The current Hellifield Station was built by the Midland Railway Company and it opened in 1880. Its extra long platforms and extra large buildings allowed full trainloads of passengers to disembark briefly to obtain food and drink and to use the 'conveniences' provided in the station buildings.
Both of these services were especially important during the early years of the station's operation because railway carriages did not have corridors, restaurant / buffet cars or, for third class passengers, toilets.
Two locomotive depots were built beside the station (one for the Midland Railway Company and one for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company). These enabled the locomotives to be quickly changed (for refuelling and servicing), thereby minimising the delay to through services.
The eastern end of Hellifield Station is still used for passenger services running on Britain's national railway network. For details of station facilities, please refer to the following page on the National Rail Enquiries website:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/HLD/details.html
Information relating to train services can be obtained via the homepage of the National Rail Enquiries website:
