New Mobile Site
We have just launched a new mobile version of this site -
m.trainspots. This page will use your smart device's GPS to loctate you and guide you to locations that are close to your present location.
Location notes
Swinton station is a small 3 platform station located on the main North East-South West route in South Yorkshire. Here, the lines come from Sheffield/Chesterfield and diverge with one going to Leeds/York, and the other to Doncaster.
There are signals at the end of each platform which remain at red until something is coming.
There is a freight line visible behind some trees that avoids the station completely. Some freight to/from the Doncaster direction goes this way and misses out Swinton station.
Railway type and traffic
Quite a few stopping passenger trains, the majority operated by Northern and consisting mainly of classes 142, 144, 150 and 158. In addition to this, TPExpress' class 185s pass through, as do CrossCountry voyagers and their HSTs, and in the morning an evening there are EMT HST services to/from Leeds.
DB Schenker and Freightliner also pass through regularly with the main flows being coal, steel, stone, engineers trains and container traffic, plus various light engine moves from Toton, Doncaster, Barrow Hill, Midland Road etc.
Environment
Swinton is a town area, the station can get quite busy at times but you should not have any problems, it is quite peaceful during daylight hours.
I would not recommend stopping too late after dark though.
Road directions
Swinton station is well signposted just of the A6022 main road that runs between Mexborough and Rawmarsh.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location Swinton Station map co-ordinates
Parking
There is a good car park at the station - it is an SYPTE Interchange. No payment required.
Public transport
Swinton is served by a half hourly train service from Doncaster, an hourly service from Leeds and 3 trains per hour from Sheffield.
Plenty of local bus services that pick up/drop off right outside the station.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There are toilets in the booking office at the station (7am-7pm weekdays - it is open on Sat/Sun at reduced hours).
Turning right outside the station the 1st left you will find a Chippy, Pizza, Indian takaways plus a pub that serves food too.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Swinton Station
Googly map
Streetmap links
Swinton Station general view map
Swinton Station close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Swinton Station
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
You can shoot in any direction. Looking north you will have to be on the ramp coming from the metal footbridge, and southbound from the bottom of any platform, which offers a good view but there is a signal directly at the end of the platform.
Videoing should not be a problem from the end of platforms 2/3, plenty of room for tripods.
General views - All photographs © Thomas Curry unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north
Fig 2 - Looking south - Image � Andy Squires
Fig 3 - Looking north
Location Video
All information contained within this is site is � Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.