Leek railway station

For the proposed station, see Leek (Churnet Valley) railway station.

Leek
Leek station in 1910
General information
LocationLeek, Staffordshire Moorlands
England
Coordinates53°06′01″N 2°01′58″W / 53.1003°N 2.0329°W / 53.1003; -2.0329
Grid referenceSJ978559
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Opened13 July 1849; 175 years ago (1849-07-13)[1]
Closed4 January 1965; 59 years ago (1965-01-04)[1]
Original companyNorth Staffordshire Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
3 July 1970Closed to freight

Leek railway station served the town of Leek, Staffordshire. It was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway in 1849.[2] Passenger services to Uttoxeter were withdrawn in 1965, with complete closure following in 1970. For a short time in 1961–62, special football excursions (the Stanley Matthews Express) were arranged to Stoke following the return of Stanley Matthews to Stoke City FC.

History

Leek had a substantial station and goods yard, but competition from road transport led to the withdrawal of services to Stoke-on-Trent in 1956 and the remaining passenger services to Uttoxeter in 1965. Freight workings continued until 1970.[2]

The site of the station is now occupied by a Morrisons supermarket,[3] although the road bridge is still in situ between the latter's car park and petrol station.

Future

Main article: Leek (Churnet Valley) railway station

Proposals to restore Leek to the national network gained traction in 2009 when Moorlands and City Railways Ltd (MCR) bought the 20 miles of railway line from Stoke in the west-direction of Leek.[4]

Several proposals for the location of a new station were made, at Cornhill and Barnfield industrial estate.[5][6] [7]

MCR collapsed and the Churnet Valley Railway raised the funds to take the proposal forward on its own, with planning permission in May 2018.[8] The new station is scheduled to open in 2025.[9][better source needed]

Route

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Rudyard
Line and station closed
 		  North Staffordshire Railway
Churnet Valley line 		  Leek Brook
Station closed

References

  1. ^ a b Quick, Michael (2009) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway & Canal Historical Society. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
  2. ^ a b Keys, R.; North Staffordshire Railway Society (1974). The Churnet Valley Railway. Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-16-8.
  3. ^ Ballantyne, Hugh (2005). British Railways Past & Present: North Staffordshire and the Trent Valley. Past & Present Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85895-204-2.
  4. ^ "New rail link 'best thing in years for Moorlands'". This is Staffordshire. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  5. ^ Broadbent, Steve (25 July 2012). "Looks like Leek's luck may change". RAIL (701): 72.
  6. ^ "Road talks put job zone back on track". This is Staffordshire. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  7. ^ Brodrick, Nick (March 2015). "Leek back on the agenda as council permits station". The Railway Magazine. 161 (1368): 73.
  8. ^ "Planning Applications - Staffordshire Moorlands District Council". publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk.
  9. ^ "Heritage Open Days".