8. York Railway Station and Environs

City of YORK SCENES

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In the foyer of the entrance to York Railway Station is a 19th century North Eastern Railway Distant signal which was one of the last to remain in use on a passenger line. Signals of this type were painted red until 1928 and was restored to its original condition with assistance from the NER Association and adds a little more colour to York Station and its great really heritage.

Main entrance and hotel of York Station. This great North Eastern Railway (NER) station was completed in 1877 and was the largest station in the world at the time. It is now known as the Royal York Hotel and Events Centre.

The iconic station clock on Platform 2

GRAND CENTRAL trains, one of several mainline companies operating through York Station, this train is headed by diesel-electric express locomotive unit 43467 (Type-class 43 number 467)

The magnificent station shed is regularly graced by a magnificent steam locomotive on special steam excursions!

In a fine architectural railway setting - some Pullman carriages as part of a special excursion train on Platform 5

The magnificent ironwork curves of the York station roof and the rest of the great building thanks to the work of the NER architects Thomas Prosser and William Peachey.

Looking north at the south end of York Station.

The arches of the roof viewed from the City Walls.

Decorative detail of the ironwork of York Station.

Looking down the ironwork of the curved roofing towards the southern end of York Station.

Virgin Cross-Country train standing in York Station.

Evening scene at York Station.

Some of the trains seen at York Station

East Coast express train, Class 82 213 (082213), this type of train is used on the Edinburgh Waverley-Newcastle-York-Doncaster-Peterborough-London Kings Cross services

CrossCountry train Class 220 017, these connect the North-East of England and Scotland with the Midlands (eg Birmingham, Sheffield) and South-West of England (eg Cheltenham, Bristol, Plymouth, Penzance)

CrossCountry train Class 220 ???

A Grand Central express passenger train from London Kings Cross to the North-East calling at Yarm, Thornaby, Hartlepool and Sunderland.

First TransPennine Express train Class 185 111 used on Middlesbrough-Northallerton-York-Leeds-Manchester-Liverpool, and Scarborough-York-Leeds-Manchester-Liverpool and Hull-York-Leeds-Manchester-Liverpool train services

York-Blackpool train DMU Class 158 861 (158861)

Northern DMU train serving York-Selby-Hull train service DMU 158845 (carriages 52845 + 57845)

Local Northern Rail DMU from York to Leeds via Harrogate and Knaresborough Class 142 016 (142016, carriage no. 55607)

Local METRO? DMU from York to Leeds via Harrogate and Knaresborough Class 150 206 (150206)

The 'Big Wheel' and the northern end of the arches of York Station, with the rear of the station hotel in the centre.

National Express train (both 1st and 2nd left, now East Coast Trains), Virgin Cross Country train (top right) and a steam excursion train from Crewe to Scarborough (middle right), First TransPennine Express (North Trans Pennine) bottom left) arriving/departing York station's platforms. The modern trains still enjoy the backdrop of the Victorian ironwork - bottom left pictures shows the text insignia of the North Eastern Railway Company (NER, NERC)

The odd freight train trundles through York Station.

Class 66 Freight locomotive 66430 standing at York Station

Type Class 66 66304 (66 304) diesel-electric locomotive waiting at Platform 3 with southbound mixed freight container train.

The smart double-part bendybuses by the Station Hotel and the two main sightseeing bus tours courtesy of 'YORK PULLMAN CITY TOUR' and 'YORK CITY SIGHTSEEING TOUR'

George Leeman 1809-1882

On leaving the railway station and walking left towards Lendal Bridge and city you see on your right an impressive 'white' statue of George Leeman. He was a successful lawyer and politician, but he is best membered for the part he played in the investigations into illegal share dealings that led to the downfall of his political opponent, George Hudson, the 'Railway King'.  It was in 1849 he succeeded George Hudson as Chairman of the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway and promoted the mergers which created the North Eastern Railway Company in 1854. The North Eastern, with its headquarters in York, became one of the wealthiest railways in the country and he was chairman from 1874 to 1880.  He was an Alderman of the city for 28 years he was elected Lord Mayor on three occasions and a Member of Parliament for York between 1865 and 1880. In these roles he was a great advocate for preserving the antiquities of York and helped push through the restoration of much of the city walls. He was a promoter of the development of the 1860’s of iron ore mining in Rosedale to supply the Teesside steel works. He was also Chairman of the Railway Association of Great Britain and in 1875 in Darlington presided over the celebrations of the first fifty years of railways. It was therefore thought most appropriate by the appreciative citizens of York to erect the statue of him carved by the York sculptor G. W. Milburn and unequivocally paid for by public subscription.

Steam Trains at York Railway Station

The York Big Wheel is regularly set up near the station and hotel

 

 

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