The original station was opened in May 1856 by the Midland Railway, which had absorbed the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway between Shipley and Colne in 1851. It closed on 20 March 1965 following the Beeching Axe, but West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and British Rail reopened it on 9 April 1984, at a cost of £139,000 (equivalent to £564,300 in 2023).[1][2] The current station has wooden platforms and waiting shelters (though these are stone-built rather than the metal and plexiglass designs used elsewhere). Its predecessor was of more substantial stone construction, with buildings on each platform; these were demolished in 1970, five years after the station closed.[3]
The station is on the Airedale line, between Bradford and Leeds, and Skipton. It is a busy commuter station both for passengers travelling to Leeds and Bradford and for staff in companies based in Salt's Mill, as well as serving tourists visiting the UNESCOWorld Heritage Site at Saltaire.
F.J. Dando from 1927 (formerly station master at Embsay, afterwards station master at Cherry Tree)
Facilities
Though unstaffed, the station has ticket machines available. There is step-free access to both platforms via ramps from the street above.[8] Train running information can be obtained via digital information screens, timetable posters and an automated public address system.
Services
Since the May 2023 timetable update, there is a half-hourly service to Leeds, an hourly service to Bradford Forster Square and three trains per hour to Skipton throughout the day Mondays to Saturdays.[9] The Bradford service increases to half-hourly at peak times, with some additional services also to Leeds and Skipton. One early morning train to both Carlisle and Carnforth also call here (the former on weekdays only).
On Sundays, there is an hourly service to Leeds and to Bradford Forster Square, with two trains per hour to Skipton. The first departures from Leeds to both Lancaster and Carlisle also stop.
