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Matlock Bath railway station

Coordinates: 53°07′19″N 1°33′29″W / 53.122°N 1.558°W / 53.122; -1.558
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Matlock Bath
National Rail
Matlock Bath station, 2007
General information
LocationMatlock Bath, Derbyshire Dales
England
Grid referenceSK297584
Managed byEast Midlands Railway
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeMTB
ClassificationDfT category F2
Key dates
4 June 1849Opened
6 March 1967Closed
27 May 1972Reopened
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 62,082
2019/20Increase 68,234
2020/21Decrease 17,382
2021/22Increase 61,028
2022/23Increase 68,466
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Matlock Bath railway station serves the village of Matlock Bath in Derbyshire, England. It is a stop on the Derwent Valley Line, which connects Derby with Matlock. The station building is Grade II listed[1] and is located 16.25 miles (26.15 km) north of Derby; it is owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway.

History

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The 'chalet'-style station building seen from the car park

Opened by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway on 4 June 1849,[2] the station closed on 6 March 1967 and reopened on 27 May 1972.[2]

In recent times, the usage of the station has increased; for example, in the year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, journeys increased by 62%.[3]

The station buildings have an unusual chalet-style, inspired by the romantic notion at the time that the resort was England's Little Switzerland. The Heights of Abraham cable car runs from near the station up to the Heights of Abraham visitor attraction.

The station buildings have been occupied by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust since the 1980s; they were restored in period-style and opened as a cafe/visitor centre in 2019 after a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional support from Derbyshire Dales and Derbyshire County councils, and other donations.[4][5][6]

Stationmasters

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  • David Ritchie ca. 1849 ca. 1853
  • Robert Skirrow ca. 1857 - 1860
  • W. Jordan 1860 - 1861[7]
  • William Rich 1861 - ca. 1864
  • Charles Ward ca. 1870 - 1885
  • William Richardson 1885 - 1898 (afterwards station master at Buxton)
  • Albert C. Bilham 1898 - 1907[8] (formerly station master at Bakewell)
  • Frank Porter 1907 - ???? (formerly station master at Bakewell)
  • Henry Lovatt ca. 1911 - 1914
  • John Allen 1914 - 1923[9]
  • William Edward Parsons 1923 - 1931 (formerly station master at Duffield)[10]
  • George White 1931 - 1947
  • William Rosling 1947 - 1968

Services

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All services at Matlock Bath are operated by East Midlands Railway, using Class 170 diesel multiple units.

The typical off-peak service is one train per hour in each direction between Matlock and Nottingham, via Derby. On Sundays, the station is served by one train every two hours in each direction in the morning, increasing to hourly in the afternoon.[11]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Cromford   East Midlands Railway
  Matlock

Public safety issues

[edit]

In October 2015, Network Rail released CCTV footage showing members of the public taking selfie photographs on the main crossing over the tracks at the station. It issued a safety warning, asserting the railways were not for taking photographs on and that trains can appear without warning. Network Rail said it was releasing the footage to highlight the dangerous practices, particularly involving children on the railway line. The crossing has since been closed to the public.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Historic England, "Matlock Bath station (1247893)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 11 March 2017
  2. ^ a b Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 156. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  3. ^ "Record Growth on the Derwent Valley Line". September 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  4. ^ Derbyshire Wildlife Trust opens café at restored Matlock Bath station Matlock Mercury, 16 April 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019
  5. ^ Matlock Bath gem gets huge National Lottery funding boost Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, 19 July 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2019
  6. ^ The jewel in the crown Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 30 December 2019
  7. ^ "1859-1866". Midland Railway Miscellaneous Depts: 83. 1914. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Midland Railway staff changes". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. England. 8 April 1907. Retrieved 25 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Matlock Stationmaster's funeral". Derby Daily Telegraph. England. 30 May 1923. Retrieved 25 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Mr. W.E. Parsons". Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal. England. 28 July 1923. Retrieved 25 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Timetables". East Midlands Railway. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Warning after CCTV is released showing families with children taking selfies on rail track at level crossing". ITV News. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
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53°07′19″N 1°33′29″W / 53.122°N 1.558°W / 53.122; -1.558