Kirkhaugh railway station explained

Kirkhaugh
Type:Station on heritage railway
Borough:Kirkhaugh, Northumberland
Country:England
Coordinates:54.8403°N -2.4748°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Owned:South Tynedale Railway
Manager:South Tynedale Railway
Platforms:1
Original:South Tynedale Railway
Years:4 September 1999
Events:Opened

Kirkhaugh is a railway station on the South Tynedale Railway, which runs between Slaggyford and Alston. The station serves the hamlet of Kirkhaugh in Northumberland.

History

The station opened in September 1999, as part of the South Tynedale Railway, a narrow-gauge heritage railway in Cumbria and Northumberland.

The station is located on the alignment of the former Alston Line, which ran from Haltwhistle to Alston, until the line's closure by the British Railways Board in May 1976.[1] However, unlike stations at Alston and Slaggyford, Kirkhaugh was not part of the original line, instead being purpose-built for the heritage railway.

The opening of the extension from Gilderdale to Kirkhaugh saw the closure of the station at Gilderdale, after 13 years of service.

The line was later extended from Kirkhaugh to Lintley Halt in April 2012,[2] [3] and from Lintley Halt to Slaggyford in June 2018, reopening the station following a 42-year closure.[4]

It is the eventual aim of the South Tynedale Railway for the narrow-gauge railway to serve the length of the former Alston Line, restoring the rail link between Haltwhistle and Alston.[5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Quick, Michael. Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain: A Chronology. Railway and Canal Historical Society. 2009. 978-0901461575. 10.
  2. Web site: 11 May 2012. Lord to launch new line to Lintley. 7 November 2020. Cumberland and Westmorland Herald. en.
  3. Web site: 18 May 2012. Opening of £500,000 rail line extension. 7 November 2020. Cumberland and Westmorland Herald. en.
  4. Web site: Henderson. Tony. 8 June 2018. Steam trains return to village as station reopens after 42 years. 7 November 2020. ChronicleLive. en.
  5. Web site: Future Plans. 2020-11-07. South Tynedale Railway. en-GB.