Many thanks to Michael Thompson for this submission.

Opened 1.5.1882

Closed 23.7.1982

Operating Company on opening – North Eastern Railway.

An ‘Island’ design station which appears to be confined to NER stations. The broad island platforms’ southern face was straight, but the northern face had a shallow curve.

In 1880 the new South Bank station was authorised, together with three cottages and a warehouse; the total cost was £7,703. For three years it co-existed with the first South Bank station which was located about a mile to the east and closed in 1885.

The station was reached from the south by a footbridge over the up track (towards Middlesbrough), at the western end of the platform. The bridge was of iron, slightly arched, and originally roofed. Two sets of stairs led down eastwards towards the station building, whilst a single staircase led down to the west.

A functional single-storey red brick building with a ridged slate roof contained all of the facilities, the booking office being at the western end close to the footbridge. Window and door openings had a segmental arch design. Generous partly glazed ridge-and-furrow awnings covered the platform faces and extended over much of the roof of the station building. The columns which supported the awnings had swelling Gothic bases but lacked ornamental capitals. The brackets included the Star of David motif which could be seen at some other NER 1880s stations. The awnings were more substantial than at the neighbouring Cargo Fleet and Grangetown stations.

The station formally closed in 1984 with the opening of the present South Bank Station about 700 yards to the east. The platform remained in situ for many years, finally being erased when the north track was straightened across the platform site.

All that remains of the station today is a ‘ghostly’ mark in the ground. The present day bridge over the rail track on ‘Old Station Road’ is where the access bridge to the platforms was located.

Photos

1 The ghostly shape of the olds station, looking east. The modern South Bank Station is just visible in the distance. (Photo M. Thompson)

2 South Bank 2nd Station 1905. Clearly showing the access bridge and the ‘eastward’ facing stairs leading down to the platform. (Photo John Allsop Collection @ Disused Stations.org.uk)

3 Map 1895. Note how close the river bank was in 1895. (Courtesy National Library of Scotland)