Kingsley and Froghall railway station explained

Kingsley and Froghall
Type:Station on heritage railway (Churnet Valley Railway)
Caption:Kingsley and Froghall station
Borough:Froghall, Staffordshire Moorlands
Country:England
Coordinates:53.0208°N -1.964°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Operator:Churnet Valley Railway
Platforms:2
Original:North Staffordshire Railway
Postgroup:London, Midland & Scottish Railway
Years:1 September 1849
Events:Opened as Froghall
Years1:1 July 1907
Events1:Renamed Kingsley and Froghall[1]
Years2:4 January 1965
Events2:Closed
Years3:11 August 2001
Events3:reopened

Kingsley and Froghall is a former railway station of the North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) that is now preserved on the Churnet Valley Railway in Staffordshire, England.

History

Kingsley and Froghall station, situated on the Churnet Valley Line of the North Staffordshire Railway, was opened to both passengers and goods on 1 September 1849.

The station was a busy country station serving the needs of workers at nearby Thomas Bolton's copper refinery.

As with many UK railways, passenger numbers in the 1960s decreased to such an extent that the station was closed to both passengers and goods in 1965.

Re-opening and the Churnet Valley Railway

During the 1970s, a railway preservation base was set up at nearby Cheddleton station; later, this was to become the base of the Churnet Valley Railway (CVR). The CVR had been progressing slowly in preserving the line when, in the late 1990s, they had reached the station site. After closure by British Rail, the station buildings had been demolished. Initial rebuilding of the station resulted in the down platform reopening for passengers on 11 August 2001. Construction began later on the new station building, which opened on 20 September 2003.

Since 2003, more work has been done on the station to make the site as complete as the nearby Consall. Initially, this involved resurfacing the down platform and adding fences, a few small buildings and station furniture. With this side now relatively complete, attention has been turned to the second (up) platform where the overhang on the canal and associated fences have been rebuilt, along with walls and the large waiting shelter but,, this platform is not in use.

Kingsley and Froghall is currently the southern limit of passenger operations on the CVR, but plans exist to extend towards Oakamoor and Alton Towers.

External links

Notes and References

  1. 2 July 1907 . Minutes of Meeting of the Superintendents' Conference . Minute No. 6232 . London . Railway Clearing House. (Unpublished).