Beckhole railway station
Encyclopedia
Beckhole railway station was a short-lived station on part of the original Whitby and Pickering Railway
line. It served the village of Beck Hole
, North Yorkshire
, England
and surrounding beauty spots.
The original station was presumably located at the bottom of the Beckhole Incline, although in W&P days there would have been little need for much in the way of station buildings. The railway through Beckhole was opened by the Whitby and Pickering Railway
in 1836, although occasional traffic may have traveled from Whitby to Beckhole in the previous year.
When the York and North Midland Railway
converted the horse worked W&P to a conventional double track steam railway, with services to Whitby
starting in 1847, there is little evidence of much more in the way of station buildings or platforms although the Y&NM did build two cottages and a single track engine shed at Beckhole. The main evidence for Beckhole being a 'station' is the record of Beckhole having at least two Station Masters. However by 1859 Beckhole must have had a 'passenger shed' since a minute of the NER's Locomotive Committee for 27 May 1859 records a decision to partition off part of it to form a 'small Goods Warehouse'.
The original station would have closed, for passengers at least, when the NER
opened its 'deviation' line to avoid the Beckhole Incline in 1865. All services south of Beckhole stopped at that date although the Incline was retained intact until 1868, presumably just in case of problems with the new earthworks on the deviation line.
The line from Deviation Junction at Grosmont
to Beckhole remained open for goods, serving various mines and quarries.
The second station at Beckhole was opened by the NER
in 1908 and comprised a single platform and a tiled wooden waiting shed at ground level just before the platform at the village end of the station.
The train service to Beckhole consisted entirely of single or twin Autocar sets; these were an adapted Fletcher BTP 0-4-4 tank engine coupled to a carriage with a driving compartment at the far end (twin sets had the engine in between two carriages). The driver in the end of the carriage was able to control the engines regulator and reverser by means of rods running along under the carriage and coupled to the locomotive by a form of universal joint. The driver also had full control of the Westinghouse air brake, a hand brake, a whistle (worked off the brake high pressure line) and a speaking tube
connected back to the fireman on the engine.
The first Autocars were converted clerestory eight compartment full thirds but later the NER built some elliptic roofed Autocars, both types were seen at Beckhole, sometimes at the same time in a twin Autocar set.
The Autocar service to Beckhole ran from Whitby
in the summer months only, there were no staff at Beckhole, paper tickets were issued on the train, not easy with non-corridor vehicles.
The service to Beckhole lasted until the start of the First World War, closing in 1914. After the war the service was not restarted and Beckhole station gradually deteriorated, presumably when all possibility of a resumption of the service had gone, the platform and waiting shed were removed. There are photographs showing a single track, weed ridden with no sign of the station except for a solitary NER cast iron Trespass Notice.
The branch to Beckhole was gradually cut back as the sidings it served closed down, until only a stub was left serving the isolated hamlet of Esk Valley, a weekly goods train brought in their provisions. Eventually the North Riding of Yorkshire
County Council built a road into the hamlet, ironically using the track of a disused mineral incline. Thus the last bit of the Beckhole branch closed in 1952.
Whitby and Pickering Railway
The Whitby and Pickering Railway was built as the culmination of attempts to halt the gradual decline of the port of Whitby on the east coast of the United Kingdom...
line. It served the village of Beck Hole
Beck Hole
Beck Hole is a small village a mile and a quarter from Goathland, North Yorkshire, England, served only by a winding road that has 1-in-4 inclines at either end. This gives some protection from the general tourist routes, as coaches are unable to reach the village...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and surrounding beauty spots.
The original station was presumably located at the bottom of the Beckhole Incline, although in W&P days there would have been little need for much in the way of station buildings. The railway through Beckhole was opened by the Whitby and Pickering Railway
Whitby and Pickering Railway
The Whitby and Pickering Railway was built as the culmination of attempts to halt the gradual decline of the port of Whitby on the east coast of the United Kingdom...
in 1836, although occasional traffic may have traveled from Whitby to Beckhole in the previous year.
When the York and North Midland Railway
York and North Midland Railway
The York and North Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting York, with the Leeds and Selby Railway and in 1840 with the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds.-Origins:...
converted the horse worked W&P to a conventional double track steam railway, with services to Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
starting in 1847, there is little evidence of much more in the way of station buildings or platforms although the Y&NM did build two cottages and a single track engine shed at Beckhole. The main evidence for Beckhole being a 'station' is the record of Beckhole having at least two Station Masters. However by 1859 Beckhole must have had a 'passenger shed' since a minute of the NER's Locomotive Committee for 27 May 1859 records a decision to partition off part of it to form a 'small Goods Warehouse'.
The original station would have closed, for passengers at least, when the NER
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
opened its 'deviation' line to avoid the Beckhole Incline in 1865. All services south of Beckhole stopped at that date although the Incline was retained intact until 1868, presumably just in case of problems with the new earthworks on the deviation line.
The line from Deviation Junction at Grosmont
Grosmont railway station
Grosmont railway station serves the village of Grosmont in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Esk Valley Line which serves one platform and is operated by Northern Rail who provide the station's passenger services...
to Beckhole remained open for goods, serving various mines and quarries.
The second station at Beckhole was opened by the NER
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
in 1908 and comprised a single platform and a tiled wooden waiting shed at ground level just before the platform at the village end of the station.
The train service to Beckhole consisted entirely of single or twin Autocar sets; these were an adapted Fletcher BTP 0-4-4 tank engine coupled to a carriage with a driving compartment at the far end (twin sets had the engine in between two carriages). The driver in the end of the carriage was able to control the engines regulator and reverser by means of rods running along under the carriage and coupled to the locomotive by a form of universal joint. The driver also had full control of the Westinghouse air brake, a hand brake, a whistle (worked off the brake high pressure line) and a speaking tube
Speaking tube
A speaking tube or voicepipe is a device based on two cones connected by an air pipe through which speech can be transmitted over an extended distance. While its most common use was in intra-ship communications, the principle was also used in fine homes and offices of the 19th century, as well as...
connected back to the fireman on the engine.
The first Autocars were converted clerestory eight compartment full thirds but later the NER built some elliptic roofed Autocars, both types were seen at Beckhole, sometimes at the same time in a twin Autocar set.
The Autocar service to Beckhole ran from Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
in the summer months only, there were no staff at Beckhole, paper tickets were issued on the train, not easy with non-corridor vehicles.
The service to Beckhole lasted until the start of the First World War, closing in 1914. After the war the service was not restarted and Beckhole station gradually deteriorated, presumably when all possibility of a resumption of the service had gone, the platform and waiting shed were removed. There are photographs showing a single track, weed ridden with no sign of the station except for a solitary NER cast iron Trespass Notice.
The branch to Beckhole was gradually cut back as the sidings it served closed down, until only a stub was left serving the isolated hamlet of Esk Valley, a weekly goods train brought in their provisions. Eventually the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
County Council built a road into the hamlet, ironically using the track of a disused mineral incline. Thus the last bit of the Beckhole branch closed in 1952.