Leeds-Northallerton Railway
Encyclopedia
The Leeds-Northallerton railway is a partly disused railway line between West
and North Yorkshire
, in northern England
.
The Leeds and Thirsk Railway via Starbeck opened on 9 July 1848.
In 1852 as the Leeds Northern Railway the extension to Northallerton and Stockton opened.
The line then became part of the North Eastern Railway
in the 1854 amalgamation.
All 3 stations at Leeds (Central, Wellington and New) were used at various times.
The section between Leeds
and Harrogate
is still extant, though it now follows a former branch line to York
instead of continuing through Ripon to Northallerton
.
The line north of Harrogate was closed as part of the notorious Beeching axe
. The track was officially closed in 1967, though a limited number of freight trains used the line to Ripon until 1969. It was supposed that closing this stretch of line would have little impact, since passengers travelling north could join the East Coast Main Line
at York
. The stretch was temporarily re-opened as an emergency diversionary route during the Thirsk rail crash
.
The closure of the northern section of the line meant an end to over 100 years of railway service to the city of Ripon
.
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and North Yorkshire
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...
, in 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...
.
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.
In 1852 as the Leeds Northern Railway the extension to Northallerton and Stockton opened.
The line then became part of 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...
in the 1854 amalgamation.
All 3 stations at Leeds (Central, Wellington and New) were used at various times.
The section between Leeds
Leeds City railway station
Leeds railway station is the mainline railway station serving the city centre of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England...
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...
is still extant, though it now follows a former branch line to York
York railway station
York 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...
instead of continuing through Ripon to Northallerton
Northallerton railway station
Northallerton railway station serves the town of Northallerton in North Yorkshire, England. The station lies on the East Coast Main Line north of York...
.
The line north of Harrogate was closed as part of the notorious Beeching axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. The track was officially closed in 1967, though a limited number of freight trains used the line to Ripon until 1969. It was supposed that closing this stretch of line would have little impact, since passengers travelling north could join the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
at York
York railway station
York 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...
. The stretch was temporarily re-opened as an emergency diversionary route during the Thirsk rail crash
Thirsk rail crash (1967)
The Thirsk rail crash occurred on 31 July 1967 at Thirsk, Yorkshire, England on the British Rail East Coast Main Line.-Events:The 1A26 express train from King's Cross to Edinburgh collided at speed with the wreckage of a de-railed freight train around 15:17 on that day. Seven people were killed and...
.
The closure of the northern section of the line meant an end to over 100 years of railway service to the city of Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
.
Present
In recent years a feasibility study has been undertaken into the possibilities of reopening the closed stretch of line between Harrogate and Northallerton. There has been a large amount of public support for the scheme and it could be completed as soon as 2014.List of stations
from Leeds- Leeds Central railway station (closed)
- Holbeck Low LevelHolbeck railway stationHolbeck railway station was a railway station that served the district of Holbeck, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Overview:Holbeck Station was unusual in that it had platforms on two different levels, the Holbeck High Level and the Holbeck Low Level .The low level platforms were closed to the...
(closed) - Royal Gardens (closed)
- 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...
opened 1988 - HeadingleyHeadingley railway stationHeadingley railway station is off Kirkstall Lane in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England on the Harrogate Line north west of Leeds...
- Leeds Woodside (closed)
- 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...
- ArthingtonArthington railway stationArthington railway station served the village of Arthington in the English county of West Yorkshire, near the North Yorkshire town of Harrogate.-History:...
(closed) - 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:...
- 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...
- 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:...
(opened 1992) - 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...
The Harrogate loop was completed in 1862 - 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:...
The original route via Starbeck opened in 1848 - Bilton (proposed)
- Nidd Bridge (closed June 1962)
- Wormald Green (closed June 1962)
- Ripon (closed)
- Melmerby (closed)
- Melmerby was a Junction with the original line to Baldersby, Topcliff and Thirsk (closed 1959)
- Melmerby was also the Junction for the line to Tanfield and Masham (1875 - 1931(pass) 1963(goods)
- Sinderby (closed 1962)
- Pickhill (closed 1959)
- Newby Wiske (closed 1939)
- NorthallertonNorthallerton railway stationNorthallerton railway station serves the town of Northallerton in North Yorkshire, England. The station lies on the East Coast Main Line north of York...