1840 - Arrival Of The Railway

During the railway boom years of the early 1800's Castleford initially found itself bypassed by the 'York and North Midland Railway' on one side and the similarly named 'North Midland Railway' on the other. When these two wanted a line to connect them Castleford found itself ideally placed and open its first railway station in 1840. This was located by the side of the railway bridge at the top end of Bridge Street a quarter of a mile to the east of the present railway station which, due to increasing demand, was built in 1871. The railway proved so popular that by 1911 it was selling an average of six hundred tickets ever day. The old railway station was finally demolish in 1965 as part of a road widening scheme.

The York and North Midland Railway, promoted by George Hudson and engineered by George Stephenson was opened between York and Altofts (where it joined the North Midland Railway) on 1st. July 1840. Castleford stood on this route and its original station was opened on the same day. There was an Act of Parliament in 1836 enabling the line to be built. There was of course another station named Castleford - the one at Cutsyke. This line was opened by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1848 and a station provided in 1860. It continued to be known as Castleford L&Y (or LMS as it later became) until after Nationalisation in 1952 when it became Cutsyke to distinguish it from the other Castleford station which then became Castleford Central.

Thanks to Ron Rockett for this contribution.

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