Hunslet railway station
Hunslet railway station is a disused station in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. The station was opened by the Midland Railway on 1 April 1850 to serve the suburb of Hunslet.[1]
Hunslet | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hunslet, City of Leeds England |
| Coordinates | 53°46′44″N 1°32′11″W |
| Grid reference | SE306315 |
| Platforms | 4 |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Original company | Midland Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland & Scottish Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 1 April 1850 | Opened |
| 14 September 1873 | Re-located |
| 13 June 1960 | Closed |
Originally built with two platforms, an increase in goods traffic between Normanton an Leeds prompted the Midland Railway to double line capacity between the two locations. As part of this development Hunslet station was relocated approximately 0.25 miles (0.40 km) north (closer to Leeds) of its original location with the station buildings at street level on Hilledge Road.[2] The new station opened on 14 September 1873 with four platforms.[1]
After the relocation the station remained open until it was closed on 13 June 1960.[1]
Pullman fire
In the early hours of Sunday 29 October 1882 the overnight sleeper train from St Pancras to Glasgow and Edinburgh was stopped in Hunslet station after fire broke out in one of the Pullman carriages in the train. Four people were known to be in the carriage and three were evacuated safely however the body of the fourth was found in his compartment of the carriage, the body was identified as Dr John Arthur from Aberdeen.[3] At the inquest held in Leeds the following week it was concluded that the fire had accidentally started due to another passenger's reading lamp setting fire to the furnishings of the carriage and that Dr Arthur died from suffocation while in a narcotic stupor.[4]
References
- Quick, Michael (2009) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway and Canal Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
- "Midland Railway improvements in Leeds". The Railway News. Vol. XIX no. 487. 26 April 1873. p. 608.
- "A Pullman car on fire". Lancaster Gazette (5, 289). 4 November 1882. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "The Pullman Car Accident". Aberdeen Journal. CXXXIV (7, 035). 11 November 1882. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
| Historical railways | ||||
| Woodlesford Line open; station open |
Midland Railway | Leeds Wellington Street Line open; station open | ||