapidly southwards during the second half of the nineteenth century, the station was unable to cope with the increased traffic. Due to the design of the station not lending itself to expansion, it was subsequently demolished in 1874. It was replaced by the current, much larger station, which opened in December 1877. The Commercial Street station, becoming increasingly isolated from the town by the opening of the Redcar branch line, became a goods station, before eventually being demolished.[4][5][6]

The current station was designed by the North Eastern Railway's chief architect, William Peachey, with an ornate Gothic style frontage. Behind this, an overall roof of elliptical design once existed. Constructed out of wrought iron of lattice design, with glass covering the middle half, and timber (inside) and slate (outside) covering the outer quarters. The two end screens were glazed with timber cladding around the outer edges. The roof was high in relation to its width.[7]

The station, as seen at the turn of the twentieth century (left), and in the 2010s (right).

The elliptical roof was severely damaged in a German daylight air raid, which took place on the afternoon of 3 August 1942.[8][9] It was eventually removed in 1954, to be replaced by the current design over the concourse and platforms.[10]

A major refurbishment of the station took place during 2017 and 2018, with repairs carried out to the station's roof and stonework, as well as the upgrading of the Wood Street car park.[11] New information screens were also installed as part of the refurbishment.

Future[]

In June 2020, the Tees Valley Combined Authority announced a new £35 million plan to transform the station. The first phase of the work will see the extension of platform 2, giving the station increased capacity to accommodate more trains Newcastle via Hartlepool and Whitby via Nunthorpe. It is also expected that by the end of 2021, London North Eastern Railway will launch a direct service between Middlesbrough and London King's Cross.

The second phase of the station's transformation will include a new £6.5 million entrance and accompanying business units being created on Zetland Road, with access to the station subway being part of the plans.

A third phase could see a new third platform built, with accompanying glass frontage and concourse facing out onto Bridge Street West, further increasing capacity within the station.[12][13][14]

Construction on the first phase began in January 2021, with the extension of platform 2 completed in May 2021. This in turn has allowed for the test running and driver training of London North Eastern Railway Class 800 Azuma from the station to commence.[15][16]

Station Masters[]

  • John Robinson ???? – 1877[17]
  • A. Pearson 1877 – 1891
  • Thomas Byers ???? – 1911
  • Consett Walker 1911[18] – 1927
  • G.D Jackson 1927 (afterwards station master at Glasgow Queen Street)
  • Edwin Weavers 1927 – 1932 (afterwards station master at Manchester Central)
  • Mark Lupton 1933 – 1939[19] (formerly station master at Malton)
  • R.P. Haw 1939 – 1940[20]
  • J.J. Luckley 1940 – 1942
  • Matthew Albert Metcalfe 1942 – 1955 (formerly station master at West Hartlepool)
  • H. Thompson 1955 – 1959 (afterwards station master at York)
  • T. Jackson 1960 – ????
  • G.F. Weatherley ???? – 1961
  • D. Finburg 1962 – 1963
  • William Lake 1963 – ????
  • D.W. Cooper ???? – 1965
  • J.R. Brown 1965 – ???? (formerly station master at Grangetown)

Facilities[]

The main station layout consists of an entrance hall with ticket office, large concourse/waiting area and two covered platforms that are each subdivided into two sections. Platform 1 is divided into two sub-platforms (1a and 1b), as is platform 2 (2a and 2b). Two freight lines bypass to the north of the station.

The station is staffed and has a range of facilities including a cafe/bar, newsagent's shop, cycle storage, toilets and lifts.[21] A number of information screens throughout the station provide information on train arrivals and departures.

Car parking is situated to the east of the station and can be accessed via Exchange Square and Wood Street, and by footpath directly to the station. A drop-off point is located at the front of the station, close to the main entrance.

Services[]

London North Eastern Railway[]

London North Eastern Railway are scheduled to introduce a direct service from Middlesbrough to London King's Cross, which will begin in December 2021.[22][23]

Northern Trains[]

Durham Coast Line[]

As of the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Most trains continue to Hexham (or Carlisle on Sunday) and Nunthorpe. Two trains per day (three on Sunday) continue to Whitby.[24]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

Esk Valley Line[]

Following the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Middlesbrough and Nunthorpe, with two trains per day (excluding Sunday) continuing to Battersby, and six per day (four on Sunday) continuing to Whitby. Most trains continue to Newcastle via Hartlepool.[25]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

Tees Valley Line[]

As of the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by two trains per hour between Saltburn and Darlington via Middlesbrough, with one train per hour extending to Bishop Auckland. An hourly service operates between Saltburn and Bishop Auckland on Sunday.[26]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

TransPennine Express[]

As of the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Redcar Central and Manchester Airport via York. Most services run via Yarm, with the exception of one early morning arrival which travels via Darlington.[27]

Rolling stock used: Class 185 Desiro

Notes[]

  1. ^ The first station was a timber-built shed, constructed by the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
  2. ^ The second station was located on Commercial Street.

References[]

  1. ^ "Estimates of station usage 2019/20". Office of Rail and Road. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Railway Architecture of North East England : Middlesbrough". W. Fawcett, 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ "December 1861 map of Middlesbrough North Riding: A Vision of Britain Through Time". University of Portsmouth and others. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  4. ^ Body 1988, pp. 118–9
  5. ^ "Railway Architecture of North East England : Middlesbrough Station". W. Fawcett, 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Yorkshire 6 (includes: Billingham; Middlesbrough.) Surveyed: 1853 Published: 1857". Old Maps Online: National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  7. ^ Delplanque, Paul. "Middlesbrough Railway Station...Then and now". GazetteLive. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  8. ^ Hitches, M – Steam Around Middlesbrough (Amberley Publishing, 2014) p. 69
  9. ^ "On this day in Yorkshire 1942: Train Missed Middlesbrough Bombing by Minutes". The Yorkshire Post. 3 November 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Railway Architecture of North East England : Middlesbrough Station". W. Fawcett, 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  11. ^ Brown, Mike (21 December 2016). "Middlesbrough Railway Station: £2.7m refurbishment will start in the new year". GazetteLive. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  12. ^ "Tees Valley Mayor Launches £35 Million Station Transformation To Deliver More Trains To Boro". Tees Valley Combined Authority. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  13. ^ Arnold, Stuart (9 June 2020). "Middlesbrough Railway Station set to be transformed with platform extension among improvements". TeessideLive. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  14. ^ Metcalfe, Alex (18 October 2019). "The Middlesbrough Station 'rejig' that will allow London-bound train services". TeessideLive. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  15. ^ Arnold, Stuart (25 January 2021). "London trains on the way this year as long-awaited work begins at Middlesbrough station". TeessideLive. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  16. ^ Welford, Joanne (2 June 2021). "Middlesbrough-to-London direct route a step closer with platform now ready for Azuma trains". TeessideLive. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Death of the Middlesbrough Station Master". Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough. England. 3 April 1877. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "New Stationmasters". Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail. England. 17 March 1911. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "Middlesbrough's Stationmaster Dead". Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough. England. 13 June 1939. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "Stationmaster's New Appointment". Newcastle Journal. England. 27 February 1940. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "Station facilities for Middlesbrough (MBR)". National Rail. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  22. ^ "LNER seeks views on proposed major timetable changes". London North Eastern Railway. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  23. ^ "New LNER timetable May 2022 consultation: Teesside, Tyneside and County Durham". London North Eastern Railway. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  24. ^ "Train times: Nunthorpe and Middlesbrough to Newcastle and Metrocentre" (PDF). Northern Trains. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Train times: Middlesbrough to Whitby (Esk Valley Railway)" (PDF). Northern Trains. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  26. ^ "Train times: Bishop Auckland and Darlington to Middlesbrough and Saltburn" (PDF). Northern Trains. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  27. ^ "Train times: Liverpool and Manchester to Leeds, Hull, York, Scarborough, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Edinburgh". TransPennine Express. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.

Sources[]

  • Body, G (1988). PSL Field Guides – Railways of the Eastern Region Volume 2. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-072-1.

External links[]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Thornaby   Northern Trains
Durham Coast Line 		  Terminus
Terminus   Northern Trains
Esk Valley Line 		  James Cook
Thornaby   Northern Trains
Tees Valley Line 		  South Bank
Thornaby   TransPennine Express
North TransPennine 		  Redcar Central
  Future services  
Thornaby   London North Eastern Railway
East Coast Main Line
Middlesbrough–London 		  Terminus
  Historical railways  
Terminus   London and North Eastern Railway
Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway 		  Ormesby
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