Steeton and Silsden railway station

Steeton and Silsden railway station serves the village of Steeton and the town of Silsden in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated closer to Steeton than to Silsden, and is on the Airedale Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Northern. Steeton & Silsden closed on 20 March 1965 (a victim of the Beeching Axe) but reopened in 1990.[1] The current (staggered) station platforms built by British Rail are located on the site of the old A6068 level crossing, which was replaced by the current road bridge in 1988 as part of the Aire Valley Trunk Road project.[2] Until its closure, both platforms were situated to the north of the former crossing, although the original station building (which survives as a private residence) was located on the Keighley side (south of the current northbound platform).

Steeton and Silsden
Location
Place	Steeton
Local authority	City of Bradford
Coordinates	53.899980°N 1.944380°W / 53.899980; -1.944380
Grid reference	SE037448
Operations
Station code	SON
Managed by	Northern
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	0.862 million
2015/16	0.839 million
2016/17	0.852 million
2017/18	0.839 million
2018/19	0.804 million
Passenger Transport Executive
PTE	West Yorkshire (Metro)
Zone	5
History
Original company	Leeds and Bradford Railway
Pre-grouping	Midland Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
December 1847	First station opened as Steeton
1 September 1868	Renamed Steeton and Silsden
1 March 1892	Station re-sited
22 March 1965	Station closed
14 May 1990	Reopened
National Rail – UK railway stations
Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Steeton and Silsden from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.

Because the station is the first station within the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive subsidised ticketing region on the line into Leeds and Bradford from Skipton, there are perceived to be problems with car parking at the station,[2] as people from outside the region drive in from North Yorkshire and Lancashire to take advantage of the subsidised ticketing.[3] An extension to the Metro area, to include Skipton, was hoped to alleviate that[4] when it took effect on 17 May 2009.[5][6] However, the crowded car park problem still exists, so the West Yorkshire Combined Authority will build a new multi-storey car park with 247 spaces by the end of 2020, costing £3.89 million.[7]

Until recently, the station lacked full access for disabled users, which led some to catch trains in the opposite direction to change platforms.[8] Access is now possible via a fairly steep ramp to the Leeds & Bradford-bound platform.[9] Though the station is normally unstaffed, there are ticket machines available at the station for passengers to use. The station has digital information screens and a long-line PA system.

Services

During Monday to Saturday in the daytime, there is a half-hourly service to both Leeds and Bradford Forster Square in one direction and four trains an hour towards Skipton. In the evening, there is a half-hourly service to Leeds, an hourly service to Bradford Forster Square and three trains per hour to Skipton.

On Sundays, there is an hourly service to both Leeds and Bradford Forster Square, with two trains per hour to Skipton.[10]

The services are mostly operated by Northern Class 333 electric multiple units, but Class 321 and Class 322 sets are used on some weekday workings.

Most regional services to destinations beyond Skipton (to Morecambe and Carlisle) do not stop here - connections are available at Skipton. A limited number do stop though - one early a.m Carlisle service and one afternoon Morecambe train call on weekdays and Saturdays (as do one from Lancaster and one from Ribblehead in the opposite direction), whilst on Sundays the first morning trains to each destination do so.

Services are provided by a variety of Diesel Multiple Units (of classes Class 142, Class 144, Class 150, Class 153 and Class 158).

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Keighley		Northern Airedale Line		Cononley
Keighley		Northern Leeds-Morecambe Line		Skipton
Keighley		Northern Settle-Carlisle Line		Skipton
	Historical railways
Keighley		Midland Railway Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway		Kildwick and Crosshills

References

1. Bairstow, Martin (2004). Railways Through Airedale & Wharfedale. ISBN 1-871944-28-7.
2. Moore, Lindsey (21 May 2015). "Steeton and Silsden Railway Station reopened 25 years ago". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
3. Knights, David (7 February 2019). "Plans for multi-storey car park at railway station welcomed". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
4. "Cheap rail fare plan for Skipton". Craven Herald & Pioneer. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
5. "Metrocard extension to Skipton gets a welcome". Craven Herald and Pioneer. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
6. "Metrocard Zones 6 & 7". WYMetro. WYPTE. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
7. Shand, Alistair (2 October 2019). "Multi-storey car park for railway station is approved". Craven Herald. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
8. "A bridge that's too far for disabled travellers". Keighley News. 24 January 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
9. Steeton & Silsden station facilities National Rail Enquiries
10. Table 36 National Rail timetable, May 2019

External links

• Train times and station information for Steeton and Silsden railway station from National Rail