Former Bakewell Station - Bakewell, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 13.044 W 001° 40.096
30U E 588921 N 5897282
Bakewell railway station was a railway station built to serve the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire, England by the Midland Railway on its extension of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway line from Rowsley to Buxton.
Waymark Code: WMRHD4
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 06/22/2016
Views: 2
"The station was opened by the Midland Railway on 1 August 1862. Being the nearest station to Haddon Hall it was built in a grand style as the local station for the Duke of Rutland over whose land the line had passed. Designed by Edward Walters of Manchester, the buildings were of fine ashlar with intricate carvings which incorporated the Duke's coat of arms.
Since the line was climbing steeply towards its summit at Peak Forest, the station was located uphill about half a mile from the town, which became a disadvantage when road transport developed.
The most busy time was during the Bakewell Show but was also popular with campers and tourists. In later years it featured a camping coach in the siding.
In the Grouping of all lines (into four main companies) in 1923 the station became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.
During the nationalisation of Britain's railways in 1948 the station was passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways, and despite escaping the Beeching Axe the station was closed when passenger services ceased a year prior to the line being closed by Labour Minister For Transport Barbara Castle, the station closing on 6 March 1967.
The station buildings still survive. They are perched half a mile east of the centre of Bakewell, high upon the hillside due to the alignment that the railway was forced to take.
In time the station was replaced with Bakewell industrial estate, the station building is still in use as a warehouse along with the platforms (but the gap between platforms have been filled in to facilitate the Monsal Trail).
Ridged canopies existed over the platforms, and a goods shed and cattle dock, all have since been removed." href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakewell_railway_station">link
Monsal Trail
"The Monsal Trail is a traffic free route for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users through some of the Peak District's most spectacular limestone dales.
The trail runs along the former Midland Railway line for 8.5 miles between Blackwell Mill, in Chee Dale and Coombs Road, at Bakewell.
Most of the route was opened to the public in 1981 but four former railway tunnels had to remain closed due to safety reasons, with public footpaths taking people around them. From 25 May 2011 the four railway tunnels - Headstone Tunnel, Cressbrook Tunnel, Litton Tunnel, Chee Tor Tunnel – were opened for trail users. Each tunnel is about 400 metres long and is lit during normal daylight hours."
link
The car park in front of the station has some reserved spaces for Codel International and public 'Pay and Display' parking spaces for people wishing to use the Monsal Trail.