Friargate Station and its Surroundings

Friargate station opened for business in 1876, four years after an Act of Parliament had been granted to the Great Northern Railway for its construction. Carving its way through the city, and causing the demolition of a large number of middle and working class housing and other properties, the construction had caused huge controversy throughout the town. Despite this, when it opened it proved immensely popular with the general public and provided a convenient and badly needed rail connection for the many mills and foundries situated in the Friargate area and the West End. Along with the station GNR also built a rail yards and sidings, a huge warehouse and offices and many other ancillary buildings.

Despite its popularity by the 1960's British Rail had decided that it was no longer economically viable and announced its closure. The last train left the station, for Nottingham, at 10:10 am on Saturday 5^thSeptember and the station officially closed the following Monday.

Following its closure much of the site was cleared, the tracks removed and much of the route was built over. However on the Friargate site itself a surprising amount still remains, albeit overgrown and largely forgotten by the people of the town. These pictures offer a glimpse of what can still be seen.

FRIARGATE STATION

At first glance there seems to be little to see on the site of the old station, however that is not the case. Walking up from Friargate the visitor first comes across the large shed and cobbled yard of what was once the ticket office and entrance to the platforms.

Due to the entrance being sited below the level of the tracks the traveller would go up a flight of steps and through a subway beneath the tracks before emerging onto one of the platforms. Although all the station buildings have now gone the platforms themselves, as well as the track beds can still be seen.

FRIARGATE WAREOUSE

The huge warehouse building standing near to the station was the Friargate Goods Depot. Although now derelict this Grade 2 listed building still stands majestic and proud waiting patiently for an imaginative new role.

The curved facade pictured above and left housed the offices of the company as well as an apartment for the manager and his family. Although this has been neglected for over 30 years and has suffered anumber of fires and other acts of vandalism, a tantalising glimpse of the interior can be seen in the photo below

Although the building can appear quite striking and austere from a distance , a closer inspection reveals the beauty and elegance in its design and construction.

The main part of the warehouse was built over three floors. The basement level was used for storing bonded goods of all types. The next floor provided more storage whilst the top floor served as a grain store and featured two grain chutes and ten hydraulic cranes, the housing for one of these can be seen in the picture to the left.

The Warehouse has been subject to a great deal of vandalism over the years, including numerous arson attacks and is now in an extremely derelict condition. As a result it is now bricked up and all access to the interior is impossible. However recently a couple of the entrances had been opened up, presumably by vandals, and I took the opportunity of photographing some of the interior. The images show what would have been the living accomodation and offices of the building.

Some more new pictures, this tme of the interior of the main warehouse.

FRIARGATE BRIDGE