Harrogate Line
Encyclopedia
The Harrogate Line is the name given to a passenger rail service through parts of North Yorkshire
and the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England
connecting Leeds
to York
by way of Harrogate
and Knaresborough
. The service is operated by Northern Rail
, with a few additional workings by East Coast
,. Metro
's bus and rail MetroCard ticket is available for journeys between Leeds and Harrogate
.
: the Leeds Northern Railway and the East and West Yorkshire Junction Railway. At the time of the 1923 Grouping
the Harrogate area formed the junction for six routes: the main line was that from Leeds-Northallerton railway
; the other lines were to:
The Leeds station at the time was Leeds Central station, jointly owned by the NER and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The line terminated in Harrogate at the Brunswick Station opened in 1848 but closed in 1862 when a new and more central station was opened in Harrogate. Little is known about the Brunswick Station but what information is available can be see on the web site for http://www.aeden.plus.com/nc.htm G W G Cass, former headmaster of Norwood College in Harrogate.
The 62 km line is composed of all or part of the following Network Rail
routes:
{|{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="2" style="margin: 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 85%;"
|align=left|LNE 6A
|width=50 align=right|M-Ch
|width=50 align=right|km
|-
|align=left|Leeds West Junction
|align=right|0-00
|align=right|0.00
|-
|align=left|Whitehall Junction
|align=right|0-25
|align=right|0.50
|-
|align=left|Headingley
|align=right|2-67
|align=right|4.55
|-
|align=left|Horsforth
|align=right|5-37
|align=right|8.80
|-
|align=left|Weeton
|align=right|11-38
|align=right|18.45
|-
|align=left|Pannal
|align=right|14-59
|align=right|23.70
|-
|align=left|Harrogate
|align=right|18-00
|align=right|28.95
|}
{|{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="2" style="margin: 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 85%;"
|align=left|LNE 6
|width=50 align=right|M-Ch
|width=50 align=right|km
|-
|align=left|Harrogate
|align=right|0-00
|align=right|0.00
|-
|align=left|Starbeck
|align=right|2-11
|align=right|3.45
|-
|align=left|Knaresborough
|align=right|3-64
|align=right|6.10
|-
|align=left|Cattal
|align=right|10-18
|align=right|16.45
|-
|align=left|Hammerton
|align=right|11-57
|align=right|18.85
|-
|align=left|Poppleton
|align=right|17-34
|align=right|28.05
|-
|align=left|Skelton Junction
|align=right|18-68
|align=right|30.35
|}
Currently open stations in bold.
The line is unusual outside London for the close proximity of many stations, there being five stations for example in the seven mile section between Pannal and Knaresborough. Harrogate and Hornbeam Park are less than one mile apart, as are Burley Park and Headingley.
such as an international cricket
test match
there is an increased service which runs prior to and after each such game. The services run between Leeds and Horsforth stations to cater for a large usage at Headingley and Burley Park railway stations and tickets are sold by Revenue Protection staff at the entrances to the platforms. This is to reduce the queue for tickets at Leeds station.
On weekdays a daily morning direct service to London King's Cross operates via Leeds. On 20 January 2011 the Government owned East Coast Franchise Operator (East Coast Trains) announced that following strong local representations an evening return service is to be reinstated, providing a direct train from London to Harrogate, and which will operate 7 days a week from May 2011.
rolling stock, the most common seen on the line are the Class 144 "Pacer"
, Class 150 "Sprinter"
, and Class 153 "Super Sprinter"
.
of the London Underground
, in order to substantially increase capacity. The D stock's replacement by S Stock
on the District Line
in 2015 will make them available for other locations (they are not yet life-expired, having been built in 1980-83). It is proposed that the stock will be converted to use the bottom-contact third rail system. Several new stations
have also been proposed.
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
and the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
connecting Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
by way of Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
and Knaresborough
Knaresborough
Knaresborough is an old and historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of the centre of Harrogate.-History:...
. The service is operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
, with a few additional workings by East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
,. Metro
West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the executive arm of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority and was originally formed on 1 April 1974 as the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport...
's bus and rail MetroCard ticket is available for journeys between Leeds and Harrogate
Harrogate railway station
Harrogate railway station serves the town centre of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds railway station. Northern Rail operate the station and provide all passenger train services except a daily East Coast service to and from London Kings...
.
History
The routes over which the Harrogate Line trains now run were opened in 1848 by two of the railways which came to be part of the North Eastern RailwayNorth Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
: the Leeds Northern Railway and the East and West Yorkshire Junction Railway. At the time of the 1923 Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
the Harrogate area formed the junction for six routes: the main line was that from Leeds-Northallerton railway
Leeds-Northallerton Railway
The Leeds-Northallerton railway is a partly disused railway line between West and North Yorkshire, in northern England.-History:The line was opened by the Leeds Northern Railway, in the 1850s.The Leeds and Thirsk Railway via Starbeck opened on 9 July 1848....
; the other lines were to:
- Pateley BridgePateley BridgePateley Bridge is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd.It has the oldest sweet shop in England and is the home of the Nidderdale Museum....
; - Pilmoor on the East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
; from that line was the junction for the line to York (the only remaining section open) - WetherbyWetherbyWetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
, where there were lines to- Cross Gates;
- Church FentonChurch FentonChurch Fenton is a village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is home to many commuters and is served by a railway station; Church Fenton railway station. Neighbouring villages include Cawood and Ulleskelf. It is about from Tadcaster and from...
via TadcasterTadcasterTadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
The Leeds station at the time was Leeds Central station, jointly owned by the NER and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
The line terminated in Harrogate at the Brunswick Station opened in 1848 but closed in 1862 when a new and more central station was opened in Harrogate. Little is known about the Brunswick Station but what information is available can be see on the web site for http://www.aeden.plus.com/nc.htm G W G Cass, former headmaster of Norwood College in Harrogate.
Route description
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
routes:
- LNE 9 from Leeds
- LNE 6A from Leeds West Junction
{|{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="2" style="margin: 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 85%;"
|align=left|LNE 6A
|width=50 align=right|M-Ch
Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
|width=50 align=right|km
|-
|align=left|Leeds West Junction
|align=right|0-00
|align=right|0.00
|-
|align=left|Whitehall Junction
|align=right|0-25
|align=right|0.50
|-
|align=left|Headingley
Headingley railway station
Headingley railway station is off Kirkstall Lane in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England on the Harrogate Line north west of Leeds...
|align=right|2-67
|align=right|4.55
|-
|align=left|Horsforth
Horsforth railway station
Horsforth railway station is a railway station in West Yorkshire, England. It is on the Harrogate Line north west of Leeds station and the final stop in the Metro regulated area towards Harrogate...
|align=right|5-37
|align=right|8.80
|-
|align=left|Weeton
Weeton railway station
Weeton railway station serves the villages of Weeton and Huby in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds and operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
|align=right|11-38
|align=right|18.45
|-
|align=left|Pannal
Pannal railway station
Pannal railway station serves the villages of Pannal and Spacey Houses in North Yorkshire, England, equidistant from both. It also serves the village of Burn Bridge, on the opposite side of Pannal. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds and operated by Northern Rail who provide all...
|align=right|14-59
|align=right|23.70
|-
|align=left|Harrogate
Harrogate railway station
Harrogate railway station serves the town centre of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds railway station. Northern Rail operate the station and provide all passenger train services except a daily East Coast service to and from London Kings...
|align=right|18-00
|align=right|28.95
|}
- LNE 6 from Harrogate
{|{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="2" style="margin: 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 85%;"
|align=left|LNE 6
|width=50 align=right|M-Ch
Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
|width=50 align=right|km
|-
|align=left|Harrogate
Harrogate railway station
Harrogate railway station serves the town centre of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds railway station. Northern Rail operate the station and provide all passenger train services except a daily East Coast service to and from London Kings...
|align=right|0-00
|align=right|0.00
|-
|align=left|Starbeck
Starbeck railway station
Starbeck railway station is located in the eastern suburbs of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line 2.25 miles east of Harrogate and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Background:...
|align=right|2-11
|align=right|3.45
|-
|align=left|Knaresborough
Knaresborough railway station
Knaresborough railway station serves the town of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line west of York and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Background:...
|align=right|3-64
|align=right|6.10
|-
|align=left|Cattal
Cattal railway station
Cattal railway station serves the village of Cattal in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line west of York and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
|align=right|10-18
|align=right|16.45
|-
|align=left|Hammerton
Hammerton railway station
Hammerton railway station serves the villages of Kirk Hammerton and Green Hammerton in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line west of York and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
|align=right|11-57
|align=right|18.85
|-
|align=left|Poppleton
Poppleton railway station
Poppleton railway station serves the village of Upper Poppleton in the City of York unitary authority area and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England...
|align=right|17-34
|align=right|28.05
|-
|align=left|Skelton Junction
|align=right|18-68
|align=right|30.35
|}
- LNE 2 from Skelton Junction to York
Currently open stations in bold.
- Leeds, trains scheduled to operate via Harrogate through to York are shown with the destination of "Poppleton via Harrogate" because the Leeds-York journey via this route takes 40 minutes longer than the shorter York & Selby LinesYork & Selby LinesThe York & Selby Lines is the name given to a group of services in the West Yorkshire Metro area, connecting Leeds with places to its north and east: as well as the Northern Rail local services to York and Selby, the services extend to:...
route. - here was Leeds Royal Gardens, only a short distance from Burley Park
- here was Cardigan Road Goods station
- Burley ParkBurley Park railway stationBurley Park railway station in Leeds, West Yorkshire is the first stop on the Harrogate Line, north west of Leeds railway station towards Harrogate and York. The station was opened on 28 November 1988.The line is heavily used by commuters into Leeds...
. - HeadingleyHeadingley railway stationHeadingley railway station is off Kirkstall Lane in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England on the Harrogate Line north west of Leeds...
(near B6157 Kirkstall Lane - the closest station to the Headingley Lane end of Headingley Stadium) - here was Horsforth Woodside station which closed in 1864 and is located near the A6120 Leeds Outer Ring Road. It is speculated that a new station will open here in the future. Yorkshire Evening Post article
- HorsforthHorsforth railway stationHorsforth railway station is a railway station in West Yorkshire, England. It is on the Harrogate Line north west of Leeds station and the final stop in the Metro regulated area towards Harrogate...
physically the closest railway station to Leeds & Bradford Airport, though no public transport link currently exists between Horsforth station and the Airport terminal. - here is Bramhope TunnelBramhope TunnelThe Bramhope Tunnel is a railway tunnel long, owned by Network Rail on a route currently operated mainly by Northern Rail. It was constructed during 1845–1849 on the Harrogate Line, carrying rural and commuter passengers between Horsforth and Weeton in West Yorkshire, England...
2 miles 220 yd (3418 m) the longest on the NER system - here was ArthingtonArthingtonArthington is a small village in Wharfedale, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is a civil parish which, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 561 and is in the LS21 postcode district with Otley as its post town...
station, and a triangular junction for the line to OtleyOtley-Transport:The main roads through the town are the A660 to the south east, which connects Otley to Bramhope, Adel and Leeds city centre, and the A65 to the west, which goes to Ilkley and Skipton. The A6038 heads to Guiseley, Shipley and Bradford, connecting with the A65...
(station and branch now closed, though recent interest in reopening as a park and ride facility for Pool-in Wharfedale has been mooted) - WeetonWeeton railway stationWeeton railway station serves the villages of Weeton and Huby in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds and operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
for HubyHuby, HarrogateHuby is a village in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England about five miles south-west of Harrogate.The village is on the A658 between Otley and Harrogate. It is served by Weeton railway station on the line which links Leeds with Harrogate...
and Weeton - PannalPannal railway stationPannal railway station serves the villages of Pannal and Spacey Houses in North Yorkshire, England, equidistant from both. It also serves the village of Burn Bridge, on the opposite side of Pannal. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds and operated by Northern Rail who provide all...
for Pannal, Burn Bridge and Spacey Houses. Here was the junction for the line connecting Harrogate to Wetherby. The present line climbs and then turns sharply to join the former route to WetherbyWetherbyWetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
and cross Crimple Viaduct, under which the original main line passed, en route to Starbeck. The course of this section (closed in 1951) can be seen from the viaduct Aerial View. - Hornbeam ParkHornbeam Park railway stationHornbeam Park railway station opened in 1992 and is in the southern suburbs of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England on the Harrogate Line, operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
for Oatlands Also the closest station to the Great Yorkshire Showground - HarrogateHarrogate railway stationHarrogate railway station serves the town centre of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds railway station. Northern Rail operate the station and provide all passenger train services except a daily East Coast service to and from London Kings...
for HarrogateHarrogateHarrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
and its Bus Station - A potential station proposed by Harrogate Council/NYCC at Bilton, between Harrogate and Starbeck.
- StarbeckStarbeck railway stationStarbeck railway station is located in the eastern suburbs of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line 2.25 miles east of Harrogate and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Background:...
for Starbeck and Woodlands. Here were the junctions for Pateley Bridge and Northallerton. - KnaresboroughKnaresborough railway stationKnaresborough railway station serves the town of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line west of York and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Background:...
near KnaresboroughKnaresboroughKnaresborough is an old and historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of the centre of Harrogate.-History:...
High Street (the A59A59 roadThe A59 is a major road in the United Kingdom that runs from Liverpool in Merseyside, to York in North Yorkshire.-Merseyside:The A59 begins in the centre of Liverpool at the mouth of the Birkenhead Tunnel, and heads north out of the city, first as Scotland Road in Vauxhall, then Kirkdale Road,...
). Here was the line to Pilmoor. The line crosses the River NiddRiver NiddThe River Nidd is a tributary of the River Ouse in the English county of North Yorkshire. In its first few miles it is dammed three times to create Angram Reservoir, Scar House Reservoir and Gouthwaite Reservoir which attract around 150,000 visitors a year...
on a high bridge.- here followed two stations, now closed: for GoldsboroughGoldsborough, North YorkshireGoldsborough is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated near the River Nidd and 1 mile east of Knaresborough....
and AllertonAllerton, West YorkshireAllerton is a former village in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, now increasingly part of the Bradford conurbation.Chellow Dene is a local beauty spot. This is a wooded valley with two Victorian reservoirs and is a haven for local wildlife....
- here followed two stations, now closed: for Goldsborough
- CattalCattal railway stationCattal railway station serves the village of Cattal in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line west of York and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
for CattalCattalCattal is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the River Nidd and one mile east of the A1 road and just off the A59...
, WhixleyWhixleyWhixley is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near the A1 road and 10 miles west of York. The ancient village of Whixley lies on Rudgate, the old Roman road along which the Roman “Hispania” Legion would have marched to nearby Isurium .To the...
and Green HammertonGreen HammertonGreen Hammerton is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the A59 road and 10 miles west of York.... - HammertonHammerton railway stationHammerton railway station serves the villages of Kirk Hammerton and Green Hammerton in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line west of York and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
for Green HammertonGreen HammertonGreen Hammerton is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the A59 road and 10 miles west of York....
and Kirk HammertonKirk HammertonKirk Hammerton is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near the River Nidd and on the A59 road, west of York.The village is served by Hammerton railway station....
- here was Hessay station, now closed
- PoppletonPoppleton railway stationPoppleton railway station serves the village of Upper Poppleton in the City of York unitary authority area and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England...
for Upper PoppletonUpper PoppletonUpper Poppleton is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England. It is situated by the West bank of the River Ouse adjacent to Nether Poppleton, and west of York close to the A59 from York to Harrogate. The village is served by Poppleton...
and Nether PoppletonNether PoppletonNether Poppleton is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England. It is situated by the West bank of the River Ouse adjacent to Upper Poppleton, and west of York close to the A59 road from York to Harrogate... - YorkYork railway stationYork railway station is a main-line railway station in the city of York, England. It lies on the East Coast Main Line north of London's King's Cross station towards Edinburgh's Waverley Station...
, which, apart from the East Coast Main Line services, is also served by Metro routes York & SelbyYork & Selby LinesThe York & Selby Lines is the name given to a group of services in the West Yorkshire Metro area, connecting Leeds with places to its north and east: as well as the Northern Rail local services to York and Selby, the services extend to:...
and Dearne Valley LineDearne Valley LineThe Dearne Valley Line is the name given to a railway line in the north of England running from York to Sheffield via Pontefract Baghill and Moorthorpe.-History:...
(At York station, trains travelling to Leeds via Harrogate are shown with the destination of Burley Park.)
The line is unusual outside London for the close proximity of many stations, there being five stations for example in the seven mile section between Pannal and Knaresborough. Harrogate and Hornbeam Park are less than one mile apart, as are Burley Park and Headingley.
Special services
In addition to the regular services on the Harrogate Line occasionally when there is a major event on at Headingley StadiumHeadingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
such as an international cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
there is an increased service which runs prior to and after each such game. The services run between Leeds and Horsforth stations to cater for a large usage at Headingley and Burley Park railway stations and tickets are sold by Revenue Protection staff at the entrances to the platforms. This is to reduce the queue for tickets at Leeds station.
On weekdays a daily morning direct service to London King's Cross operates via Leeds. On 20 January 2011 the Government owned East Coast Franchise Operator (East Coast Trains) announced that following strong local representations an evening return service is to be reinstated, providing a direct train from London to Harrogate, and which will operate 7 days a week from May 2011.
Trains
The route is served by a wide variety of Northern RailNorthern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
rolling stock, the most common seen on the line are the Class 144 "Pacer"
British Rail Class 144
The British Rail Class 144 "Pacer" diesel multiple units were built by BREL Derby from 1986-1987. A total of 23 units were built, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs....
, Class 150 "Sprinter"
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
, and Class 153 "Super Sprinter"
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
.
Proposal to electrify the line and use former London Underground trains
In July 2011, Harrogate Chamber of Commerce proposed to electrify the line with third-rail, using D StockLondon Underground D78 Stock
The London Underground D Stock is a type of electric multiple unit used on the London Underground District Line . The entire fleet is due to be replaced with S Stock trains in 2015.- History :...
of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
, in order to substantially increase capacity. The D stock's replacement by S Stock
London Underground S Stock
The S Stock is a class of sub-surface train currently being delivered by Bombardier Transportation in Derby to the London Underground to replace 177 existing trains on the Metropolitan, District, Hammersmith & City, and Circle lines, with a new fleet of standardised car design, totalling 191 trains...
on the District Line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
in 2015 will make them available for other locations (they are not yet life-expired, having been built in 1980-83). It is proposed that the stock will be converted to use the bottom-contact third rail system. Several new stations
Proposed railway stations in England
Proposed railway stations in England. This page lists proposed railway stations which do not have their own articles.-Great Western Main Line:Proposed new stations on the Great Western Main LineThames Valley Park railway station...
have also been proposed.