Station Name: ST. DUNSTAN'S

[Source: Chris Armour]
Date opened: 21.11.1878
Location: On the south side of Mill Lane
Company on opening: Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway/Great Northern Joint
Date closed to passengers: 15.9.1952
Date closed completely: 15.9.1952
Company on closing: British Railways (North Eastern Region)
Present state: Demolished - the only remnant remaining is a short section of wall. The line from Leeds to Bradford Interchange still runs through the site.
County: Yorkshire
OS Grid Ref: SE167321
Date of visit: October 2005

The Bradford - Halifax & Keighley lines via Queensbury never had a regular scheduled service from Leeds. Trains for Queensbury departed from Bradford Exchange station and then crossed the incoming Leeds trains at St. Dunstan's station. Thus, St. Dunstan's was used more as an exchange station between the Leeds/London to Bradford and the Bradford to Keighley/Halifax trains. As the station was situated in a largely industrial area, there was very little use by local residents.

The track layout at the station was unusual, in that trains from Bradford Exchange branched off eastwards at Mill Lane junction and passed through St. Dunstan's. Then a triangular junction allowed through running to Leeds, or by curling round and back under the Bradford Exchange to Manchester line, trains could continue to Queensbury. These two lines were served by passenger platforms. There was a third side to the triangle which allowed through running from Queensbury to Leeds, but this was almost exclusively used by goods trains and had no passenger platforms.

After the second world war, passenger use on the Queensbury lines fell sharply, mainly due to increased private car ownership. Through trains from Halifax to Keighley virtually ceased and it was felt that the expense of maintaining St. Dunstan's could be saved by starting journeys from Bradford Exchange. The station was closed to passengers on September 15th 1952, the same day as Horton Park, almost three years before the rest of the line, which closed on May 23rd 1955. Occasional goods services remained at the unstaffed station until the final closure of the section to Great Horton on August 26th 1972, when the southern chord of the triangle was also lifted.

Tickets from Michael Stewart

To see the other stations on the Halifax - Bradford - Keighley lines click on the station name: Halifax St. Pauls, Pellon,
Halifax North Bridge, Ovenden, Holmfield, Queensbury, Clayton, Great Horton, Horton Park, Manchester Road, Bradford Adolphus Street, Thornton, Denholme, Wilsden & Ingrow East



St. Dunstan's Stations in the late 1950's - Halifax platforms are on the right
Copyright photo from John Alsop collection



1921 1:2,500 OS map



The site of St. Dunstan's Station in October 2005 - Halifax platforms were on the open ground to the left
Photo by Chris Armour


Click on thumbnail to enlarge

 

 

 

[Source: Chris Armour]


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