Burton-on-Trent Railway Station - History

History

The original station was opened in 1839 by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway on its original route from Derby to Hampton-in-Arden meeting the London and Birmingham Railway for London. It was completely rebuilt about 150 yards further south in 1883 when the lines were quadrupled. It consisted of an island platform with bays at each end, with substantial brick buildings along its length. As now, this was reached by a flight of steps from road level, where there was a booking hall in "early English style, partly timbered". The station was rebuilt yet again in 1971.

As a centre for beer brewing, Burton generated a great deal of freight traffic. In fact Burton itself was criss-crossed by the lines of the brewery companies' private lines, with a plethora of level crossings. In 1870 a new locomotive shed was built to the south of the station. This consisted of a roundhouse built round a 42-foot (13 m) turntable. In 1892 another roundhouse was added, with a 50-foot (15 m) turntable. In 1923 these were replaced by 57-foot (17 m) and 55-foot (17 m) turntables respectively. Originally coded "2" by the Midland Railway, it became 17B in 1935. By 1948 it had 111 locomotives allocated to it, but with the arrival of diesel locomotives it became a sub-depot of Nottingham being renumbered 16F, and it closed in 1968.

During the summer and autumn of 2011, the station underwent a £700,000 refurbishment, including removal of asbestos, improved disabled facilities, improved lighting and refurbished waiting room.

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