Bell Busk | |
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Location | Bell Busk, Craven England |
Coordinates | 54°00′15″N2°09′07″W / 54.00415°N 2.152°W Coordinates: 54°00′15″N2°09′07″W / 54.00415°N 2.152°W |
Grid reference | SD9056 |
Platforms | 2 |
Other information | |
Status | Disused |
History | |
Original company | "Little" North Western Railway |
Pre-grouping | Midland Railway |
Post-grouping | London, Midland & Scottish Railway |
Key dates | |
30 July 1849 | Opened |
4 May 1959 | Closed to passengers |
Bell Busk railway station served the hamlet of Bell Busk in North Yorkshire, England. It was located on the Leeds to Morecambe Line between Gargrave and Hellifield, 32+3⁄4 miles (53 km) north of Leeds. [1]
It was opened by the "Little" North Western Railway in July 1849 as one of the intermediate stations on their line between Skipton and Ingleton, [2] which subsequently became part of a through route between West Yorkshire and the Lancashire seaside town of Morecambe (and ultimately part of the Midland Railway main line from London to Scotland). The main buildings were located on the southbound side, whilst the two offset platforms were initially linked by a foot crossing. This however was subsequently replaced by a footbridge, possibly as the result of a fatal accident on the crossing in 1880 that resulted in the deaths of two elderly travellers. [3]
Although situated some way from the nearest large communities, it was the most convenient station for the village of Malham and the surrounding countryside - a popular tourist destination, and so was advertised in papers as Bell Busk for Malham. [4] Consequently, the station was well patronised by ramblers heading for Malhamdale, as well as by local farmers sending their produce & livestock to market in Skipton and Leeds.
The station also had another somewhat unusual claim to fame, in that it was used as a shooting location for the 1951 feature film Another Man's Poison. [5] The film's main star, noted American actress Bette Davis was apparently so impressed by it (according to reports in the local press) that she inquired if the station was for sale. It is not known whether her interest was genuine or not, but no formal purchase offer was made and so it remained in use until 1959, when it was closed by the British Transport Commission. Although more than 100 local objections were lodged to the proposed closure, the local Transport Users' Committee accepted the British Railways arguments that the station was unviable and it was duly closed to passengers on 4 May 1959. [6]
The station platforms and footbridge were removed some years after closure (along with the goods facilities and signal box), but the main station buildings were retained and sold off by British Rail for use as a private dwelling. They were subsequently converted into a guest house in 1982 and remain in use as such today. The adjacent line meanwhile remains a busy freight and passenger route between Leeds and Morecambe/Carlisle, with more than 20 trains each way passing every weekday.
The North Western Railway (NWR) was an early British railway company in the north-west of England. It was commonly known as the "Little" North Western Railway, to distinguish it from the larger London and North Western Railway (LNWR).
The Morecambe branch line is a railway line in Lancashire, England, from Lancaster to Morecambe and Heysham, where trains connect with ferries to Douglas, Isle of Man. To reach Heysham, trains must reverse at Morecambe.
Colne railway station serves the town of Colne, in Lancashire, England, which is situated close to Pendle Hill. The station, which is managed by Northern, is the eastern terminus of the East Lancashire Line. Trains from Blackpool South run through Preston and Blackburn to Burnley and Colne.
The Furness and Midland Joint Railway was a joint railway in England owned by the Furness Railway and the Midland Railway. Construction was agreed in 1862 for a line from Carnforth, on the Furness system, to Wennington, on the Midland Railway line from Yorkshire to Morecambe. Royal assent was received in June 1863 and the contract for the route was let to Benton & Woodiwiss soon after at a cost of some £102,850.
Shipley railway station serves the historic market town of Shipley in West Yorkshire, England. It is 2+3⁄4 miles (4.4 km) north of Bradford Forster Square and 10+3⁄4 miles (17.3 km) northwest of Leeds.
Keighley railway station serves the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The station is located on the Airedale line, with longer distance services to Morecambe and Carlisle. The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway have their northern terminus in the station.
Cononley railway station serves the village of Cononley in North Yorkshire, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Northern.
Skipton railway station is a Grade II listed station which serves the town of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England on the Airedale Line, which gives Skipton access to destinations such as Leeds, Bradford, Carlisle, Lancaster and Morecambe. The station is operated by Northern Trains and is situated 27 miles (43 km) north-west of Leeds.
Hellifield is a railway station on the Bentham Line, which runs between Leeds and Morecambe via Skipton. The station, situated 36+1⁄4 miles (58 km) north-west of Leeds, serves the village of Hellifield in North Yorkshire. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.
Giggleswick is a railway station on the Bentham Line, which runs between Leeds and Morecambe via Skipton. The station, situated 41+1⁄4 miles (66 km) north-west of Leeds, serves the market town of Settle and the village of Giggleswick in North Yorkshire. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.
Clapham is a railway station on the Bentham Line, which runs between Leeds and Morecambe via Skipton. The station, situated 48 miles (77 km) north-west of Leeds, serves the village of Clapham in North Yorkshire. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.
Wennington is a railway station on the Bentham Line, which runs between Leeds and Morecambe via Skipton. The station, situated 15+3⁄4 miles (25 km) east of Lancaster, serves the village of Wennington in Lancashire. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.
Earby railway station was a junction station that served the town of Earby, which was in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, at the time but now is in Lancashire. It was built by the Midland Railway, on the former Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway between Skipton and Colne and opened in 1848.
The Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway was an early British railway company in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It built a line from Shipley near Bradford through Keighley and Skipton to Colne. The Skipton–Colne Line closed in 1970, but the remainder of the line is still in use today, and once formed part of the Midland Railway's main line route from London to Glasgow.
Kildwick and Crosshills [sic] was a railway station off Station Road in Cross Hills, North Yorkshire, England. It served the villages of Cross Hills, Cowling, Glusburn, Kildwick and Sutton-in-Craven.
The Leeds–Morecambe line, also known as the Bentham line, is a railway line running between Leeds, Skipton, Lancaster and Morecambe in northern England. The service is operated by Northern. The route covered by the service was historically part of the Midland Railway. The line is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead between Leeds City and Skipton- this section is known as the Airedale line.
Settle Junction railway station was located near the town of Settle, North Yorkshire, England, immediately to south of the junction between the Midland Railway's North Western and Settle-Carlisle branches, 39+3⁄4 miles (64.0 km) northwest of Leeds.
Morecambe Euston Road was the terminus station of the London and North Western Railway's branch line to Morecambe, in Lancashire, England. It closed in 1962, after which all trains to Morecambe used the nearby Morecambe Promenade station.
Borwick railway station formerly served the village of Borwick in Lancashire, England. It was located on the Furness and Midland Joint Railway line between Carnforth and Wennington, 3 miles (5 km) east of Carnforth Joint station.
Bell Busk is a hamlet situated in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. The hamlet is located at the southern end of Malhamdale where the nascent River Aire meets Otterburn Beck. The village is 7 miles (11 km) north west of Skipton and used to have a railway station on the line linking Skipton and Hellifield.
Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
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Gargrave | Midland Railway "Little" North Western Railway | Hellifield |