Cricket trains

[Buffer68]

Hi all,

I’m doing some research and after some help: were special trains ever laid on for cricket matches, in any era but especially in the steam era. If there was, where did they run?

Thanks,
Paul.

 

[Class800]

My dad tells me of a story when there was a cricket special that let passengers on near Langold, Notts (may have been Carlton in Lindrick, it was a long time ago), to go to Headingley station for the cricket. He says the Langold area stop wasn't a station - just an agreed stop - maybe a siding or just somewhere there was track access. 1960s

 

[Buffer68]

My dad tells me of a story when there was a cricket special that let passengers on near Langold, Notts (may have been Carlton in Lindrick, it was a long time ago), to go to Headingley station for the cricket. He says the Langold area stop wasn't a station - just an agreed stop - maybe a siding or just somewhere there was track access. 1960s

Oh, thanks for that Class800, just the sort of thing I’m looking for!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Warwick Road station on the Manchester-Altrincham line (now Old Trafford station on Metrolink) had increased frequencies of EMUs during big matches (Test and Roses matches), especially over bank holidays, and also for football matches at the "other" Old Trafford in winter of course.
There were 4 tracks into the 1960s and some trains terminated there, including steam trains from Warrington via Lymm.

 

[Class800]

I don't have much detail - but what may help would be to look for old maps of lines in that area, as the line is question no longer operates, so you may be able to see where the pick up point may have been. I think it was by a bridge or a cutting. No platforms - just jump up from the track bed. Was at least semi official. Something else interesting is that the villages I mentioned are in Nottinghamshire not Yorkshire, yet very close to the county boundary in north Nottinghamshire, and the train ran to Yorkshire's cricket not Nottinghamshire's

 

[ainsworth74]

I'm not sure if it's what your after but when there's international matches at Headingley in Leeds Northern will add extra services between Leeds and Horsforth (first station after Burley Park and Headingley where trains can turn around) to provide extra capacity to move people to and from the ground.

 

[Caboose Class]

Horton Park Station in Bradford (opposite Bradford Park Avenue's {former} football ground - which backed on to Yorkshire's county cricket ground in Bradford) was used for football specials up until 1955. I can still vividly remember them. I don't remember cricket specials, though. However, there is a reference online at http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/horton_park/index.shtml that the station was also used for cricket specials. Alas I cannot confirm this - but it would not surprise me. Between the War years, Yorkshire CCC were county champions on 12 separate occasions and would have attracted huge crowds.

 

[Gloster]

I have a vague feeling of reading (in Backtrack?) that special trains used to run to Scarborough pre-war for the annual week-long cricket festival. Not sure when this was and how long it lasted, but I have a recollection of seeing a poster with Hedley Verity named as one of the stars expected. I am no cricket aficionado.

 

[30907]

Swanage station has a (reproduction) poster advertising Hampshire CCC games and day return fares, but it doesn't mention special trains.

Not steam era, but I was on my way home from the St Lawrence ground at Canterbury in the late 60s expecting a long wait for the hourly Victoria, and discovered a regular ECS to Faversham was running as an additional passenger - Faversham was marginally more interesting than Canterbury E so I took it, and it was reasonably busy (2 or 4 HAP, I don't remember).

The 09.40 down was conveniently timed for an 11.30 start, so the only other extras that day were on the scorecard

 

[greyman42]

Warwick Road station on the Manchester-Altrincham line (now Old Trafford station on Metrolink) had increased frequencies of EMUs during big matches (Test and Roses matches), especially over bank holidays, and also for football matches at the "other" Old Trafford in winter of course.
There were 4 tracks into the 1960s and some trains terminated there, including steam trains from Warrington via Lymm.

I remember you used to be able to see the station and the trains coming and going on the television before the ground was developed.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I remember you used to be able to see the station and the trains coming and going on the television before the ground was developed.

From the other perspective, can't see much into the (Old Trafford cricket) ground these days when passing by on an Altrincham line Metrolink tram.

 

[Buffer68]

Thank you to everyone who has posted here. I shall follow up these leads with research and hopefully be able to write an article on this subject!

 

[allaction]

I went from Cardiff Central to Paddington on a chartered train (by Glamorgan County Cricket Supporters Club I think) on Saturday 3 September 1977 for the Gillette Cup Final at Lord’s between Glamorgan v Middlesex. It had started at Swansea and returned after the match. Glamorgan lost…

When Glamorgan won the County Championship for the first time in their history, in August 1948, they travelled back from their match at Bournemouth by scheduled train (change at Southampton?) to Cardiff General arriving late at night to be greeted by loads of fans.

(They once travelled in the 1930s to Weston-super-Mare from Penarth by steamer, but that’s for a different messageboard…)

 

[Class800]

Thank you to everyone who has posted here. I shall follow up these leads with research and hopefully be able to write an article on this subject!

Let us know on here when the article is published

 

[Buffer68]

I went from Cardiff Central to Paddington on a chartered train (by Glamorgan County Cricket Supporters Club I think) on Saturday 3 September 1977 for the Gillette Cup Final at Lord’s between Glamorgan v Middlesex. It had started at Swansea and returned after the match. Glamorgan lost…

When Glamorgan won the County Championship for the first time in their history, in August 1948, they travelled back from their match at Bournemouth by scheduled train (change at Southampton?) to Cardiff General arriving late at night to be greeted by loads of fans.

(They once travelled in the 1930s to Weston-super-Mare from Penarth by steamer, but that’s for a different messageboard…)

That’s brilliant, thank you - lots of potential in there and even the steam boat story could be good. Interesting with the Bournemouth connection, as that’s where I live and Dean Park, where Glamorgan won in 1948, was where my sports days were held when at primary school!

Let us know on here when the article is published

Will do!

 

[allaction]

That’s brilliant, thank you - lots of potential in there and even the steam boat story could be good. Interesting with the Bournemouth connection, as that’s where I live and Dean Park, where Glamorgan won in 1948, was where my sports days were held when at primary school!


Will do!

Sir Herbert Merrett

Sir Herbert Merrett, or ‘HH’ to his friends, was President of Glamorgan CCC in 1948 when the Club were county champions for the first-ever time, besides being Chairman of Cardiff City FC. Sir HH Me…

glamorgancricketarchives.com

Glamorgan returning home from Bournemouth in 1948 as County Champions

 

[Western Lord]

I remember you used to be able to see the station and the trains coming and going on the television before the ground was developed.

The station and trains were regularly mentioned by "Johnners" on Test Match Special, with him taking particular delight at the "Chester Flyer" running through non stop.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The station and trains were regularly mentioned by "Johnners" on Test Match Special, with him taking particular delight at the "Chester Flyer" running through non stop.

If we're still talking about Old Trafford/Warwick Road, in the 1970s/1980s, the grandly titled "Chester Flyer" would probably have just been a two or three carriage DMU.

 

[robert thomas]

On 9th September 1974 BR ran a special from West Wales to Paddington for the Village Cup Final at Lords between Gowerton and Troon(Cornwall). I joined the train at Port Talbot behind D1071 at 07.44 and I believe the train started at Carmarthen and was routed over the Swansea District Line. Troon won the game and we returnred with the same loco at 21.00 from Paddington. I alighted at Neath so the train would presumably reversed at Swansea on the return trip unless it went via the curve at Landore. I believe there was also a train 2 years later when Gowerton won.

 

[Buffer68]

On 9th September 1974 BR ran a special from West Wales to Paddington for the Village Cup Final at Lords between Gowerton and Troon(Cornwall). I joined the train at Port Talbot behind D1071 at 07.44 and I believe the train started at Carmarthen and was routed over the Swansea District Line. Troon won the game and we returnred with the same loco at 21.00 from Paddington. I alighted at Neath so the train would presumably reversed at Swansea on the return trip unless it went via the curve at Landore. I believe there was also a train 2 years later when Gowerton won.

Thanks Robert, it seems there were more cricket 'specials' than I thought. Will investigate this further.

 

[SargeNpton]

And in modern days... Chester-le-Street sees extra stops when Durham Cricket Club hosts major games.