Belper railway station
Encyclopedia
Belper railway station is a railway station serving the town of Belper
in Derbyshire
. The station is located on the Midland Main Line
from Derby
to Leeds
.
The station is served by one operator, East Midlands Trains
, with local services from Nottingham via Derby to Matlock along the Derwent Valley Line
. Services are approximately hourly Monday to Saturday (with a reduced service on Sundays) and are formed using diesel multiple unit
s of Classes 153
, 156
or 158
. Two trains per day start/terminate at Derby rather than Nottingham.
Throughout the main part of the day interchange with services to many local and national destinations including Leicester
, Leeds
, Sheffield
, Birmingham
and London
can be made at Derby
.
Journey time to Derby is approximately 11 minutes, and 21 minutes to Matlock. During service disruption, buses will either pick up and set down in the vicinity of the Lion Hotel in Bridge Street.
In the year April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 journeys from the station increased by over 40,000 which represented a 44% increase. The increase in usage has been attributed to an improved timetable introduced in December 2008.
The line was surveyed by George Stephenson
for the North Midland Railway
Company, and opened in 1840. The original intention was to proceed along the western bank of the river opposite the town, but the Strutt family who had built cotton mills
and had become the primary landowner, wished it to be out of sight and feared that it would interfere with the water supply. The railway, therefore, was built through a long cutting, at enormous (and unexpected) expense, with twelve bridges in the space of a mile. The cutting, lined with gritstone, is now a grade 2 listed building.
After leaving the Milford Tunnel
the train crosses the River Derwent
before entering Belper. North of Belper, the engineers paid the penalty of following a river valley, with two long bridges over Belper Pool, plus two more, before reaching Ambergate
.
The original station was built on the south side of Belper, just before the cutting, designed by Francis Thompson
in an Italianate design. A coach, or omnibus, ran regularly to it from the Lion Hotel in Bridge Street. However this proved so unpopular that the Midland Railway
built a new station in 1878 within the cutting, at the town centre, next to King Street. This had platforms with access ramps for each of the two lines, both provided with waiting rooms, in the standard Midland Railway design. The booking office and other facilities were at street level. Since the new staton lacked sidings, the old station remained in use for many years for the processing of goods traffic.
Originally the station was a stop on the Midland Railway's main line from London St Pancras to Manchester Central
which travelled through the Peak District.
When this line was truncated to its present terminus at Matlock in the late 'sixties and following withdrawal of the Manchester trains, the station became unmanned and in 1973 the station buildings were demolished. The bridge carrying King Street over the line was widened to make room for a number of shops and a now-closed supermarket. This was originally Fine Fare and subsequently had a number of occupiers, most recently Haldanes
until that company went into administration in 2011.
In 2005 the station was refurbished with new shelters, seats, train indicators and rubbish bins by a consortium of local volunteers, work experience trainees and the local councils, with the active support of Network Rail and Central Trains
(who managed the station at that time).
During June–July 2009, an automatic ticket machine was installed on the Derby-bound platform. This enables passengers to buy tickets (or collect those purchased in advance) before they board. In December 2009, Belper became a Penalty fare
station. The penalty fare applies for any southbound travel or on northbound mainline services. Ambergate to Matlock is not part of the scheme therefore no penalty is applicable, also the vending machine cannot issue local authority discounted tickets, so these are still bought on the train. The notices at the station, however, give the impression that all tickets to any destination must be bought in advance of travel.
Belper
Belper is a town and civil parish in the local government district of Amber Valley in Derbyshire, England.-Geography:Belper is situated eight miles north of Derby and is centred in the valley of the River Derwent...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. The station is located on the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
from Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
.
Description
Access to the station can be gained via a narrow alleyway from King Street beside the ex-Haldanes supermarket, from the Field Lane car park and across the rear of the supermarket, from Bridge Street via Wellington Court and via alleyways from Field Lane (by the railway bridge) and Albert Street.The station is served by one operator, East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
, with local services from Nottingham via Derby to Matlock along the Derwent Valley Line
Derwent Valley Line
The Derwent Valley Line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.The line follows the Midland Main Line as far as Ambergate Junction, which is just south of Ambergate railway station, continuing to Matlock, following the course of the River Derwent.*Derby*Duffield**Former branch line...
. Services are approximately hourly Monday to Saturday (with a reduced service on Sundays) and are formed using diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s of Classes 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
, 156
British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
or 158
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
. Two trains per day start/terminate at Derby rather than Nottingham.
Throughout the main part of the day interchange with services to many local and national destinations including Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
can be made at Derby
Derby Midland railway station
Derby railway station , also known as Derby Midland Station, is a main line railway station serving the city of Derby in England. Owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains, the station is also used by CrossCountry services and one Northern Rail service...
.
Journey time to Derby is approximately 11 minutes, and 21 minutes to Matlock. During service disruption, buses will either pick up and set down in the vicinity of the Lion Hotel in Bridge Street.
In the year April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 journeys from the station increased by over 40,000 which represented a 44% increase. The increase in usage has been attributed to an improved timetable introduced in December 2008.
History
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
for the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
Company, and opened in 1840. The original intention was to proceed along the western bank of the river opposite the town, but the Strutt family who had built cotton mills
Belper North Mill
Belper North Mill, also known as Strutt's North Mill, Belper, is one of the Derwent Valley Mills designated UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2001.It is sited in Belper, a town in Derbyshire, England roughly half way between Derby and Matlock....
and had become the primary landowner, wished it to be out of sight and feared that it would interfere with the water supply. The railway, therefore, was built through a long cutting, at enormous (and unexpected) expense, with twelve bridges in the space of a mile. The cutting, lined with gritstone, is now a grade 2 listed building.
After leaving the Milford Tunnel
Milford Tunnel
Milford Tunnel in Derbyshire is a twin track railway tunnel on the Midland Main Line which runs under a hill called the Chevin between Duffield and Belper...
the train crosses the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
before entering Belper. North of Belper, the engineers paid the penalty of following a river valley, with two long bridges over Belper Pool, plus two more, before reaching Ambergate
Ambergate railway station
Ambergate railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train operating company . It serves the village of Ambergate in Derbyshire...
.
The original station was built on the south side of Belper, just before the cutting, designed by Francis Thompson
Francis Thompson (architect)
Francis Thompson was an architect particularly well known for his railway work.He was born in 1808 in Woodbridge in Suffolk, England, to a family of builders. He married Anna Maria Watson in 1830 at Woodbridge church and emigrated to Montreal in British North America . Their son Francis Jacob...
in an Italianate design. A coach, or omnibus, ran regularly to it from the Lion Hotel in Bridge Street. However this proved so unpopular that the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
built a new station in 1878 within the cutting, at the town centre, next to King Street. This had platforms with access ramps for each of the two lines, both provided with waiting rooms, in the standard Midland Railway design. The booking office and other facilities were at street level. Since the new staton lacked sidings, the old station remained in use for many years for the processing of goods traffic.
Originally the station was a stop on the Midland Railway's main line from London St Pancras to Manchester Central
Manchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...
which travelled through the Peak District.
When this line was truncated to its present terminus at Matlock in the late 'sixties and following withdrawal of the Manchester trains, the station became unmanned and in 1973 the station buildings were demolished. The bridge carrying King Street over the line was widened to make room for a number of shops and a now-closed supermarket. This was originally Fine Fare and subsequently had a number of occupiers, most recently Haldanes
Haldanes
Haldanes was a chain of mid-sized supermarkets that operated in the United Kingdom. Established in 2009, the company was the first mid-sized supermarket chain to start business in the UK in 27 years, having been buying stores from the Co-operative group, which was forced to sell some shops...
until that company went into administration in 2011.
In 2005 the station was refurbished with new shelters, seats, train indicators and rubbish bins by a consortium of local volunteers, work experience trainees and the local councils, with the active support of Network Rail and Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
(who managed the station at that time).
During June–July 2009, an automatic ticket machine was installed on the Derby-bound platform. This enables passengers to buy tickets (or collect those purchased in advance) before they board. In December 2009, Belper became a Penalty fare
Penalty fare
On the United Kingdom's public transport systems, a penalty fare is a special fare charged at a higher than normal price because the purchaser did not comply with the normal ticket purchasing rules...
station. The penalty fare applies for any southbound travel or on northbound mainline services. Ambergate to Matlock is not part of the scheme therefore no penalty is applicable, also the vending machine cannot issue local authority discounted tickets, so these are still bought on the train. The notices at the station, however, give the impression that all tickets to any destination must be bought in advance of travel.