York Station - 5 questions

[flymo]

Interesting photo here of York Station looking north in 1977 showing the 2 centre roads.

http://www.victorianweb.org/technology/railways/47.html

 

[4SRKT]

Nice one! That brings the memories back, especially of the mailbag sorting that used to take place on the large expanse of platform 8 between the barriers and the gents toilet at the buffers of platforms 6 and 7 (visible on the right of the photo).

 

[flymo]

A few more pre-wires shots of the York area in this flickr album. There are also some of a few other places, mouse over the thumbnail for the location to find the York ones. Loads more in the other sets linked

I really enjoy looking at these sort of photos, wonderfully evocative and makes me feel quite nostalgic. Well done '53A Models'.

 

[Ploughman]

There is a booklet published by the Industrial Railway Society.
"Industrial Railways of York" ISSN 05375347
This lists all the branches off the Foss Islands branch with large scale maps and photos.
There were 20 industrial railways around York at one point.
One of the signals from the line near the former Gas works junction was recovered by York Group for reuse on the NYMR.

 

[caliwag]

In reply to 4SRKT re the August '82 Modern Railways...afraid I don't have a scanner...photocopies I can supply!

However take a peek at the splendid KWVR magazine room at Ingrow, they should have a copy for 2 quid at the most...all profits to the vintage carriage trust. They have virtually everything, except some of the more recent or perhaps local stuff, even some of the earliset Trains Illustrated

 

[4SRKT]

Interesting article about the DVLR written in 1973 here:
http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/51/Derwent.htm

 

[Aictos]

Thanks for the York photos,

 

[9K43]

I recall that tank trains used to go to Scarboro, and discharged in a siding near to Plaxton's bus sheds at Seamer. This would have been in 1985 ish.
HM crews never worked these jobs , cos at this time York was a big depot with passenger and freight work.
We learned the road on many occasions for RR ballast trains via Scarbro Stn, number one platform.
For access from the York to Filey, the train had to RR at Seamer, so long as the PW had not stabled an OTM in the RR road.
A long ballast program took place between Howsham LC and Malton on the down roads, with RR at Seamer/Scarborough.
This was a couple of years ago.

 

[RochdalePioneers]

I worked at Nestle until March and had a good wander around the site looking for railway relics. On the Foss Islands trackbed its not particularly clear on the ground where the platform was, but the connection into the factor sidings was visible enough. A car park was laid over the exchange sidings ("Selby Halt car park"!) with a curved boundary that was clearly the boundary of sidings.

Tracks curved away northwards from the Foss Islands branch and ran parallel to Wigginton Road, with a level crossing across the road access into the site at South Gate. From there the network basically ran around the perimeter of the old factory site ending up with sidings on the east side, and kickback sidings connected into various loading bays.

I couldn't find anything physical that showed a railway had been there apart from a lot of old sleepers used as bay ends in the Selby Halt car park. Several of the old hands remembered the railway well (including a story about a new 0-6-0 shunter ordered to replace an 0-4-0 (more wheels = more power they thought) which allegedly overturned on one of the tight bends! There was also a story about how the original fire station (now a cafeteria called, erm The Fire Station!) was originally rail served, and rails had been unearthed when the roadway outside had been resurfaced.

The network itself was in the way of the expansion of the site. After Nestle bought Rowntrees they basically built a series of new factories north of the old red brick site, and one of these (Cargills Cocoa) sits across what was effectively the main line on site. With new factories being built that weren't going to be on the internal rail network, and the new A1237 offering an easier road access, the decision to close was fairly easy.

As for could it be brought back, no. Nestle no longer own the southern half of the site and have demolished virtually all of the old red brick factory complex that the internal rail network served. The operating factories (including the new Aero one built a couple of years ago), the giant distribution warehouse etc are all on the remaining northern half of the site which never had rail access. As I understand it at the end the rail network ran trips from the Fawdon factory up in Newcastle (where they make Fruit Pastilles, Breakaway etc) down to York for onward distribution. Fawdon lost its rail connection at the same time as York did.

 

[142094]

That's quite interesting, I've seen pictures of 31s working to Fawdon with VDA vans, around the time when the Metro arrived.

 

[Oldrowley]

Just thought I'd get 5 very simple questions about York station off my mind that have been bugging me for a while..

Is Platform 2 ever used these days for anything at all other than locomotive stabling?

Do they ever run an electric loco down some of the rarely used electrified bays? I.e. 1,6,7 and 8? For cleaning the tarnish off - or just to check the catenaries can still 'pick up the power'?

When the new East Coast clock-face timetable kicks into operation in 2011, I'm guessing Platform 1 is too long for a 91 unit so will terminating York services use platforms 6 & 7? If they use other 'through' platforms won't this just clog things up? And if they do use 6 & 7, where will the Northern DMUs which normally sit here head to?


Does anyone know of a decent hoard of pictures/maps/diagrams of the 'old York station' pre-1988, before the wires came in? Back in the day when it had 15 usable platforms etc? That would be really good to look at!

When the Caledonian Sleepers are put through York on a diversion have they ever been known to use the 'Holgate Freight Avoider' - or have they always gone through the station?

In response to your question re York pics and pre-electric track diagrams etc etc, the following book should meet most of your needs. It was first bpublished in 1993 at £18.99 but a Google search will find several sellers at decent prices. Superb book thoroughly recommended.

Britain's Rail Super Centres York by Ken Appleby ISBN 0 7110 2072 8

 

[Andrew Nelson]

It was only used on race days. It cut down the walk to the Knavesmire quite a bit, but is still some distance away.

You mean the Excursion Platforms then?

 

[4SRKT]

You mean the Excursion Platforms then?

Aye, but it was called 'York Racecourse'.

 

[Anvil1984]

As my home station just to confirm everything said so far

Platform 2 is used for terminating services from Scarborough usually only seen on a Saturday or Sunday, the maintainence bay next door does see occasional Northern stock as the York drivers sign it as one of the station shunts.

As for platforms 1,6,7,8 seeing electric stock, I've never seen Pt8 with electrics in as overnight its usually got the 3 x 150 for the 0652 York - Harrogate - Leeds service stabled overnight for the weekday service or 2 x 150 for weekends (they operate the 0652 on a Saturday and stable in station on a Sunday). Platform 1 sees regular electric stock especially through the winter, its quite common to see a 90 in there or sometimes a 86. Platform 6 again is in a similar situation to platform 8 with it seeing the first Blackpool stabled there overnight. Platform 7 sees occasional electric use when the Leeds EC service goes up the spout and they get diverted to York from London. All may see Electric stock if theres a block on the platforms overnight for engineering works but its very rare.

Platform 7 is rarely used by Northern through the day, TPE are more likely to stable a unit in there than Northern (who tend to use 6, even for the 1502 Sheffield service which sits on top of the 15xx Blackpool). So my guess is EC will terminate any extra services there, EMT terminators are now usually stabled in Holgate Loops for their in York and as already mentionned EC do see occasional use there

I know all of that has probably already been said but thought i would put a bit meat on the bone as it were

 

[4SRKT]

In response to your question re York pics and pre-electric track diagrams etc etc, the following book should meet most of your needs. It was first bpublished in 1993 at £18.99 but a Google search will find several sellers at decent prices. Superb book thoroughly recommended.

Britain's Rail Super Centres York by Ken Appleby ISBN 0 7110 2072 8

Thanks for reminding me about this book. I had it out of York Central library several times in my yoof, but I'd forgotten about it. Just ordered a copy from the Amazon marketplace for £1.60 + £2.75 p&p

 

[Anvil1984]

Can I just aoologise, didn't realise it was an ikd topic bfore I posted oops
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And for the spelling of the blast post my blackberry won't let me alter it, it was meant to apologise for replying to old questions
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And for the spelling of the blast post my blackberry won't let me alter it, it was meant to apologise for replying to old questions

 

[Oldrowley]

There are also some cracking photos of train movements and track layout in York on this site

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page5.htm

Am I right in thinking that there was a tunnel from the nearby Royal Mail sorting office in Leeman Road which led to a lift up to Platform 8 North to save carting it through the streets. I think the lift is still in situ at the far end of Platform 4 as it now is but whether it is still in use I don't know.

 

[142094]

Platform 7 is rarely used by Northern through the day, TPE are more likely to stable a unit in there than Northern (who tend to use 6, even for the 1502 Sheffield service which sits on top of the 15xx Blackpool). So my guess is EC will terminate any extra services there, EMT terminators are now usually stabled in Holgate Loops for their in York and as already mentionned EC do see occasional use there

The use of platform 7 does depend on a lot during the day - there is a TPE service that gets in late morning that normally sits there for a few hours before leaving, although soemtimes Northern still use it for the Hull nad Sheffield services - I guess it depends on the meaning of rare - I'd say 3-4 times a week when there aren't any problems you'll see a Northern service there.

 

[Anvil1984]

Ok sorry rare is probably wrong word but only Northern service due to use platform 7 is the 0706 and 0812 Blackpool (which often goes off 6), a 0800ish ECS to Selby) 1101 Sheffield ,1153 Hull but then nothing booked until the 1819 arrival from Blackpool, so comapred to 6 which has a unit in for about 50 minutes out of every hour, 1 is more frequently used for the Hulls except the 1153 which is there is it goes down via Sherburn so is easier to path at that time. So as I say through the day Nothern dont use the platform to a great extent which huge gaps at times between deaprtures

 

[142094]

Aye, I agree. Probably more unlikely is when a EC 225 set uses the south facing bays - now that is rare. Seen it only once in the past 2 years.

 

[Anvil1984]

Ah you see, beauty of working at the station is I've seen it twice is last few months, its usuallly when a Northen 321 goes pop on Donny line and they need to divert it somewhere

 

[142094]

I was there between 27th Sept and 9th Oct doing work - only saw it once then (went into 6, can't remember why). Out of interest, what do you do at the station?

 

[Anvil1984]

I could tell you but I would have to kill you, I'm based there as traincrew

 

[caliwag]

Old Rowley, thanks for posting that brill set of photos of York, and indeed the superb David hay site.

 

[142094]

I could tell you but I would have to kill you, I'm based there as traincrew

No doubt I have probably seen you and will never know who you are!