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Steeton and Silsden railway station

Coordinates: 53°54′00″N 1°56′40″W / 53.899980°N 1.944380°W / 53.899980; -1.944380
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Steeton and Silsden
National Rail
General information
LocationSteeton, City of Bradford
England
Coordinates53°54′00″N 1°56′40″W / 53.899980°N 1.944380°W / 53.899980; -1.944380
Grid referenceSE037448
Managed byNorthern
Transit authorityWest Yorkshire (Metro)
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeSON
Fare zone5
ClassificationDfT category F1
History
Original companyLeeds and Bradford Railway
Pre-groupingMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
December 1847First station opened as Steeton
1 September 1868Renamed Steeton and Silsden
1 March 1892Station re-sited
22 March 1965Station closed
14 May 1990Reopened
Passengers
2019/20Decrease 0.756 million
2020/21Decrease 0.235 million
2021/22Increase 0.445 million
2022/23Increase 0.492 million
2023/24Increase 0.529 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Steeton and Silsden railway station serves the village of Steeton and the town of Silsden in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated closer to Steeton than to Silsden, and is on the Airedale Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Northern.

History

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Steeton & Silsden was opened by the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway in December 1847, and was later re-sited in march 1892.[1][2] The station was closed on 20 March 1965 (a victim of the Beeching Axe) but reopened in 1990.[3] The current (staggered) station platforms built by British Rail are located on the site of the old A6068 level crossing, which was replaced by the current road bridge in 1988 as part of the Aire Valley Trunk Road project.[4] Until its closure, both platforms were situated to the north of the former crossing, although the original station building (which survives as a private residence) was located on the Keighley side (south of the current northbound platform).

Because the station is the first station within the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive subsidised ticketing region on the line into Leeds and Bradford from Skipton, there are perceived to be problems with car parking at the station,[4] as people from outside the region drive in from North Yorkshire and Lancashire to take advantage of the subsidised ticketing.[5] An extension to the Metro area, to include Skipton, was hoped to alleviate that[6] when it took effect on 17 May 2009.[7][8] However, the crowded car park problem still exists, so the West Yorkshire Combined Authority had plans to build a new multi-storey car park with 247 spaces by the end of 2020, costing £3.89 million. The project was delayed and construction is expected to start in April 2022, and was costed at £4.63 million to deliver 245 car parking spaces.[9][10] Further delays to the construction were caused by having to remediate land previously used as a weapon factory in the Second World War. This pushed the final cost to over £7 million.[11] The car park was completed and opened in July 2024.[12]

Until recently, the station lacked full access for disabled users, which led some to catch trains in the opposite direction to change platforms.[13] Access is now possible via a fairly steep ramp to the Leeds & Bradford-bound platform.[14] Though the station is normally unstaffed, there are ticket machines available at the station for passengers to use. The station has digital information screens and a long-line PA system.

Services

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During Monday to Saturday in the daytime and evenings there is a half-hourly service to Leeds, an hourly service to Bradford Forster Square and three trains per hour to Skipton. At peak times, there is an additional one tph to Skipton and Bradford.

On Sundays, there is an hourly service to both Leeds and Bradford Forster Square, with two trains per hour to Skipton.[15]

The services are mostly operated by Northern Class 333 electric multiple units, but Class 331 sets are also used regularly.

Most regional services to destinations beyond Skipton (to Morecambe and Carlisle) do not stop here - connections are available at Skipton. A limited number do stop though - two early a.m. services to Carlisle and Carnforth respectively and one afternoon Morecambe train call on weekdays and Saturdays (as do one from Lancaster and one from Ribblehead in the opposite direction), whilst on Sundays the first morning trains to each destination do so.

Services are provided by a variety of Diesel Multiple Units (of classes Class 150 and Class 158).

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Keighley   Northern
Airedale Line 		  Cononley
Keighley   Northern
Leeds-Morecambe Line 		  Skipton
Keighley   Northern
Settle-Carlisle Line 		  Skipton
  Historical railways  
Keighley   Midland Railway
Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway 		  Kildwick and Crosshills

References

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  1. ^ "Railway accommodation". Bradford Observer. No. 688. Column C. 9 September 1847. p. 5. OCLC 17641939.
  2. ^ Joy, David (1984). South and West Yorkshire : (the industrial West Riding) (2. ed.). Newton Abbot: David St John Thomas. p. 246. ISBN 0946537119.
  3. ^ Bairstow, Martin (2004). Railways Through Airedale & Wharfedale. p. 107. ISBN 1-871944-28-7.
  4. ^ a b Moore, Lindsey (21 May 2015). "Steeton and Silsden Railway Station reopened 25 years ago". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  5. ^ Knights, David (7 February 2019). "Plans for multi-storey car park at railway station welcomed". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Cheap rail fare plan for Skipton". Craven Herald & Pioneer. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
  7. ^ "Metrocard extension to Skipton gets a welcome". Craven Herald and Pioneer. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Metrocard Zones 6 & 7". WYMetro. WYPTE. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  9. ^ Shand, Alistair (2 October 2019). "Multi-storey car park for railway station is approved". Craven Herald. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  10. ^ Young, Chris (28 March 2022). "Brabin pleased as work is finally about to start on station car park". The Yorkshire Post. p. 8. ISSN 0963-1496.
  11. ^ Young, Chris (16 September 2023). "Wartime weapons casings add to cost of new rail park-and-ride". The Yorkshire Post. p. 20. ISSN 0963-1496.
  12. ^ "Steeton and Silsden station's new multi-storey car park opens". BBC News. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  13. ^ "A bridge that's too far for disabled travellers". Keighley News. 24 January 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
  14. ^ Steeton & Silsden station facilities National Rail Enquiries
  15. ^ Table 35 National Rail timetable, May 2023
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