Yorkgate railway station
Encyclopedia
Yorkgate railway station serves the north of the city of Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. The station opened in 1992, replacing the previous York Road station nearby.
, Northern Ireland
. The others were Great Victoria Street
, and Queen's Quay.
York Road station was opened on 11 April 1848 by the Belfast & Ballymena Railway. Originally, it acted as terminus
for rail services between Belfast and Ballymena
. Later this was extended to Derry Waterside
by the Londonderry and Coleraine Railway via a route to Coleraine
(opened in 1855 by the Belfast, Ballymena, Coleraine & Portrush Junction Railway). A branch was also opened to Carrickfergus
(1848, BBR) and Larne
(1862, Carrickfergus & Larne Railway).
The company became known as the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway. It was taken over by the Midland Railway
in 1903, becoming the "Midland Railway, Northern Counties Committee". After the grouping
of 1923, it became the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
, Northern Counties Committee
. Following a very brief period, from 1 January 1948, in the ownership of the British Government's British Transport Commission
as the "Railway Executive, Northern Counties Committee", the Ulster Transport Authority
took over the "NCC" on 1 April 1949 and, during the 1950s, set about closing much of the network.
For a short time in the 1930s, some passenger services were run by the Northern Counties Committee
, between York Road and Donegall Quay, where LMS
steamers operated to Heysham
. However, navigation through the Harbour Commissioner's lines in the docks was difficult. Trains had to proceed from the yard in Whitla Street, along Prince's Dock Street, then across the Clarendon Dock via a swing bridge, then along both Albert and Donegall Quays. Coaches had to be specially adapted for this purpose. Wooden steps were provided to allow passengers to climb into the carriages from the paved area outside Donegall Quay's transit sheds.
Additionally, some rolling stock of limited height and length could proceed further past Donegall Quay and through a tunnel under the western end of the Queen's Bridge, known as the Queen's Bridge Subway to Queen's Bridge Goods Station (now Oxford Street Bus Station). Until June 1963, this was the only available (if impractical) way of transferring rail vehicles through the city from York Road. This tunnel was closed in 1966 and converted into a pedestrian subway, thus completely isolating York Road from the rest of Belfast. The tunnel itself stayed open as a pedestrian subway until 2002, when it was demolished and its remnants used to carry cables.
The station and adjacent works were very badly damaged in an air raid, in April 1941. The Midland Hotel, on the Whitla Street side of the complex, was destroyed, along with the covered tram terminus next door. The two large over-all semi-circular glass roofs which covered the platforms of York Road station at the concourse end were also destroyed. The damage was so severe that, in 1944, town planners proposed, in the first area plan for Belfast, that the entire station should be moved several blocks to the south, but this proposal was never implemented.
Although the hotel was re-built (in much simplified form) and the station was revamped on two occasions (notably in 1966), it never regained its pre-war grandeur. A terrorist attack, in the early days of the Troubles
, damaged it further. In 1968, the successor of the Ulster Transport Authority
, Northern Ireland Railways
drew up ambitious plans for a brand new station and office block at York Road, in a style similar to that employed for London's Euston station
, which was remodelled between 1963 and 1968. These plans, copies of which were uncovered in 1999 by the Irish Railway Record Society, were soon shelved. Instead, what remained of the old station was demolished and a small, brown-brick structure built. This was opened in 1975, with the main entrance in York Road itself, at what had been the side of the old station. Parts of the site were sold at that time, and commercial premises constructed.
Services to Derry/Londonderry
and intermediate locations continued to run until 1978, when the Belfast terminus was transferred to Belfast Central station
, which had opened two years previously. Services on the Belfast-Derry railway line were then run through a new spur that accessed the former Antrim
branch of the GNRI via Lisburn station
, rendering the York Road-Antrim branch redundant.
With no direct rail link to the rest of the network in Belfast, York Road was relegated to being a fairly quiet terminus for services on the Belfast-Larne railway line between 1978 and 1992, apart from some brief excursion trains, and a short resumption of York Road-Antrim stopping services in 1980.
to the rest of the network at Belfast Central
. This necessitated the construction of a new station at York Road, and so a new two-platform station (named Yorkgate) was constructed beside the site of the former York Road terminus (the terminus itself having been demolished to make way for a new maintenance depot), and for the first time since its creation, services on the Belfast-Larne line could now run directly through to the city centre.
The rest of the site of York Road station is now occupied by Northern Ireland Railways'
central maintenance depot, while the (cramped) old works remain, a few yards to the north and backing on to York Road itself.
and Larne Harbour
every half an hour. All inbound Larne Line services terminate at Belfast Central
, except for some peak-time services which continue through to Great Victoria Street
.
Larne Line services on Saturday are much the same, except that all inbound trains terminate at Great Victoria Street rather than Belfast Central. On Sundays, the service runs every hour and a half each way between Larne Harbour and Great Victoria Street.
Weekday services on the Belfast-Derry Line also call at Yorkgate on a bi-hourly basis. Most Derry Line trains run from Waterside Station
to Great Victoria Street
and vice versa, however some outbound services run to Portrush
instead, and some early morning inbound services only run to Belfast Central
. Some extra services run to and from Ballymena
at peak times.
On Saturdays, there is a slightly reduced number of trains, however the Derry Line service remains largely similar. On Sundays, only five Derry Line trains run in each direction, terminating at Waterside Station
or Great Victoria Street
respectively.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The station opened in 1992, replacing the previous York Road station nearby.
York Road Railway Station
York Road was formerly one of the three main railway stations in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The others were Great Victoria Street
Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station
Belfast Great Victoria Street is a major railway station serving the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of two major stations in the city, along with , and is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being Belfast Central, and . It is near Great Victoria...
, and Queen's Quay.
York Road station was opened on 11 April 1848 by the Belfast & Ballymena Railway. Originally, it acted as terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
for rail services between Belfast and Ballymena
Ballymena railway station
Ballymena railway station serves the Ballymena area in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located just outside of Ballymena town centre on the Galgorm Road, and is integrated with the local bus station. It is situated on the Derry line between Antrim and Cullybackey...
. Later this was extended to Derry Waterside
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways...
by the Londonderry and Coleraine Railway via a route to Coleraine
Coleraine railway station
Coleraine railway station serves the town of Coleraine in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It shares facilities with the town's Ulsterbus bus depot.The station opened on 4 December 1855 and was closed for goods traffic on 4 January 1965...
(opened in 1855 by the Belfast, Ballymena, Coleraine & Portrush Junction Railway). A branch was also opened to Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus railway station
Carrickfergus railway station serves Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. There are two more railway stations serving Carrickfergus town: Clipperstown and Downshire.Carrickfergus station opened on 1 October 1862....
(1848, BBR) and Larne
Larne Town railway station
Larne Town railway station serves Larne in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The station was opened on 1 October 1862. Goods traffic ceased on 4 January 1965...
(1862, Carrickfergus & Larne Railway).
The company became known as the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway. It was taken over by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
in 1903, becoming the "Midland Railway, Northern Counties Committee". After the 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...
of 1923, it became the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
, Northern Counties Committee
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
. Following a very brief period, from 1 January 1948, in the ownership of the British Government's British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
as the "Railway Executive, Northern Counties Committee", the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
took over the "NCC" on 1 April 1949 and, during the 1950s, set about closing much of the network.
For a short time in the 1930s, some passenger services were run by the Northern Counties Committee
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
, between York Road and Donegall Quay, where LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
steamers operated to Heysham
Heysham
Heysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England. Overlooking Morecambe Bay, it is a ferry port with services to the Isle of Man and Ireland. Heysham is the site of two nuclear power stations which are landmarks visible from hills in the surrounding area...
. However, navigation through the Harbour Commissioner's lines in the docks was difficult. Trains had to proceed from the yard in Whitla Street, along Prince's Dock Street, then across the Clarendon Dock via a swing bridge, then along both Albert and Donegall Quays. Coaches had to be specially adapted for this purpose. Wooden steps were provided to allow passengers to climb into the carriages from the paved area outside Donegall Quay's transit sheds.
Additionally, some rolling stock of limited height and length could proceed further past Donegall Quay and through a tunnel under the western end of the Queen's Bridge, known as the Queen's Bridge Subway to Queen's Bridge Goods Station (now Oxford Street Bus Station). Until June 1963, this was the only available (if impractical) way of transferring rail vehicles through the city from York Road. This tunnel was closed in 1966 and converted into a pedestrian subway, thus completely isolating York Road from the rest of Belfast. The tunnel itself stayed open as a pedestrian subway until 2002, when it was demolished and its remnants used to carry cables.
The station and adjacent works were very badly damaged in an air raid, in April 1941. The Midland Hotel, on the Whitla Street side of the complex, was destroyed, along with the covered tram terminus next door. The two large over-all semi-circular glass roofs which covered the platforms of York Road station at the concourse end were also destroyed. The damage was so severe that, in 1944, town planners proposed, in the first area plan for Belfast, that the entire station should be moved several blocks to the south, but this proposal was never implemented.
Although the hotel was re-built (in much simplified form) and the station was revamped on two occasions (notably in 1966), it never regained its pre-war grandeur. A terrorist attack, in the early days of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, damaged it further. In 1968, the successor of the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
, Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
drew up ambitious plans for a brand new station and office block at York Road, in a style similar to that employed for London's Euston station
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
, which was remodelled between 1963 and 1968. These plans, copies of which were uncovered in 1999 by the Irish Railway Record Society, were soon shelved. Instead, what remained of the old station was demolished and a small, brown-brick structure built. This was opened in 1975, with the main entrance in York Road itself, at what had been the side of the old station. Parts of the site were sold at that time, and commercial premises constructed.
Services to Derry/Londonderry
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways...
and intermediate locations continued to run until 1978, when the Belfast terminus was transferred to Belfast Central station
Belfast Central railway station
Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic....
, which had opened two years previously. Services on the Belfast-Derry railway line were then run through a new spur that accessed the former Antrim
Antrim railway station
Antrim railway station serves Antrim in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.Antrim station was opened on 11 April 1848, and was closed for goods traffic on 4 January 1965...
branch of the GNRI via Lisburn station
Lisburn railway station
Lisburn railway station serves the city of Lisburn in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The station was opened on 12 August 1839. It has been renovated, with a new waiting area on platform 1, new toilets and vending machines. addition, on platforms 2 and 3, a coffee shop operates on weekday...
, rendering the York Road-Antrim branch redundant.
With no direct rail link to the rest of the network in Belfast, York Road was relegated to being a fairly quiet terminus for services on the Belfast-Larne railway line between 1978 and 1992, apart from some brief excursion trains, and a short resumption of York Road-Antrim stopping services in 1980.
Yorkgate Railway Station
In 1993, the railway at York Road was finally linked via the high-level Dargan BridgeDargan Bridge, Belfast
Dargan Bridge, built in the 1990s, is a railway bridge in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This bridge spans the River Lagan and connects the railway lines to Larne and Derry to those east Bangor and south to Newry and the Republic. It runs mostly parallel to the Lagan Bridge carrying the M3 motorway...
to the rest of the network at Belfast Central
Belfast Central railway station
Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic....
. This necessitated the construction of a new station at York Road, and so a new two-platform station (named Yorkgate) was constructed beside the site of the former York Road terminus (the terminus itself having been demolished to make way for a new maintenance depot), and for the first time since its creation, services on the Belfast-Larne line could now run directly through to the city centre.
The rest of the site of York Road station is now occupied by Northern Ireland Railways'
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
central maintenance depot, while the (cramped) old works remain, a few yards to the north and backing on to York Road itself.
Current Service
From Monday to Friday, there is a half-hourly Larne Line service, with the outbound terminus alternating between CarrickfergusCarrickfergus railway station
Carrickfergus railway station serves Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. There are two more railway stations serving Carrickfergus town: Clipperstown and Downshire.Carrickfergus station opened on 1 October 1862....
and Larne Harbour
Larne Harbour railway station
Larne Harbour railway station, Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, serves the ferry port for ferries to Cairnryan and Troon, Scotland and Fleetwood, England...
every half an hour. All inbound Larne Line services terminate at Belfast Central
Belfast Central railway station
Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic....
, except for some peak-time services which continue through to Great Victoria Street
Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station
Belfast Great Victoria Street is a major railway station serving the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of two major stations in the city, along with , and is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being Belfast Central, and . It is near Great Victoria...
.
Larne Line services on Saturday are much the same, except that all inbound trains terminate at Great Victoria Street rather than Belfast Central. On Sundays, the service runs every hour and a half each way between Larne Harbour and Great Victoria Street.
Weekday services on the Belfast-Derry Line also call at Yorkgate on a bi-hourly basis. Most Derry Line trains run from Waterside Station
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways...
to Great Victoria Street
Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station
Belfast Great Victoria Street is a major railway station serving the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of two major stations in the city, along with , and is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being Belfast Central, and . It is near Great Victoria...
and vice versa, however some outbound services run to Portrush
Portrush railway station
Portrush railway station is the terminus of the Northern Ireland Railways Coleraine-Portrush line serving the seaside town of Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.-History:The station, which is 67¾ miles from Belfast, was opened on 4 December 1855...
instead, and some early morning inbound services only run to Belfast Central
Belfast Central railway station
Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic....
. Some extra services run to and from Ballymena
Ballymena railway station
Ballymena railway station serves the Ballymena area in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located just outside of Ballymena town centre on the Galgorm Road, and is integrated with the local bus station. It is situated on the Derry line between Antrim and Cullybackey...
at peak times.
On Saturdays, there is a slightly reduced number of trains, however the Derry Line service remains largely similar. On Sundays, only five Derry Line trains run in each direction, terminating at Waterside Station
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways...
or Great Victoria Street
Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station
Belfast Great Victoria Street is a major railway station serving the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of two major stations in the city, along with , and is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being Belfast Central, and . It is near Great Victoria...
respectively.