Denton, a small train station in Greater Manchester, has been named the UK’s least frequented station with only 54 entries and exits in the past year. This might not be surprising to locals, as Denton is served by just two trains on Saturday mornings, making it a quiet stop along the railway. The station is located near the Peak District and just half an hour away from Manchester city center, yet it remains deserted compared to busier stations like Manchester Piccadilly, which recorded 25.8 million entries and exits during the same period.
In contrast to Denton, London Liverpool Street was named the UK’s busiest station with a whopping 94.5 million entries and exits. The Office of Road and Rail (ORR) also revealed the least used stations in Wales and Scotland, with Roman Bridge in Wales and Kildonan in Scotland having minimal passenger traffic.
It’s interesting to note that Denton is not the only quiet station on the list, as Reddish South in Greater Manchester also made it to the top five least used stations with only 128 entries and exits. These stations are often of interest to train enthusiasts due to their low passenger numbers and unique services like ‘ghost trains’ that run to maintain the line for commercial use.
While Denton may not see much foot traffic, it holds a unique appeal for those looking to experience a quiet and lesser-known side of train travel in the UK. As the ORR continues to monitor passenger numbers at stations across the country, it will be interesting to see if Denton retains its title as the UK’s quietest train station in the coming years.