I visit the UK's 'loneliest' railway station just 30 miles from Derby - it's used by only 68 passengers a year
The station, located just 30 miles from Derby, was used by just 68 passengers between 2024 and 2025
Some train stations are extremely busy hubs full of the hustle and bustle of a city, while others are more quiet places for local villagers to utilise and explore.
But not many are as quiet as Elton and Orston train station.
In fact, recent statistics have shown that none are.
The rural station, located between Bingham and Bottesford, had just 68 entries and exits between 2024 and 2025, according to the Office of Rail and Road.
In light of the news that Elton and Orston is officially the UK’s quietest train station, I wanted to experience it for myself.
My visit to Elton and Orston station
Intrigued to see what such a tiny station isolated in the Nottinghamshire countryside would be like, I arrived with an open mind.
The station is located in the small hamlet of Elton and currently only facilitates two trains a day, to Nottingham and Skegness.
Unsurprisingly for a station used by under 100 passengers a year, Elton and Orston is unmanned, doesn’t have toilets, a waiting room or food and drink kiosks.
The station was originally built in 1850 and in a time before cars, it allowed surrounding residents to access Nottingham easily.
However, during the 20th century, the station's passenger numbers started to decline and have been significantly low ever since.
But this doesn’t take away from the charm of the hidden railway station.
Tucked away in the idyllic countryside, sandwiched between vast fields of crops, it’s like a portal into a much simpler time.
A time which allowed for more connection with nature and people, especially when the train driver sounds his horn to say hello to the rare sighting of people at the station.
But what does the future hold for Elton and Orston?
While the station’s paltry passenger number hardly justify its existence, its unique charm certainly does.
There aren’t many stations where you can stand alone on the platform for hours on end without bumping into another passenger.
Elton and Orston’s claim to fame should be celebrated, not sneered at.