Berkeley railway station
Encyclopedia
Berkeley railway station served the town of Berkeley
in Gloucestershire
, England
. The station was on the Sharpness Branch Line
, part of the Midland Railway
(MR), which connected the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
main line at Berkeley Road station
with the docks at Sharpness.
's Gloucester & Berkeley New Docks branch, from Berkeley Road station
to the docks at Sharpness, was authorised in 1872. On the same day, the Severn Bridge Railway
was authorised, which would connect the Berkeley branch to the Severn and Wye Railway
and Great Western Railway
(GWR) at . The branch line was opened to freight traffic in August 1875 with passenger services starting a year later. The station opened for passengers on 1 August 1876.
Before the branch line
was built, Berkeley
had been served by Berkeley Road
, which was originally called "Dursley and Berkeley Road" and opened in 1844. It was two miles east of the town. Berkeley station was marginally more convenient: about a mile north of the town.
The Sharpness branch became a through-route from 1879 with the opening of the Severn Railway Bridge
, connecting Sharpness
with the Forest of Dean
side of the Severn Estuary
and enabling through services between Berkeley Road and Lydney Town railway station
, some of which ran on to Lydbrook
. Children from Berkeley attending school in Lydney were among the passengers.
Upon the opening of the Severn Bridge on 17 October 1879, the Severn Bridge Railway amalgamated with the Severn & Wye Railway, to form the Severn & Wye & Severn Bridge Railway. This got into financial difficulties in 1883, and on 1 July 1894, was sold jointly to the GWR and MR; the Sharpness branch was transferred to the joint committee at the same time.
The branch line was double track and the station building, built of brick, was on the down platform. There was a goods shed and a small goods yard just before the station on the line in from Berkeley Road. The line was later singled and the up platform (for trains towards Berkeley Road) was then redundant.
Through-services to Lydney on the line ceased abruptly in October 1960 when the Severn Railway Bridge was damaged beyond economic repair in a shipping accident. The station closed on 2 November 1964, when passenger services ceased on the Sharpness branch; goods facilities were withdrawn two years later. The station buildings were demolished though the stationmaster's house remains. The track through the site remains as the Sharpness docks link is still open for very occasional freight services.
Berkeley, Gloucestershire
Berkeley is a town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It lies in the Vale of Berkeley between the east bank of the River Severn and the M5 motorway within the Stroud administrative district. The town is noted for Berkeley Castle where the imprisoned Edward II was murdered.- Geography...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The station was on the Sharpness Branch Line
Sharpness Branch Line
The Sharpness Branch Line was a railway in Gloucestershire, England, built by the Midland Railway to connect the port of Sharpness to the main Bristol and Gloucester Railway...
, part of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
(MR), which connected the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
Bristol and Gloucester Railway
The Bristol and Gloucester Railway opened in 1844 between Bristol and Gloucester, meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. It is now part of the main line from the North-East of England through Derby and Birmingham to the South-West.-History:...
main line at Berkeley Road station
Berkeley Road railway station
Berkeley Road railway station served the towns of Berkeley and Dursley in Gloucestershire, England.-History:The station was one of the first six stations built on the Bristol and Gloucester Railway, originally a broad gauge line overseen by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but later taken over by the...
with the docks at Sharpness.
History
The Midland RailwayMidland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's Gloucester & Berkeley New Docks branch, from Berkeley Road station
Berkeley Road railway station
Berkeley Road railway station served the towns of Berkeley and Dursley in Gloucestershire, England.-History:The station was one of the first six stations built on the Bristol and Gloucester Railway, originally a broad gauge line overseen by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but later taken over by the...
to the docks at Sharpness, was authorised in 1872. On the same day, the Severn Bridge Railway
Severn Bridge Railway
The Severn Bridge Railway was an early British railway company. It ran from Berkeley Road railway station to Sharpness railway station via the Sharpness Branch Line. It then went over the River Severn on the Severn Railway Bridge and to Lydney Junction railway station. It was opened in 1879 as a...
was authorised, which would connect the Berkeley branch to the Severn and Wye Railway
Severn and Wye Railway
The Severn and Wye Railway was a small railway network in west Gloucestershire that was constructed to allow exploitation of the mineral resources of the Forest of Dean. The Severn and Wye Railway and Canal Company began construction of the tramway and the Lydney Canal in 1810. In 1868 the tramway...
and Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) at . The branch line was opened to freight traffic in August 1875 with passenger services starting a year later. The station opened for passengers on 1 August 1876.
Before the branch line
Sharpness Branch Line
The Sharpness Branch Line was a railway in Gloucestershire, England, built by the Midland Railway to connect the port of Sharpness to the main Bristol and Gloucester Railway...
was built, Berkeley
Berkeley, Gloucestershire
Berkeley is a town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It lies in the Vale of Berkeley between the east bank of the River Severn and the M5 motorway within the Stroud administrative district. The town is noted for Berkeley Castle where the imprisoned Edward II was murdered.- Geography...
had been served by Berkeley Road
Berkeley Road railway station
Berkeley Road railway station served the towns of Berkeley and Dursley in Gloucestershire, England.-History:The station was one of the first six stations built on the Bristol and Gloucester Railway, originally a broad gauge line overseen by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but later taken over by the...
, which was originally called "Dursley and Berkeley Road" and opened in 1844. It was two miles east of the town. Berkeley station was marginally more convenient: about a mile north of the town.
The Sharpness branch became a through-route from 1879 with the opening of the Severn Railway Bridge
Severn Railway Bridge
The Severn Railway Bridge was a crossing across the River Severn between Sharpness and Lydney, Gloucestershire. It was badly damaged in an accident involving river barges in 1960 and demolished in 1970.-Construction:...
, connecting Sharpness
Sharpness
Sharpness is an English port in Gloucestershire, one of the most inland in Britain, and eighth largest in the South West. It is on the River Severn at , at a point where the tidal range, though less than at Avonmouth downstream , is still large .The village of Sharpness is pronounced with the...
with the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
side of the Severn Estuary
Severn Estuary
The Severn Estuary is the estuary of the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain. Its high tidal range means it has been at the centre of discussions in the UK regarding renewable energy.-Geography:...
and enabling through services between Berkeley Road and Lydney Town railway station
Lydney Town railway station
Lydney Town railway station is a railway station on the Dean Forest Railway in Lydney in Gloucestershire. It is located a few metres from the High Street which a level crossing runs over on the Norchard end.-History:...
, some of which ran on to Lydbrook
Lydbrook Junction railway station
Lydbrook Junction railway station is a disused railway station opened by the Ross and Monmouth Railway in 1873, it remained open for 91 years until 1964 when the line finally closed to freight, though passenger services ceased in 1959. The station was constructed in the hamlet of Stowfield...
. Children from Berkeley attending school in Lydney were among the passengers.
Upon the opening of the Severn Bridge on 17 October 1879, the Severn Bridge Railway amalgamated with the Severn & Wye Railway, to form the Severn & Wye & Severn Bridge Railway. This got into financial difficulties in 1883, and on 1 July 1894, was sold jointly to the GWR and MR; the Sharpness branch was transferred to the joint committee at the same time.
The branch line was double track and the station building, built of brick, was on the down platform. There was a goods shed and a small goods yard just before the station on the line in from Berkeley Road. The line was later singled and the up platform (for trains towards Berkeley Road) was then redundant.
Through-services to Lydney on the line ceased abruptly in October 1960 when the Severn Railway Bridge was damaged beyond economic repair in a shipping accident. The station closed on 2 November 1964, when passenger services ceased on the Sharpness branch; goods facilities were withdrawn two years later. The station buildings were demolished though the stationmaster's house remains. The track through the site remains as the Sharpness docks link is still open for very occasional freight services.