Woodland Park railway station

Woodland Park was an unstaffed halt on the Dyserth branch line in North Wales.

Woodland Park railway station
General information
LocationPrestatyn
Wales
Coordinates53°19′39″N 3°24′14″W / 53.327618°N 3.403820°W / 53.327618; -3.403820
Grid referenceSJ066820
Platforms1[1]
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Pre-groupingLNWR
Post-groupingLMSR
Key dates
28 August 1905Opened as Rhuddlan Road
11 May 1923renamed Woodland Park
22 September 1930Closed[2][3][4]

The branch opened in 1869 for mineral traffic. In 1905 the LNWR began an innovative passenger service along the branch using steam Railmotors. The halt opened with the new service. It was situated in an open country next to an overbridge carrying the road to Rhuddlan. Although the road is shown as "Meliden Road" on both maps of the era and modern maps the halt was named Rhuddlan Road. In the 1920s the substantial Woodland Park housing estate was built between the line and Prestatyn, utterly changing the character of the area.[5] The halt was renamed Woodland Park in 1923 to reflect this new market.

Railmotors had retracting steps so conventional raised platforms were not needed.[6] The halt was therefore built with a very short ground level platform.[7] Initially, it had no waiting facilities whatever, but by 1910 a cabin little larger than two phone booths were provided.

The passenger service lasted only until 1930, when the LMS withdrew it. The line remained open to serve a quarry at Dyserth until its complete closure in 1973.[8]

Since closure most of the former railway has been converted into a footpath. At the former station site visitors on this walk will notice the ground being higher up on the left when walking from Prestatyn towards Dyserth; this was probably where the platform would have been.


Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
St. Melyd Golf Links
Line and station closed
  London and North Western Railway
Dyserth Branch Line
  Chapel Street
Line and station closed

References

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  1. ^ Holland 2015, p. 174.
  2. ^ Quick 2009, p. 418.
  3. ^ Butt 1995, p. 254.
  4. ^ "The halt and the line". Disused Stations.
  5. ^ Thompson 1985, Plates 13 & 14.
  6. ^ Baughan 1991, p. 69.
  7. ^ Johnson 1995, p. 77.
  8. ^ "Visit Prestatyn - Railway Line History". Visit Prestatyn.

Sources

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Further reading

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