Rushden railway station

Rushden railway station is a railway station that once served the town of Rushden in Northamptonshire, England. It is now a heritage station at the end of a short running line.

Rushden
General information
LocationRushden, North Northamptonshire
England
Platforms1
Other information
Statusdiscussed by council of rushden
History
Original companyMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 May 1894Opened
15 June 1959Station closes to passengers[1]
1 September 1969Station closes completely [1]
1996Bought by Rushden Historical Transport Society[2]

History

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The station was an intermediate stop on the Higham Ferrers branch line, originally established by the Midland Railway. It closed completely in 1969, British Rail having withdrawn passenger services ten years previously.

In 1996 the station was bought by the Rushden Historical Transport Society. Since then the station has been restored, and forms the headquarters of the society and includes the Rushden Station Railway Museum. The heritage railway now operates as the Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway.

Since the late 1990s, Rushden Station bar has been home to a series of resident cats. The most recent station cats, Alfie and Thomas, have achieved minor fame on social media.[3]

Stationmasters

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  • Henry Pitt 1893[4] - 1914 (formerly station master at Finedon, afterwards station master at Cheltenham)
  • John Charles Gregory 1914[5] - 1929 (formerly station master at Hitchin)
  • C.V. Bunker from 1936[6] (formerly station master at Pye Bridge)
  • Station Cat 1997 - 2006[7]
  • Alfie (station cat) 2007 - 2017[8]
  • Thomas (station cat) 2020 - present[9]

See also

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Preceding station    Heritage railways Following station
Terminus   Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway   Terminus
Disused railways
Wellingborough
Line closed, station open
  Midland Railway
Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway
  Higham Ferrers
Line and station closed
   Proposed Heritage railways
Wellingborough
Line closed, station open
  Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway   Higham Ferrers
Line and station closed

References

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  1. ^ a b "Disused Stations: Rushden Station". www.disused-stations.org.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  2. ^ Rushden Historical Transport Society: Rushden station Accessed 1 July 2010
  3. ^ "Rushden Station cat Thomas welcomed after Alfie cat's demise". 15 March 2020.
  4. ^ "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 875. 1881. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Hertfordshire". Luton Times and Advertiser. England. 14 August 1914. Retrieved 26 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Rushden". Northampton Mercury. England. 27 March 1936. Retrieved 26 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2977776585638189&set=pcb.2977776648971516 [bare URL]
  8. ^ "Rushden Station cat Thomas welcomed after Alfie cat's demise". 15 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Rushden Station cat Thomas welcomed after Alfie cat's demise". 15 March 2020.

52°17′41″N 0°35′53″W / 52.29460°N 0.59818°W / 52.29460; -0.59818