Landslip and Bridge, Keele Park Station

Image: © Brian Deegan Taken: 8 Feb 2020

The nearby Keele estate had its own railway station called Keele, Keele Park Race station was added later on the Newcastle to Market Drayton railway line to make the racecourse more accessible to racegoers. Keele Park station opened in 1896 and closed in March 1907, coinciding with the operation of the racecourse. The Market Drayton branch railway opened in sections, with Stoke on Trent to Newcastle-under-Lyme being the first to open on the 6th September 1852. This was followed eleven years later by the Newcastle to Silverdale section in May of 1863. It wasn't until the 1st of February 1870 that the connection to Market Drayton was completed, giving Madeley an east-west route. Although initially the line was double track, it was converted to single track in 1934. ‌‌‌ Passenger services were withdrawn on May 6th 1956 and the Silverdale to Stoke on Trent section closed on 2nd March 1964. Keele Station was closed in 1961. It was finally closed to goods trains on the 9th January 1967, although coal trains still ran from Silverdale colliery to Madeley Road and onto the former LNWR line. With the closure of Silverdale colliery in 1998, all traffic on this line ceased. https://www.keele.ac.uk/thekeeleoralhistoryproject/railwaysatkeele/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoke_to_Market_Drayton_Line

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