THE ROUTE

Trains for Hull via Market Weighton usually left York station from one of the north end bays, platforms four to seven, before taking the Scarborough line.

Crossing the River Ouse by Scarborough Bridge, past the signal box and junction at Burton Lane, where the goods branch to Foss Islands and the Derwent Valley Railway took off eastwards to serve the south end of Rowntree's cocoa works which passed by on the east side of our route for some distance, matched by six neat rows of housing built for that firm's workforce and running along the opposite side, until it reached a skew crossing with the main road to Helmsley at Bootham Junction, the signal box was 1 mile 1,259 yards from York station on the east side. Beyond this the double track of the Beverley line departed to the northeast.

The crossover here was of interest in that it was placed well south of the road crossing well away from the junction points and with a necessary heavy pull of the lever operating it. The gates here were known as Bootham Stray, while adjacent was a herdsman's cottage, a little further off to the east of the intriguingly named Mille Crux farm. A straight­forward double line junction, it also had a trailing crossover outside the signal box. Speed was restricted to 35 mph over the connections.

Speed was still limited, to 60 mph, by the sweeping curve away from the Scarborough line. Crossing the first of 23 level crossings, at Haxby Road, and the first bridge, No. 1, over the navigable River Foss, the line rolled into Earswick station (0.1375yd. further on), 2½ miles from York.

Set in the expanding suburb of Huntington, its passenger facilities were typical of those at most small stations on the line, with parallel platforms and reasonably well-appointed station buildings and station master's house (a glorified standard single storey platelayer's house of twin end-on gables linked by a central section) on the North/Down (from York) side and a simple standard wooden shelter with a sloping roof as waiting accommodation on the South/Up platform. At the York end was the station level crossing by which passengers crossed from the booking hall to the Up platform. West of the level crossing with the Strensall road was a trailing crossover and a short siding serving a goods-cum-cattle dock and signal box on the Up side. Behind the station on the north side were two roads serving coal drops and general goods, and a short siding to the Ebor Timber works and Clarence later Hall's Leather Company. The latter premises were huge for the site chosen, of three storeys and in three bays, plus chimney.

From Haxby Road crossing the line ran virtually straight, with only gradual curves, to Market Weighton as it crossed the flat Vale of York, enabling a maximum permitted speed of 70 mph and some faster running on occasions.

The line now passed over Huntington Lane crossing and beneath the new flyover of the thirties carrying the coastal traffic to Scarborough on the A64 that was once a major level crossing. Trains were permitted a line speed of 70mph. or more before reaching Warthill station after a long run of 3m. 1168yd., to a point where the line turned south east for a long, straight stretch to Market Weighton. Gradients were mostly light, the worst being 1 in 171 westward to milepost 19 and 1 in 181 westwards again near milepost 8.

Just over six miles from York, Warthill station served the rambling village of Stockton-an-Forest. Holtby station was 1 m. 1632yd Further on, followed by a run of 1 m. 359yd over little more than the flood plain of the River Derwent to Stamford Bridge station. The river valley was crossed by the 90 ft. high Stamford Bridge viaduct, a 16-arch red brick structure with a huge sweeping central span of cast iron. Finished off with balustrade parapets over the central arch, it was and still is the only large viaduct in the East Riding, and while many see it as an eyesore, equally as many find it most beautiful.

Stamford Bridge station, 9¼ miles from York, was again similar to most smaller stations although this time on a slightly larger scale. There were yards on both sides of the line, with a cattle dock on the Up side and the added facility of a goods shed on the Down, as well as the usual coal drops and loading dock. Stamford Bridge also had two crossovers, one facing west of the station and one trailing, outside the signal box, just east of the station level crossing. Stamford Bridge station was a neat installation with coal drops and a run­round line to a goods shed behind the station on the north side, where the station building is situated next to the road crossing. The building is similar to Holtby but is a G. T. Andrews' special, that is with a pillared porte cochere facing the road as well as the pillared recess to the platform. The future of the building seems secure as a conversion to flats. On the south side a single siding trailed in to the York direction, while at the end of the parallel York platform was a wind pump. The signal box was east of the level crossing and, for some time earlier controlled an extra crossover to the west of the viaduct for single line working in an emergency, as well as the usual one at the east end of the layout. There was at one time a large house, Derwent Hill to the south of the station, while the village itself was no great distance away to the north. The original Stamford Bridge is shown on maps to have been a few yards upstream from the newer one, and at certain times of the year the area is liable to severe flooding.

At Fangfoss, the next station, platforms were staggered with the Up platform and station buildings east of the crossing, and the Down platform west of the crossing. The yard was on the Down side and possessed a loading dock, coal drops, spare siding and a loop. Some track modifications carried out during renewal of signaling eliminated the crossover and converted the loop to a refuge siding.

Fangfoss was another isolated station, convenient for none of the villages it was meant to serve, a point soon proved by local bus operators who quickly snapped up the little business there was.

The countryside then began to undulate slightly and the line took to an embankment followed by a cutting before another open, level stretch brought it to Pocklington, the most important intermediate station between York and Beverley, serving a market town with a population of about 2,000. Marking the outskirts was Barmby level crossing where road and rail routes between York and Hull crossed the railway, then followed a gentle curve alongside Pocklington School with which it had such a close association throughout its history. Passing over West Green level crossing, in the town centre and, just by the 16 milepost, it reached Pocklington station, which was much more elaborate than those encountered so far.

It had a rather grandiose and attractive exterior with commodious facilities, including station master's house, booking hall, parcels and enquiry office, station master's office, porters' and waiting rooms and various stores, all on the Down side. On the Up side were more waiting rooms, permanent way assessor's office, lamp and oil store. Ladies' and gent's toilets were also provided. The whole lot was topped by an overall train shed roof while a fine footbridge provided a crossing point for both passengers and users of a footpath. There were several railway cottages for station staff and the local permanent way gang who had a small depot and trolley shed near Balk Lane, or Station, level crossing.

The sprawling goods yard included a large warehouse and five ton swivel crane, a much larger loading dock and extensive double track coal drops. All these and a refuge siding were on the Down side, while on the Up there were cattle and vehicle docks (the latter a relic of the days when horses and carriages were taken on trains), a loop and storage sidings. Also on the Up side was a siding to the town's gasworks and a ¼-mile branch to Pocklington Flour Mill. A special feature on the Down were two magnificent NER double arm slotted signals which remained in use right up to the end.

Two miles further east came Nunburnholme which, like Fangfoss, had staggered platforms; the Up platform on the York side of the crossing and the Down platform, with its rather squat buildings, to the east. The small yard and coal drops were on the Down side.

Leaving Nunburnholme, the line climbed slightly into a cutting before returning to the open in full view of Londesborough Hall, George Hudson's residence, and passing the lower end of the 2 mile avenue of trees at the site of Londesborough Park station. Londesborough station, formerly Shipton until 1867, was situated 20½ miles from York in the village of Shiptonthorpe which clings to the A1079 road. The station had the smallest goods yard on the line, a single siding serving coal drops on the Up side and a siding to a loading dock on the Down; there was also a trailing crossover between the platforms.

Market Weighton was the focal point of the York-Beverley line and its sister the Selby-Driffield. Being historically a nodal centre where routes converged naturally before picking their way through the Yorkshire Wolds, this small market town developed into a busy junction with the coming of the railway.

Although the station forecourt was not nearly as imposing as Pocklington's, it was quite impressive with two stone pillars supporting a small portico roof at the booking hall entrance. Facilities within the station were equally extensive and again there was an overall roof which unfortunately needed major repairs in 1947, when the LNER found it cheaper to replace it with modern steel awnings. An extra facility appreciated by passengers changing trains was the privately-run buffet, situated in a small wooden tea room on the Up platform. Halfway along the Down platform was the 22½ milepost.

The Selby and York lines met at Market Weighton West Junction but the actual connections were staggered, the Down line making a normal junction but the Up lines parting close to the station level crossing. With Market Weighton came the end of 70 mph running as speed was limited to 35 mph through the station area.

Due to its start in life as a terminus a notable feature on the Down side immediately behind the station was the two-road engine shed with Mr. Musgrave's 1850 warehouse sandwiched between the two; in a yard behind the shed was a small turntable. Neither shed nor turntable were used much for many years except on busy summer Saturdays when pilot locomotives were stabled there to assist heavy holiday trains up the 1 in 100 Enthorpe Bank on the Driffield line. A winter use for the turntable was to turn the J27 class locos used on the York-Market Weighton pickup goods to avoid an unpleasant tender-first run back in wet weather. Watering facilities were a tank at the end of the Up platform and a water column at the end of the Down. Although it became a through station in 1865 an engine continued to be stationed here until 1917.

Goods facilities were on a scale similar to those at Pocklington but the yard was rather fragmented. Two sidings served loading and cattle docks, one on each side of the line just west of the station level crossing, while the rest of the yard, including large warehouse, two loops and double track coal drops, was to the east of the station on the Up side.

After Market Weighton East Junction, where the Driffield line diverged, the character of the route changed dramatically as it wound its way tortuously into the Wolds. Gradients were not too severe, the steepest being 1 in 160, but they were enough to tax both steam and diesel locomotives on heavy trains. This and the line's scenic beauty gave the traveler an interesting, if not fast, run beyond Market Weighton.

As it climbed into the Wolds, the railway passed above the village of Goodmanham where King Edwin of Northumbria was converted to Christianity. There was no station as the NER would have liked, the next being Lord Hotham's Kipling Cotes, 26 miles from York. Facilities were typically those of the smaller stations.

Plans updated in 1961 show the station as having a booking hall, lamp room/store, coal room, weigh office and ladies' waiting room on the Down side, and a waiting shelter on the Upside. Public weighing facilities were in keeping with all stations on the line, where either a weighbridge or smaller weighing machine was provided.

Although the yard was small it did include a warehouse as well as a short loop and the customary coal drops. A chalk pit east of the station remained active and rail-connected, though with little traffic, well into the 1960's.

Kipling Cotes always had a rural character and surprised passengers alighting there would find no sign of habitation apart from the station itself, and a couple of farms and cottages set amidst the rolling Wolds.

The line then began to fall gradually the steepest gradient being 1 in 151- as it descended the eastern slope of the Wolds and for the first time since Market Weighton trains could reach the line speed of 60 mph.

At the 30¼ milepost was the station with the delightful name (as much as the previous one) of Cherry Burton, the last before Beverley. The facilities were again typical of those at smaller stations but, like Kipling Cotes, there was a small warehouse and coal drops; there were also two loading docks and an Up loop.

Beverley North Junction was reached 32 miles from York and speed was slackened to 35 mph as trains joined the line from Scarborough for the last ten miles to Hull Paragon station.

Brief mention should be given to the remaining stations at Beverley and Cottingham for although outside the scope of this book, they were principal stops on the York-Hull service. Both stations enjoyed, and still do, an intensive passenger service with Hull-Bridlington-Scarborough trains supplemented by a Hull-Beverley commuter service. Until 1965, the York-Hull trains added considerably to the service.

Beverley has changed little over the years and still retains its overall roof, covered-in footbridge and station staff. A considerable market town and the capital of Humberside, Beverley also enjoys a fair amount of industry which warranted extensive freight facilities and sidings, until the withdrawal of the Hull-Bridlington goods in 1984.

Cottingham is a large suburb of Hull and passenger business there is mainly commuters, as at Beverley. The station is much in the pattern of smaller ones on the York line and the goods yard, now closed, consisted of the usual facilities.

The track between York and Market Weighton was in the main laid on a base of red sandstone overlaid with fertile alluvial deposits, first of sand , then clay in the Derwent valley, with more sandstone towards the Wolds. Throughout, the land was difficult to drain. Some fields adjacent to the lines were subject to flooding and kept under permanent grass from which silage was made and beasts fattened. Other fields were left fallow for three years, followed by oats or wheat.