Sutton Oak railway station served the southern area of St Helens, England. The station was on the central section[2][3] of the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway which was later absorbed by the London and North Western Railway.[4]
Sutton Oak | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | The Sutton area of St Helens, St Helens England |
| Coordinates | 53°26′23″N 2°42′33″W / 53.439589°N 2.709201°W |
| Grid reference | SJ529938 |
| Platforms | 2[1] |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Original company | St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway |
| Pre-grouping | London and North Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 1852 | Station opened as "Sutton" |
| 1 November 1864 | Renamed "Sutton Oak" |
| 18 June 1951 | Station closed |
History
editThe station first appeared on public timetables in 1852[5] and closed completely on 18 June 1951, when passenger trains were withdrawn between Widnes and St Helens.[6][7]
Services
editTwo services called at Sutton Oak:
St Helens Central to Ditton Junction via Widnes South - The Ditton Dodger
and
St Helens to St Helens Junction, often continuing to Warrington Bank Quay
In 1922 nine "Down" (northbound) Ditton Junction trains a day called at Sutton Oak, 'One class only' (i.e. 3rd Class) and 'Week Days Only' (i.e. not Sundays). The "Up" service was similar. Some of these travelled beyond Ditton Junction to Runcorn or Liverpool Lime Street.[8]
In 1951 the Ditton Junction service was sparser but more complex. Six trains called in each direction, Monday to Friday, the early morning ones providing both 1st and 3rd Class accommodation. On Saturdays four trains called in each direction, 3rd Class only. No trains called on Sundays.[9]
In 1922 no fewer than twentyone St Helens Junction trains called in each direction, Monday to Saturday, with three on Sundays.[10]
This level of service was maintained or even increased into the 1930s, but was cut back during WW2. After the war the St Helens Junction services were restored to earlier levels. For example, in the early 1960s there were thirty-three trains in each direction. From 1951, however, these trains passed the closed Sutton Oak.
Intensive though this service was, it was listed in The Beeching Report for withdrawal and it ended on 14 June 1965.[11]
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peasley Cross Line and station closed |
London and North Western Railway St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway |
Clock Face Line and station closed | ||
| London and North Western Railway | Robins Lane Halt Line and station closed |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ Pixton 1996, p. 68
- ^ Engineers' Line Reference SHS1 via railwaycodes
- ^ Smith & Turner 2012, Map 45
- ^ Paul Wright (20 April 2010). "Station Name: SUTTON OAK". Disused Stations. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ A detailed history via Disused Stations UK
- ^ A detailed history via Disused Stations UK
- ^ Pixton 1996, p. 68
- ^ Bradshaw 1985, p. 495
- ^ Pixton 1996, p. 86
- ^ Bradshaw 1985, p. 502
- ^ A detailed history via Disused Stations UK
Sources
edit- Bradshaw, George (1985) [July 1922]. Bradshaw's General Railway and Steam Navigation guide for Great Britain and Ireland: A reprint of the July 1922 issue. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-8708-5. OCLC 12500436.
- Pixton, Bob (1996), The Archive Photographs Series Widnes and St Helens Railways, The Chalford Publishing Company, ISBN 978-0-7524-0751-7
- Smith, Paul; Turner, Keith (2012), Railway Atlas Then and Now, Ian Allan Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7110-3695-6