Ryhope East railway station

Ryhope East was one of two railway stations to have served the village of Ryhope, Tyne and Wear, North East England. Opened in 1858 as a stop on the short Londonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway, it became a minor stop on the Durham Coast Line following that line's incorporation into it in 1905.

Ryhope East
The site of the station in 2017
General information
LocationRyhope, Tyne and Wear
England
Coordinates54°52′03″N 1°21′22″W / 54.8674°N 1.356°W / 54.8674; -1.356
Grid referenceNZ414527
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyLondonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
2 July 1855 (1855-07-02)Opened as Ryhope
1904Renamed Ryhope East
7 March 1960Closed to passengers
1964 (1964)Closed completely

History

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In 1854 the Londonderry Railway opened the Londonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway to link its network of colliery railways to the newly constructed South Dock in Sunderland due to the lack of capacity in Seaham Harbour. Though constructed primarily for mineral traffic, passengers were also carried between Seaham Harbour and Hendon Burn in Sunderland from 1855, where the LS&SR opened an additional station to serve Ryhope on 2 July. The station was originally named Ryhope and was designed by Brewer, Estate Clarke of Works of the Marquess of Londonderry at the time, who was responsible for its architecture being distinct from that of others North Eastern Railway stations in the vicinity North Eastern Railway.[1]

From 1868 the LS&SR began to use the Hendon terminus of the NER's Durham to Sunderland Line until the NER replaced this in turn with Sunderland Central station in 1879. Although the LS&SR shared the NER's Sunderland terminus, it was not until 1900 that the Londonderry Railway agreed to sell its Seaham to Sunderland route to the NER and, following this acquisition, the line was extended along the coast to West Hartlepool in 1905. To distinguish the station from the NER's other Ryhope station on the Durham to Sunderland Line, the station was renamed Ryhope East in 1904.[2][1]

The station closed to passengers on 7 March 1960,[3] but remained open to goods traffic until 1964.

References

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  1. ^ a b Sinclair, Neil T. (1985). Railways of Sunderland. Tyne and Wear County Council Museums. pp. 10, 54, 56 & 62. ISBN 0905974247.
  2. ^ M E Quick, Railway Passenger Stations in England Scotland and Wales—A Chronology, The Railway and Canal Historical Society, 2002, p. 350
  3. ^ Daniels, G.; Dench, L. A. (1963). Passenger no more (1st ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 83.
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Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Seaham Hall Dene
(Private station)
Line open; station closed
  North Eastern Railway
Durham Coast Line
  Sunderland Central
Line and station open
Seaham Colliery
Line and station open