Hartlepool railway station
{{Short description|Railway station in County Durham, England}}
{{About|the current station in central Hartlepool (formerly West Hartlepool)|the former station in Headland, Hartlepool|Hartlepool railway station (Hartlepool Dock & Railway)}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Hartlepool
| symbol_location = gb
| symbol = rail
| image = Hartlepool Train Station in 2010.jpg
| address =
| borough = Hartlepool, Borough of Hartlepool
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|54.6868261|-1.2078320|format=dms|region:GB_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title}}
| map_type = United Kingdom County Durham
| map_caption = Location in County Durham, England
| grid_name = Grid reference
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|NZ512327|25|NZ512327}}
| owned = Network Rail
| manager = Northern Trains
| platforms = 3 (Platforms 1 and 2 are an island platform and Platform 3 is its own entity.)
| tracks = 3 (Two through lines with a siding.)
| code = HPL
| classification = DfT category D
| original = Stockton and Hartlepool Railway
| pregroup = North Eastern Railway
| postgroup = {{plainlist|
}}
| years = 9 February 1841
| events = Opened as Hartlepool West
| years1 = February 1848
| events1 = Renamed West Hartlepool
| years2 = 3 May 1880
| events2 = Resited
| years3 = 26 April 1967
| events3 = Renamed Hartlepool
| mpassengers =
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{nochange}} 0.629 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.169 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 0.530 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 0.553 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 0.627 million}}
| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
}}
Hartlepool is a railway station on the Durham Coast Line, which runs between Newcastle and Middlesbrough via Hartlepool. The station, situated {{convert|18|mi|5|chain|km|sigfig=2}} south-east of Sunderland, serves the port town of Hartlepool in County Durham, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.
History
The Stockton and Hartlepool Railway, which connected the town of West Hartlepool with the Clarence Railway near {{stnlnk|Billingham}}, was opened for goods on 12 November 1839 and to passengers on 1 December 1839.{{cite book |last=James |first=Leslie |title=A Chronology of the Construction of Britain's Railways 1778-1855 |date=November 1983 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton |isbn=0-7110-1277-6 |id=BE/1183 |page=29 }} A station named Hartlepool West was opened on 9 February 1841; this was renamed West Hartlepool in February 1848, and closed on 3 May 1880 when it was replaced by a new West Hartlepool station. This in turn was renamed Hartlepool on 26 April 1967,{{cite book |last=Butt |first=R.V.J. |title=The Directory of Railway Stations |year=1995 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Yeovil |isbn=1-85260-508-1 |id=R508 |pages=115, 245, 114 }} when West Hartlepool was merged with Hartlepool[http://www.history.uk.com/history/hartlepool-brief-history/ "Hartlepool — a brief History"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923075209/http://www.history.uk.com/history/hartlepool-brief-history/ |date=23 September 2010 }}, History.UK.com. Retrieved 6 February 2011. and following the complete closure of the former Hartlepool Dock & Railway station in the Headland, previously known as Hartlepool, in 1964.{{Cite book|title=North Eastern Railway branch lines since 1925|last=Hoole|first=K.|publisher=Ian Allan Ltd|year=1978|isbn=0711008299|location=Shepperton|pages=114}}
The station has two platforms currently in use: a bi-directionally signalled through platform (the original down platform), used by almost all timetabled services and a south-facing bay platform (with only one weekly booked departure). The former up platform 3 was long disused since the footbridge linking the platforms was removed in the late 1990s, however there was a scheme to reopen the platform which was completed in 2024.{{cite magazine |last1=Brailsford |first1=Martyn |date=September 2024 |title=Trackwatch |magazine=Modern Railways |publisher=Key Publishing |location=Stamford |page=91 |volume=81 |issue=912 |issn=0026-8356}}
= Tees Valley Metro =
File:Tees_Valley_Metro_(Visualisation_of_all_ideas).png
Starting in 2006, Hartlepool was mentioned within the Tees Valley Metro scheme. This was a plan to upgrade the Tees Valley Line and sections of the Esk Valley Line and Durham Coast Line to provide a faster and more frequent service across the North East of England. In the initial phases the services would have been heavy rail mostly along existing alignments with new additional infrastructure and rollingstock. The later phase would have introduced tram-trains to allow street running and further heavy rail extensions.{{Cite web |last=Tees valley Unlimited |date=18 May 2010 |title=Tees Valley Metro: Phase 1 - Project Summary |url=https://moderngov.stockton.gov.uk/Data/Cabinet/201006101630/Agenda/att12199.pdf |website=Stockton-on-Tess Borough Council |format=PDF}}{{Cite web |last=Tees Valley Unlimited |date=April 2011 |title=Connecting the Tees Valley - Statement of Transport Ambition |url=https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/2993/hlp04_26_statement_of_transport_ambition_2011pdf.pdf |access-date=13 November 2024}}{{Cite web |last=LOWES |first=RON |last2=PARKER |first2=IAN |date=18 September 2007 |title=Executive Report - Tees Valley Metro |url=https://moderngov.middlesbrough.gov.uk/Data/Executive/200709181300/Agenda/$att6855.rtf.pdf |access-date=13 November 2024}}{{Cite news |date=2006-11-09 |title=Metro system hope for Tees Valley |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6133514.stm |access-date=2024-11-13 |language=en-GB}}
As part of the scheme, Hartlepool station would have received improved service to Nunthorpe, possibly a street-running link to Guisborough and the Headland, as well as new rollingstock. Furthermore, the station would have received a new glazed waiting area on the main platform. The existing bay platform would have been repaved and new waiting shelters provided and the north side platform would have been resurfaced and had new artwork installed. New electronic information screens were also mentioned, as well as a new bus/rail interchange.
However, due to a change in government in 2010 and the 2008 financial crisis, the project was ultimately shelved.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-04 |title=When the Tees Valley was set to get its own £220m metro system and what went wrong |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23298160.tees-valley-metro-system-plans-improved-rail-services/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=The Northern Echo |language=en}} Several stations eventually got their improvements including Hartlepool, and there is a possibility of improved rollingstock and services in the future which may affect Hartlepool.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-27 |title=Tees Valley authority unanimously backs £1bn transport plan |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2l91pj1nzo |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
= Redevelopment =
Between November 2009 and August 2010 (ahead of the town hosting the Tall Ships' Races), the station was extensively refurbished as part of a £4 million scheme to improve station facilities and integrate it into the new Hartlepool Interchange, works which were originally planned under the Tees Valley Metro project.{{cite news |date=29 July 2010 |title=Transport hub opens in time for Hartlepool Tall Ships |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-10800537 |access-date=2 February 2011 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web |title=£4m transport interchange to be unveiled |url=http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/163_4m_transport_interchange_to_be_unveiled_1_1507229 |access-date=2 February 2011 |publisher=Hartlepool Mail}} The line through the station was also re-signalled in spring 2010 as part of the Durham Coast modernisation scheme, with the consequent loss of three manual signal boxes in and around the station.{{Cite web |date=March 2009 |title=Route Plans 9 - Route 9 - North East Routes - Connecting Local Communities |url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/StrategicBusinessPlan/RoutePlans/2009/Route%209%20-%20North%20East%20Routes.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607102341/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/StrategicBusinessPlan/RoutePlans/2009/Route%209%20-%20North%20East%20Routes.pdf |archive-date=7 June 2011 |access-date=17 March 2011 |publisher=Network Rail |pages=12, 15 |location=London}} A new waiting room was also added to the station in 2011.
In August 2013 Grand Central proposed reopening the disused 3rd platform as part of its track access application extension,[https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/10605717.grand-central-hopes-to-extend-its-right-to-run-east-coast-services/ Grand Central hope to reinstate disused platform at Hartlepool Station] although they never implemented this proposal. In September 2020, Tees Valley Combined Authority launched a £1.5 million study to investigate the feasibility of a similar scheme to reopen the former up platform so as to improve capacity through the station.{{Cite web |date=24 September 2020 |title=Plans to re-develop Hartlepool railway station revealed {{!}} Hartlepool Borough Council |url=https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/news/article/2036/plans_to_re-develop_hartlepool_railway_station_revealed |access-date=31 October 2020 |website=Hartlepool Borough Council |language=en}} In March 2022, it was announced that funding had been secured to bring the old platform back into use, with a new footbridge and lifts installed, by June 2023.{{Cite web |date=26 March 2022 |title=Hartlepool Station redevelopment secures £12m funding |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-60887677 |access-date=27 March 2022 |website=BBC News |language=en}} It was planned that the new platform would open in the spring of 2024, after delays in the work to install the new lifts and bridge. Platform 3 was placed back into use in June 2024.File:Hartlepool railway station, County Durham (geograph 7729411).jpg
Facilities
The station has a staffed ticket office, which is open from 07:30 to 18:30 Mondays through Saturdays (closed Sundays). A self-service ticket machine is also provided near the station entrance for use when the ticket office is closed and for collecting pre-paid tickets. Ticket barriers have been operation at the station since September 2017.{{Cite web|date=27 August 2017|title=New Ticket Gates for Hartlepool {{!}} North East Coast Liners|url=http://www.necoastliners.co.uk/new-ticket-gates-for-hartlepool/|access-date=31 October 2020|website=North East Coastliners}} Train running information is offered via automatic announcements, dot matrix display screens and timetable posters. There are toilets in the ticket office and a waiting room on the concourse, along with vending machines dispensing snacks and cold drinks. Step-free access is available from the entrance to the platforms.[http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/hpl/details.html Hartlepool Station facilities] National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 3 February 2017
Services
=Grand Central=
{{Grand Central routes}}
As of the June 2021 timetable change, there are four trains per day heading south towards London King's Cross via York. Heading north towards Sunderland, there are five trains per day on weekdays, with four and three trains per day on Saturday and Sunday respectively.{{Cite web|date=6 June 2021|title=Train times: North East and West Riding routes|url=https://www.grandcentralrail.com/sites/grandcentralrail.com/files/files/timetables/June%202021%20FULL%20v2.pdf|access-date=6 July 2021|website=Grand Central}}
Rolling stock used: Class 180 Adelante
=Northern Trains=
{{Northern (train operating company) route 2}}
As of the winter 2023 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Most trains continue to Hexham northbound (or Carlisle on Sunday) and Nunthorpe southbound. Two trains per day (three on Sunday) continue to Whitby. Two trains operate directly between Hartlepool and Darlington on Sundays.{{NRtimes|December 2023|41}}
Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter
{{rail start}}
{{rail line|next={{rws|Horden}}|previous={{rws|Seaton Carew}}|route=Northern Trains
{{small|Durham Coast Line}}|col={{Northern colour}}}}
{{rail line|next={{rws|Sunderland}}|previous={{rws|Eaglescliffe}}|route=Grand Central
{{small|North Eastern}}|col={{National Rail colour|Grand Central}}}}
{{Historical Rail Insert}}
{{rail line|next={{rws|Hart}}
{{small|Line open; station closed}}|previous={{rws|Seaton Carew}}
{{small|Line and station open}}|route=London and North Eastern Railway
{{small|Durham Coast Line}}|col={{LNER colour}}}}
{{rail line|next={{rws|Hart}}
{{small|Line and station closed}}|route=London and North Eastern Railway
{{small|Hartlepool–Ferryhill}}|col={{LNER colour}}}}
{{rail line|next={{rws|Hart}}
{{small|Line and station closed}}|route=London and North Eastern Railway
{{small|Hartlepool–Sunderland via Haswell}}|col={{LNER colour}}}}
{{rail line|next=Hartlepool (HD&R)
{{small|Line and station closed}}|route=London and North Eastern Railway
{{small|Hartlepool–West Hartlepool}}|col={{LNER colour}}}}
{{s-end}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons}}
{{stn art lnk|HPL|TS247ED}}
{{County Durham railway stations}}
{{Hartlepool}}
{{Railway stations served by Grand Central}}
Category:Railway stations in the Borough of Hartlepool
Category:Former North Eastern Railway (United Kingdom) stations
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1841
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1880
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1880
Category:Railway stations served by Grand Central Railway
Category:Railway stations served by Northern
Category:Buildings and structures in Hartlepool