Wetherby (Linton Road) railway station
Encyclopedia
Wetherby railway station was first built on the London and North Eastern Railway
Harrogate
to Church Fenton Line and the station was situated on Linton Road. This station replaced the earlier station on York Road
. The Cross Gates to Wetherby line was opened on 1 May 1876, however the station remained on York Road until 1902.
After construction of a double track allowing through trains from Leeds to Harrogate via Wetherby, the York Road station closed and Wetherby's new station was opened in 1902 on Linton Road. This station remained operational until closure under the Beeching axe
in 1964.
From Cross Gates to Wetherby the stations were as follows: Pendas Way, Scholes
, Thorner
, Bardsey
, Collingham Bridge
, Wetherby
.
For a while an alternative Leeds-Scarborough route ran through Wetherby station. During 1961-1963 Newcastle to Liverpool diesel/electric express trains also used the route, so Wetherby station was not just used by local "stoppers".
The route was served by diesel trains from 1958, eliminating the perennial problem of trackside fires.
The station would have been quite similar in appearance (although larger) to Menston station
, with stone-built buildings concentrated on one platform with an iron footbridge. The front of the station originally had a sheltered entrance so that wealthy passengers could board their stagecoaches without exposure to the elements.
Towards the eastern end of the station was the Devils Toenail Junction, where the line forked off, either to Harrogate
or Church Fenton
. This made up one corner of the triangular junction. The junction was set deep in a cutting, creating cliffs of characteristically buff-coloured Magnesian limestone on both sides, in which fossils can be found. It is still known to some locals as the Devils Toenail.
There was therefore a station built at Wetherby Racecourse
in 1924, with a ticket booth of wooden construction, starter signals, a ground frame and a footbridge. It even boasted electrical lighting and its own nameboard.
Race specials would stop at this 'Racecourse station', about three quarters of a mile from Linton Road towards Thorp Arch.
Reports vary as to when it closed; one report says it stayed open until 1963 with Racecourse Specials running to the station from Bradford Exchange on racedays, whilst other reports state it closed in 1959.
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The lines between Leeds, Harrogate and Church Fenton (all via Wetherby) were the first to be considered and closed under Beeching's rationalisation / cuts.
At the time of the Beeching enquiry, there were a maximum of eight passengers on the one train a day between Church Fenton and Harrogate via Wetherby, with no regular passengers. The route had originally been of strategic significance, linking the north-south artery on the east side of the country with the spa town of Harrogate, the East Coast Main Line was then built and so most passengers to and from Harrogate no longer used this route.
There were a few more passengers on the Leeds to Wetherby route, which was a much later addition to the network. However, there were only six southbound and four northbound trains stopping at Wetherby each day; and competition from an improving bus service eventually made passenger numbers unsustainable despite the increase in the number of commuters living in Wetherby.
Given that all stations were manned, together with sixteen signal boxes and three manually operated level crossings (requiring 35 staff in total), and the number of steep gradients requiring the use of banking engines, it is of little surprise that it was considered uneconomical and was in fact worse than the cautionary examples given in Beeching's report; having an operating cost of £57,000 pa compared to receipts of £9,000, though some argue that the Wetherby to Leeds route could have been made profitable with some adjustments.
Through freight traffic that had previously operated via Wetherby was costly and slow due to the steep gradients involved and became uneconomical following the quadrupling of the track between Thirsk and York in 1959. The original twenty freight paths between Harrogate and Wetherby (in each direction) fell to five by 1960. Local freight consisted largely of house coal, the use of which was declining.
A notable headline at the time ran "First Lamb to the Beeching slaughter", blithely further stating "No Regular Passengers Object at Inquiry", which was the case for only the Church Fenton line. A decision was reached on 24 October 1963, the inquiry having taken just three months, with the lines to commence closure proceedings on 6 January 1964.
The Cross Gates to Wetherby section closed to passengers in April 1964 or 4 January 1964 (sources conflict), sounding the death knell for Wetherby station. It closed to goods traffic on 2 April 1966.
and A661
by converting the disused railways into relief roads. These suggestions never came to fruition.
The pedestrian entrance still exists just before the bridge on the A661, with the original gate and nameboard brackets.
The bridges on both sides of the station still bear a notice issued by British Rail in 1987 stating that the trackbed still belongs to British Rail. Also, a few line side markers remain dotted about the old trackbed, together with a spoil heap of discarded limestone from the station demolition on top of the 'Devils Toenail'.
Following closure, the former station site was briefly used as a car park for a nearby Italian restaurant (La Locanda, since demolished and moved to Collingham). However, the remote and hidden nature of the site made people reluctant to leave their cars.
A significant part of the former railway tracks between Wetherby and Leeds have been used for housing development. Sustrans
National Cycle Network
routes 66 and 67 http://www.sustransshop.co.uk/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=fpt07 use some of the remaining track bed. Work commenced on the Wetherby to Priest Hill (outskirts of Wetherby) section in 1992, followed by the "devil's toenail" triangle, which was completed by the Wetherby and District Lions Club in the summer of 1993.
The president of the Lions, Peter Harland, died during the planning phase and his name is now given to this cycle track. In 2003 Leeds City Council commenced construction of the continuation of the cycle track along the disused railway to Thorp Arch. The track forms part of a proposed link between Harrogate and York. It goes through a variety of scenery from open farmland to deep wooded cuttings, providing a range of habitats for wildlife and passing some sites of interesting industrial archaeology.
Around the Thorp Arch Trading Estate
it is still possible to drive over the rails where they cross the roads.
If the Cross Gates to Wetherby line were still open it would probably be very popular given the number of commuters between Wetherby and Leeds
. The Harrogate to Church Fenton line may not be so popular, given the relative small sizes of these places and that few people from Wetherby work in these places.
(Interchange with the York & Selby Lines
), Pendas Way
, Scholes
, Thorner
, Bardsey
, Collingham Bridge
, Wetherby
(Interchange with the former Harrogate-Church Fenton line).
(Interchange with the Harrogate line
), Spofforth, Wetherby (Interchange with the former Cross Gates- Wetherby line), Thorp Arch
, Tadcaster
, Church Fenton
(Interchange with East Coast Main Line
)
A small stretch of this line has been built on in Linton and Bardsey; also the roads and landscaping have since changed, so reconstruction would be expensive. In the current climate, the reconstruction of either line seems unlikely, however Wetherby
is growing and rail is being given greater consideration in transport plans so this could change eventually.
If plans go ahead First Harrogate Trains
may establish a park and ride at Cattal railway station
. This will interconnect with Wetherby Bus Station. This could include a name change to something like 'Cattal for Wetherby' as has been done in Northumbria
with Alnmouth for Alnwick Station
.
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
Harrogate
Cross Gates railway station
Cross Gates railway station serves Cross Gates, an area in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the York and Selby Lines, operated by Northern Rail east of Leeds railway station...
to Church Fenton Line and the station was situated on Linton Road. This station replaced the earlier station on York Road
Wetherby (York Road) railway station
Wetherby railway station was first built on the York and West Midland Railway Company's Harrogate to Church Fenton Line and the station was situated on York Road...
. The Cross Gates to Wetherby line was opened on 1 May 1876, however the station remained on York Road until 1902.
After construction of a double track allowing through trains from Leeds to Harrogate via Wetherby, the York Road station closed and Wetherby's new station was opened in 1902 on Linton Road. This station remained operational until closure under the 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...
in 1964.
The Station
Scholes, Leeds
Scholes is a village between Leeds and Barwick-in-Elmet, West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the civil parish of Barwick in Elmet and Scholes in the City of Leeds. It is sometimes known as Scholes-in-Elmet to distinguish it from the Scholes, Holme Valley and Scholes, Cleckheaton in Kirklees,...
, Thorner
Thorner
Thorner is a rural village and civil parish in the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, located between Seacroft and Wetherby. It has a population of 1,503.-History:...
, Bardsey
Bardsey, West Yorkshire
Bardsey, West Yorkshire, England is a small village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, north east of Leeds city centre. The village is in the LS17 Leeds postcode district. It is part of the civil parish of Bardsey cum Rigton...
, Collingham Bridge
Collingham, West Yorkshire
Collingham is a village and civil parish south east of Wetherby in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. The clergyman, the Reverend William Mompesson was born there in 1639....
, Wetherby
Wetherby
Wetherby 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...
.
For a while an alternative Leeds-Scarborough route ran through Wetherby station. During 1961-1963 Newcastle to Liverpool diesel/electric express trains also used the route, so Wetherby station was not just used by local "stoppers".
The route was served by diesel trains from 1958, eliminating the perennial problem of trackside fires.
The station would have been quite similar in appearance (although larger) to Menston station
Menston railway station
Menston railway station is a railway station in Menston, in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, who also manage the station.-Services:During Monday to...
, with stone-built buildings concentrated on one platform with an iron footbridge. The front of the station originally had a sheltered entrance so that wealthy passengers could board their stagecoaches without exposure to the elements.
Towards the eastern end of the station was the Devils Toenail Junction, where the line forked off, either to 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...
or Church Fenton
Church Fenton
Church 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...
. This made up one corner of the triangular junction. The junction was set deep in a cutting, creating cliffs of characteristically buff-coloured Magnesian limestone on both sides, in which fossils can be found. It is still known to some locals as the Devils Toenail.
Wetherby Racecourse station
As Wetherby station on York Road closed in 1902, for two decades the only rail access was via Wetherby's new station on Linton Road. This was some distance from the racecourse, involving a walk of just over two miles.There was therefore a station built at Wetherby Racecourse
Wetherby Racecourse railway station
Wetherby Racecourse railway station was a railway station serving Wetherby Racecourse in Wetherby, West Yorkshire.When Wetherby's original station on York Road closed in 1902, for two decades the only rail access was via Wetherby's new station on Linton Road...
in 1924, with a ticket booth of wooden construction, starter signals, a ground frame and a footbridge. It even boasted electrical lighting and its own nameboard.
Race specials would stop at this 'Racecourse station', about three quarters of a mile from Linton Road towards Thorp Arch.
Reports vary as to when it closed; one report says it stayed open until 1963 with Racecourse Specials running to the station from Bradford Exchange on racedays, whilst other reports state it closed in 1959.
Closure
At the time of the Beeching enquiry, there were a maximum of eight passengers on the one train a day between Church Fenton and Harrogate via Wetherby, with no regular passengers. The route had originally been of strategic significance, linking the north-south artery on the east side of the country with the spa town of Harrogate, the East Coast Main Line was then built and so most passengers to and from Harrogate no longer used this route.
There were a few more passengers on the Leeds to Wetherby route, which was a much later addition to the network. However, there were only six southbound and four northbound trains stopping at Wetherby each day; and competition from an improving bus service eventually made passenger numbers unsustainable despite the increase in the number of commuters living in Wetherby.
Given that all stations were manned, together with sixteen signal boxes and three manually operated level crossings (requiring 35 staff in total), and the number of steep gradients requiring the use of banking engines, it is of little surprise that it was considered uneconomical and was in fact worse than the cautionary examples given in Beeching's report; having an operating cost of £57,000 pa compared to receipts of £9,000, though some argue that the Wetherby to Leeds route could have been made profitable with some adjustments.
Through freight traffic that had previously operated via Wetherby was costly and slow due to the steep gradients involved and became uneconomical following the quadrupling of the track between Thirsk and York in 1959. The original twenty freight paths between Harrogate and Wetherby (in each direction) fell to five by 1960. Local freight consisted largely of house coal, the use of which was declining.
A notable headline at the time ran "First Lamb to the Beeching slaughter", blithely further stating "No Regular Passengers Object at Inquiry", which was the case for only the Church Fenton line. A decision was reached on 24 October 1963, the inquiry having taken just three months, with the lines to commence closure proceedings on 6 January 1964.
The Cross Gates to Wetherby section closed to passengers in April 1964 or 4 January 1964 (sources conflict), sounding the death knell for Wetherby station. It closed to goods traffic on 2 April 1966.
Development plans
In the late 1960s it was evident that Wetherby was going to grow. In 1965 it was estimated that by 1981, the town's population would double to 12,000 and this estimate proved quite accurate. There were ambitious plans to relieve growing congestion through the town centre and on the A58A58 road
The A58 is a major road in northern England that runs between Prescot, Merseyside and Wetherby, West Yorkshire.It runs north east from Prescot on the outskirts of Liverpool via St Helens, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Westhoughton, Bolton, Bury, Heywood, Rochdale and Littleborough then over the...
and A661
A661 road
The A661 is an A road running between Wetherby and Harrogate in West and North Yorkshire, England. The road is approximately in length....
by converting the disused railways into relief roads. These suggestions never came to fruition.
Today
The station's two through platforms, two sidings, ticket office, waiting rooms and footbridge no longer remain. The tracks and surrounding areas were filled in to 'Platform Level'. It is still possible to see the platform edge and the foundation stones of the former building at Linton Road if there has been a good deal of rain the night before, in winter, and a good 'dig of the foot' into the loose debrisThe pedestrian entrance still exists just before the bridge on the A661, with the original gate and nameboard brackets.
The bridges on both sides of the station still bear a notice issued by British Rail in 1987 stating that the trackbed still belongs to British Rail. Also, a few line side markers remain dotted about the old trackbed, together with a spoil heap of discarded limestone from the station demolition on top of the 'Devils Toenail'.
Following closure, the former station site was briefly used as a car park for a nearby Italian restaurant (La Locanda, since demolished and moved to Collingham). However, the remote and hidden nature of the site made people reluctant to leave their cars.
A significant part of the former railway tracks between Wetherby and Leeds have been used for housing development. Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
routes 66 and 67 http://www.sustransshop.co.uk/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=fpt07 use some of the remaining track bed. Work commenced on the Wetherby to Priest Hill (outskirts of Wetherby) section in 1992, followed by the "devil's toenail" triangle, which was completed by the Wetherby and District Lions Club in the summer of 1993.
The president of the Lions, Peter Harland, died during the planning phase and his name is now given to this cycle track. In 2003 Leeds City Council commenced construction of the continuation of the cycle track along the disused railway to Thorp Arch. The track forms part of a proposed link between Harrogate and York. It goes through a variety of scenery from open farmland to deep wooded cuttings, providing a range of habitats for wildlife and passing some sites of interesting industrial archaeology.
Around the Thorp Arch Trading Estate
Thorp Arch Trading Estate
Thorp Arch Trading Estate occupies major part of a former Royal Ordnance Factory , ROF Thorpe Arch, in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England close to Wetherby. The trading estate is now divided into industrial and retail space. There is still much evidence of its former use around the site...
it is still possible to drive over the rails where they cross the roads.
If the Cross Gates to Wetherby line were still open it would probably be very popular given the number of commuters between Wetherby and 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...
. The Harrogate to Church Fenton line may not be so popular, given the relative small sizes of these places and that few people from Wetherby work in these places.
Cross Gates to Wetherby Line
Stations: Cross GatesCross Gates railway station
Cross Gates railway station serves Cross Gates, an area in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the York and Selby Lines, operated by Northern Rail east of Leeds railway station...
(Interchange with the York & Selby Lines
York & Selby Lines
The 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:...
), Pendas Way
Pendas Fields
Pendas Fields is a private, suburban housing estate in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is considered part of Cross Gates, as is Manston. Swarcliffe is close, and Cock Beck runs nearby....
, Scholes
Scholes, Leeds
Scholes is a village between Leeds and Barwick-in-Elmet, West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the civil parish of Barwick in Elmet and Scholes in the City of Leeds. It is sometimes known as Scholes-in-Elmet to distinguish it from the Scholes, Holme Valley and Scholes, Cleckheaton in Kirklees,...
, Thorner
Thorner
Thorner is a rural village and civil parish in the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, located between Seacroft and Wetherby. It has a population of 1,503.-History:...
, Bardsey
Bardsey, West Yorkshire
Bardsey, West Yorkshire, England is a small village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, north east of Leeds city centre. The village is in the LS17 Leeds postcode district. It is part of the civil parish of Bardsey cum Rigton...
, Collingham Bridge
Collingham, West Yorkshire
Collingham is a village and civil parish south east of Wetherby in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. The clergyman, the Reverend William Mompesson was born there in 1639....
, Wetherby
Wetherby
Wetherby 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...
(Interchange with the former Harrogate-Church Fenton line).
Harrogate to Church Fenton Line
Stations: HarrogateHarrogate 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...
(Interchange with the Harrogate line
Harrogate Line
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...
), Spofforth, Wetherby (Interchange with the former Cross Gates- Wetherby line), Thorp Arch
Thorp Arch
Thorp Arch can refer to the following places in England:*Thorp Arch , a village near Leeds*Thorp Arch , the location of the academy and training pitches of Leeds United A.F.C.*Thorp Arch Trading Estate, an industrial estate in Leeds...
, Tadcaster
Tadcaster
Tadcaster 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...
, Church Fenton
Church Fenton
Church 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...
(Interchange with 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...
)
Future
The Harrogate Church Fenton line would probably still be unsustainable as it is not on a major commuting route so would probably never be reconstructed. The Cross Gates to Wetherby line would probably be very popular now. It is still protected and designated as far as Scholes in Leeds City Council's current Unitary Development Plan, though no workable project to re-open the line has emerged over the last 40 years.A small stretch of this line has been built on in Linton and Bardsey; also the roads and landscaping have since changed, so reconstruction would be expensive. In the current climate, the reconstruction of either line seems unlikely, however Wetherby
Wetherby
Wetherby 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...
is growing and rail is being given greater consideration in transport plans so this could change eventually.
If plans go ahead First Harrogate Trains
First Harrogate Trains
First Harrogate Trains was a proposed open-access UK train operating company. They planned to run regular direct rail services between Harrogate and London....
may establish a park and ride at Cattal railway station
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:...
. This will interconnect with Wetherby Bus Station. This could include a name change to something like 'Cattal for Wetherby' as has been done in Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
with Alnmouth for Alnwick Station
Alnmouth railway station
Alnmouth for Alnwick is a station on the East Coast Main Line about one mile from Alnmouth in Hipsburn, Northumberland, northern England. It is 10–15 minutes by road to the town of Alnwick.-History:...
.