Volunteers working to improve the passenger experience at Bentham Station have come together to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the station’s opening.
Passengers have been travelling to and from Bentham Station since it opened in May 1850 and it remains a popular stop on the scenic Bentham Line, which runs between Leeds and Morecambe.
The 75-mile railway line is one of the oldest in the country, and was once used to transport raw materials to local silk mills from 1880, as well as livestock, coal and stone.
Friends of Bentham Station, the Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership (CRP), Mytholmroyd Station Partnership and staff from Northern marked the milestone during an event at the station last week.
It comes after Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025 guide named the Bentham Line as one of the top 10 best ‘train-hopping’ trips in the world.
The guide says to “enjoy the Bentham Line as a scenic day out in itself or use it as a gateway to cosy pub stays and walks in the Yorkshire Dales National Park from Clapham and Giggleswick stations.”
Gerald Townson, chair of the Friends of Bentham Station, said: “Passenger services first came to Bentham on 2 May 1850, and it was pleasing to welcome so many guests for our 175th anniversary celebrations.
“Bentham Station and the line are vital transport resources for our small community, with the number of passenger journeys growing from 11,000 to 37,000 over the past 15 years.”
Darren Allsopp, stakeholder manager for Northern, said: “We were delighted to be part of the celebrations for this historic moment. We’re incredibly proud to be running services along a line which has provided a vital transport link to passengers for 175 years, allowing them to travel into West Yorkshire and enjoy fantastic destinations in the Yorkshire Dales and Lancashire Coast.
“I’d like to thank all of the volunteers who work so hard throughout the year to improve stations for our customers and promote rail travel.”
Learn more about Northern’s work in the community here.
Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Leeds-Morecambe CRP via their website.
