Leek railway station

Leek railway station was a railway station that served the town of Leek, Staffordshire. It was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway in 1849.[2] Passenger services were withdrawn in 1965 with complete closure following in 1970.

For the proposed station, see Leek (Churnet Valley) railway station.

Leek
Leek station site, now a Morrisons Supermarket in 2018
Location
PlaceLeek
AreaStaffordshire Moorlands
Coordinates53.1003°N 2.0329°W / 53.1003; -2.0329
Grid referenceSJ978559
Operations
Original companyNorth Staffordshire Railway
Post-grouping
History
13 July 1849Opened[1]
4 January 1965Closed to passengers[1]
3 July 1970Closed to freight
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain
A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z

History

Leek had a substantial station and goods yard, but competition from road transport led to the withdrawal of services to Stoke-on-Trent in 1956 and the remaining passenger services to Uttoxeter in 1965. Freight workings continued until 1970.[2]

The site of the station is now occupied by a Morrisons supermarket,[3] although the road bridge is still in situ between the latter's car park and petrol station.

Future
See also: Leek (Churnet Valley) railway station

In 2009, Moorlands and City Railways Ltd (MCR) bought the 20 miles of railway line from Stoke in the west-direction of Leek, with a view to reconnect Leek with the national network.[4]

A new station could be constructed in Leek, possibly on the Cornhill development on the outskirts of the town, although the MCR would prefer a station closer to the town centre.[5][6] Following its initial refusal of planning permission in September 2014, Moorlands District Council accepted a second proposal which would see a station provided next to the 17-acre Barnfield Industrial Estate in Cornhill, on a site previously occupied by Hughes Concrete Products.[7] The new station would become the Churnet Valley Railway's northern terminus and the headquarters of the MCR.[7] The ¾-mile extension from Leek Brook would be funded by the sale of land within a triangle at Leekbrook for housing.[7]

Route
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Rudyard
Line and station closed
   North Staffordshire Railway
Churnet Valley Line		   Leek Brook
Line and station closed

References
  1. Quick, Michael (2009) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
  2. Keys, R.; North Staffordshire Railway Society (1974). The Churnet Valley Railway. Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-16-8.
  3. Ballantyne, Hugh (2005). British Railways Past & Present: North Staffordshire and the Trent Valley. Past & Present Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85895-204-2.
  4. "New rail link 'best thing in years for Moorlands'". This is Staffordshire. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  5. Broadbent, Steve (25 July – 7 August 2012). "Looks like Leek's luck may change". RAIL (701): 72.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  6. "Road talks put job zone back on track". This is Staffordshire. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  7. Brodrick, Nick (March 2015). "Leek back on the agenda as council permits station". The Railway Magazine. 161 (1368): 73.
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