Teesside Airport railway station
Encyclopedia
Teesside Airport railway station serves Durham Tees Valley Airport
in the borough
of Darlington
and the ceremonial county of County Durham
, England.
, 5 miles (8.0467 km) from Darlington South Junction; it was opened by British Rail
on 3 October 1971. There are two platforms, each long enough for a four-coach train. The airport changed its name to Durham Tees Valley Airport
in 2004; however, the station name remained unchanged. In 2007 Northern Rail
erected new signs reading Teesside Airport, replacing older signs which had used a hyphen however National Rail
still lists the station as Tees-side Airport. This has led to it not being clear whether the official station name contains the hyphen or not.
and operated by Northern Rail
, the station the fifth least served in the UK
in terms of the number of services calling: it currently has only two trains per week, which call on a Sunday. The station is currently the second least used in terms of passenger numbers, just ahead of Coombe Junction Halt in Cornwall. The airport is a 15-minute walk from the station.
On Saturday 24 October 2009, a group of 26 people travelled to and from the airport station on the only scheduled service, to highlight the station's existence and its poor rail service, and to persuade rail authorities to move it 500 metres closer to the airport terminal.
The station was featured on 27 October 2010 in the BBC Radio 4 programme "The Ghost Trains of Old England" which mentioned the campaign and the fact that the station has a working payphone. It was also suggested that a large proportion of the tickets sold for this station are bought by collectors who wish to own tickets with rare destinations, and do not necessarily travel.
Public transport access to the airport is now much better served by the Sky Express bus services from Middlesbrough
and Darlington
.
project, and if it goes ahead will result in the station being re-sited closer to the airport's access road. This should also lead to the re-introduction of regular services, with a projected 4 trains per hour between Darlington and Saltburn.
Durham Tees Valley Airport
Durham Tees Valley Airport is an international airport in north east England, located southeast of Darlington, about southwest of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. The airport serves County Durham and parts of North Yorkshire, and is in Middleton St George in the borough of Darlington...
in the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Darlington
Darlington (borough)
Darlington is a local government district and borough in North East England. In 2008 it had a resident population of 100,500 It borders County Durham to the north and west, North Yorkshire to the south along the line of the River Tees, and Stockton-on-Tees to the east.-Council:Traditionally part of...
and the ceremonial county of County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England.
History
The station is located on the original route of the Stockton and Darlington RailwayStockton and Darlington Railway
The Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
, 5 miles (8.0467 km) from Darlington South Junction; it was opened by British Rail
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
on 3 October 1971. There are two platforms, each long enough for a four-coach train. The airport changed its name to Durham Tees Valley Airport
Durham Tees Valley Airport
Durham Tees Valley Airport is an international airport in north east England, located southeast of Darlington, about southwest of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. The airport serves County Durham and parts of North Yorkshire, and is in Middleton St George in the borough of Darlington...
in 2004; however, the station name remained unchanged. In 2007 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...
erected new signs reading Teesside Airport, replacing older signs which had used a hyphen however National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
still lists the station as Tees-side Airport. This has led to it not being clear whether the official station name contains the hyphen or not.
Services
Located on the Tees Valley LineTees Valley Line
The Tees Valley Line is a name for the railway route between Bishop Auckland and Saltburn via Darlington and Middlesbrough. Also operated on the line are services from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Middlesbrough and Saltburn via Darlington....
and 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...
, the station the fifth least served in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in terms of the number of services calling: it currently has only two trains per week, which call on a Sunday. The station is currently the second least used in terms of passenger numbers, just ahead of Coombe Junction Halt in Cornwall. The airport is a 15-minute walk from the station.
Sunday
- 1 train at 1029 to MetrocentreMetroCentreThe MetroCentre is a shopping centre in the United Kingdom. Located in Gateshead on a former industrial site, close to the River Tyne. Metrocentre opened in stages with the first phase opening on 28 April 1986 and the official opening was on 14 October 1986...
via SunderlandCity of SunderlandThe City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
and NewcastleNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... - 1 train at 1219 to DinsdaleDinsdale railway stationDinsdale railway station serves the village of Middleton St George in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county of County Durham. It is located on the Tees Valley Line and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services...
and DarlingtonDarlington railway stationDarlington railway station, also known as Darlington Bank Top, is the main railway station for the town of Darlington, in the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. The station is located on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross....
On Saturday 24 October 2009, a group of 26 people travelled to and from the airport station on the only scheduled service, to highlight the station's existence and its poor rail service, and to persuade rail authorities to move it 500 metres closer to the airport terminal.
The station was featured on 27 October 2010 in the BBC Radio 4 programme "The Ghost Trains of Old England" which mentioned the campaign and the fact that the station has a working payphone. It was also suggested that a large proportion of the tickets sold for this station are bought by collectors who wish to own tickets with rare destinations, and do not necessarily travel.
Public transport access to the airport is now much better served by the Sky Express bus services from Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
.
Future
The Tees Valley Line, which serves this station, is one of the lines that would be upgraded as part of the proposed Tees Valley MetroTees Valley Metro
The Tees Valley Metro is a project to upgrade the Tees Valley Line and sections of the Esk Valley Line and Durham Coast Line to provide a faster and more frequent service. In the initial phases the services will be heavy rail mostly along existing alignments. The later phase may introduce...
project, and if it goes ahead will result in the station being re-sited closer to the airport's access road. This should also lead to the re-introduction of regular services, with a projected 4 trains per hour between Darlington and Saltburn.