Durham Elvet Station

Durham Elvet was brought into use on 24 July 1893 and had a twofold purpose: to replace Shincliffe as the terminus for passenger trains on the route to Sunderland via Murton and Ryton (the former Durham & Sunderland Railway) and to handle excursion traffic to the riverside area known as the 'racecourse'. Racing had left that site during the previous decade but it played an important role in local life once a year as the venue for the Durham Miners' Gala. The station takes its name from a former parish and district of the city, also represented in the street names Old and New Elvet.

The station had a long, spacious island platform which, unusually for the NER, was bereft of any roofing, reflecting its limited role: the 1912 timetable shows no more than nine trains in each direction on a normal weekday. At the head of this was a building designed by the NER Architect William Bell around a large waiting/dispersal hall. This was fronted by a neat office range, given a touch of style by the central clock gablet.

Regular passenger trains ceased at the end of 1930 at both Elvet and Sherburn House, the next station along the line, but the branch handled excursion traffic until July 1953 and goods trains continued until January 1954. Though the line was taken up and the iron arch over the Wear was demolished, the Elvet station building enjoyed a further decade adapted as offices before being demolished for redevelopment.    

 Contact: info@railwayarchitecture.org.uk

© W. Fawcett, 2011