Bentham railway station

Bentham is a railway station on the Bentham Line, which runs between Leeds and Morecambe via Skipton. The station, situated 19 miles (31 km) east of Lancaster, serves the town of High Bentham and surrounding settlements in North Yorkshire. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

Bentham
National Rail
General information
LocationHigh Bentham, Craven
England
Coordinates54°06′56″N 2°30′38″W
Grid referenceSD667689
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeBEN
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original company"Little" North Western Railway
Pre-groupingMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon Midland and Scottish Railway
British Rail (London Midland Region)
Key dates
1 June 1850Opened as Bentham
1 November 1851Renamed Bentham High
1 May 1876Renamed Bentham
Passengers
2017/18Increase 24,150
2018/19Increase 26,424
2019/20Increase 29,932
2020/21Decrease 4,990
2021/22Increase 25,544
Location
Bentham is located in North Yorkshire
Bentham
Bentham
Location in North Yorkshire, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History

The station was opened as Bentham on 1 June 1850 by the "Little" North Western Railway, later taken over by the Midland Railway.[1][2] On 1 November 1851, the station was renamed Bentham High, to avoid confusion with the nearby station at Low Bentham.[3] That station was short-lived, and closed on 4 August 1853.

The station was provided with various facilities by the Midland Railway, including a signal box, water tower and column, goods shed and several sidings on the northern side of the line. These had all been removed by the early 1970s, with the signal box being the last to go in 1972.

The station, photographed in September 1962.

The station building, which was constructed in the mid-1950s, after the original Midland structure was demolished by British Railways, is now privately owned.[4] The station was reduced to unstaffed halt status in October 1970.[5]

The station has had its own community volunteer support group, The Friends of Bentham Station, since September 2011. The group is based in the aforementioned building on the eastbound platform and has support from various local organisations, including the route's Rail User Group, Craven District Council and the Leeds, Lancaster and Morecambe Line Community Rail Partnership.

Stationmasters
  • B. Jenkinson until 1860[6]
  • W. F. Jacques 1861 – 1863[6]
  • J. Bond from 1863[6]
  • John Bell c. 1869
  • Benjamin Ash c. 1871[7] – 1883[8]
  • Joseph Shaw 1883 – 1888[8] (In 1887 he was knocked down by a train at the station which severed his arm)[9]
  • E. Baldwin 1888 – 1890[8]
  • Charles Larkin 1890[8] – c. 1911 (formerly station master at Collingham)
  • James Roadley 1914 – 1924 (afterwards station master at Appleby)[10]
  • Augustine Angus from 1924[11] (formerly station master at Stretton)
  • W. Fox

Facilities

Timetable posters and digital information screens on both platforms provide train running information, whilst there are waiting shelters on each side. The stone shelter on the westbound platform was constructed by the Midland Railway, whereas its counterpart on the opposite platform is much more modern in comparison.[12][13]

Services
Northern Trains
Route 7
Bentham Line and
Settle and Carlisle Line
 Carlisle Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
 Armathwaite Parking
 Lazonby & Kirkoswald
 Langwathby Parking
 Appleby Parking
 Kirkby Stephen Parking
 Garsdale Parking
 Dent Parking
 Ribblehead Parking Bicycle facilities
 Horton-in-Ribblesdale Parking Bicycle facilities
 Settle Parking Bicycle facilities
Heysham Port ferry/water interchange
 Morecambe Parking Bicycle facilities
 Bare Lane Parking
 Lancaster Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
 Carnforth Parking
 Wennington Parking
 Bentham Parking Bicycle facilities
 Clapham Parking Bicycle facilities
 Giggleswick Parking Bicycle facilities
Long Preston Parking Bicycle facilities
 Hellifield Parking
 Gargrave
 Skipton Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
 Keighley Parking Bicycle facilities Heritage railway
 Bingley Parking Bicycle facilities
 Shipley Parking Bicycle facilities
 Leeds Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access

There are eight departures each way (increased from seven the start of the May 2019 timetable). Westbound, trains run to Lancaster and Morecambe (five trains only), whilst trains in the other direction run to Skipton and Leeds.[14] Connections for Bradford Forster Square are available at Shipley, although through trains do operate occasionally if the line to Leeds is closed for engineering work (one service originates there in the early morning also on weekdays and Saturdays).

On Sundays there are now five services in each direction throughout the year (all running to/from Morecambe since the winter 2019 timetable update). The alterations to give better journey opportunities for commuters to both Leeds and Lancaster (and additional Sunday services) were implemented at the May 2018 timetable change.[15] Further station improvements are also planned, such as the installation of ticket machines, video help points and improved lighting.[16]

In September 2019 a mudslide near Bentham disrupted service on the line.[17][18]

References
  1. Bairstow 2000, p. 96.
  2. Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
  3. Dewick 2002, map 24.
  4. Bairstow 2000, p. 9.
  5. A Brief History of Bentham StationFriends of Bentham Station; Retrieved 4 December 2013
  6. "1859–1866". Midland Railway Miscellaneous Depts: 6. 1866. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  7. "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 10. 1871. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  8. "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 19. 1881. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  9. "Accident to a Station-Master". Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. England. 22 October 1887. Retrieved 5 April 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Mr. James Roadley". Penrith Observer. England. 9 September 1924. Retrieved 5 April 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "L.M.S. Appointments". Derby Daily Telegraph. England. 1 December 1924. Retrieved 10 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Better stations are coming to Northern"Northern news article; Retrieved 23 November 2019
  13. "Better Stations coming to Northern network – Cattal and Ravensthorpe". Northern. 24 March 2017.
  14. Table 35 National Rail timetable, May 2023
  15. "Northern Franchise Improvements – DfT". Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  16. Tate, Lesley (14 December 2016). "Wait over for new shelter at Giggleswick Railway Station". Craven Herald & Pioneer. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  17. "Severe disruption to Northern services after mudslide between Lancaster and Skipton". Northern. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  18. "Railway reopens following mudslide at Bentham". Northern. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2023.

Sources
  • Bairstow, M (2000). The 'Little' North Western Railway. Leeds: Martin Bairstow. ISBN 1-871944-21-X.
  • Dewick, T. (2002). Complete Atlas of Railway Station Names. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-2798-6.
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Clapham (North Yorkshire)   Northern Trains
Bentham Line		   Wennington
  Historical railways  
Clapham (North Yorkshire)   Midland Railway
"Little" North Western Railway		   Low Bentham
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