Thornhill railway station

Thornhill
Eastward from Thornhill Station in 1961
General information
LocationThornhill, Kirklees
England
Coordinates53°40′34″N 1°38′00″W / 53.67598°N 1.63344°W / 53.67598; -1.63344
Grid referenceSE243200
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyManchester and Leeds Railway
Pre-groupingLancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
5 October 1840Opened as Dewsbury
January 1851Renamed Thornhill
1 January 1962Closed

Thornhill (for Dewsbury) Railway station, as it was latterly known since the closure (1930) of its sister Market Place Passenger Station in the town centre; was located between Mirfield and Horbury and Ossett stations.

History

[edit]
Station platforms
Station Road entrance.

The station was the first to arrive in the town, being built by the Manchester and Leeds Railway and opened in 1840.[1] It was built on the main line and had the status of such, not least because of its substantial adjacent goods-handling facility, but within ten years of having been built, its importance was somewhat reduced by the arrival of town centre competition. Its lower volume of business naturally contributed to its lower status generally. It was often confused with other Dewsbury stations, or entirely disregarded. It closed just three years prior to Beeching's closure of Dewsbury central, on the last day of 1961.

Its impressive passenger station was located in what is better known today as Thornhill Lees, on the surviving main line. The original access is still there, albeit with a steel barrier bolted in place, on station road level, between the two bridges, on the east side of the road.[2]

There is on official record, a possible interest in re-opening this facility in the future.[3]

Route

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Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Mirfield   Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Huddersfield Line
  Horbury and Ossett
Mirfield   Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Dewsbury Branch Line
  Dewsbury Market Place

References

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  1. ^ Butt, R. V. J. (October 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. OL 11956311M.
  2. ^ Railway Memories No 11, HALIFAX and the CALDER VALLEY. Bellcode books. 1998. ISBN 1-871233-10-0.
  3. ^ "Kirklees Scrutiny panel for regeneration" (PDF). 11 November 2008.