Mansfield railway station serves the town of Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, England. It was also known as Mansfield Town, to distinguish itself from the GCR's former Mansfield Central and Mansfield Woodhouse stations. It is a stop on the Robin Hood Line, located north of Nottingham; it is managed by East Midlands Railway. The station building is Grade II listed.

History

The town was originally the terminus of the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway, built in 1819. It was bought by the Midland Railway, which used the final section to extend its new Leen Valley line to the present station in 1849. The station opened for passenger traffic without ceremony on Tuesday 9 October 1849. The line suffered from some teething problems in its early days. The Derby Mercury of 24 October 1849 criticised the quality of construction noting that: engines have been off the line in the station yard at Mansfield several times since the opening on Tuesday week. The curves here are so sharp that a small engine can scarcely pull a train of four or five carriages out of the year. On Sunday [21 October 1849] morning last as the train due in at nine a.m. was coming in, the engine went off the rails, and it took upwards of half an hour to get it on again; so that the train, which ought to have quitted Mansfield at 9.15 a.m. did not leave until 10 min. to 10 a.m. Surely some alterations will be made to prevent future accidents of this description.

In September 1850 the fares on the line to Nottingham were halved, and the number of passenger doubled.

The present station building was constructed by the Midland Railway in 1872; to the designs of the architect John Holloway Sanders. The contractor was C. Humphreys. The new station was opened on Friday 1 March 1872. The principal entrance was from Queen Street, by a path parallel with the viaduct. The station now comprised two platforms. The down platform had the main station building with a booking hall with oak floors, Ladies’ first class waiting room, Gentlemen's first class waiting room, Ladies’ second class waiting room, and booking and parcel offices. On one side of the building was the porters’ room and the lamp room, and at the other end there was a fish house, and carriage and horse dock. On the up platform there was a boiler room to provide hot water for foot warmers, a Ladies’ waiting room, and the office of the stationmaster. The down line platform was and the up line platform was longer to accommodate Southwell trains. The platforms were equipped with pedants and pedestals for illumination at night.

This improvement to the station took place at the same time as the engineer to the Midland Railway company, John Crossley, implemented a deviation of the railway between Sutton and Mansfield of around avoiding three sharp curves, the worst at King's mill. The new line included four bridges and a viaduct over the Hermitage reservoir.

The station building acquired listed status in 1978, and was renovated and opened as a cafe-bar in 1986.Annals of Mansfield 1086-1999 ourmansfieldandarea.org (Mansfield District Council museum). Retrieved 28 January 2021 The site of the old goods yard at Station Street, known as Portland Wharf, was converted into a large Co-Op foodstore in 1984. The former Portland Sidings site at Wharf Road was converted into a bulky goods retail Park from 2000.Retail update 2019 Mansfield District Council. Retrieved 28 January 2021Portland Sidings Portland Retail Park Mansfield Nottinghamshire Mansfield District Council planning, 7 June 1999. Retrieved 28 January 2021

When planning to re-establish a passenger rail service to the area, consideration was given to creating a new station at Toothill Lane in the town centre."Town's history of rail". Chad, 26 February 2014, pp.18-19. Accessed 7 April 2024 Mansfield District Council started refurbishment work on the old station buildings and site in February 1994.Town's Railway Station comes one step closer. Mansfield Reports 1993/94, p.2 Mansfield District Council. Accessed 19 March 2021 Mansfield pioneered railway in the East Midlands. Following passenger service closure in 1964, Mansfield remained isolated from the rail system until 1995, when the Robin Hood Line was reopened connecting to Nottingham. Before 1995, the town was the largest in the United Kingdom without a passenger service. The nearest railway service was at Alfreton station, Derbyshire, then-known as Alfreton and Mansfield Parkway.

In 2011, Nottinghamshire County Council developed a new bus station close to the rail station as a transport interchange.Latest images of interchange plans as work finally gets underway. "Signs driving custom away, says angry hotel manager". Chad, 22 June 2011, pp.12-13. Accessed 8 February 2025

Services

All services at Mansfield are operated by East Midlands Railway.

During the weekday off-peak and on Saturdays, the station is generally served by an hourly service northbound to and southbound to . During the peak hours, the station is also served by an additional two trains per day between Nottingham and .

On Sundays, the station is served by a two-hourly service between Nottingham and Mansfield Woodhouse, with no service to Worksop. Sunday services to Worksop are due to recommence at the station during the life of the East Midlands franchise.

The station has the PlusBus scheme, where train and bus tickets can be bought together at a saving. It is connected via skybridge to Mansfield bus station.

Mansfield was also once served by services to Rolleston via stations at Blidworth and Rainworth, Farnsfield, Kirklington and Edingley and Southwell. There was also services to Chesterfield over the Doe Lea Branch and Clowne Branch lines via the towns of Clowne, Bolsover and Staveley. These lines were closed in the 1930s and 1950s to passengers. Mansfield also had services along the original Robin Hood alignment to stations at Kirkby East and Sutton Junction which also closed when Mansfield did. These were replaced by the modern day Kirkby station and Sutton station, although opened a distance from their original sites.

Facilities close by Nottinghamshire Mining Museum A small museum dedicated to local coal mining history is situated at East Unit, within the station building.'We had to help each other during miners' strike'BBC News, 3 March 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025'Our dad was arrested for wanting to fight in WW2'BBC News, 5 May 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025Home page Nottinghamshire Mining Museum. Retrieved 8 September 2025

Midland Hotel

The hotel is adjacent to the station building. Registered as a grade II listed building from 1978,Midland Hotel, official list entry Historic England, Retrieved 13 October 2023 it was originally a mental asylum named Broom House,Broom House, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire The London and Provincial Medical Directory - 1851, p.688. via Google books. Retrieved 20 May 2022 built in the early 1800s, then purchased by the Midland Railway Company and converted into a hotel in 1862.Buildings at Risk Register 2014-15 Mansfield District Council. Retrieved 14 May 2022Brunel's Public House / Mansfield Town Station, Adjacent To Midland Hotel historicengland.org., 2 September 2004 Retrieved 14 May 2022The Midland Hotel, Mansfield ourmansfieldandarea.org (Mansfield District Council Museum), 6 August 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2022Plans to turn historic hotel into homeless hostel in Mansfield Nottinghamshire Live, 1 November, 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2022Midland Hotel Search of Mansfield District Council Planning. Retrieved 14 May 2022

In 2023 the hotel was reported as being used to house asylum seekers.Protesters say 'we want you out' during 'disgusting' asylum seeker protest outside Notts hotel Nottinghamshire Live, 7 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023Protesters objecting to Mansfield’s asylum seeker hotel stays must stay on 'right side of line' Notts TV, 8 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023Cease of use for 'controversial' asylum hotel in Mansfield Chad, 16 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024Mansfield hotel where 'disgusting' protest took place will stop being used to house asylum seekers Nottinghamshire Live, 17 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024

See also Listed buildings in Mansfield (inner area)

References

External links