Mickleover railway station explained

Mickleover
Status:Disused
Borough:Mickleover, City of Derby
Country:England
Platforms:2
Original:Great Northern Railway
Postgroup:London and North Eastern Railway
London Midland Region of British Railways
Years:1 April 1878[1]
Events:Opened
Years1:2 October 1939[2]
Events1:Closed to passengers
Years2:3 February 1964[3]
Events2:Goods facilities withdrawn

Mickleover railway station is a disused railway station which served the town of Mickleover and village of Radbourne in Derbyshire, England. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1878.

History

From, the line climbed at 1 in 100 for two miles southwards. On the outskirts shortly after the present Derby ring road, the line entered a deep cutting leading to Mickleover Tunnel. The summit of the climb lay at the other end and, being curved, it presented a particular challenge to train drivers.

The station was about a mile north of the village along Station Road. It was labelled Mickleover for Radbourne, since it was in that parish, albeit some two miles distant. Originally it was spelt "Radburn" and, for a while, "Radbourn".

It was provided with substantial brick buildings; a two-storey station master's house and single storey offices on the platforms. Regular passenger traffic finished in 1939, although it saw excursions until 1959. The station was completely closed in 1964 when goods traffic ceased.

The line from Friargate remained open for some years, and was used as a test track by the British Rail Research Division.

Present day

The main station building has been converted into two private dwellings.[4]

References

52.9192°N -1.5445°W

Notes and References

  1. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations, Patrick Stephens Ltd, Sparkford,, p. 158.
  2. Railway Passenger Stations by M.Quick page 294
  3. Book: Clinker, C.R. . Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots in England, Scotland and Wales 1830-1977 . October 1978 . Avon-AngliA Publications & Services . Bristol . 0-905466-19-5 . 46.
  4. Higginson, M., (1989) The Friargate Line:Derby and the Great Northern Railway, Derby: Golden Pingle Publishing