Swanwick Junction railway station

Swanwick Junction railway station (pronounced "Swannick") is a heritage railway station situated on the former Ambergate to Pye Bridge Line which closed in 1968, but has been partially reopened by the Midland Railway - Butterley. Despite the station's name it is some distance from Swanwick.

Swanwick Junction
Station on heritage railway
General information
Location	Riddings, Amber Valley England
Coordinates	53°3′50″N 1°23′2″W
Grid reference	SK414520
Platforms	4
History
Original company	Midland Railway - Butterley
Key dates
1968	Closure of Ambergate to Pye Bridge Line
?	Station opened

Midland Railway – Butterley
Ambergate–Pye Bridge line  A38  Hammersmith Butterley Reservoir Butterley Swanwick Junction Swanwick Colliery Riddings Ironville Codnor Park Junction Ironville Junction River Erewash Riddings Junction Pye Bridge Erewash Valley line to Trent │ towards Chesterfield

Ambergate–Pye Bridge Line
Erewash Valley Line Pye Bridge Erewash Valley Line Swanwick Colliery Swanwick Junction Butterley Hammersmith Ripley Branch Hartshay Colliery Midland Main Line Ambergate Derwent Valley Line Midland Main Line

Previously, there was originally no station here (during BR/LMS days), only a junction with the Swanwick Colliery Branch Line. However, when the line was restored, Swanwick campus was the centre for the main activities of the Midland Railway - Butterley, and the station gives access to the attractions there. The station itself is within walking distance of Butterley railway station to the west.

The station has four platforms. Platform No. 1 is the southernmost and is a bay platform. Platform No. 2 is the main platform in use and is a side platform.

On platforms 1 and 2, the ex-Midland station building from Syston railway station in Leicestershire has been rebuilt. In addition, there is an island platform with Platform Nos 3 and 4. The building here is a replica of that at Broom Junction railway station.

Platform No. 4 is the only platform which can serve the Swanwick Colliery Branch, with DMU shuttles, demonstration goods trains or footplate experience locomotives running from this platform up the branch on gala days.

In 2013, a footbridge linking platforms 1 and 2 to platforms 3 and 4 was completed; this was originally located at Belle Vue railway station. Wheelchair access is provided by means of a foot crossing at the west end of the platform.

The signal box originally comes from Kettering railway station in Northamptonshire.[1]

There is currently no station further east of Swanwick Junction, though trains continue to a run-round loop at Riddings situated on the northern branch of a triangle with the Midland Main Line, close by. The MR-B has stated an ambition to build a new station at the loop as well as to reopen the site of Pye Bridge railway station as the preserved line's eastern terminus.

The station is the main location of the Indietracks music festival.

Preceding station	Heritage railways			Following station
Butterley		Midland Railway - Butterley		Terminus