Alton Towers railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alton Station
|
|
|---|---|
The remains of Alton Towers railway station
|
|
| Location | Alton, Staffordshire Moorlands, Staffordshire England |
| Coordinates | 52°58′54″N 1°53′48″W / 52.9816°N 1.8968°W |
| Platforms | 3 |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Original company | North Staffordshire Railway |
| Post-grouping | LMS British Railways |
| Key dates | |
| 13 July 1849 | Opened as Alton |
| January 1954 | Renamed Alton Towers |
| 4 January 1965 | Closed |
Alton Station is a unique holiday home and a former railway station in Staffordshire, England. It used to be called Alton railway station and later Alton Towers railway station. The Landmark Trust now looks after it.
The station first opened in 1849. It was built by the North Staffordshire Railway. This station was part of the Churnet Valley line. It served the village of Alton and the famous Alton Towers estate. In 1954, its name changed to Alton Towers. The station closed in 1965. Later, in 1979, the Landmark Trust bought it. They turned the old station buildings into a special place for holidays.
Contents
The Story of Alton Station
During a time called "Railway Mania", many railways were built across the country. This was in the mid-1800s. The North Staffordshire Railway got permission to build several lines. One of these was the Churnet Valley Line. This line ran from North Rode in Cheshire to Uttoxeter in East Staffordshire.
Building the Station
A temporary station was set up in Alton. It opened on July 13, 1849. The main station buildings opened the next year. The station looked like an Italianate villa. This was very unusual for a railway station. Most stations built by the North Staffordshire Railway looked like Tudor or Jacobean houses.
People think famous architects designed the station. Some say it was A.W. Pugin. Others believe it was Henry Arthur Hunt. He designed most of the other stations for the North Staffordshire Railway.
Early Days and Important Visitors
Many early passengers were day visitors. They came from the Staffordshire Potteries. They wanted to visit the nearby Alton Towers estate. This was the home of the Earl of Shrewsbury.
The station had a special lift for luggage. This lift helped carry the Earl's bags up to Alton Towers. The station also had a three-story tower. This tower held the Earl's private waiting rooms. The platform was extra long. This was because the Earl wanted an impressive place to welcome his guests.
Station Improvements
More things were added to the station in the 1880s:
- In 1882, the goods yard was made bigger. New tracks for parking trains were added. A signal box was also built.
- Also in 1882, the waiting room was made larger. A new ticket office was added.
- In 1884, the platforms were made longer. A direct path to Alton Towers was also built.
From Decline to Holiday Home
The station became much busier from 1924. This was when Alton Towers was sold. It became a tourist attraction. Its gardens and parts of the house were opened to the public. It did not become a theme park until much later.
The station became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923. This was during a big change called the "Grouping". Then, in 1948, it became part of British Rail. After this, the railway line started to be used less.
In January 1954, the station was renamed Alton Towers. This was to show its connection to the famous estate. Passenger train services were greatly reduced from 1960. The station finally closed in 1965.
After it closed, the waiting room was often damaged by vandals. So, in 1969, Staffordshire County Council bought the station buildings. They also bought the platform and some of the railway tracks.
Station Design
The old station buildings are very special. They are thought to be designed by Augustus Pugin or Henry Arthur Hunt. They have an Italianate villa style. This style was unique for the North Staffordshire Railway.
The Earl of Shrewsbury asked for this design. He owned the Alton Towers estate. He wanted a grand station to impress his guests. When it was a working station, Alton Towers had a three-story tower. It also had unusually long platforms. There was even a luggage lift to the Alton Towers estate. All these features were built just for the Earl.
Alton Station Today
The station buildings are now "Grade II listed". This means they are important and protected. The Landmark Trust bought them. They turned the stationmaster's house into a holiday home. It opened for guests in 1972.
In 2008, the Landmark Trust also turned the old waiting room into more holiday space. Sometimes, the buildings are open to the public. This happens during special "Open Day" events run by the Trust.
