Description: The frontage of Burton railway station looking west. This was situated on the bridge carrying Borough Road (a continuation of Station Street) over the Midland Railway's Derby to Birmingham line and opened in 1883 as a replacement for Burton's original station of 1839, which was located slightly further north. The new station consisted of a long and wide island platform extending beneath the overbridge with bays at either end for local services. The buildings were designed in a half-timbered style with much use of brick nogging, gothic detailing and extensive glass and iron canopies protecting the platforms.
Although owned by the MR, the station was also used by the North Staffordshire, London & North Western, and Great Northern companies with services to Leicester (MR), Lichfield and Walsall (LNWR), Tutbury (NSR), and Derby Friargate and Nottingham (GNR).
On this occasion the photographer has arrived not by train but on his trusty Douglas motorcycle (registration R 711), which can be seen parked on the left. To the right Burton Corporation electric tramcar No 2 is heading away from the camera (the evidence indicates that a horse has clearly preceded it) with Wellington Street on its rear destination blind. Having come into town from either Winshill, Stapenhill or Branston Road it will terminate just round the corner from the foot of the bridge slope. The tower of Burton Town Hall in King Edward Place can be seen immediately to the left of the tram, while caught between the station and the tram is the Station Hotel.
Burton's trams were replaced by motor buses in 1929 and the 1883 buildings of the railway station were demolished in 1971 when more modest facilities were substituted by British Rail following withdrawal of all the local services that once began and ended here. By 2010 the Station Hotel had also closed, the building being converted into apartments.
Derby-based postcard publisher F W Scarratt took this photo and its serial number may be 431, although this has not been confirmed.