What was the station with the shortest length of time open

[David Bigcheeseplant]

I was wondering what station had the shortest working life, I was thinking one which had station buildings and was not a temporary one plus had to have been included in a timetable.   

 

[doilum]

Opening bid: Robin Hood on the East &West Yorkshire Union Rly. Open for regular passenger service to Leeds Wellington St between January and August 1904. It was used however, for specials and excursions until the line closed in the mid 60s.

[LMS2968]

There were two on the Whelley Line around Wigan; Whelley itself opened 1 January 1872 and closed 1 March 1872, although the building survived as a private dwelling until the 1970s. The track bed is now a public footpath. I think there was a second but I can't remember which it was.

[beast66606]

While not the shortest, Tranmere station on the Birkenhead Joint was unusual as it opened as Lime Kiln Lane, the name was changed to St Paul's Road and finally to Tranmere - all within the 11 years it was open, 1846-1857.

[MPR]

57 minutes ago, David Bigcheeseplant said:

I was wondering what station had the shortest working life, I was thinking one which had station buildings and was not a temporary one plus had to have been included in a timetable.   

 

It doesn’t quite meet the criteria above, but I can’t resist suggesting Llangurig https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llangurig_branch

[fulton]

How about the Chatham Central branch of the South Eastern Railway, serving Rochester Common, opened 1891 and Chatham Central (actually in Rochester) opened 1892 both closed 1911. The expensive bridge over the River Medway to serve this branch lives on, now carrying the main Victoria line. The remains of the Chatham Central station house also lived on as part of a wall until recently.

[lofty.ian]

Scale Hall, between Lancaster Green Ayre and Morecambe Promenade, opened 1957 as part of the BR re-electrification to overhead ac.  Closed January 1966 when the through route from Skipton was closed from Wennington Junction, through Lancaster Green Ayre, to Morecambe.  Services were rerouted via Carnforth.  It had a full set of modern style buildings.

[Ramrig]

Ramsline Halt. Only ever used four times

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsline_Halt_railway_station

 

[KeithHC]

Central Croydon opened originally in 1868 closed 1871. Then reopened again in 1886 closed finally in 1890 to make way for Croydon town hall.

 

Keith

[Reorte]

Been beaten by one or two others already but Settle Junction station only lasted about a year. Didn't really serve anywhere on its own and I suppose Hellifield made a perfectly useable interchange anyway.

[Stretch37266]

Ashford Bowdler,in Shropshire opened i believe in 1854 closed 1855.

[Gwiwer]

Not a contender for overall honours but in recent times Workington North was open for just over 10 months (30/11/2009 to 8/10/2010) despite pressure in some circles to make it a permanent station.  

[Aire Head]

The original Idle station was opened in 1847 on the Aire Valley line however it closed a year later in 1848. Presumably because Apperley Bridge station was actually in a better position to service the community.

[Reorte]

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Not a contender for overall honours but in recent times Workington North was open for just over 10 months (30/11/2009 to 8/10/2010) despite pressure in some circles to make it a permanent station.  

Still think they missed a trick there by not labelling the trains using it "Bus Replacement Trains."

[andyman7]

Stoke Bruerne and Salcey Forest were situated on the Stratford & Midland Junction Railway spur from Towcester to the Northampton - Bedford line; opened in December 1892 they closed to passengers in March 1893; Salcey Forest in particular was really in the middle of nowhere; it wasn't even adjacent a road being reached by a path across a field. Both stations were nonetheless substantial brick built affairs; Stoke Bruerne survives as a private house.

Edited November 10, 2021 by andyman7
Spelling

[Nearholmer]

I was about to nominate those two! 
 

I even managed to find the last mortal remains of Salcey Forest station for the first time this summer. Some bricks in a dense shrubbery, Trip Adviser rating: No Stars.

 

The Deanshanger terminus of the Wolverton & Stony Stratford Steam Tramway was another one minute wonder, May 1888 to December 1889; the entire extension of the line only lasted that long.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Nearholmer

[BR60103]

Probably well out of the topic.

https://transittoronto.ca/subway/stations/002-bloor-danforth-subway/bay.shtml

 

Toronto subway opened a new line and built a fully-undergound, double-track wye to allow trains to go three ways. On the new line, the stations had 2 levels, and the line went to one level beyond them. This was run as an "experiment" for 6 months, then run as separate lines (one terminated at the station) for six months which has now become 55 years.

Lower Bay has had minor use as an emergency platform and a movie set.

I forget how many million dollars were spent on the wye.

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by BR60103

[peach james]

David, that being said, the Wye is very important beyond Lower Bay's use as a platform.

(PS: I was in the Star Labour day 1982, on the platform...page A3)

It's also been used more recently- perhaps 5 years ago?  I'm less certain as to why it isn't used now to help with the Bloor/Young overcrowding.

 

James

[DavidB-AU]

A few that (as best I can work out) were not intentionally temporary and appeared in public timetables.

 

Sleightholme on the Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway, opened September 1856, closed to passengers June 1857.

 

Wray on the Little North Western, opened November 1849, closed to passengers May 1850.

 

Roman Road on the Leeds and Selby Railway, opened 22 September 1834, closed to passengers 10 November 1834.

 

Bedlay on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, opened 10 December 1849, closed to passengers 31 December 1849.

 

Cheers

David

 

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by DavidB-AU

[corneliuslundie]

St y Nyll Platform on the Barry Railway man line doesn't get the gold medal. Opened with the Motor Car service on 1May 1905. Closed when the Motor Trains were replaced by conventional stock (they couldn't cope with the gradients) after 18 November 1905.

Jonathan  

[doilum]

On 10/11/2021 at 17:58, Aire Head said:

The original Idle station was opened in 1847 on the Aire Valley line however it closed a year later in 1848. Presumably because Apperley Bridge station was actually in a better position to service the community.

So the original remained idle.

[Aire Head]

9 hours ago, doilum said:

So the original remained idle.

 

Whereas the new one was opened next to the working men's club 

[doilum]

1 hour ago, Aire Head said:

 

Whereas the new one was opened next to the working men's club 

Having passed it on several occasions I could not help but smile each time I read the sign  IDLE WORKING MEN'S CLUB.

Edited November 13, 2021 by doilum

[SamThomas]

I believe that "Margate Sands" (roughly where Arlington House stands) opened but never saw timetabled service.

 

At one point Margate had the main station, Margate Sands, Margate East & possibly a halt near Westbrook.

[Hal Nail]

How about Okehampton. Only been open about a week.