2. York overnight & journey back-07.12.80

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1980 > 21. The York Overnighter-06 & 07.12.80 > 2. York overnight & journey back-07.12.80

A night spent on York station in December and in the snow....hmmmmmm sounds like a great idea! Apart from the absurdity of it, there was a purpose, the capture some Deltics and sleeper services that were still forms of Mk. I steam-heated stock. We did manage to get some interesting workings as well as frostbite; it was absolutely bitter! The journey home the next day was interesting, to say the least. Graham was absolutely knackered so we were forced to make some stops for coffee and a snooze.

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Images 1-25 of 25 displayed.

55012, 20.45 Edinburgh-London King's Cross sleeper (sleepers from Newcastle) (1E35), York station
With the stock encrusted with snow 55012 ‘Crepello’ has brought the 1E35 20.45 Edinburgh-London King's Cross sleeper into York. During the winter months, this working only had two sleeper coaches that were attached at Newcastle. Notice the whisp of steam escaping from the pipework on the front of the locomotive.
Keywords: 55012 20.45 Edinburgh-London King's Cross sleeper sleepers from Newcastle 1E35 York station Deltic Crepello

47422 (with LMS van M31061), 21.00 London King's Cross-Edinburgh (1S66), York station
47422 has its steam heat boiler tank replenished at York. It was heading the 1S66 SO 21.00 London King's Cross-Edinburgh. At the time this was a Deltic turn so we were somewhat disappointed that it did not produce. However, this shot today represents a piece of history now long gone but one that at the time seemed quite ordinary. Notice the LMS van M31061 behind the locomotive and the ghostly figure of a railwayman supervising the filling of the water tank. The LMS van the BG behind it and the Class 47 have all gone from the railway but the scene on what is now platform 5b is similar apart from the installation of the wires and the loss of the through lines.
Keywords: 47422 LMS van M31061 21.00 London King's Cross-Edinburgh 1S66 York station

55008, 19.15 Aberdeen-London King's Cross (1E40), York station
With the moon overhead, 55008 ‘The Green Howards’ pauses at York with the 1E40 SO 19.15 Aberdeen-London King's Cross. To the left of the engine note the oil-burning stove to keep the standpipes, used for refilling the steam heat boilers, from freezing up. Notice part of York's world-famous city wall in the background with the former wagon repair works to the far right dating from 1844. The sidings where the coach and the GUV ars stabled is now part of York station's car park.
Keywords: 55008 19.15 Aberdeen-London King's Cross 1E40 York station Deltic The Green Howards

Nameplate, 55 008, 19.15 Aberdeen-London King's Cross (1E40), York station
The nameplate of 55008 'The Green Howards' is pictured at York leading the 19.15 Aberdeen to King's Cross using the flash on my Pentax ME Super camera. The Deltic was named at Darlington with ceremony, performed by Brigadier G.W.Edin on 30.09.63. Notice the sticker underneath the nameplate attached by some wag or other. Close examination reveals that it appears to be part of a No Smoking sticker, very apt on the side of a Deltic given its propensity to send clouds of exhaust into the sky especially until the engines were thoroughly warmed up.
Keywords: Nameplate 55 008 19.15 Aberdeen-London King's Cross 1E40 York station The Green Howards Deltic

55016, 22.30 London King's-Cross-Edinburgh (1S72), York station
With three BR staff in attendance attempting to attach the water pipes and refill the steam heat boiler of 55016, ‘Gordon Highlander’ at York. It was leading the 1S72 22.30 London King's Cross to Edinburgh. They eventually succeeded and got it the boiler filled and the train got on its way into the freezing December night. Gordon Highlander is still with us today being one of the chosen ones that entered preservation in October 1983.
Keywords: 55016 22.30 London King's-Cross-Edinburgh 1S72 York station Deltic Gordon Highlander

Nameplate, 55016, 22.30 London King's-Cross-Edinburgh (1S72), York station
The nameplate of 55016 'Gordon Highlander' is seen at York station. A photograph was taken in the middle of the night on a perishingly cold platform end as staff were attempting to replenish its steam heat boiler from pipes that were semi-frozen. This name had previously been carried by LMS 'Royal Scot' 46106 and LNER 'D20' (GNR class F) 62277 and was applied to 55016 28.08.64 at Aberdeen with a ceremony.
Keywords: Nameplate 55016, 22.30 London King's-Cross-Edinburgh 1S72 York station

York station, looking North
The classic architecture of York station looking north from the station footbridge. In the middle of the night, it is unnervingly quiet with not a soul in sight in this view on platforms eight and nine (now three and five). Notice the profusion of BRUTE and flat trolleys scattered about the platforms and the two DMUs stabled.
Keywords: York station looking North

Sack barrow (01.01.20), York station
When this photograph was taken in 1980 this sack truck on York station was already sixty years old and still in use. The delightful piece of platform infrastructure has a robust and timeless design and, if it could talk would be able to tell an incredible story of the changes it will have witnessed on York station since January 1920. I wonder what was in the box that was 'Made in Japan'?
Keywords: Sack barrow York station

York station, looking south
This scene looking south through York station is still essentially the same today but for the removal of the centre running lines and the installation of the overhead wiring. Off course, the Class 101 DMU in the colours of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, the Mk. II stock and the GUVs have all gone too!
Keywords: York station looking South

40075, 45036, 40141 & class 31s, stabled, York MPD
In an effort to keep ourselves warm Graham and I took a number of trips around the deserted streets of York in the Austin 1100 with the heater set firmly to full! One of these runs was to York MPD located around the back of the Railway Museum. Under the tall lights 40075, 45036, 40141 & two class 31s are seen stabled. 40075 spent the whole night with its engine running presumably to combat the effects of the intense cold.
Keywords: 40075 45036 40141 class 31 York MPD

Graham & myself warming ourselves, York station
Could you even begin to imagine equipment like this being left on a railway station today? This incredible piece of infrastructure was composed of a tin bath containing paraffin or some sort of oil that was simply being burnt in this huge chimney type structure with flames emerging from the top. They were placed on the platform ends near to where the standpipes were located that were used to replenish the steam heat boilers of the locomotives with the aim of preventing the water pipes freezing during bitter winter nights such as this one. As can be seen from the lack of snow around them they appeared to be doing an effective job! Graham and yours truly took full advantage of their warmth gathering around them at this unearthly hour on York station. Whilst Graham has gone for the old dependable Duffle coat I have opted for the period green Parka jacket complete with faux fur lining to the collar and hood! Happy days!
Keywords: Graham York station

York station
Complete with a lone BRUTE in the foreground, the grandeur of Thomas Elliot Harrison’s modulated roof spans that make up York station can really be appreciated in the early morning light. It must rank as one of the finest stations ever built and one that has been a personal favourite of mine for so many reasons.
Keywords: York station

Frontage, York station
According to the clock, it is 07.05 but the total lack of light in the sky may suggest that this time is not correct. I would have thought that even at this time, only two weeks off the shortest day, that there would be some glow? Either way, this slide that was rescued from the rejects box, for obvious reasons, shows desolate station frontage at York with now attempt yet having been made to clear the roads of snow and ice. This frontage is unaltered today from this view taken some forty years previously, even the keep left boxes next to the ornate lamp post are still in the same position with just a bus shelter blocking this view across the appropriately named Station Road.
Keywords: Frontage York station

31308, up engineers' train, York station
This was the first daylight working observed on Sunday morning taken just after the sun had risen. 31308 approaches York station from the north with an up engineers' train heading off for trackwork somewhere south or west from York. Note the two brake vans positioned front and rear of the consist along with some sort of ballasting machine and what I can only assume was a staff welfare coach of some type. Also note the convoluted track layout to the north end of York station in marked contrast to how it looks today, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30013256077/x25-180105-gc-15-18-sunderland-london Graham and I were extremely pleased to see the dawn and feel a little warmth on our backs after such a bitter night, off to find some breakfast now!
Keywords: 31308 up engineers' train York station

NER wooden semaphore, Burton Lane Junction, York SE602534
A former NER wooden semaphore post and arm are seen in the early morning light at Burton Lane Junction to the north of York's city centre. In this view, looking south-west, the York to Scarborough line can just be seen passing adjacent to the fence and the houses along Filey Terrace. The signal protects the short and, by this stage, freight-only line into the Layerthorpe industrial area. This short section of track led directly to the York (Layerthorpe) railway station, the northern terminus of the former Derwent Valley Light Railway (DVLR) that went all the way to Selby in much earlier times. The tracks here at Burton Lane Junction saw very little use by this time in 1980 and were eventually lifted in 1992. The route through York can now be enjoyed by foot or bike as the York Orbital.
Keywords: NER wooden semaphore Burton Lane Junction York SE602534

Haxby signal box (NER, c.1878)
Haxby signal box is seen in the crisp winter light with its wooden gates located on Station Road. The North Eastern Railway box is the earlier design of structure, the same type of which was seen yesterday at Oxmardyke, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29820607804/oxmardyke-signal-box-ner-north-eastern Note the garage selling both 3* and 4* petrol in the background. Based on the advertised price of £1.40 per gallon the current price for 4* would be 29p per litre. Incidentally, the garage still trading today but as a Jet franchise rather than Shell.
Keywords: Haxby signal box

Looking towards York, Haxby level crossing
Looking south-west towards York from Haxby level crossing with the former signal box just in view to the right. In this view, it looks as of there has been a train heading towards Scarborough (the right track) but nothing from that direction given the track still with a coating of snow. There was a station at Haxby that was closed very early in 1930, indeed, the former station building can also be seen just beyond the signal box. There is continued talk of the reopening of a station at Haxby in an effort to help ease the chronic traffic congestion within the city of York.
Keywords: Looking towards York Haxby level crossing

NER slotted post wooden distant semaphore, Haxby SE617588
A superb example of a rare NER slotted signal. This one looks to have been maintained in good condition by the S & T team was located just northeast of Haxby and was the signal box's up distant. Even by 1980, mechanical signals of this vintage were becoming unusual so Graham and I were pleased to discover this one still in use on the York to Scarborough line.
Keywords: NER slotted post wooden distant semaphore Haxby SE617588 North Eastern Railway

Haxby Road signal box (NER, c.1873)
The typical first-generation NER signal box on Haxby Road is seen in the early morning sun. Notice the electrical wheel boom level crossing gates across York Road indicating a train was approaching. Unfortunately, I do not have a note of what the working observed was but I suspect that it was a unit to or from Scarborough. In an act of institutionalised vandalism the box was closed and demolished in 1989 a year after its twin a short distance away at Haxby came by the same fate.
Keywords: Haxby Road Signal Box NER North Eastern Railway

Crigglestone Junction signal box (L&Y, 1901)
Taken with my telephoto lens and enlarged from the centre of the original Crigglestone Junction signal box is seen standing on Bretton Lane bridge. The junction can be seen with the lines to the left going west towards Horbury Station Junction and just beyond that Healey Mills. This line was already a freight-only chord when this photograph was taken and is now lifted but, interestingly, it is still shown on the latest edition of the Ordnance Survey 1:50000 map. The line to the right is the L & Y route linking Sheffield to Wakefield via Barnsley. In the background is the large Crigglestone viaduct that still dominates the valley that carried the Midland route that terminated at Dewsbury. Crigglestone signal box was a Lancashire and Yorkshire box that survived until January 1997 with control moving to Horbury Junction, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/28462368004/horbury-junction-signal-box-lnwr
Keywords: Crigglestone Junction signal box Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway

Clayton West Station Cabin signal box (L&Y, 1878)
The delightful Lancashire and Yorkshire Clayton West Station Signal box is seen in the dying afternoon light. The box is largely original complete with its wooden nameboard that survived the LMS renewal programme. It was constructed in 1878 and survived until the closure of the branch in January 1983.
Keywords: Clayton West Station Cabin signal box Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway

Clayton West Station Cabin signal box, looking west (L&Y, 1878)
A view looking westwards along the three and a half-mile long Clayton West branch with the completely unmolested Station Cabin signal box to the right. As it was Sunday, there were no services on the short branch that diverged from the Huddersfield to Penistone at Clayton Station Junction. The line was used to remove coal from the Park Mill mine that was closed in 1989. The sidings leading to the mine were on the wasteland to the left in this image
Keywords: Clayton West Station Cabin signal box, looking west Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway

Clayton West station
The end of the line! The small station building at Clayton West was at the end of the short branch that struggled on carrying very few passengers until closure by BR in January 1983. After closure, it took until 1986 for the tracks and infrastructure to be removed leaving just the station and platform. Happily, rail transport has returned to the entire length of the branch as it is now home to the Kirklees Light Railway, see.... https://www.kirkleeslightrailway.com/ However, the KLR were forced to demolish the station building in the early 2000s due to its condition with just the toilet remaining of the original structure!
Keywords: Clayton West station

Skelmanthorpe station
BR's policy on lines that it wanted to close during the 1970s and 1980s was to deliberately run them down thus dissuading passengers from using them to then fortify their case for closure. A policy where this was used to good effect was the Clayton West branch line that BR eventually managed to shut on 22.01.83 some two years after this picture of a run down Skelmanthorps station was taken. Even after passenger services were withdrawn the line remained open for another ten months serving the adjacent Emley Moor collieries. In this view, looking due west, the remaining station structure, a rickety old timber waiting room, appears to be subsiding given its jaunty angle. A short time after this photograph was taken it was burnt down. Today, trains now run along the trackbed once again with a new station constructed as part of the Kirklees light railway that runs between Clayton West and Shelley. The land in the background that was where the aforementioned colliery was located now houses industrial units and a new housing development.
Keywords: Skelmanthorpe station

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