The Road to Decline

Apart from some thoughts of economies in the 1850s brought on by the delay in building the Beverley extension, the York-Beverley line as a whole then led a safe and prosperous existence for over a century.

Some smaller stations did little business though, and the rather pointless Holtby least of all. It was the first to go, closing to passengers with the outbreak of war on 11th September, 1939, and to goods on 1st April, 1951, the day on which Nunburnholme closed completely. Next for the axe were Warthill, Fangfoss and Cherry Burton, which all closed to passengers on 5th January, 1959, but attempts to shut Kipling Cotes were thwarted by the NER's agreement with Lord Hotham and it lived on as a largely unstaffed halt.

More positive times looked set to follow this last spate of closures when, having weeded out the dead wood and dieselised most services, BR's North Eastern Region felt now was the time to build on the line's future with a highly progressive modernisation scheme.

Some limited modernisation had already taken place in connection with track and signaling renewals, including colour light signaling near Stamford Bridge and at Market Weighton, and a stretch of experimental steel sleepers between Market Weighton and Kipling Cotes. In 1953 Warthill station level crossing became the first in Britain to be equipped with Continental style lifting barriers but in 1960 a major scheme to modernise the whole line was authorised.

Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) schemes were already to be found in France, Italy and Denmark: modern signalling techniques enabled track circuiting over long distances, colour light signals could be controlled from one remote location, and level crossings could be automated. This was a new concept in the UK and, following a detailed appraisal, it was concluded that the York - Market Weighton - Beverley line should be selected as the pioneer scheme for modernisation using CTC principles. Approval in principal was obtained from the Ministry of Transport and, in December 1960, a contract was signed with the Westinghouse Brake & Signal Co Ltd for the supply and installation of CTC Equipment

This CTC scheme involved extensive singling of 31½ miles of track, putting automatic controlled barriers at 19 level crossings together with colour light signalling and closure of seven of the ten intermediate signal boxes with the concentration of all signaling control at Bootham Junction. The NER estimated that CTC would pay for itself in seven years and reduce the line's running costs to a level where it would be making an annual £7,000 profit.

The entire route from York to Beverley was to be singled, removing whichever line was due for removal, save for two long passing loops, one 1,300 yards long at Pocklington and the other 1,280 yards long at Market Weighton. Double line junctions with 1,000 yard double track approaches were to remain at Bootham and Beverley North.

Signalling was to be controlled from a new panel in the existing York Bootham Junction signal box, with emergency panels at Earswick, Pocklington, Market Weighton and Pighill (Beverley), for control of loop points and related signals in the event of a remote control equipment failure. Market Weighton West and East signal boxes were retained because at the time the future of the Selby - Driffield line had not been decided.

Automatic half barriers were to be installed at 19 of the 23 level crossings, though because of heavy road traffic Haxby Road, Earswick, Barmby, West Green, Pocklington and Market Weighton West would continue to be manned.

Goods yards at Pocklington and Market Weighton would stay under the control of the local signal boxes, while Earswick, Warthill, Stamford Bridge, Fangfoss and Cherry Burton would be controlled by ground frames. Kipling Cotes station would become totally unstaffed and the goods yards converted to a public delivery siding.

Bootham Junction, Pocklington and Market Weighton boxes were to be completely rebuilt and colour light signaling installed throughout, with automatic track circuit signaling on remote sections and five relay rooms between Earswick and Pocklington.

Total cost was £83,036 and the North Eastern Railway Board gave their approval in January, 1961. The York District Engineer was to undertake £61,745 worth of work and the Hull District Engineer £21,291. The relay rooms had to be completed by May, 1962. A contract was placed with Westinghouse in May 1961 and deliveries of equipment began immediately to strategic sites along the line: location cabinets, points motors and signal posts were stored in the station yards at Stamford Bridge and Pocklington. Extensive weekend engineering work started to take place: track to be retained was refettled or replaced, while S&T teams were engaged in fitting bonding wires for track circuits. Although there would be loss of employment for some staff there was optimism that the line had a real future.

With all this going on one can imagine the shock to local people when the plans were suspended in 1962 for reassesment by the newly appointed BR chairman Dr. Beeching. His infamous report "The Reshaping of British Railways" was published on 27 March 1963.