Pontefract Tanshelf railway station

Pontefract Tanshelf railway station is the most central station in the town of Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England, and serves Pontefract Races, the racecourse located just down the street from the station. It lies on the Pontefract Line operated by Northern and is 8 miles (13 km) east of Wakefield Kirkgate. In the days of coal mining in the Pontefract area, the station served the needs of the local workforce with regular and frequent services timed for the beginning and the end of mining shifts. The station is the closest to the former Prince of Wales Colliery which closed in August 2002. The station serves Beechnut Lane, the home ground of Pontefract Collieries F.C.

The first station on the site was opened on 17 July 1871 as Tanshelf, being renamed Pontefract Tanshelf on 1 December 1936. It was closed on 2 January 1967, when the passenger services were diverted away from the direct line to Wakefield Kirkgate (via Featherstone, to serve Leeds via Castleford. The present station was opened by West Yorkshire Metro on 11 May 1992, when the line between Wakefield Kirkgate and Pontefract Monkhill was reopened.

The other stations in the town are Pontefract Monkhill and Pontefract Baghill.

Unlike Pontefract Monkhill, both platforms of Tanshelf are wheelchair-accessible.

Services

On Monday to Saturday, there is an hourly service to Wakefield Kirkgate and Leeds and also hourly to Knottingley. On Sundays, there is a two-hourly service each way to the same destinations.

References

External links

Media related to Pontefract Tanshelf railway station at Wikimedia Commons

• Train times and station information for Pontefract Tanshelf railway station from National Rail

1. Pontefract Monkhill railway station
2. Pontefract Baghill railway station
3. Pontefract station
4. Pontefract
5. Pontefract line
6. Wakefield Kirkgate railway station
7. Pot
8. Pontefract Castle
9. Leeds railway station
10. Huddersfield railway station
11. Brighouse railway station
12. Featherstone railway station
13. Bradford Forster Square railway station
14. Dearne Valley line
15. Crofton railway station
16. Apperley Bridge railway station
17. Wakefield Westgate railway station
18. Low Moor railway station
19. Micklegate Methodist Church, Pontefract
20. Knottingley railway station