Originally opened, on 2 December 1867 as Benfieldside, renamed Consett on 1 November 1882, renamed Consett & Blackhill on 1 May 1896 and, finally, renamed Blackhill on 1 May 1896, the station closed to passenger traffic on 23 May 1955 and, finally, to goods traffic on 11 November 1963.
Despite not being the ‘main’ station in Consett (this was situated at Delves Lane) and not part of the Tyne Dock to Consett Line, it was the busier of the two due to it’s proximity to the steelworks. Part of the Derwent Valley Railway, the station provided Consett residents an alternative route to Newcastle (rather than via South Pelaw) via Shotley Bridge, Ebchester, Lintz Green, Rowlands Gill and Swalwell.
The line has a dubious claim to fame following the fatal shooting of the station master, Joseph Wilson, at Lintz Green station in 1911. Whilst a suspect, Samuel Atkinson was arrested, he was later released and the perpetrator never caught.
The track at the station was lifted in 1964 (a rail served coal yard on site remained until at least the late 1970s) but, as evidenced by the photo on the right, very little else was done with the site for many years until it was developed as a country park by Durham County Council.
The location of Blackhill Station can be found on Google Maps here: 54°51’37.1″N 1°50’44.1″W – Google Maps
Blackhill Station in the 1980s
