The original intention was merely to have a goods depot to serve the nearby Cressbrook Mill, to be called Cressbrook or Cressbrook Sidings; however, a passenger station would also serve the villages of Upperdale and Cressbrook.
The down line and platform was built on a shelf carved in the rock face, while the up was built on wooden trestles over the hillside. The wooden buildings for the latter were obtained from Evesham railway station.
From Monsal Dale, the line proceeded through Cressbrook 471 yards (431 m) and Litton 515 yards (471 m) tunnels to Millers Dale on its way north. Cut through solid limestone, they were both complex tunnels on a gradient of 1 in 100 and curved to allow the line to conform to the terrain.
It was written:
There is not in the whole range of Peak scenery such a lovely landscape in so small a space as can be viewed from the platform of this singular and romantically situated station.[1]
The station closed to regular passenger traffic in 1959[2] but continued to be used by occasional ramblers' specials and excursions until April 1961; trains continued to pass through the station until 1968 when the line was closed.[3]
Stationmasters
James Lister ca. 1867
Richard Coe ca. 1871–1873[4] (afterwards station master at Longstone)
This section of line forms part of the Monsal Trail, an 8.5-mile (13.7 km)-long shared-use path. The down platform edge can still be seen, but nothing remains of the up platform or timber buildings. The tunnels previously mentioned were reopened in 2011; the path diversions over the river via a permissive path by Cressbrook Mill are still available.[3]
