Station Name: DERWEN

[Source: Paul Wright]


Date opened: 6.10.1864
Location: South side of an un-named minor road and north bank of River Clwyd
Company on opening: Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway
Date closed to passengers: 2.2.1953
Date closed completely: 30.4.1962
Company on closing: British Railways (London Midland Region)
Present state: Station still extant in use as a private residence.
County: Denbighshire
OS Grid Ref: SJ077504
Date of visit: 12.09.2009

Notes: Derwen station was situated on the Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway (DRCR) which was incorporated under an act of July 1860 opening in stages between March 1862 and October 1864. Derwen station opened with the second section of the line to come into use, between Ruthin and Gwyddelwern, on 6 October 1864.

The station was situated on the north side of the River Clwyd at Bryn Saith Marchog. Derwen station was provided with one low platform on the north side of the line on which stood a two storey building that contained a booking office and staff accommodation including a house for the station master. The station was also provided with a short canopy. A goods loop was provided on the southern side of the line. After 1900 a small goods yard with a single siding serving a loading dock for live stock was built at the east end of the station.

When the station first opened the DRCR ran its own train services but by 1866 the company was in financial difficulty and services were provided by the LNWR.  The LNWR formerly absorbed the line into its ownership on 1 July 1879. In 1875 Derwen Station was served by three trains in each direction on weekdays which ran between Corwen and Denbigh.

By 1904 the Derwen was served by five trains in each direction running between Corwen and Denbigh.

In 1923 the station became part of the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS). The General strike of 1926 saw a reduction of passenger services to three trains in each direction but the following year six services were provided. Passenger Services were reduced during WW2. They did revert to six trains in each direction after the end of the war.

In 1948 the Denbigh to Corwen line became part of the British Railways (London Midland Region). Road competition began to affect the line and by the early 1950s withdrawal of passenger trains on the section of line between Ruthin and Corwen was proposed. The last scheduled passenger services to run south of Ruthin ended on the 2 February 1953. After the passenger services had ended the goods loop was cut back from the Denbigh end of the station so that it formed a siding.



Derwen Station continued to be served by goods trains until 2 December 1957 when the station was downgraded to a coal depot only. Derwen closed completely on 30 April 1962 although a local coal merchant continued to receive deliveries by rail until 1964. Formal closure of the line came on the 1 March 1965 after which the track through Derwen Station was lifted. The last train however had run through the station in 1964.

The station building survived after closure and today it is in use as a private residence.

Tickets from Michael Stewart, Bradshaw by Nick Catford and Route Map by Alan Young . Click here for more tickets.

Source: From Chester to Holyhead the Branch Lines by Bill Rear. Oxford Publishing 2003
ISBN 978-0-860935-69-8

To see other stations on the Denbigh, Ruthin & Corwen Railway click on the station name: Denbigh, Llanrhaiadr, Rhewl, Ruthin, Eyarth, Nantclwyd, Gwyddelwern & Corwen


A painting of Derwen station as it might have appeared in the 1930s.
Painting by Derek Roberts. Click here to see more paintings by Derek Roberts


Derwen station shown on a 25-inch scale map from 1892.

The last passenger train to call at Derwen station is seen arriving on 31 January 1953.
William Jones from the Brian Herbert collection

The demolition train at Derwen station in 1965.
P
hoto by William Jones from the Brian Herbert collection

Derwen station in the second decade of the 21st Century.
Photo by Brian Herbert


Click here to see more photos



Last updated: Monday, 13-Mar-2023 14:13:42 CET
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