Seaham railway station

Seaham railway station serves the town of Seaham in County Durham, England. The station is located on the Durham Coast Line and is operated by Northern Trains, which provides all of its passenger services.

Seaham
Location
Place	Seaham
Local authority	County Durham
Coordinates	54.837°N 1.341°W / 54.837; -1.341
Grid reference	NZ420495
Operations
Station code	SEA
Managed by	Northern Trains
Number of platforms	2
DfT category	F1
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2014/15	124,252
2015/16	137,948
2016/17	145,362
2017/18	140,894
2018/19	137,652
History
Original company	Londonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway
Pre-grouping	North Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway
2 July 1855	Opened as Seaham Colliery
1 March 1925	Renamed Seaham
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Seaham from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.

The station facilities have recently been improved and include new fully lit waiting shelters and CCTV. The long-line Public Address system (PA) was renewed and upgraded with pre-recorded announcements.

The first rail route into the town (the Seaham & Sunderland Railway) was built as a means of exporting coal from nearby collieries owned by the Marquess of Londonderry. Completed in 1854, it ran from a station near the harbour to Ryhope Grange near Sunderland, where it joined the North Eastern Railway. The station was opened on 2 July 1855 and was originally named Seaham Colliery.[1] The NER eventually purchased the line in 1900 and then opened a line southwards along the coast to West Hartlepool on 1 April 1905[2] to create a new coastal route between Sunderland, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. A new through station was constructed at the same time and it is this that remains in use, the original Seaham Harbour terminus having closed to passengers on 11 September 1939.[2] On 1 March 1925 the original Seaham station was renamed Seaham Harbour, and Seaham Colliery renamed Seaham.[1]

Facilities

The station is unstaffed, but a self-service ticket machine is provided on the northbound platform to allow passengers to buy tickets before boarding or to collect pre-paid tickets. Train running information is offered via timetable posters, digital CIS displays and automatic announcements. Step-free access is available to both platforms.[3]

Services

Northern Trains Route 2: Durham Coast Line
Tyne Valley Line to Carlisle East Coast Main Line to London King's Cross Newcastle East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh Heworth Sunderland Seaham Horden Hartlepool Seaton Carew Billingham Stockton Tees Valley Line to Bishop Auckland Thornaby Middlesbrough Tees Valley Line to Saltburn Esk Valley Line to Whitby

Northbound, an hourly service is provided to Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne (journey time approximately 35 minutes). One additional service is provided during morning peak time. Most services continue along the Tyne Valley Line to MetroCentre and Hexham.[4]

Southbound, trains follow a similar pattern with an hourly service to Hartlepool and Middlesbrough (journey time approximately 45 minutes). Two additional services run at peak times. Most services continue beyond Middlesbrough to Nunthorpe, with two through trains to Whitby and a third to Castleton Moor.

Trains are also hourly on Sundays, generally running between Middlesbrough and Carlisle, though the first services are not until mid-morning. Three through services run from Newcastle to Whitby, with two return workings.

Grand Central services between Sunderland and London King's Cross use the line through Seaham but do not call there.

Notes

1. Butt 1995, p. 207
2. Body 1988, p. 150
3. Seaham station facilitiesNational Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 3 February 2017
4. GB National Rail Timetable December 2019 Edition, Table 44 (Network Rail)

References

• Body, G. (1988). PSL Field Guides - Railways of the Eastern Region Volume 2. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-072-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 207. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

External links

• Train times and station information for Seaham railway station from National Rail

Preceding station		National Rail		Following station
Horden		Northern Trains Durham Coast Line		Sunderland
	Historical railways
Seaham (Harbour) Line and station closed		Londonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway Seaham–Sunderland Central		Seaham Hall Dene (Private station) Line open, station closed
				Ryhope East Line open, station closed
Hawthorn Tower Halt Line open, station closed		London and North Eastern Railway Durham Coast Line		Ryhope East Line open, station closed
Easington Line open, station closed