Staveley Town railway station

Staveley Town is a closed and demolished former railway station in Staveley near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England.ContextThe station was on the circuitous to line via Clowne and Barlborough and the equally circuitous Barrow Hill to via line. These routes diverged at Seymour Junction, about half a mile to the east of the station. The line to Pleasley was known as the Doe Lea Branch because it followed the River Doe Lea for several miles. The line to Creswell was known as the Clowne Branch.HistoryThe station opened without ceremony on 1 November 1888 for services along the Clowne Branch. It was initially called Netherthorpe, being in the Netherthorpe area of Staveley. On 25 October 1893, it became "Netherthorpe for Staveley Town". It was renamed "Staveley Town" on 1 June 1900. Services calling at the station increased with the opening of the Doe Lea Branch on 1 September 1890.The station was situated in a cutting between the Lowgates overbridge and a footbridge from Fan Road to Netherthorpe, both of which survive. It had two opposing platforms with small buildings on each of which no trace remains. There was a further building at street level which survived for many years after closure, having been bought privately for commercial use.Normal passenger traffic over the Doe Lea Branch ceased in 1930 and the route was severed by the closure of Rowthorn Tunnel near Hardwick Hall. Coal traffic nevertheless remained the lifeblood of the line. The station closed to passenger traffic on 5 August 1952. In the 1960s pits began to be worked out. Ramcroft Colliery near Glapwell closed in 1966, followed by Glapwell Colliery in 1974 after which the line beyond fell into disuse. The line between Bolsover and Glapwell Colliery was taken out of use as from 31 October 1978; it was eventually lifted later in 1978.