Skipton railway station
Encyclopedia
Skipton railway station serves the town of Skipton
in North Yorkshire
, England
on the Airedale Line
. It is operated by Northern Rail
and is situated 27 miles (43.5 km) north-west of Leeds.
The station has four platforms and links Skipton
to Leeds
, Bradford
, Carlisle
and Morecambe
. It is staffed on a part-time basis and a ticket office is available at most times. Skipton comes under the Dales Railcard. There are four seated waiting rooms available and luggage trolleys, along with a small café, toilets, a post box and a pay-phone. There is a taxi rank situated immediately outside the station, bus links nearby and the car park has spaces for 100 vehicles. The station is located on Broughton Road.
", Skipton historically has had high volumes of leisure traffic.
The original station was opened on 7 September 1847 by the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway
, as a temporary terminus of its line from Bradford. The line was extended to a year later on 2 October 1848.
Initially, passengers would leave the train at Skipton for onward travel to the villages of Wharfedale
by horse-drawn coach. There are still over 20 hotels clustered around the station, including the historic Herriots Hotel (formerly the Midland Hotel).
The next year, the "little" North Western Railway opened a line from Skipton to Ingleton on 30 July 1849 (which was eventually extended to Lancaster
and in 1850).
On 30 April 1876, Skipton station was relocated a quarter of a mile northwest of its original location. By now, both the Leeds and Bradford and North Western railways had been absorbed by the Midland Railway
. The new station coincided with the opening of the Midland's Settle-Carlisle Line, which made Skipton a station on the to Glasgow main line. The new station had four platforms and cost over £15,000, compared with the original stations's cost of £2,300. Platform 1 was a bay platform at the Bradford end, adjacent to the station building along with through platform 2, while platforms 3 and 4 formed an island platform.
On 1 October 1888 platforms 5 and 6 were added to serve the Skipton to Ilkley Line
, which opened that day. These platforms were at a slightly higher level on a rising gradient, as the new line ran southwest of the existing line and then crossed over it by bridge eastwards. These platforms were also later used by the Yorkshire Dales Railway, a short branch to from 1902 to 1930. Passenger services to Ilkley ceased on 22 March 1965, after which platforms 5 and 6 were closed to passengers and their access subway was bricked off. However, the line through platform 5 is still in use as a single-track freight line to Swinden Quarry
via the former Yorkshire Dales line. The track through platform 6 has been lifted.
The line to closed on 2 February 1970 and its tracks have since been lifted. An organisation called SELRAP is campaigning for the re-instatement of the link and runs occasional charter trains between the two stations, using a long diversionary route to point out the eleven mile "missing link."
In the 1970s, the track was removed from platform 1, and platform 4 was used as a siding. However, all four platforms were back in use when the track layout and signalling were updated in 1994 for electrification.
In 1998, the station underwent complete renovation, in preparation for the introduction of direct InterCity
services to London
. In 2004 the station underwent another minor renovation in preparation for a visit by Prince Charles. Following a change of cleaning contract in early 2007, users of the station began to complain about an alleged deterioration in cleanliness at the station, particularly in the waiting rooms.
The station is used for the overnight stabling of trains. On 9 August 2003, an Arriva Trains Northern
employee was seriously assaulted by a group of vandals after challenging two males daubing graffiti
on a stabled train.
Skipton railway station is currently the terminus of the 280/X80 cross-Pennine bus routes to Preston. It has been proposed as the focus of a park-and-ride scheme serving commuters to Lancaster
and Leeds
.
respectively. In the evening there is a half-hourly service to Leeds and hourly to Bradford. On Sundays, the service is hourly to Leeds and two-hourly to Bradford.
The station is the limit of the Leeds North West electrification
, where the electric commuter services from Leeds terminate.
Trains using the Settle-Carlisle Line stop at Skipton towards Carlisle
from Leeds. Currently there are seven daily departures for Carlisle on Mondays to Saturdays (as compared to six on weekdays in the old timetable - the new SX departure at 06.42 giving an arrival at Carlisle before 09.00 for the first time since 1994) and three on Sundays. There are also five daily departures for Lancaster & Morecambe on weekdays (one of which runs through to ) and four to Morecambe all year since the start of the May 2011 timetable.
There is a single morning intercity train from Skipton and Keighley
to London Kings Cross, with an early evening return, operated by East Coast
using InterCity 125
High Speed Train
s (British Rail Class 43 (HST)
). As is the case with the Bradford intercity service, this is an extension to the Leeds–London service. Though the line to Skipton is electrified throughout, the East Coast service to/from the town has been operated using a diesel HST because the electrical infrastructure on the Leeds to Skipton line was (until recently) insufficient to support East Coast's trains. The test run of a Class 91
on the line caused a voltage drop large enough to halt every other electric train on the line.
A successful retest of the Class 91 to Skipton was made in the spring of 2011 prior to the May timetable change, and they are due to take over at the start of the current timetable on 22 May 2011.
The 91s replace the current HSTs on the weekday service from London to Skipton (although the first scheduled electric service ran the previous day, when the last Saturdays-only 17.33 service from Kings Cross of the old timetable period was so operated). The corresponding weekdays southbound service mentioned above will remain HST-operated for the time being, as will both Saturday services .
(now East Coast
) has expressed a desire to introduce more direct services to London King's Cross in the future, although no specific commitments have been made as yet. Network Rail
is also currently investigating means of increasing capacity on the Airedale Line
to Leeds as part of the Yorkshire and Humber RUS. Options could include longer trains (up to six carriages in place of the current four) or more frequent services. Plans for the route north of Skipton have already been outlined in the Lancashire and Cumbria RUS
: these will see an increase in trains to Carlisle
, with services running to a basic one train every two hours pattern, with extra services to 'fill the gaps' at peak times. Leeds to Morecambe/Lancaster services would also be made more frequent - however, these more frequent services would only run as far as Skipton. Opposition from stakeholders during the consultation phase of the RUS with regard to the loss of through trains to/from Leeds has meant that this option will likely not be pursued. Further major alterations may come about when the 2011 "Eureka" EC clock-face timetable comes into effect, including the return of electric traction on one of the two London trains and a northbound SuO service from the capital. (now implemented - see above).
In the long term, SELRAP may achieve their aims of reopening the line to Colne, and it is possible that the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
would be able to extend their services to Skipton in future. Both of these plans would likely result in many changes to the station.
to extend back into Skipton
. The platforms (5 & 6) that went to Ilkley
, were made redundant in 1965. However, a recent railway publication (Today's Railways
) stated that, Network Rail
has carried out a survey for the reinstatement of the connecting points between the Embsay line
and the freight line to Grassington, and the reinstatement of the platform 5 at Skipton
. If funding is made available, then the line could be extended.
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on the Airedale Line
Airedale Line
The Airedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the Metro area of northern England. The service is operated by Northern Rail, on the route connecting Leeds and Bradford with Skipton in the North of England. Some services along the line continue to Morecambe or Carlisle...
. It is operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
and is situated 27 miles (43.5 km) north-west of Leeds.
The station has four platforms and links Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
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...
, Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
and Morecambe
Morecambe
Morecambe is a resort town and civil parish within the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. As of 2001 it has a resident population of 38,917. It faces into Morecambe Bay...
. It is staffed on a part-time basis and a ticket office is available at most times. Skipton comes under the Dales Railcard. There are four seated waiting rooms available and luggage trolleys, along with a small café, toilets, a post box and a pay-phone. There is a taxi rank situated immediately outside the station, bus links nearby and the car park has spaces for 100 vehicles. The station is located on Broughton Road.
History
As the "Gateway to the Yorkshire DalesYorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
", Skipton historically has had high volumes of leisure traffic.
The original station was opened on 7 September 1847 by the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway
Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway
The Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway was an early British railway company in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It built a line from near Bradford through and to...
, as a temporary terminus of its line from Bradford. The line was extended to a year later on 2 October 1848.
Initially, passengers would leave the train at Skipton for onward travel to the villages of Wharfedale
Wharfedale
Wharfedale is one of the Yorkshire Dales in England. It is the valley of the River Wharfe. Towns and villages in Wharfedale include Buckden, Kettlewell, Conistone, Grassington, Hebden, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Arthington, Collingham, and Wetherby...
by horse-drawn coach. There are still over 20 hotels clustered around the station, including the historic Herriots Hotel (formerly the Midland Hotel).
The next year, the "little" North Western Railway opened a line from Skipton to Ingleton on 30 July 1849 (which was eventually extended to Lancaster
Lancaster Green Ayre railway station
Lancaster Green Ayre railway station was the Midland Railway's station in the city of Lancaster in England. The line between Green Ayre and Morecambe was used for pioneering experimental electrification via overhead cable....
and in 1850).
On 30 April 1876, Skipton station was relocated a quarter of a mile northwest of its original location. By now, both the Leeds and Bradford and North Western railways had been absorbed by 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....
. The new station coincided with the opening of the Midland's Settle-Carlisle Line, which made Skipton a station on the to Glasgow main line. The new station had four platforms and cost over £15,000, compared with the original stations's cost of £2,300. Platform 1 was a bay platform at the Bradford end, adjacent to the station building along with through platform 2, while platforms 3 and 4 formed an island platform.
On 1 October 1888 platforms 5 and 6 were added to serve the Skipton to Ilkley Line
Skipton to Ilkley Line
The Skipton to Ilkley Line is the route that the Midland Railway took to link the towns of Skipton and Ilkley via the villages of Embsay and Addingham and also the beautiful spot of Bolton Abbey or Bolton Priory....
, which opened that day. These platforms were at a slightly higher level on a rising gradient, as the new line ran southwest of the existing line and then crossed over it by bridge eastwards. These platforms were also later used by the Yorkshire Dales Railway, a short branch to from 1902 to 1930. Passenger services to Ilkley ceased on 22 March 1965, after which platforms 5 and 6 were closed to passengers and their access subway was bricked off. However, the line through platform 5 is still in use as a single-track freight line to Swinden Quarry
Swinden Quarry
Swinden Quarry is a quarry located on the Skipton to Grassington Line near the village of Cracoe in North Yorkshire. It is owned by Tarmac. The railway line still serves this mine....
via the former Yorkshire Dales line. The track through platform 6 has been lifted.
The line to closed on 2 February 1970 and its tracks have since been lifted. An organisation called SELRAP is campaigning for the re-instatement of the link and runs occasional charter trains between the two stations, using a long diversionary route to point out the eleven mile "missing link."
In the 1970s, the track was removed from platform 1, and platform 4 was used as a siding. However, all four platforms were back in use when the track layout and signalling were updated in 1994 for electrification.
In 1998, the station underwent complete renovation, in preparation for the introduction of direct InterCity
InterCity (British Rail)
InterCity was introduced by British Rail in 1966 as a brand-name for its long-haul express passenger services ....
services to 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...
. In 2004 the station underwent another minor renovation in preparation for a visit by Prince Charles. Following a change of cleaning contract in early 2007, users of the station began to complain about an alleged deterioration in cleanliness at the station, particularly in the waiting rooms.
The station is used for the overnight stabling of trains. On 9 August 2003, an Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern was a train operating company that operated passenger trains in Yorkshire and the North East of England. The company had previously been known as Northern Spirit before being taken over by Arriva....
employee was seriously assaulted by a group of vandals after challenging two males daubing graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
on a stabled train.
Skipton railway station is currently the terminus of the 280/X80 cross-Pennine bus routes to Preston. It has been proposed as the focus of a park-and-ride scheme serving commuters to Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
and 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...
.
Services
On Monday to Saturday in the daytime, there is a half-hourly service from Skipton to Leeds and Bradford Forster SquareBradford Forster Square railway station
Bradford Forster Square station is a railway station in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The majority of services to/from the station use Class 333 electrified trains operated by Northern Rail, on the Airedale Line to Skipton, the Wharfedale Line to Ilkley and the Leeds-Bradford Line to Leeds.The...
respectively. In the evening there is a half-hourly service to Leeds and hourly to Bradford. On Sundays, the service is hourly to Leeds and two-hourly to Bradford.
The station is the limit of the Leeds North West electrification
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
, where the electric commuter services from Leeds terminate.
Trains using the Settle-Carlisle Line stop at Skipton towards Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
from Leeds. Currently there are seven daily departures for Carlisle on Mondays to Saturdays (as compared to six on weekdays in the old timetable - the new SX departure at 06.42 giving an arrival at Carlisle before 09.00 for the first time since 1994) and three on Sundays. There are also five daily departures for Lancaster & Morecambe on weekdays (one of which runs through to ) and four to Morecambe all year since the start of the May 2011 timetable.
There is a single morning intercity train from Skipton and Keighley
Keighley railway station
Keighley railway station serves the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England.First opened in March 1847 by the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway , the station is located on the Airedale Line north west of Leeds. It is managed by Northern Rail, who operate most of the passenger trains...
to London Kings Cross, with an early evening return, operated by East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
using InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
High Speed Train
High Speed Train
There are three types of trains in Britain that have been traditionally viewed as high speed trains:* Advanced Passenger Train - Tilting trains which never entered into regular revenue-earning service....
s (British Rail Class 43 (HST)
British Rail Class 43 (HST)
The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982....
). As is the case with the Bradford intercity service, this is an extension to the Leeds–London service. Though the line to Skipton is electrified throughout, the East Coast service to/from the town has been operated using a diesel HST because the electrical infrastructure on the Leeds to Skipton line was (until recently) insufficient to support East Coast's trains. The test run of a Class 91
British Rail Class 91
The British Rail Class 91 is a class of , electric locomotives ordered as a component of the East Coast Main Line modernisation and electrification programme of the late 1980s. The Class 91s were given the auxiliary name of InterCity 225 to indicate their envisaged top speed of...
on the line caused a voltage drop large enough to halt every other electric train on the line.
A successful retest of the Class 91 to Skipton was made in the spring of 2011 prior to the May timetable change, and they are due to take over at the start of the current timetable on 22 May 2011.
The 91s replace the current HSTs on the weekday service from London to Skipton (although the first scheduled electric service ran the previous day, when the last Saturdays-only 17.33 service from Kings Cross of the old timetable period was so operated). The corresponding weekdays southbound service mentioned above will remain HST-operated for the time being, as will both Saturday services .
Future
As with much of the UK rail network, Skipton is likely to see changes over coming years in order to cope with expected growth. Former company National Express East CoastNational Express East Coast
National Express East Coast was a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running high speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, as part of the East Coast passenger franchise...
(now East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
) has expressed a desire to introduce more direct services to London King's Cross in the future, although no specific commitments have been made as yet. Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
is also currently investigating means of increasing capacity on the Airedale Line
Airedale Line
The Airedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the Metro area of northern England. The service is operated by Northern Rail, on the route connecting Leeds and Bradford with Skipton in the North of England. Some services along the line continue to Morecambe or Carlisle...
to Leeds as part of the Yorkshire and Humber RUS. Options could include longer trains (up to six carriages in place of the current four) or more frequent services. Plans for the route north of Skipton have already been outlined in the Lancashire and Cumbria RUS
Network Rail Lancashire and Cumbria Route Utilisation Strategy
The Lancashire and Cumbria Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy, published by Network Rail on 29 August 2008 It was the ninth RUS to be produced....
: these will see an increase in trains to Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
, with services running to a basic one train every two hours pattern, with extra services to 'fill the gaps' at peak times. Leeds to Morecambe/Lancaster services would also be made more frequent - however, these more frequent services would only run as far as Skipton. Opposition from stakeholders during the consultation phase of the RUS with regard to the loss of through trains to/from Leeds has meant that this option will likely not be pursued. Further major alterations may come about when the 2011 "Eureka" EC clock-face timetable comes into effect, including the return of electric traction on one of the two London trains and a northbound SuO service from the capital. (now implemented - see above).
In the long term, SELRAP may achieve their aims of reopening the line to Colne, and it is possible that the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of...
would be able to extend their services to Skipton in future. Both of these plans would likely result in many changes to the station.
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
It has always been a long-term plan for the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam RailwayEmbsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of...
to extend back into Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
. The platforms (5 & 6) that went to Ilkley
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
, were made redundant in 1965. However, a recent railway publication (Today's Railways
Today's Railways
Today's Railways is a British railway magazine aimed at the enthusiast market and concentrating on current events. It is published by Platform 5 Publishing Ltd of Sheffield....
) stated that, Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
has carried out a survey for the reinstatement of the connecting points between the Embsay line
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of...
and the freight line to Grassington, and the reinstatement of the platform 5 at Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
. If funding is made available, then the line could be extended.
