Altofts railway station

Altofts
Location of the former station in April 1995
General information
LocationAltofts, City of Wakefield
England
Coordinates53°42′58″N 1°24′32″W / 53.71599°N 1.40890°W / 53.71599; -1.40890
Grid referenceSE391245
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyMidland Railway
Pre-groupingMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 September 1870Opened as Altofts and Whitwood
4 May 1970Renamed Altofts
14 May 1990Closed [1]
A Railway Clearing House diagram including Altofts in 1912

Altofts railway station served the village of Altofts near Normanton in the English county of West Yorkshire. It was opened in 1870 as Altofts and Whitwood by the Midland Railway on its line from Derby to Leeds Wellington Station.[2] Much of the village of Altofts is in fact closer to Normanton station.

It was built on an embankment using spoil from the cutting south of Normanton. The area was in any case, prone to subsidence, resulting in speed restrictions and the need to shore up the platforms. North of the station the line crosses the Aire and Calder Navigation and the River Calder by means of a viaduct of five sixty foot arches.[3]

  1. ^ 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. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
  2. ^ Pixton, B., (2000) North Midland: Portrait of a Famous Route, Runpast Publishing
  3. ^ Pixton, B., (2000) North Midland: Portrait of a Famous Route, Cheltenham: Runpast Publishing