Whitehead railway station
{{short description|Railway station in Northern Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Whitehead
| native_name =
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| symbol = rail
| map_caption = Location within Northern Ireland##Location on the island of Ireland
| symbol2 =
| symbol_location = ni
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| image = Whitehead railway station - geograph.org.uk - 212034.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Two NIR Class 450 trains at Whitehead.
| address = Whitehead
| borough =
| country = Northern Ireland
| coordinates = {{coord|54|45|10|N|5|42|34|W|region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| gridref =
| elevation =
| line = {{Rail color box|system=NI Railways|line=Larne|inline=croute|type=|note=}}
| connections =
| distance =
| structure = At-grade
| platform = 2
| levels =
| tracks = 2
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| original =
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| years = 1863
| events = Station opened
| years1 = 2008
| events1 = Station refurbished
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| opened =
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| owned = NI Railways
| operator = NI Railways
| zone =
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| mpassengers = {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers= 238,056 {{Cite web |title=FOI1317 NIR Footfall 2223.xlsx |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/972545/response/2312885/attach/html/4/FOI1317%20NIR%20Footfall%202223.xlsx.html |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=www.whatdotheyknow.com|date=17 April 2023 }}}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers= {{increase}} 300,203 {{Cite web |title=FOI Footfall 2023 2024 figures PDF.pdf |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/station_usage_2023_2024/response/2648081/attach/html/5/FOI%20Footfall%202023%202024%20figures%20PDF.pdf.html |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.whatdotheyknow.com|date=7 May 2024 }}}}
| services =
| map_type = Northern Ireland#Island of Ireland
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 14
| route_map = {{switcher
| Show NI Railways Network map
| {{Belfast–Larne railway line routemap|inline=y}}
| Show Larne line route diagram
}}
| map_state =
| embedded = {{Infobox station/NI Railways}}
}}
Whitehead railway station serves Whitehead in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
File:NIR 8068 at Whitehead.jpg
The station has two platforms with a waiting room on each and the station is signalled in both directions and remains staffed during commuter hours by a Senior Porter, a fully trained signalman, capable of fixing points and signalling issues when they arise.
Previously the line was double towards Belfast and Whitehead was where the track narrowed to the single track section to Larne. However, in the 1990s the up line was removed from here to Kilroot due to safety reasons, leaving the line at Whitehead Station as a passing loop.
Whitehead actually comprises two stations, due to its history as a railway excursion town. The through station is still part of the Northern Ireland Railways network, whilst the terminus Whitehead Excursion Station is the headquarters of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland.
Whitehead station was originally opened on 1 May 1863 and the Whitehead Excursion Platform was opened on 10 July 1907. The present station was opened in 1877 and is the third station to serve the town. It has been modernised, but unlike many stations on the NIR network still retains much of its Victorian character.{{Cite web |title=Whitehead (Antrim) |url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf |access-date=2008-05-08 |website=Railscot - Irish Railways}}
Service
On Mondays to Fridays, there is a half-hourly service from Belfast Grand Central. These trains alternate every half an hour between terminating here at Whitehead, and continuing on to {{stnlink|Larne Harbour}}. In the other direction, there is a half-hourly service to Belfast Grand Central, with the trains alternating between being through services from Larne, or starting at Whitehead.
On Saturdays, the service still runs half-hourly in the same alternating manner, but with less peak trains.
On Sundays, the service reduces to hourly operation in each direction. Services alternate each hour between terminating here, and continuing on to {{stnlink|Larne Harbour}}.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-13 |title=Larne Line NIRailways / Larne Line |url=https://www.translink.co.uk/Timetable/Download/34031f37f59cdfa38be36cafbd790248f830ee07f0825628c1e5971f3f54e2ff |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=translink.co.uk}}
{{s-start|noclear=y}}
{{s-rail|title=NIR}}
{{rail line
|previous = Downshire
|next = Terminus
or
Ballycarry
|route = Northern Ireland Railways
Belfast-Larne Line
|col = {{rcr|NI Railways}}
|lightcol = {{rcr|NI Railways|Larne}}}}
{{Historical rail insert}}
{{rail line
|previous={{stnlink|Kilroot}}
Line open, station closed
|next={{stnlink|Ballycarry}}
Line and station open
|route=Northern Counties Committee
Belfast-Larne
|col=C41E3A}}
{{s-end}}
Incidents
On 26 September 2008, part of the platform collapsed, blocking the Larne bound line. It is not clear whether this was a result of the recent construction work which had been carried out at this station,.{{Cite news |date=26 September 2008 |title=Platform collapse delaying trains |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7638845.stm}} according to NI Railways nobody was hurt in the incident.
References
{{Commons category|Whitehead railway station}}
{{reflist}}
{{Railway stations served by NI Railways}}
{{Major railway stations in Northern Ireland}}
{{UK railway stations}}
Category:Railway stations in County Antrim
Category:Railway stations served by NI Railways
Category:Railway stations in Northern Ireland opened in 1863