Whatstandwell railway station

Whatstandwell railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway. It serves the villages of Whatstandwell and Crich Carr in Derbyshire, England. The station is located on the Derwent Valley Line from Derby to Matlock.

Whatstandwell
National Rail
Station nameboard
General information
LocationWhatstandwell, Derbyshire Dales
England
Grid referenceSK333541
Managed byEast Midlands Railway
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeWTS
ClassificationDfT category F2
Key dates
4 June 1849[1]opened
11 November 1894[2]resited
Passengers
2017/18Decrease 26,794
2018/19Decrease 23,084
2019/20Increase 27,052
2020/21Decrease 6,350
2021/22Increase 21,264
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

There is a ticketing machine on the single platform; a full range of tickets for travel for any destination in the country can be also purchased from the guard on the train at no extra cost.

History
Whatstandwell Station with Up freight in 1961

It was opened by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway as 'Whatstandwell Bridge' on 4 June 1849, though it was not listed in the timetable until 1853. It was north of the 149-yard (136 m) Whatstandwell Tunnel, behind the Derwent Hotel.

On 4 October 1853[3] a luggage train was on its way from Rowsley to Ambergate and at Whatstandwell was put into a siding to collect some empty wagons. It derailed and a breakdown crew was sent for from Derby. With this assistance, the train was re-railed and set off for Ambergate. The break down train which had come from Derby was standing on the wrong line for returning to Derby. Instead of continuing for 1/2 a mile to cross onto the correct line they determined to return to Derby on the wrong line, calculating that they would get back before anything started out from Derby. They ignored the rules of the company which required a fireman walking 800 yards in advance of the train and proceeding at a walking pace. Instead they travelled at full speed. They collided with another engine and Michael Barker, a fireman, was killed. Samuel Kent, George Cawood and John Smeeton were indicted for his manslaughter. They were found guilty at the Midland Assizes on 18 March 1854. Kent was sentenced by Lord Chief Justice Jervis to 18 months’ imprisonment and hard labour and the others got 12 months each.[4]

The station was moved to its present location in 1894 when the name became 'Whatstandwell'. The platform at the original station still exists. The area was used as a goods yard after the present station was built. The contractor for the new station was W.C. Hardy of Derby.[5] The new station opened on 11 November 1894.[2]

A little way north was High Peak Junction at the base of the former rope-worked incline of the Cromford and High Peak Railway.

Stationmasters
  • Thomas Stevenson ca. 1853 ca. 1854
  • Robert Turner ca. 1857 - 1860[6]
  • Luke Fox 1860 - 1864[6] (afterwards station master at Cudworth)
  • S. Greenhough from 1864[6]
  • William Webster ca. 1871 - 1873[7] (afterwards station master at Chapel-en-le-Frith)
  • Brierly Ayton 1873[7] (formerly station master at Beauchief, appointed to Whatstandwell but died 27 February 1873)
  • William T. Stowell 1873 - 1876[7] (formerly station master at Wixford, afterwards station master at Crosby Garrett)
  • Edwin Hoe 1876 - 1879[7] (afterwards station master at Finedon)
  • George Simmons 1879[7] - 1883[8]
  • Fred Watkin 1883 - 1887[8] (formerly station master at Stirchley Street, afterwards station master at Shefford)
  • Charles Whitmore 1887 - 1896[8] (formerly station master at Ratby)
  • H.T. Swain 1896[9] - 1900 (formerly station master at Penns)
  • Harry Smith Dawes 1900 - 1911[10] (formerly station master at New Mills, afterwards station master at Bakewell)
  • William Henry Hewitt 1911[11] - ca. 1937
  • E. Barker ca. 1946
  • A. Cyril Phillips until 1957

Today
Whatstandwell station with the tunnel in the background

The station is served by East Midlands Railway, who operate the service from Nottingham to Matlock (via Derby). For journeys beginning at Whatstandwell, tickets may be bought from the machine on the platform or on the train for any destination in the country; beyond Derby, tickets must be bought at the ticket office. The journey time to Derby is approximately 24 minutes. Services are approximately hourly, but two-hourly on Sundays. Trains on the Derwent Valley line were replaced by a bus service for several weeks in late summer of 2018; this was due to essential works being carried out on the approach to Derby station.

The footbridge at the station leads to the Cromford Canal towpath and to a bridge over the canal to Main Road and the village.

One of the platform planters maintained by the station adopters

A team of volunteers from the village helps to maintain the station and car park.

Services

All services at Whatstandwell are operated by East Midlands Railway.

On weekdays the station is served by one train per hour in each direction between Matlock and Derby, with around half the services originating or ending in Nottingham. Saturdays also have an hourly service but all the trains originate or end in Derby.[12]

On Sundays, there is a two-hourly service between Matlock and Nottingham in the morning, with services increasing to hourly from mid-afternoon onwards.[12]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Ambergate   East Midlands Railway
  Cromford

References
  1. "Our Kist. The Dales of Derbyshire". Derbyshire Courier. England. 9 June 1849. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. "Whatstandwell New Station". Sheffield Independent. England. 12 November 1894. Retrieved 30 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "The late collision near Whatstandwell Bridge Station". Derby Mercury. England. 22 March 1854. Retrieved 30 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Midland Circuit - Derby March 18". Morning Advertiser. England. 20 March 1854. Retrieved 30 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Whatstandwell Station". Sheffield Independent. England. 12 March 1894. Retrieved 30 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "1859-1866". Midland Railway Miscellaneous Depts: 83. 1914. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  7. "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 249. 1871. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  8. "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 225. 1881. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  9. "Whatstandwell". Derby Mercury. England. 11 November 1896. Retrieved 13 February 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "New Stationmaster for Bakewell". Derbyshire Courier. England. 20 May 1911. Retrieved 13 February 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Midland Railway Notices". Railway News. England. 17 June 1911. Retrieved 30 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "EMR regional train timetable: Matlock-Nottingham" (PDF). East Midlands Railway. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
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