Woodland Park railway station

Woodland Park was an unstaffed halt on the Dyserth branch line in North Wales.

For other stations with names containing "Woodland" see Woodland (disambiguation)

Woodland Park railway station
LocationPrestatyn
Wales
Coordinates53.327618°N 3.403820°W / 53.327618; -3.403820
Grid referenceSJ066820
Platforms1[1]
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Pre-groupingLNWR
Post-groupingLMSR
Key dates
28 August 1905Opened as Rhuddlan Road
11 May 1923renamed Woodland Park
22 September 1930Closed[2][3][4]

The branch opened in 1869 for mineral traffic. In 1905 the LNWR began an innovative passenger service along the branch using steam Railmotors. The halt opened with the new service. It was situated in open country next to an overbridge carrying the road to Rhuddlan. Although the road is shown as "Meliden Road" on both maps of the era and modern maps the halt was named Rhuddlan Road. In the 1920s the substantial Woodland Park housing estate was built between the line and Prestatyn, utterly changing the character of the area.[5] The halt was renamed Woodland Park in 1923 to reflect this new market.

Railmotors had retracting steps so conventional raised platforms were not needed. The halt was therefore built with a very short ground level platform.[6] Initially it had no waiting facilities whatever, but by 1910 a cabin little larger than two phone booths was provided.

The passenger service lasted only until 1930, when it was withdrawn by the LMS. The line remained open to serve a quarry at Dyserth until complete closure in 1973.[7]

Since closure most of the former railway has been converted into a footpath. At the former station site visitors on this walk will notice the ground being higher up on the left when walking from Prestatyn towards Dyserth; this was probably where the platform would have been.

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
St. Melyd Golf Links
Line and station closed		   London and North Western Railway
Dyserth Branch Line		   Chapel Street
Line and station closed

References
  1. Holland 2015, p. 174.
  2. Quick 2009, p. 418.
  3. Butt 1995, p. 254.
  4. "The halt and the line". Disused Stations.
  5. Thompson 1985, Plates 13 & 14.
  6. Johnson 1995, p. 77.
  7. "Visit Prestatyn - Railway Line History". Visit Prestatyn.

Sources
  • Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199.
  • Holland, Julian (2015). Exploring Britain's Lost Railways. Glasgow: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-00-794901-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Johnson, Peter (1995). North Wales (Celebration of Steam). Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7110-2378-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Quick, Michael (2009) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway and Canal Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
  • Thompson, Trefor (1985). The Prestatyn and Dyserth Railway - A Pictorial History. Rhuddlan: Charter Publications. ISBN 978-0-907157-02-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2011). Chester to Rhyl. Midhurst: Middleton Press. figs. 111-112. ISBN 978-1-906008-93-2. OCLC 795178960.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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