Redcar Central railway station

Redcar Central is a railway station on the Tees Valley Line, which runs between Bishop Auckland and Saltburn via Darlington. The station, situated 7 miles 64 chains (12.6 km) east of Middlesbrough, serves the seaside town of Redcar, Redcar and Cleveland in North Yorkshire, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

Redcar Central
National Rail
General information
LocationRedcar, Redcar and Cleveland
England
Coordinates54°36′58″N 1°04′13″W
Grid referenceNZ600249
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeRCC
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Original companyMiddlesbrough and Redcar Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
5 June 1846Opened as Redcar
19 August 1861Resited
25 September 1950Renamed Redcar Central
Passengers
2016/17Increase 0.358 million
2018/19Decrease 0.324 million
2019/20Increase 0.338 million
2020/21Decrease 0.114 million
2021/22Increase 0.344 million
Location
Redcar Central is located in North Yorkshire
Redcar Central
Redcar Central
Location in North Yorkshire, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History

The line into the town from the west was opened as the Middlesbrough and Redcar Railway on 5 June 1846.[1] The company that constructed it was nominally independent but, in reality, was backed financially by the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the Great North of England Railway, one of the constituent companies of the North Eastern Railway.

The Stockton and Darlington Railway had formally taken over by the time an extension eastwards to Saltburn was completed in August 1861. The route diverged from the original line just short of the existing terminus, part of which remained in use for goods traffic, and a new through station had to be constructed. This was built in a similar style to that used by G.T. Andrews elsewhere on the North Eastern Railway, with an impressive frontage and overall roof.

Initially, the station had only a single platform which led to congestion issues and delays during the summer months, when traffic levels were at their heaviest. A second platform outside the train shed was eventually provided for westbound services by the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Today, the original train shed is no longer used, with a replacement eastbound platform having been constructed alongside it at the end of the 1980s.

The level crossing utilised motorised wooden boom gates that swung across the road for many years. Still, these latterly became increasingly unreliable and prone to failure in high winds. In 2015, Network Rail replaced these with telescopic metal gates — a design unique to this particular location.[2][3][4]

Facilities

Redcar Central has a staffed ticket office, open Monday to Saturday (07:50–14:45) but not on Sunday. A self-service ticket machine is available for use outside these hours or for collecting pre-paid tickets. There is also a waiting room that is open Monday to Saturday - these are both on the southern side (platform 1). Platform 2 has a shelter, timetable, poster boards and bench seating.[5]

Platform 1 is further west than platform 2, and a bridge over the track connects the two. There is a level crossing over one of the major roads into Redcar at the end of platform 1, which can also be used to cross over the track. Nearby is the Redcar Station business park, which is housed in the old trainshed, closed since 2016, and now in disrepair.

Station facilities here were improved in 2013. The package for this station included improved platform lighting, renewed station signage, digital information screens and the installation of CCTV. The long-line Public Address system (PA) has been renewed and upgraded with pre-recorded train announcements.[6] Step-free access is available to both sides.

Services

Northern Trains

Northern Trains
Route 3
Tees Valley Line
Bishop Auckland Parking Heritage railway
Shildon Bicycle facilities Heritage railway
Newton Aycliffe Parking Bicycle facilities
Heighington Parking
North Road Bicycle facilities
Darlington Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Dinsdale
Teesside Airport Airport interchange
Allens West Bicycle facilities
Eaglescliffe Parking Bicycle facilities
Thornaby Parking Bicycle facilities
Middlesbrough Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
South Bank Bicycle facilities
Redcar Central Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Redcar East Bicycle facilities
Longbeck Bicycle facilities
Marske Bicycle facilities
Saltburn Bicycle facilities

As of the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by two trains per hour between Saltburn and Darlington via Middlesbrough, with one train per hour extending to Bishop Auckland. An hourly service operates between Saltburn and Bishop Auckland on Sunday.[7]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

TransPennine Express

As of May 2023, TransPennine Express operate 1 train per hour between Saltburn and Manchester Airport via York. Most trains run via Yarm, with the exception of one early morning service, which travels via Darlington instead.[8]

Rolling stock used: Class 185 Desiro

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Redcar East   Northern Trains
Tees Valley Line
  South Bank
Saltburn   TransPennine Express
North TransPennine
  Middlesbrough
  Historical railways  
Redcar East   British Rail (Eastern Region)
Tees Valley Line
  Redcar British Steel
Redcar East   London and North Eastern Railway
Tees Valley Line
  Warrenby Halt

References

  1. Body 1989, p. 144.
  2. Barley, Sophie (14 December 2015). "New wind-proof level crossing barriers open in Redcar". TeessideLive. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  3. "New railway crossing gates signal the end of traffic issues in Redcar". Network Rail. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  4. "Wind-resistant level crossing gates installed". Railway Gazette International. 10 January 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  5. Redcar Central station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 20 February 2017
  6. "Report of meeting with Steve Payne, Tees Valley Unlimited" North East Coastliners news article 29 June 2015; Retrieved 17 February 2017
  7. "Train times: Bishop Auckland and Darlington to Middlesbrough and Saltburn" (PDF). Northern Trains. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  8. "Liverpool and Manchester to Leeds, Hull, York, Scarborough, Middlesbrough, Saltburn, Newcastle and Edinburgh". TransPennine Express. Retrieved 30 May 2023.

Sources

  • Body, Geoffrey (1989). Railways of the Eastern Region. Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England: P. Stephens. ISBN 1-85260-072-1.
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