Oakworth railway station

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Oakworth
Station on heritage railway
Oakworth railway Stn KWVR 08.10.2016R.jpg
Oakworth Railway Station
LocationOakworth, City of Bradford
England
Coordinates53°50′29″N 1°56′30″W / 53.841430°N 1.941600°W / 53.841430; -1.941600Coordinates: 53°50′29″N 1°56′30″W / 53.841430°N 1.941600°W / 53.841430; -1.941600
Grid referenceSE039383
Managed byKeighley and Worth Valley Railway
Platforms1
History
Opened1867
Closed 1962
Reopened 1968

Oakworth Railway Station serves the village of Oakworth, near Keighley, and within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England.

History[]

The station was built by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) and opened with the rest of the line for passengers on 15 April 1867 and for goods traffic on 1 July that year. The Midland Railway leased the line and absorbed the KWVR with effect from 1 July 1881.[1] The London Midland and Scottish Railway absorbed the Midland Railway from January 1923 and took over operation of the line. British Railways took over the UK's railway system on 1 January 1948 and the line was closed to passengers on 1 January 1962 and to goods traffic on 18 June 1962.[2]

Stationmasters[]

  • Albert W. Horton until 1872[3]
  • J. Mawby 1872 - 1874[3]
  • T. Heelis 1874 - 1876[3]
  • D. Daw 1876 - 1878[3] (afterwards station master at Haworth)
  • W.F. Best 1878 - 1879[3]
  • F. Hayward 1879 - 1880[3]
  • W Snow 1880[3] - 1883[4]
  • John Butterworth 1883 - 1884[4] (formerly station master at Halton, afterwards station master at Killamarsh)
  • J. Perry 1884 - 1887[4]
  • William Clarke 1887 - 1892[4]
  • A.C. East 1892 - 1894[4]
  • Richard Roberts 1894[4] -1929[5]
  • J.W. Tate (formerly station master at Lymm, later station master at Ribblehead)
  • E. Bird from 1938[6] (also station master at Damems)

Operations[]

Originally there was a signal box at the station which controlled a goods loop giving access to the goods yard and the level crossing. This was removed in the 1950s and control of the level crossing passed to the station staff, although it is still noticeable that the level crossing is still double track width, even though there is only a single line through the crossing.

Preservation[]

Oakworth railway station sign and vintage advertising boards
Keighley and Worth Valley train at Oakworth Station

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society took over the line and re-opened the line and the station on 29 June 1968.[2] Milk churns displayed on a hand cart and old railway posters bring back images of a former age. The platform fencing is used to display old enamel advertisement signs for period products such as Virol.

The station is famous for being the main location used in the film The Railway Children. The Station can still be seen much as was in the period 1905–1910. It is still lit by gas lights both inside the buildings and on the platform.

The station foreman on duty at Oakworth also has responsibility for the level crossing at the end of the platform, which is controlled by interlocked signals.

Some scenes for the first and second episodes of All Creatures Great and Small (2020 TV series) were filmed at the station.[7]

See also[]

References[]

Notes
  1. ^ Awdry 1990, p. 83.
  2. ^ a b Butt 1995, p. 176.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 27. 1871. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 87. 1881. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Presentations were made.". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. England. 20 September 1929. Retrieved 29 April 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Appointed Station Master". Shipley Times and Express. England. 31 December 1938. Retrieved 29 April 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Keighley & Worth Valley Railway". Retrieved 18 March 2021.
Bibliography
  • Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopedia of British Railway Companies. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-049-7.
  • 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 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199.
Preceding station Heritage Railways  Heritage railways Following station
Haworth   Keighley and Worth Valley Railway   Damems
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