Hull and Holderness Railway
Encyclopedia
The Hull and Holderness Railway was a branch line
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
, which connected the city of Kingston upon Hull
with the North Sea
coast at Withernsea
.
in the "York and North Midland (East Riding No.1) Railway Bill" for a line from the Victoria Dock Branch Line to Patrington
; the line was not included in the resulting act.
A second attempt at a line was promoted by Hull
businessman Anthony Bannister, with the intention of linking Hull with the rich agricultural area of South Holderness
, and the development of a coastal village (Withernsea
) into a new seaside resort, the silting up of Patrington Haven
was another incentive for the construction of a line, since it could no longer be used for transportation.
A prospectus was issued in 1852, and the "Hull and Holderness Railway Act" passed 1853. Construction of the line in the flat and open Holderness plain was rapid and the line of about 18 miles (29 km) was opened on 24 June 1854.The date of opening was somewhere between 24 and 27 June depending on source.
and near Ryehill
. At Withernsea (which in 1851 had a population of only 109) a Hotel "Station Hotel" (later called "Queen's Hotel") was built.
The line began at the York and North Midland Railway
's Victoria Dock station
and ran east, passing Hedon
to the north, it then turned southeast passing Burstwick
to the south half way between the village and Ryehill, then the line passed Keyingham
to the north and then east and south to Patrington
; the last village of any note before Withernsea which was to the northeast, and in which the line terminated.
Up till 1859 the Hull and Holderness Railway operated its own trains, from 1860 the line was operated by the North Eastern Railway
on lease rental, and in 1862 the same company acquired the line; a short connecting chord was built that allowed trains to run through onto the dock branch, and, from 1864 services ran to Paragon station
in the City centre via the Victoria Dock Branch.
; this service continued until 3 June 1968, the goods service to Marfleet
lasted until 1972.
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, which connected the city of Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
with the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coast at Withernsea
Withernsea
Withernsea is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, and forms the focal point for a wider community of small villages in Holderness. Its most famous landmark is the white inland lighthouse, rising around above Hull Road...
.
Background
An early proposal for a railway eastwards from Hull into Holderness was made in 1846 by the York and North Midland RailwayYork and North Midland Railway
The York and North Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting York, with the Leeds and Selby Railway and in 1840 with the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds.-Origins:...
in the "York and North Midland (East Riding No.1) Railway Bill" for a line from the Victoria Dock Branch Line to Patrington
Patrington
Patrington is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England in an area known as Holderness. It is situated approximately south east of Hedon and south west of Withernsea on the A1033 road...
; the line was not included in the resulting act.
A second attempt at a line was promoted by Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
businessman Anthony Bannister, with the intention of linking Hull with the rich agricultural area of South Holderness
Holderness
Holderness is an area of the East Riding of Yorkshire, on the east coast of England. An area of rich agricultural land, Holderness was marshland until it was drained in the Middle Ages. Topographically, Holderness has more in common with the Netherlands than other parts of Yorkshire...
, and the development of a coastal village (Withernsea
Withernsea
Withernsea is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, and forms the focal point for a wider community of small villages in Holderness. Its most famous landmark is the white inland lighthouse, rising around above Hull Road...
) into a new seaside resort, the silting up of Patrington Haven
Patrington Haven
Patrington Haven is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, in an area known as Holderness. It is situated approximately south east of the town of Hedon and south west of the village of Patrington.It forms part of the civil parish of Patrington...
was another incentive for the construction of a line, since it could no longer be used for transportation.
A prospectus was issued in 1852, and the "Hull and Holderness Railway Act" passed 1853. Construction of the line in the flat and open Holderness plain was rapid and the line of about 18 miles (29 km) was opened on 24 June 1854.The date of opening was somewhere between 24 and 27 June depending on source.
Description and operations
The line was originally built as a single track line, except sections at HedonHedon
Hedon is a small town and civil parish in Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately east of Hull city centre. It lies to the north of the A1033 road at the crossroads of the B1240 and B1362 roads....
and near Ryehill
Ryehill, East Riding of Yorkshire
Ryehill is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, in an area known as Holderness. It is situated approximately east of Hull city centre and lies just south of the A1033 road, ....
. At Withernsea (which in 1851 had a population of only 109) a Hotel "Station Hotel" (later called "Queen's Hotel") was built.
The line began at the York and North Midland Railway
York and North Midland Railway
The York and North Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting York, with the Leeds and Selby Railway and in 1840 with the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds.-Origins:...
's Victoria Dock station
Hull Victoria Dock railway station
Hull Victoria Dock railway station was the terminus of the North Eastern Railway's Victoria Dock Branch Line in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The station also served as the terminus of the Hull and Holderness Railway before it was rerouted into Hull Paragon railway station...
and ran east, passing Hedon
Hedon
Hedon is a small town and civil parish in Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately east of Hull city centre. It lies to the north of the A1033 road at the crossroads of the B1240 and B1362 roads....
to the north, it then turned southeast passing Burstwick
Burstwick
Burstwick is a village and civil parish in the Holderness region of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated about east of Hull city centre...
to the south half way between the village and Ryehill, then the line passed Keyingham
Keyingham
Keyingham is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village is located approximately east of Kingston upon Hull city centre and lies on the A1033 road....
to the north and then east and south to Patrington
Patrington
Patrington is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England in an area known as Holderness. It is situated approximately south east of Hedon and south west of Withernsea on the A1033 road...
; the last village of any note before Withernsea which was to the northeast, and in which the line terminated.
Up till 1859 the Hull and Holderness Railway operated its own trains, from 1860 the line was operated by the North Eastern Railway
North 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...
on lease rental, and in 1862 the same company acquired the line; a short connecting chord was built that allowed trains to run through onto the dock branch, and, from 1864 services ran to Paragon station
Hull Paragon railway station
Hull Paragon Interchange is a transport complex in the centre of the city of Kingston upon Hull , England, which opened in September 2007. It integrates the city's railway station with the formerly separate bus and coach station...
in the City centre via the Victoria Dock Branch.
Closure
The passenger service was axed following the Beeching Report. The last passenger train ran on 19 October 1964. Goods traffic continued to use the whole line until 3 May 1965, after which it only operated between Hull and Hedon railway stationHedon railway station
Hedon railway station is a disused railway station on the North Eastern Railway's Hull and Holderness Railway on the northern edge of Hedon in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was opened by the York and North Midland Railway on 27 June 1854. The station was closed to passengers on 19...
; this service continued until 3 June 1968, the goods service to Marfleet
Marfleet railway station
Marfleet railway station is a disused railway station on the North Eastern Railway's Hull and Holderness Railway in the Marfleet area of the city of Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was opened by the York and North Midland Railway on 27 June 1854. The station was closed to...
lasted until 1972.