Knighton railway station
{{Short description|Railway station in Shropshire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Knighton
| native_name = {{langx|cy|Trefyclawdd}}
| symbol_location = gb
| symbol = rail
| image = Knighton Railway Station (geograph 5915861).jpg
| borough = Knighton, Shropshire Council
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|52.345|-3.042|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name = Grid reference
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|SO291723|25|SO291723}}
| manager = Transport for Wales
| platforms = 2
| code = KNI
| classification = DfT category F1
| years = 1861
| events = Knighton Railway station opened
| years1 = 1865
| events1 = Present station opened
| mpassengers =
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{decrease}} 20,988}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 1,118}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 9,652}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 13,582}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 17,682}}
| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
}}
Knighton railway station serves the border market town of Knighton in Powys, Wales, although the station itself is located in Shropshire, England (the border is immediately adjacent to the south side of the station and runs through the car park). It lies {{convert|32+1/2|mi|km|abbr=out|sigfig=3}} south west of Shrewsbury (by railway line) on the Heart of Wales Line.
The railway station is located below street level at Station Road beside the River Teme and about {{convert|1/2|mi|km|abbr=out|sigfig=1}} from the centre of the town. All trains serving the station are operated by Transport for Wales, who also manage the station.
History
File:Knighton railway station 2113830 3c388791.jpg
File:Knighton Railway Station (geograph 5916321).jpg
The station was built in 1865, although the Knighton Railway route from Craven Arms had reached here four years previously. The present station dates from the opening of the Central Wales Railway to Llandrindod Wells. From here the line begins to climb as it heads west into Wales (on gradients that reach 1 in 60 in places), eventually reaching a summit near {{rws|Llangynllo}} some {{convert|980|ft|m}} above sea level.
In 2004 the station was partially refurbished, with visual display units installed to display train departure times, and enhanced disabled access on the northbound platform. The station building still stands, but is not used for railway purposes. Tickets must be bought on the train (as the station is unstaffed), whilst there are waiting shelters provided on each side and a customer help point situated on platform 1.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/kni/details.html |title=Knighton station facilities |website=National Rail Enquiries |access-date=7 April 2017}}
There are two platforms at the station today, although from 1964 until 1990 only a single line and platform (the current southbound one) was used. The {{convert|30|mi|km|abbr=out}} long block section between Craven Arms and Llandrindod Wells was considered to be a capacity bottleneck (even on such a lightly used line) however and following the modernisation of the route signalling in 1986,{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1990/Uksi_19901223_en_1.htm |title=The British Railways Board (Central Wales Railway) Light Railway (Amendment) Order 1990 |website=Office of Public Sector Information |access-date=2009-03-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007144042/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1990/Uksi_19901223_en_1.htm |archive-date=7 October 2008}} an additional passing loop was installed here to provide extra capacity, with the disused second platform being refurbished and returned to use by British Rail. The northbound loop (and platform) was out of action for more than two years but was put back into use by Network Rail in September 2010 following the replacement of the old automatic points (which were obsolete) with new electrically worked ones.
Proposed Knighton to Presteigne railway
The plans for a proposed Knighton to Presteigne Railway were deposited on 30 November 1865.{{Cite web |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/ba21389b-b6c9-4749-9cf6-23d31de1fd68 |title=Knighton Railway to Presteigne |date=30 November 1865 |website=The National Archives (UK)}}
Services
File:Knighton Railway Station.jpg
There are four trains a day to Swansea from Monday to Saturday, plus a fifth as far as Llandrindod on weekdays only. Northbound there are five trains to {{rws|Shrewsbury}} on weekdays and four on Saturdays. Two services each way call on Sundays.{{cite book |chapter=Table 130 |date=December 2024 |title=National Rail Timetable |publisher=Network Rail}}
{{rail start}}
{{rail line|previous=Knucklas|route=Transport for Wales
Heart of Wales Line|next=Bucknell |col={{KAW colour}} }}
{{s-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book|title=Craven Arms to Llandeilo|first1=John|last1=Organ|editor-first=Vic|editor-last=Mitchell|at=figs. 24-31|publisher=Middleton Press|location=West Sussex|year=2008|isbn=9781906008352|oclc=648080889}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG5JtssSP5s Video and narration. Knighton or Trefyclawdd railway station]
{{Commons category-inline|Knighton railway station}}
{{stn art lrnk|KNI|LD71DT}}
{{Railway stations served by Transport for Wales}}
{{Shropshire railway stations}}
Category:Railway stations in Shropshire
Category:DfT Category F1 stations
Category:Former London and North Western Railway stations
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1861
Category:Railway stations served by Transport for Wales Rail