Picton-Battersby Line
Encyclopedia
The Picton-Battersby Line was a section of line running from Picton, North Yorkshire
on what is now the Northallerton-Eaglescliffe Line
, to Battersby
on what is now the Esk Valley Line
.
and Stockton
) and Grosmont. It was opened in 1857 from Picton to Stokesley, with intermediate stations at Trenholme Bar, Potto
and Sexhow
. The line included a two mile branch south from Potto to the mines at Whorlton
.
The NY&C was incorporated into the North Eastern Railway
(NER) in 1858, the same year the Rosedale Branch
Line for the Rosedale mines was purchased from private owners and began conversion from narrow gauge to standard gauge
. It was left to NER to finish the line to Grosmont via Battersby. This and the link line to Nunthorpe
were completed in stages to 1865.
lines still remained important to the region, despite competition along the coast lines, with seven weekday trains along the line between Teesside
and Whitby
in 1900. However, this dropped to four in 1922 and by 1954 it was only two. Passenger services were withdrawn on 14 June 1954, with goods traffic ending west of Stokesley in 1958. Freight traffic remained between Stokesley and Battersby until 1965, when it too ceased, and the line dropped completely out of use.
Battersby station (originally Ingleby Junction, later Battersby Junction in 1878, and its current name from 1893) and the line to Grosmont remain as part of the Esk Valley Line
.
Picton, North Yorkshire
Picton is a hamlet and civil parish located in the north of North Yorkshire, England. It is about 5 km south of Yarm and 12 km south of Middlesbrough.The parish is in the Hambleton district and had a population of 108 according to the 2001 census...
on what is now the Northallerton-Eaglescliffe Line
Northallerton-Eaglescliffe Line
The Northallerton to Eaglescliffe Line runs between the towns of Northallerton and Eaglescliffe. It connects the East Coast Main Line to the Tees Valley Line...
, to Battersby
Battersby railway station
Battersby railway station, serves the village of Battersby in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Esk Valley Line south of and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all of the station's passenger services.- History :...
on what is now the Esk Valley Line
Esk Valley Line
The Esk Valley Line is the railway line from Middlesbrough to Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. The route follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half....
.
Construction
The line was constructed by the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Railway (NY&C) between Picton (on the Leeds Northern's 1852 route between NorthallertonNorthallerton
Northallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
and Stockton
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
) and Grosmont. It was opened in 1857 from Picton to Stokesley, with intermediate stations at Trenholme Bar, Potto
Potto, North Yorkshire
Potto is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is 5 miles southwest of Stokesley and near the main A172 road.-History:...
and Sexhow
Sexhow
Sexhow is a hamlet and civil parish in Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the River Leven and 4 miles west of Stokesley. Sexhow hosts the yearly Christian festival Harvest every August.-External links:...
. The line included a two mile branch south from Potto to the mines at Whorlton
Whorlton, North Yorkshire
Whorlton is a hamlet and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is very near Swainby and the A19, and 6 miles south west of Stokesley. Features include the remains of Whorlton Castle and the Church of the Holy Rood....
.
The NY&C was incorporated into 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...
(NER) in 1858, the same year the Rosedale Branch
Rosedale Branch
The Rosedale Branch was an goods-only railway line running from Battersby Junction across the heights of the North York Moors in North Yorkshire, England to reach iron ore deposits in the remote hills of Rosedale valley...
Line for the Rosedale mines was purchased from private owners and began conversion from narrow gauge to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. It was left to NER to finish the line to Grosmont via Battersby. This and the link line to Nunthorpe
Nunthorpe-Battersby Link
The Nunthorpe-Battersby Link was a short line connecting the Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway and the now disused Picton-Battersby Line.The line, constructed around 1865, ran from Nunthorpe Junction to Battersby. It remains in use today as part of the Esk Valley Line....
were completed in stages to 1865.
Stations
There were seven stations on the Picton-Battersby section of the NY&C.- Picton
- Picton is the station at which the line met the Leeds Northern's route between Northallerton and Stockton, which is now the Northallerton-Eaglescliffe LineNorthallerton-Eaglescliffe LineThe Northallerton to Eaglescliffe Line runs between the towns of Northallerton and Eaglescliffe. It connects the East Coast Main Line to the Tees Valley Line...
. The station has since closed, but the stationmaster's house still survives.
- Trenholme Bar
- One of the original stations upon opening in 1857, the station closed along with passenger traffic in 1954.
- Potto
- Serving the village of PottoPotto, North YorkshirePotto is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is 5 miles southwest of Stokesley and near the main A172 road.-History:...
, the station served from 1857 to 1954. It was also the last station before the branch to WhorltonWhorlton, North YorkshireWhorlton is a hamlet and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is very near Swainby and the A19, and 6 miles south west of Stokesley. Features include the remains of Whorlton Castle and the Church of the Holy Rood....
mines, receiving two daily shipments of ironstoneIronstoneIronstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
. The station building still survives.
- Sexhow
- Served the village of SexhowSexhowSexhow is a hamlet and civil parish in Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the River Leven and 4 miles west of Stokesley. Sexhow hosts the yearly Christian festival Harvest every August.-External links:...
from 1857 to 1954. The station building still survives.
- Stokesley
- The last of the original stations opened in 1857, Stokesley closed in 1954 along with the rest of the passenger traffic. Closed to freight in 1965. The station building still survives, after being well restored by a firm of architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s. Stokesley station featured comprehensively in the BTF production "A farmer moves south" and is therefore one of the best documented of the closed rural stations. The film is available from the usual sources.
- Ingleby
- This station served the village of Ingleby GreenhowIngleby GreenhowIngleby Greenhow is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the border of the North Yorkshire Moors and 3 miles south of Great Ayton....
from 1858 to 1954. The station building remains.
- Battersby
- Originally called Ingleby Junction in 1858, then Battersby Junction from 1878, before finally becoming Battersby in 1893, the station is the only one on the P-B line to remain in use, as part of the modern Esk Valley LineEsk Valley LineThe Esk Valley Line is the railway line from Middlesbrough to Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. The route follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half....
.
Closure
When the freight from the mines ceased, the passenger services along the Picton-Battersby and Esk ValleyEsk Valley Line
The Esk Valley Line is the railway line from Middlesbrough to Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. The route follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half....
lines still remained important to the region, despite competition along the coast lines, with seven weekday trains along the line between Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
and Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
in 1900. However, this dropped to four in 1922 and by 1954 it was only two. Passenger services were withdrawn on 14 June 1954, with goods traffic ending west of Stokesley in 1958. Freight traffic remained between Stokesley and Battersby until 1965, when it too ceased, and the line dropped completely out of use.
Battersby station (originally Ingleby Junction, later Battersby Junction in 1878, and its current name from 1893) and the line to Grosmont remain as part of the Esk Valley Line
Esk Valley Line
The Esk Valley Line is the railway line from Middlesbrough to Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. The route follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half....
.