Stretton railway station explained

Stretton
Status:Disused
Borough:Stretton, District of North East Derbyshire
Country:England
Grid Name:Grid reference
Original:North Midland Railway
Pregroup:Midland Railway
Postgroup:LMS
British Railways
Years:15 April 1841
Events:Station opened as Smithy Moor
Years1:1 November 1841
Events1:renamed Stretton
Years2:1 October 1870
Events2:renamed Stretton for Ashover
Years3:1889
Events3:Station buildings enlarged
Years4:11 September 1961
Events4:Station closed[1]

Stretton railway station was a railway station at Stretton, Derbyshire, England built by the North Midland Railway.

History

Stretton station was first opened in 1841 as Smithy Moor, a year after the line opened, but renamed later in 1841. It is also called "Shelton" in the Railway Guide.[2]

It was situated at the Derbyshire summit and the highest point of the line, after the stations at Ambergate and Wingfield, and just before the Clay Cross Tunnel.

The first station buildings were of wooden construction, but these were later replaced by brick built station and station master's house. Shortly after this was completed, the station master's house was incorporated into the station building, and a new station master's house was provided. Although this proved adequate at the time by the 1880s, there were petitions to the Midland Railway for better facilities. In May 1888 the Midland Railway requested tenders for the reconstruction of the station buildings at Stretton.[3] The contract was won by Mr. Slater of Derby and work was approaching completion by early 1889.[4]

A station on the Ashover Light Railway (1feet narrow gauge) from Ashover to Clay Cross was built adjoining it, and its passenger services were timed to connect with those on the North Midland.

This was mainly used to carry limestone and fluorspar to the Clay Cross Company works, but also supplied around 400 tons of ballast per week to the railway until the quarry closed in 1950.[5]

The station closed on 11 September 1961. There are no visible remains of the station and platform but the cottage which stands next to the bridge over the railway lines that carries the B6014 was the station master's house and may have contained the ticket and parcel office.

Accidents and incidents

Stationmasters

References

53.148°N -1.423°W

Notes and References

  1. Butt, R.V.J., (1995) The Directory of Railway Stations, Yeovil: Patrick Stephens
  2. The North Midland Railway Guide, (1842) Republished 1973, Leeds: Turntable Enterprises
  3. News: . Midland Railway. To Builders and Others . Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal . England . 11 May 1888 . 10 January 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  4. News: . Bearing of the New Station at Stretton . Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald . England . 2 February 1889 . 10 January 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  5. Radford, B., (1988) Midland Through the Peak Unicorn Books
  6. Web site: Wojtczak . Helena . 2019-05-06 . Female gatekeepers killed by trains 1846-1906. . 2024-04-29 . Railway Work, Life & Death . en-US.
  7. . 1914 . 1859-1866 . Midland Railway Miscellaneous Depts . 54 . 10 January 2022.
  8. . 1871 . 1871-1879 Coaching . Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts . 191 . 10 January 2022.
  9. . 1899 . 1899-1908 Coaching; Piece 1026 . Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts . 405 . 10 January 2022.
  10. News: . L.M.S. Appointments . Derby Daily Telegraph . England . 1 December 1924 . 10 January 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  11. News: . New Stationmaster. Burton Observer and Chronicle . England . 29 October 1931 . 10 January 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  12. News: . South Wingfield . Ripley and Heanor News and Ilkeston Division Free Press . England . 24 July 1953 . 10 January 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  13. News: . Mr. P. McAnulty . Birmingham Daily Post . England . 25 September 1958 . 10 January 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .