Dewsbury Railway Station

 Dewsbury Railway Station is a station approx 9 miles south west of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. The station provides trains with links to Leeds, Huddersfield, Manchester, York, Hull, Sowerby Bridge, Redcar and Hebden Bridge. In the last full year before the Covid pandemic (2019-20) the station served approx 1.622 million passengers at an average of 31,200 per week. The station is staffed during daytime hours and has self service ticket machines, it features waiting rooms on each platform which is connected by a footbridge which offers step free access via lifts. The station also features a pub on Platform 2 known as the West Riding Refreshment Rooms.

The station was opened on the 18th September 1848 by the London and North Western Railway who had taken over the lines builders the Leeds, Dewsbury and Manchester Railway. Dewsbury was to become something of a railway town for a time when there was 4 stations in the town in addition to a number in the nearby area. The stations serving the town were Dewsbury Central closed 1964, Dewsbury Market Place closed 1930, some of the stations facade can still be seen supporting the ring road, and Thornhill closed in 1961. From June 1924 until February 1969 Dewsbury Station was known as Dewsbury Wellington Road.

These pictures were taken in April 2015 using a Polaroid is2132 bridge camera. The 11 pictures can also be seen on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked where copies can also be purchased.

The station's Milton Walk entrance.

The connecting bridge is also a public right of way connecting Milton Walk
with the town centre via the station.

Platform 1.

Platform 2.

The West Riding Refreshment Rooms.

The station pictured from Wellington Road Bridge.

The station pictured from Platform 1.

The bridge is a fantastically maintained gem.

Taken from the end of Platform 2's canopy.

The bridge and platform 2 pictured from platform 1.

The connecting bridge taken from above platform 2.

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All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Ravensthorpe Station: A Quiet Enigma on the Huddersfield Line

Tucked away between Mirfield and Dewsbury in West Yorkshire lies Ravensthorpe Railway Station, a small suburban stop on the Huddersfield Line. With just 35,342 passengers in 2018-19 (around 680 people per week), it's fair to say Ravensthorpe is far from a bustling hub. You can't help but wonder if its fortunes would change dramatically with the addition of platforms serving the lines towards Wakefield, which conveniently branch off just before the station.

A Glimpse into the Past

Opened in 1890, this was actually the second station to serve the Ravensthorpe area. The first, on the Ravensthorpe branch of the Spen Valley Line, opened in 1869 but closed its doors in 1962. The current station was built with a keen eye on freight, featuring a goods shed added 42 years after the line's opening. It also boasted rather grand station buildings, which were listed for preservation before a fire led to their demolition and replacement with the basic shelters you see today.

A Character All Its Own

Ravensthorpe station possesses a unique character that's hard to put your finger on. Logically, its location within an industrial suburb of Dewsbury should give it the feel of a busy commuter stop. Yet, when you're standing on the platforms, there's an undeniable sense of rural calm, almost as if you've stumbled upon a countryside halt. It's this intriguing contrast that makes Ravensthorpe stand out.

Basic, But Functional

As for facilities, Ravensthorpe is no-frills. You'll find limited shelters on both platforms, but no toilets or ticket machines. Information boards and timetables are available, and the station is unstaffed. If you're heading to platform 2, access is via a bridge and steps.

The pictures below were taken on December 30 2019 with a Nikon d3300, Clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The lines to the left of the picture, there has never been a station serving
those line at this location, this may change as there are plans to demolish
and re-site the station just beyond the bridge in the picture, as part of plans to
put 4 tracks along this route.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.