Bath Green Park railway station

Bath Green Park
Bath Green Park
	Bath Green Park station from James Street West
General information
Location	Bath, Bath and North East Somerset ; England
Coordinates	51°22′53″N2°22′01″W / 51.3815°N 2.367°W
Grid reference	ST745647
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Midland Railway
Pre-grouping	Midland Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
7 May 1870	Station opened as Bath
18 June 1951	Renamed Bath Green Park
7 March 1966	Station closed

Last updated November 02, 2024

Green Park railway station is a former railway station in Bath, Somerset, England. For most of its life, it was known as Bath Queen Square.

Architecture and opening

Green Park station was opened in 1870 as the terminus of Midland Railway's Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line. The station buildings were designed by the Midland Railway architect John Holloway Sanders.

It was built in an elegant style which blends well with the Georgian buildings around it and includes a vaulted glass roof in a single-span wrought iron arch structure.

The platform accommodation in the station was modest, having an arrival platform and a departure platform, with two sidings between them. The siding adjacent to the arrival platform was equipped with ground frame points to release an arriving train engine.

The station is on the north bank of the River Avon. The locomotive shed was about half a mile from the station to the north side of the main tracks. The goods yard was on the opposite side of the tracks from this. Access to the goods yard from central Bath was via the newly constructed Midland Bridge.

The Midland Railway's Bath branch had opened in 1869, but the river Avon bridge and the new station were not ready, so for a year the terminus was at a temporary station to the west of the river.

The Avon Bridge

Immediately outside the station, trains crossed a bridge over the Avon. This bridge is a Town truss, a design patented by the American architect Ithiel Town in 1820 with the aim of reducing the labour costs in constructing timber bridges. From the late 1840s the design was adapted in Britain for construction in wrought iron, and the Avon Bridge is a fine surviving example. Since closure of the railway, the bridge has been adapted to provide vehicular and pedestrian access to Sainsbury's supermarket.

The Somerset & Dorset Railway

When the Somerset and Dorset Railway completed its Bath extension line in 1874, they connected into the Midland line at Bath Junction a half mile outside the station, and in friendly co-operation with the Midland company they used the station. This created considerable additional through traffic, and as well as heavy volumes of freight, through passenger journeys from the Midlands to the South Coast were created. Through trains had to reverse at Bath, and the most famous of these was the named Pines Express from Manchester (and at times other northern originating points) to Bournemouth West.

Motive power depots

Both the Midland Railway and the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway opened locomotive depots near the station on the west side of the river Avon. The Midland Depot opened in 1869 and the SDJR in 1874. Both closed in March 1966.

Subsequent history

Railway stations in Bath

Legend

Great Western Main Line

to London

Bathford Halt

River Avon

Bathampton Junction

Wessex Main Line

to Westbury

Bathampton

Hampton Row Halt

St James's Bridge

Bath Green Park

Bath Spa

(GWR)

(MR and SDJR)

Skew Bridge

Westmoreland Road

goods yard

Oldfield Park

Somerset & Dorset Jt Rly

to Radstock

River Avon

Weston

Twerton-on-Avon

Midland Bath Branch

to Bristol and Gloucester

Great Western Main Line

to Bristol

It was operated by the Midland Railway. At the grouping it passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. For almost all of its life, it was usually referred to as Bath Queen Square station, after the prestigious square about a quarter of a mile away. It became Bath Green Park under British Railways in 1951.

Parts of the distinctive glass roof were damaged during bombing raids in April 1942, and the glazing was not re-instated during railway usage after the war^{[ citation needed ]}.

The atmosphere of the station was always powerfully nostalgic, and at most times of the day a short local train could be seen simmering in the platform waiting for departure time. On summer Saturdays the station became very busy, passing numerous holiday trains between northern towns and Bournemouth; all of them had to be reversed in the station^{[ example needed ]}.

Ordinary services were local Midland trains to Bristol St Philips and Clifton Down, later to Bristol Temple Meads, and S&D trains to Templecombe and beyond.

Stationmasters

S. Halford 1870 - 1873^[1]
C.W. Radway 1873^[1] - 1876^[2]
H. Martin 1877 - 1883^[2]
James W. Yaxley 1883 - 1900^[2]
H.L. Bailey 1900^[2] - 1908 (afterwards station master at Gloucester)
James Perry 1908 - 1922^[3]
J. Davies 1922^[4] - 1927 (formerly station master at Bulwell, afterwards station master at Gloucester)
A. Exton 1927 - 1936
Arthur Jones 1936^[5] - 1942 (formerly station master at Clitheroe)
F.C. Cooper 1942 - 1953^[6] (formerly station master at Harpenden)

Closure

Following the Beeching Report, passenger trains ceased from 1966 and the last goods train ran in 1971. For a while in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the former track area was used as a public car park. In the 1980s the rail approaches to the station were redeveloped as a major supermarket opened in December 1982 and the station itself is used as a pedestrian passageway to and from the city; there are small shops in the former station buildings.

Current uses

A Grade II listed building,^[7] Green Park Station has become an active retail and events space.

Run for many years by Envolve Partnership, a local sustainability enterprise, The Ethical Property Company took over management in November 2008, and now manage all activity on the site, beyond the car park and the Sainsbury's supermarket. The former booking hall is now Green Park Brasserie. Since September 2019, the upstairs function rooms have been used every Sunday evening by Bath Vineyard Church for services.^[8]

The old station concourses are used as a covered market and events space, with a farmers' market, and other regular Saturday traders operating in the market square. Local events and performances are scheduled throughout the year as well, and have included performances for the Bath Fringe Festival. Green Park Station also includes office space in the converted vaults of the station's lower floor, now the base to several local charities and social businesses.

Since the early months of 2021, significant parts of the station have been cordoned off to allow restorative works to take place on the roof. During and before these works took place, large glass panels came loose from the main structure, falling to the floor below. These repairs are scheduled to finish for summer 2022.

In April 2023, the station was damaged by a fire. It started in one of the wooden sheds housing local businesses, and spread to the roof.^[9]

Services

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Weston (Bath) Line and station closed		Midland Railway Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line		Terminus
Midford Line and station closed		Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway LSWR and Midland Railways		Terminus

Related Research Articles

Bristol Temple Meads is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is located 118 miles 31 chains away from London Paddington. It is an important transport hub for public transport in the city; there are bus services to many parts of the city and surrounding districts, with a ferry to the city centre. It is the busiest station in South West England. Bristol's other major station, Bristol Parkway, is a more recent station on the northern outskirts of the conurbation.

The Avon Valley Railway (AVR) is a standard gauge heritage railway in South Gloucestershire, England, operated by a local group, the Avon Valley Railway Company Ltd. The 3-mile (5 km) heritage line runs from Oldland Common to Avon Riverside. It follows the Avon Valley southeast from Oldland Common to Bitton and then it runs alongside the River Avon from Bitton towards Saltford.

Cheltenham Spa railway station serves the spa town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, England. Situated on the Bristol–Birmingham main line, it is managed by Great Western Railway, although most services are operated by CrossCountry. The station is about one mile from the town centre. The official name of the station is Cheltenham, however when the station was renamed in 1925, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway chose to add Spa to the station name. It is a regional interchange and the busiest station in Gloucestershire, as well as one of the busiest railway stations in South West England.

Gloucester, formerly known as Gloucester Central, is a railway station serving the city of Gloucester in England. It is located 114 miles 4 chains (183.5 km) west of London Paddington, via Stroud.

Ashchurch for Tewkesbury is a railway station on the main Bristol–Birmingham main line, serving the market town of Tewkesbury and the village of Ashchurch in Gloucestershire, England. It is located less than 1⁄4 mile (400 m) from junction 9 of the M5 motorway. Originally opened in 1840 but closed in 1971. The station was reopened on 1 June 1997 by Railtrack. There are regular bus connections from the station to Tewkesbury town centre, Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Cam and Dursley railway station is a railway station serving the large village of Cam and the market town of Dursley in Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the main Bristol-Birmingham line, between Yate and Gloucester, at a site close to where Coaley Junction railway station was situated from 1856 to 1965.

Bath Spa railway station is the principal station serving the city of Bath in Somerset, England. It is on the Great Western Main Line, 106 miles 71 chains down the line from the zero point at London Paddington between Chippenham to the east and Oldfield Park to the west. It is the busiest station in Somerset, and the second busiest station in South West England after Bristol Temple Meads.

Oldfield Park railway station is on the Great Western Main Line in South West England, serving the mainly residential areas of southern Bath, Somerset. It is 107 miles 72 chains (173.6 km) down the line from London Paddington and is situated between Bath Spa and Keynsham.

Selly Oak railway station is a railway station in Selly Oak in Birmingham, England, on the Cross-City Line between Redditch, Birmingham and Lichfield.

Kings Norton railway station serves the Kings Norton and Cotteridge areas of Birmingham, England. It lies on the Cross-City Line from Redditch and Bromsgrove through Birmingham New Street to Lichfield. The station's main entrance is located on Pershore Road South, the A441.

Maiden Newton railway station is a railway station serving the village of Maiden Newton in Dorset, England. The station is located on the Heart of Wessex Line, 154.12 miles from the zero point at London Paddington, measured via Swindon and Westbury.

Castle Cary railway station is on the Reading to Taunton line 115.25 miles (185.48 km) south west of London Paddington and the Bristol to Weymouth line 47.75 miles (77 km) south of Bristol Temple Meads. The two routes share tracks between Westbury and Castle Cary stations and are both operated by Great Western Railway, which also manages the station. The station is 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the market town of Castle Cary and 5 miles (8 km) south of Shepton Mallet in a largely rural area of Somerset, England.

The Bristol and Gloucester Railway was a railway company opened in 1844 to run services between Bristol and Gloucester. It was built on the 7 ftBrunel gauge, but it was acquired in 1845 by the 4 ft 8+1⁄2 instandard gauge Midland Railway, which also acquired the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway at the same time.

Bruton railway station serves a largely rural area in the county of Somerset in England. The station is situated in the market town of Bruton. The station is on the Bristol to Weymouth line some 32.75 miles (53 km) south of Bath Spa. Trains on the Reading to Taunton line pass through the station but do not normally stop. Services are operated by Great Western Railway and South Western Railway.

Mangotsfield railway station was a railway station on the Midland Railway route between Bristol and Birmingham, 5 miles (8.0 km) north-east of Bristol Temple Meads and 82 miles (132 km) from Birmingham New Street, serving the village of Mangotsfield in South Gloucestershire, England. The station was opened in 1845 by the Bristol and Gloucester Railway, but had very little in the way of passenger amenities. The station was resited in 1869 to serve the new Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line, and became an important junction station with extensive facilities and six platforms. Passenger footfall however failed to match the station's size, though at its peak eight staff were employed. The station closed in 1966 when services to Bath ended as part of the Beeching cuts, and the line through the station closed in 1969. The railway became a cycle path in the 1980s, and is a popular resting point on the route as several of the station's walls and platforms are still in situ.

Fishponds railway station was a station in Fishponds, Bristol, England, which was closed by Dr Beeching's cuts in the 1960s.

The Mangotsfield and Bath branch line was a railway line opened by the Midland Railway Company in 1869 to connect Bath to its network at Mangotsfield, on its line between Bristol and Birmingham. It was usually referred to as "the Bath branch" of the Midland Railway.

Kelston was a small railway station about four miles west of Bath on the Midland Railway's Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line.

Butterley railway station is a preserved railway station on the Heritage Midland Railway - Butterley in Derbyshire.

Northampton St. John's Street was a railway station and the northern terminus of the Midland Railway's former Bedford to Northampton Line which served the English county town of Northampton from 1872 to 1939. Its closure came about as a cost-cutting measure implemented by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway which diverted services to the nearby Northampton Castle station. After closure the elegant station building was used as offices and the line for the storage of rolling stock; the site was cleared in 1960 to make way for a car park. The car park has now been built on and is the location of St Johns Halls of Residence for The University of Northampton.

References

Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Limited. ISBN 1-85260-508-1.

1 2 "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 361. 1871. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
1 2 3 4 "1876-1908 Gloucester, Bath, Bristol". Midland Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts: 100. 1899. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
↑ "Death of Mr. James Perry" . Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette. England. 11 February 1939. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.
↑ "Midland Railway (Passenger Dept) Staff Changes" . Derby Daily Telegraph. England. 13 September 1922. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.
↑ "The Ailing World" . Clitheroe Advertiser and Times. England. 6 March 1936. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.
↑ "50 Years' Service" . Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle. England. 12 February 1953. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.
↑ "Green Park Railway Station". Images of England. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
↑ "Sundays". Vineyard Bath. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
↑ "Green Park Station fire: Bath community space damaged in blaze". BBC News. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[MR1871-1] 1 2 "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 361. 1871. Retrieved 14 June 2021.

[MR1876-2] 1 2 3 4 "1876-1908 Gloucester, Bath, Bristol". Midland Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts: 100. 1899. Retrieved 14 June 2021.

[3] "Death of Mr. James Perry" . Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette. England. 11 February 1939. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.

[4] "Midland Railway (Passenger Dept) Staff Changes" . Derby Daily Telegraph. England. 13 September 1922. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.

[5] "The Ailing World" . Clitheroe Advertiser and Times. England. 6 March 1936. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.

[6] "50 Years' Service" . Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle. England. 12 February 1953. Retrieved 14 June 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.

[7] "Green Park Railway Station". Images of England. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2010.

[8] "Sundays". Vineyard Bath. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

[9] "Green Park Station fire: Bath community space damaged in blaze". BBC News. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]