Demolition of Closed Stations on Lines Remaining Open

[Chrius56000]

. . .In B.R.'s Beeching Era when local stopping passenger services on lines scheduled to remain open for the long term future were withdrawn, who's responsibility was it to demolish platforms, disused passenger amenities, station buildings, etc?

. . .Were disused passenger facilities removed by B.R. staff themselves or external contractors after closure to passengers?

. . .How long were platforms left after closure as a rule, and was the (now obsolete!) white/open circle symbol used on O.S. One Inch/Landranger mapping to denote a closed passenger station only used whilst the platforms were still extant?

Chris Williams

 

[uglymonkey]

I think most demolition was done by outside contractors, after BR removed anything that could be reused on the "active" railway. Total demolishment or just left "to rot" re platforms etc I guess would depend on individual circumstances. Some platforms still exist under 60+ years of undergrowth, whilst others where quickly demolished for road improvements etc. one railway bridge may be removed for scrap value if it is a girder bridge, or if bigger lorries wanted to get underneath it, whereas another bridge, brick built a few miles away could stand to this day, covered in vegetation - inspected every now and again to ensure it is safe. ( or filled in with concrete !!). Buildings were quickly demolished if they couldn't find another use after closure and suffered if they extensive vandalism or fire for example.

No idea about the map symbols.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There were cases where the former railway station buildings were sold and turned into private dwellings or commercial properties.

 

[WesternLancer]

I think most demolition was done by outside contractors, after BR removed anything that could be reused on the "active" railway. Total demolishment or just left "to rot" re platforms etc I guess would depend on individual circumstances. Some platforms still exist under 60+ years of undergrowth, whilst others where quickly demolished for road improvements etc. one railway bridge may be removed for scrap value if it is a girder bridge, or if bigger lorries wanted to get underneath it, whereas another bridge, brick built a few miles away could stand to this day, covered in vegetation - inspected every now and again to ensure it is safe. ( or filled in with concrete !!). Buildings were quickly demolished if they couldn't find another use after closure and suffered if they extensive vandalism or fire for example.

No idea about the map symbols.

The OPs question focuses more on closed stations on otherwise active lines that remained open (so bridges etc would remain in use), some of which would have been main lines where BRs plans were to increase speeds so other infrastructure would have had investment to increase line speeds. EG local station closures on the east coast main line or GW main line.

Good question about OS map symbol. They must have had a policy on how and when they used that symbol so I wonder what that was. OS map revisions in the printed only era were not that frequent however I don't think.

Not a Beeching closure but Tinsley Green (for Gatwick airport) was a 1930s pre cast concrete SR station on the Brighton Line that I think closed in the late 1950s and I recall remains of the station buildings / platforms still visible from passing trains IIRC in the late 1970s - 1980s. Not sure of this is a good example or not.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Were the station closures on the West Coast Main Line between Preston and Carlisle connected with the need to increase line speeds?

 

[Rescars]

In a fair number of cases, platform edges were removed even if much of the rest of the platform remained (and may still remain).

Some buildings in remote locations lasted unused for a very long time. I recall seeing the abandoned buildings at Ach-na-Cloich (near Oban) in the early 1980s. The station had closed in 1965. I believe they have been demolished now, but I don't know when or by whom.

 

[Gloster]

In a fair number of cases, platform edges were removed even if much of the rest of the platform remained (and may still remain).

This was because the edge of the platform was close to the passing trains and would need to be regularly checked to ensure that it hadn’t moved too close to the them, something that would be more likely if no maintenance was being carried out on the rest of the station. Cutting back the platform edge removed this continuous maintenance requirement.

 

[30907]

This was because the edge of the platform was close to the passing trains and would need to be regularly checked to ensure that it hadn’t moved too close to the them, something that would be more likely if no maintenance was being carried out on the rest of the station. Cutting back the platform edge removed this continuous maintenance requirement.

...and in some cases released concrete slabs for reuse?

Lullingstone (never opened) lost its canopies to Canterbury East in the 50s (per Kentrail.org.uk). I recall the platform copings still being there in my youth.

 

[uglymonkey]

Or maybe a visual reminder to anyone that passes or turns up that the station/platform is closed?

 

[GatwickDepress]

St Leonard's West Marina saw everything demolished except for the down platform and some concrete lamp-posts, retained as a staff halt for the nearby signalbox and St Leonards depot - with some of those classic red 'Do Not Alight Here' signs added. The platform remains, but is currently overgrown and evidently hasn't been used for decades.

I imagine the chaps in stores got first dibs on anything they could reuse and then the contractors came around to dismantle and demolish everything left.

 

[Taunton]

The Western Region in the 1960s had a particular technique that at such former stations and facilities, absolutely everything was demolished and reduced to bare ground level, except for the one (or two) running lines through the site, including removal of all sidings, etc, and then copious amounts of new ballast spread all over to bring it back up level. The ones done around Taunton were nicknamed the "scorched earth policy".

This was associated with a government subsidy initiative at the time, the "Surplus Track Grant" (it included surplus signalling as well) for removal of this, where the labour costs required likely exceeded the resulting scrap value, so it was being left as it was. There was an upper overall BR limit to this grant (I think £50m - quite a lot of money in the 1960s), and the WR was going to get there first. Work was done by regular ganger crews, often at overtime rates on rest days.

It also accounted for why the WR was more keen than others on knocking secondary main routes down to long single line sections, something undone at several places in more recent times, at very considerable expense in comparison.

 

[yorksrob]

The Western Region in the 1960s had a particular technique that at such former stations and facilities, absolutely everything was demolished and reduced to bare ground level, except for the one (or two) running lines through the site, including removal of all sidings, etc, and then copious amounts of new ballast spread all over to bring it back up level. The ones done around Taunton were nicknamed the "scorched earth policy".

This was associated with a government subsidy initiative at the time, the "Surplus Track Grant" (it included surplus signalling as well) for removal of this, where the labour costs required likely exceeded the resulting scrap value, so it was being left as it was. There was an upper overall BR limit to this grant (I think £50m - quite a lot of money in the 1960s), and the WR was going to get there first. Work was done by regular ganger crews, often at overtime rates on rest days.

It also accounted for why the WR was more keen than others on knocking secondary main routes down to long single line sections, something undone at several places in more recent times, at very considerable expense in comparison.

I think that if any policy could be described as causing a perverse incentive, that would be it.

 

[Helvellyn]

...and in some cases released concrete slabs for reuse?

Or in many cases solid cut stone slabs.

 

[WesternLancer]

Were the station closures on the West Coast Main Line between Preston and Carlisle connected with the need to increase line speeds?

I think I may also have read that as well as remove the need for stopping services completely I assume.

 

[Meole]

Many junction stations were closed and removed when their branch line closed.

 

[30907]

I think I may also have read that

I think it applied to the mainline platforms at Carnforth in the 70s, not sure about the 60s closures.

 

[Helvellyn]

I think I may also have read that as well as remove the need for stopping services completely I assume.

Kendal - Shap - Penrith - Carlisle via the A6 serves all the Intermediate villages directly so (the then) Ribble bus services were probably seen as a much better option than an infrequent stopping service.

Outside of retaining a loco-hauoed service I'd also imagine running a Class 108 Power-Trailer (which is what Kingmoor had for Cumberland services) regularly over Shap wouldn't have been great!

A number of Penrith - Keswick DMU services did run to/from Carlisle but I wonder if that was positioning moves and filling in some gaps for services between Penrith and Carlisle?

 

[WesternLancer]

I think it applied to the mainline platforms at Carnforth in the 70s, not sure about the 60s closures.

Thanks.

Kendal - Shap - Penrith - Carlisle via the A6 serves all the Intermediate villages directly so (the then) Ribble bus services were probably seen as a much better option than an infrequent stopping service.

Outside of retaining a loco-hauoed service I'd also imagine running a Class 108 Power-Twin (which is what Kingmoor had for Cumberland services) regularly over Shap wouldn't have been great!

A number of Penrith - Keswick DMU services did run to/from Carlisle but I wonder if that was positioning moves and filling in some gaps for services between Penrith and Carlisle?

Thanks for that info.

 

[Bevan Price]

Most of the "small" stations between Preston, Carlisle and Carstairs closed because they served little more than small villages and attracted few passengers.

Garstang & Catterall was different - Garstang was a small town, but a long way from the station, so rather inconvenient compared with the (then) more frequent bus services to Preston & Lancaster.

Low Gill, Tebay & Beattock lost much relevance when their associated branch lines were closed (Low Gill to Ingleton / Clapham; Tebay - Darlington; Moffat branch)

Even Carstairs may have been "lucky" to survive, mainly because England to Glasgow / Edinburgh portions split or combined there - the local services were pretty awful by the 1960s. .

 

[WesternLancer]

Most of the "small" stations between Preston, Carlisle and Carstairs closed because they served little more than small villages and attracted few passengers.

Garstang & Catterall was different - Garstang was a small town, but a long way from the station, so rather inconvenient compared with the (then) more frequent bus services to Preston & Lancaster.

Low Gill, Tebay & Beattock lost much relevance when their associated branch lines were closed (Low Gill to Ingleton / Clapham; Tebay - Darlington; Moffat branch)

Even Carstairs may have been "lucky" to survive, mainly because England to Glasgow / Edinburgh portions split or combined there - the local services were pretty awful by the 1960s. .

Interesting to read this detail. Thanks.