Leeds-Northallerton Railway

The Leeds-Northallerton railway is a partly disused railway line between West and North Yorkshire, in northern England.

History

The line was opened by the Leeds Northern Railway, in the 1850s. The Leeds and Thirsk Railway via Starbeck opened on 9 July 1848. In 1852 as the Leeds Northern Railway the extension to Northallerton and Stockton opened.The line then became part of the North Eastern Railway in the 1854 amalgamation. All 3 stations at Leeds (Central, Wellington and New) were used at various times.

The section between Leeds and Harrogate is still extant, though it now follows a former branch line to York instead of continuing through Ripon to Northallerton.

The line north of Harrogate was closed as part of the notorious Beeching axe. The track was officially closed in 1967, though a limited number of freight trains used the line to Ripon until 1969. It was supposed that closing this stretch of line would have little impact, since passengers travelling north could join the East Coast Main Line at York.

The closure of the northern section of the line meant an end to over 100 years of railway service to the city of Ripon.

Present

In recent years a feasibility study has been undertaken into the possibilities of reopening the closed stretch of line between Harrogate and Northallerton. There has been a large amount of public support for the scheme and it could be completed as soon as 2014.

List of stations on the Leeds-Northallerton railway

"from Leeds"

*Leeds Central railway station (closed)
*Holbeck Low Level (closed)
*Royal Gardens Fact|date=February 2007 (closed)
*Burley Park opened 1988
*Headingley
*Leeds Woodside (closed)
*Horsforth
*Arthington (closed)
*Weeton
*Pannal
*Hornbeam Park (opened 1992)
*Harrogate The Harrogate loop was completed in 1862
*Starbeck The original route via Starbeck opened in 1848
*Bilton (proposed)
*Nidd Bridge (closed June 1962)
*Wormald Green (closed June 1962)
*Ripon (closed)
*Melmerby (closed)
* Melmerby was a Junction with the original line to Baldersby, Topcliff and Thirsk (closed 1959)
* Melmerby was also the Junction for the line to Tanfield and Masham (1875 - 1931(pass) 1963(goods)
*Sinderby (closed 1962)
*Pickhill (closed 1959)
*Newby Wiske (closed 1939)
*Northallerton

ee also

*List of closed railway lines in Great Britain
*List of closed railway stations in Britain

External links

* [http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/files/NYCC/Transport%20and%20streets/Level%201%20Transport%20&%20streets/Contents%20and%20Pages%201%20-%2067%20.pdf Reopening of Harrogate to Northallerton line feasibility study pdf]