Quietest stations: The story behind Nottinghamshire’s ‘ghost station’ used by just 212 people last year

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It’s one of the least-used stations in the UK

These days we have a range of options to choose from when it comes to getting from A to B.

Besides driving and taking the bus, train travel is one of the most popular means of travel here in the UK.

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In fact, over 1.6 billion people used the national rail network in the fiscal year 2023/24, representing a 20% rise on the previous year.

The UK’s rail network consists of a whopping 2,579 stations, but it would be wrong to assume that all of them are used on a regular basis.

Each year the Office of Rail and Road releases statistics surrounding the busiest and quietest train stations in the UK, which proves to be a good indicator of where passengers are (and aren’t) travelling to.

The most recent set of statistics, released at the end of last year, show that Nottinghamshire’s Elton and Orston station was one of the least-used in the UK between April 2023 and March 2024.

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During that period, just 212 people either started or ended their journeys at the station.

But what is the history behind Nottinghamshire’s quietest train station and how do its most usage figures compare to previous years?

What is the history of Elton and Orston station?

The station, originally named Elton, opened in 1850.

In the 1840s 'Railway Mania' saw a frenzy of investment into the UK’s rail network as technology rapidly developed.

The railway system offered new chances for travel, holidays, transporting goods, developing businesses, and the growth of towns and cities.

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According to the National Archives, an estimated £3 billion was spent on building the railways from 1845 to 1900.

The station was opened to passengers in 1850The station was opened to passengers in 1850
The station was opened to passengers in 1850 | Kate Jewell

Elton was ultimately one of the hundreds of village stations across the UK to benefit from this investment.

In a time before motor cars, the station allowed residents from Elton, Orston, and the surrounding villages quick access to Nottingham.

During the 20th century, the station’s passenger numbers slowly declined.

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The surrounding rural population had the convenience of driving to either Nottingham or nearby Grantham.

As the 20th century made way for the 21st, Elton and Orston’s low passenger numbers resulted in it being named among the quietest stations in the UK.

Such is the low demand for services at Elton and Orston that just two trains stop there each day.

The 7.04am service towards Nottingham and 5.13pm service towards Skegness are the only opportunities for passengers to enter or exit at the tiny station.

How have Elton and Orston’s passenger number changed over the past five years?

  • 2019/20 - 68
  • 2020/21 - 12
  • 2021/22 - 40
  • 2022/23 - 56
  • 2023/24 - 212

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