Billingham railway station

Key dates10 February 1841Opened as Billingham1 March 1870Renamed Billingham Junction1 May 1893Renamed Billingham1 October 1926Renamed Billingham-on-Tees7 November 1966Resited and renamed BillinghamPassengers2018/19 78,0042019/20 91,5042020/21 23,1262021/22 75,0622022/23 77,234 Services

Preceding station	Northern			Following station
Stockton towards Middlesbrough		Durham Coast Line		Seaton Carew towards Newcastle via Hartlepool

Location
Billingham Location in County Durham, England

Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Billingham is a railway station on the Durham Coast Line, which runs between Newcastle and Middlesbrough via Hartlepool. The station, situated 10 miles 8 chains (16.3 km) north-west of Middlesbrough, serves the town of Billingham, Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

History

The station is a modern-style halt on the line and was opened on Monday 7 November 1966 to replace the town's original grander station located further west towards Norton; this closed the previous day^[1] and was subsequently demolished in the early 1970s. It was located to the west of the junction between the Durham Coast Line and the earlier Port Clarence Branch of the Clarence Railway,^[2] adjacent to the level crossing carrying the old route of the A19 across the railway. The signal box and footbridge were demolished between 2018 and 2023.

The new Billingham station, built by the Eastern Region of British Rail, was provided with a booking hall, waiting room, parcels office and lavatories. These facilities were lost when the station was reduced to unstaffed halt status towards the end of the 1960s. The station building of 1966 was demolished in 2023 to make way for the construction of a new footbridge and lifts.

The Tees Valley Rail Strategy calls for the re-opening of the original station as 'Old Billingham' as a new additional station on the Durham Coast Line. However, the plans have yet to come to fruition.^{[citation needed]}

Accidents and incidents

• On 2 December 1953, a train, hauled by Ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0 No. 90048, ran off the end of the loop and was derailed. An express freight train then ran into the wreckage, and was also derailed.^[3]

Facilities

The station is unstaffed but has a ticket machine. A lit, unenclosed waiting shelter, digital information screens and CCTV cameras were installed in 2023, along with improvements to the long-line public address (PA) system for service announcements. Train running information can also be obtained by telephone, a customer help point and timetable poster boards. Access to the island platform is via a stepped footbridge and lifts.^[4]

Services

Northern Trains Route 2
v t e
Durham Coast line
Newcastle Heworth Sunderland Seaham Horden Hartlepool Seaton Carew Billingham Stockton Thornaby Middlesbrough
Most services extend to/from Hexham or Nunthorpe.

As of the winter 2023 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Most trains continue to Hexham (or Carlisle on Sunday) and Nunthorpe beyond Middlesbrough. Two trains per day (three on Sunday) continue to Whitby. Two direct trains operate between Hartlepool and Darlington on Sundays. All services are operated by Northern Trains.^[5]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

References

External links

• Media related to Billingham railway station at Wikimedia Commons
• Train times and station information for Billingham railway station from National Rail

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Stockton		Northern Trains Durham Coast Line		Seaton Carew
	Historical railways
Stockton-on-Tees Line and station open		British Rail (Eastern Region) Durham Coast Line		Greatham Line open; station closed
Norton-on-Tees Line open; station closed		London and North Eastern Railway Durham Coast Line		Greatham Line open; station closed
Norton-on-Tees Line open; station closed		London and North Eastern Railway Clarence Railway (Port Clarence Branch)		Belasis Lane Line open; station closed