Esk Valley Line
156451 between Ruswarp and Whitby
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerNational Rail
Locale
Termini
Stations17
Service
TypeHeavy rail
SystemNational Rail
Operator(s)Northern Trains
Rolling stock
History
OpenedFrom 1835
Technical
Line length30 miles (48 km)[1]
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Route map

(Click to expand)

54°34′44″N 1°14′06″W / 54.579°N 1.235°W / 54.579; -1.235

The Esk Valley Line is a railway line located in the north of England, covering a total distance of around 30 miles (48 km), running from Middlesbrough to Whitby. The line follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half.

The Esk Valley Line was designated as a community rail line in July 2005, being one of seven intended pilots for the Department for Transport's Community Rail Development Strategy.

Northern Trains call at all stations along the line with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway operating heritage services along part of the line between Grosmont and Whitby.

Services

As of the December 2019 timetable change, Northern Trains run an hourly service between Middlesbrough and Nunthorpe, with 6 trains (4 trains on Sundays) per day continuing to Whitby.

Additional trains weekdays and Saturdays run on the Esk Valley Line from Middlesbrough to Castleton Moor (departing from Middlesbrough at 12:56), and Battersby (departing from Middlesbrough at 17:00).[2]

Predominantly, rolling stock on the Esk Valley Line consists of Class 156 and Class 158 diesel multiple units, both of which were introduced in to service in the late 1980s. Previously, Class 142 'Pacer' trains mostly served the line until they were withdrawn from passenger service in 2020.[3]

The Class 156 and 158 units operating on the Esk Valley Line are currently in the process of being refurbished, with upgrades including free WiFi, power sockets, on-board passenger information displays, and an interior refresh.[4][5]

The Esk Valley Line is one of the most rural railway lines in England, with the main purpose of linking Whitby and the North York Moors with Middlesbrough.

Connections with heritage services running on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway are available at both Grosmont and Whitby.[6]

The route serves the following stations: Middlesbrough, James Cook, Marton, Gypsy Lane, Nunthorpe, Great Ayton, Battersby, Kildale, Commondale, Castleton Moor, Danby, Lealholm, Glaisdale, Egton, Grosmont, Sleights, Ruswarp and Whitby.

History

The pre-Beeching railway network across the North York Moors.

The Esk Valley Line was once part of a significantly larger network, most of which was closed during the era of the Beeching cuts. Today's route is formed from four separate former railway lines:

Whitby Town to Grosmont

The first section of line between Whitby Town and Grosmont opened in 1835, with an extension to Pickering opening on 26 May 1836.[7]

It was originally worked by horses, before being converted in 1845, in order to be able to accommodate steam locomotives, following a takeover by the York & North Midland Railway. In 1854, the line became a part of the North Eastern Railway.

The section between Grosmont and Pickering was closed under the Beeching cuts in 1965, but was one of the first to be taken into private hands as a heritage line, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

From Whitby Town, a single track branched up a steep incline to Prospect Hill Junction, from which trains could reach Whitby West Cliff.

At West Cliff, trains would journey north along the coastal Whitby, Redcar & Middlesbrough Union Railway towards Staithes and Loftus, and south across the Larpool Viaduct towards Scarborough.

The Whitby, Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway was closed in the 1950s. However, the northern section of the line was retained, with services still operating between Middlesbrough and Saltburn.

Between Saltburn and Boulby, the line is also still operational, but as a goods route for potash and rock salt from Boulby Mine.

Following the closure of the Whitby, Redcar & Middlesbrough Union Railway, additional services began to operate along the Esk Valley Line. In the summer of 1957, the line served just 6 trains per day. By the summer of 1958, there were 15 (with 6 continuing to Scarborough).[8]

Grosmont to Battersby

The second line ran east from Picton, where it met the Northallerton to Eaglescliffe Line. It was constructed by the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Railway, which was subsequently absorbed into the North Eastern Railway in 1858.

The line was built in stages, opening to mineral traffic as far as Battersby on 6 April 1858, and to passenger traffic from Stokesley to Castleton Moor on 1 April 1861. The section between Grosmont and Castleton Moor was the last section of the line to be opened, with service commencing on 2 October 1865.

The section between Battersby and Picton closed to passengers in 1954.[9]

From Battersby, goods trains also ran south to Ingleby where a cable pulley system raised wagons up a steep incline, and across the North York Moors to iron ore workings at Rosedale and Farndale.

Between Glaisdale and Lealholm, work was begun by the railway engineer John Waddell on a branch across the North York Moors, to make the most of the iron ore in the area. Originally intended to meet the line from Guisborough, which branched off the Whitby, Redcar & Middlesbrough Union Railway near Boulby, a collapse in the price of iron ore meant the line was never finished.

At various points along the route, you can see the remains of vast earthworks forming unfinished embankments and cuttings. The line was to have one station at Stonegate, and nearby a tunnel dug using the "cut and cover" method. The only bridge completed on the line is at Rake Farm, between Lealholm and Glaisdale, at the route's junction with the Esk Valley Line.

The line is still known today as "Paddy Waddell's Railway", due to the number of Irish navvies used in its construction.

Today, Battersby serves just only one railway line, but it still takes the shape of a "Y" junction, with trains pulling into a station that is now effectively a terminus. The old line towards Picton continues on through the station, and disappears around a bend before ending. The driver has to change ends to drive towards either Middlesbrough or Whitby.

Battersby to Nunthorpe

The section of the Esk Valley Line between Battersby and Nunthorpe is the youngest section of the route. The line was constructed in 1864, with the aim of connecting the Picton to Grosmont line with the Middlesbrough to Guisborough line.

The line leaves Battersby heading east with the route towards Grosmont, before making a sharp turn north, to reach the now former line towards Guisborough at Nunthorpe Junction.

Nunthorpe to Middlesbrough

A local train running from Darlington to Saltburn, seen at Guisborough Junction in 1954

This section of line was constructed by the Middlesbrough & Guisborough Railway in 1854, to serve the town of Guisborough, and the area around the Eston Hills.

The Esk Valley Line, near the James Cook railway station in Middlesbrough.

A line was constructed heading south from Middlesbrough, and through Nunthorpe, from where it curved east to Guisborough, and then on towards the coast to join the Whitby, Redcar & Middlesbrough Union Railway. It also served a number of quarries in the area.

Despite its close proximity to the Picton to Battersby line, it was another 10 years before a link was built between the two. The line from Nunthorpe Junction to Guisborough closed in 1964, with only the section from Middlesbrough to Battersby remaining.

A new station, James Cook, opened on this section of the line in May 2014. It was built to serve the nearby James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.[10]

Signalling and infrastructure

The Esk Valley Line still uses a physical token system, modified so that train drivers operate the token instruments themselves. This system of working is known as No Signalman Token Remote, and is used on other routes such as the Heart of Wales Line, and the Tarka Line.

Cabinets at Whitby, Glaisdale and Battersby, and a signalman at Nunthorpe pass on key tokens to train drivers as authority to occupy specific line sections, ensuring that only one train can run on a section at a time.

Until the mid-1980s, the line from Whitby to Sleights had two tracks, but these were removed along with the passing loop at Castleton Moor. Trains can still pass at Glaisdale and Battersby, however Glaisdale is now the only station along the single track section that still regularly uses both platforms for "up" and "down" line trains.

Between Nunthorpe and Guisborough Junction, the railway has been single track since 26 January 1986, although the station at Nunthorpe still retains its passing loop with separate "up" and "down" platforms. This section is worked from the panel box at Middlesbrough, and uses track circuit block working.[11]

Steam operations

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway operates heritage steam trains between Whitby and Grosmont.

To allow through running of trains directly from the North Yorkshire Moors Line, an intermediate token instrument was provided at Grosmont in March 2007. This allows a token for the Glaisdale to Whitby section to be obtained, or returned, at Grosmont.

Previously, for steam services to Whitby to operate along the Esk Valley Line from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, a signalman had to drive to Glaisdale in order to pick up, or return, a token key.

Usage

Between 2005 (when the Community Rail Partnership was formed) and May 2018, passenger numbers have increased steadily, by up to 50%. Northern and the Community Rail Partnership have predicted further increases in passenger numbers, following the addition of new services in December 2019.[12]

Station usage
Station name 2002–03 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020-21 2021-22
Middlesbrough 902,723 1,120,781 1,200,737 1,242,054 1,300,713 1,349,420 1,354,030 1,426,350 1,423,134 1,364,250 1,370,172 1,351,494 1,331,452 1,356,282 1,312,916 1,289,866 1,312,402 342,770
James Cook - - - - - - - - - - - 23,176 31,578 31,402 33,774 37,080 40,226 9,280
Marton 2,527 3,617 3,076 3,833 4,825 6,894 8,750 9,804 9,130 9,862 10,576 10,568 13,512 13,696 13,356 14,774 25,808 5,294
Gypsy Lane 7,263 10,353 11,412 12,020 12,820 18,430 20,234 23,566 22,692 21,900 23,716 26,398 30,338 32,996 33,298 31,204 37,046 6,982
Nunthorpe 8,152 11,403 12,406 13,747 16,775 23,208 23,828 24,914 22,302 22,600 24,203 32,510 35,766 35,814 34,596 36,346 44,576 7,618
Great Ayton 3,369 4,297 4,405 4,738 5,666 5,650 6,134 6,798 6,904 5,738 6,826 7,776 7,100 6,890 7,322 7,726 8,614 2,064
Battersby 1,314 1,591 1,653 1,711 2,028 1,806 2,012 1,476 1,504 1,574 1,592 1,488 1,458 1,660 1,564 1,520 1,760 396
Kildale 1,373 1,956 1,664 2,160 2,486 2,308 2,006 1,992 2,018 1,822 1,960 1,824 1,610 1,416 1,630 1,468 1,498 386
Commondale 4,756 3,219 2,976 2,959 2,974 3,142 2,858 3,972 5,000 4,852 5,026 4,602 5,232 3,754 1,888 2,344 2,444 434
Castleton Moor 30,270 6,452 7,174 6,062 5,613 5,172 5,544 5,164 5,030 4,850 4,892 4,858 4,930 5,444 6,182 4,928 5,014 1,258
Danby 24,545 23,729 21,899 18,760 12,560 9,710 11,370 10,878 11,622 9,902 10,836 8,440 7,084 6,334 6,810 6,184 6,796 1,132
Lealholm 18,657 16,760 16,688 15,706 13,044 15,554 16,242 17,972 20,010 11,422 17,662 15,888 18,102 17,358 16,298 15,250 15,168 8,726
Glaisdale 23,129 28,071 26,887 26,355 22,276 20,284 18,686 21,222 18,564 11,194 15,216 15,046 18,754 18,298 20,140 23,316 20,920 16,396
Egton 12,149 11,818 13,546 11,292 10,798 12,414 11,110 9,430 10,562 7,388 11,568 10,812 13,724 12,088 12,878 11,698 13,206 6,166
Grosmont 17,968 19,601 18,675 18,264 24,273 19,718 22,048 22,964 23,662 16,376 17,912 16,144 15,172 13,514 13,912 12,390 13,912 4,420
Sleights 2,482 3,116 3,733 3,480 3,976 3,884 4,334 4,292 4,592 4,378 4,426 5,040 4,122 4,188 4,245 4,182 4,732 1,038
Ruswarp 2,003 2,716 2,585 2,301 2,696 3,054 2,606 2,722 2,974 2,946 3,032 3,228 2,966 2,568 2,686 2,404 3,064 684
Whitby 149,365 132,049 132,956 127,428 127,739 120,594 126,240 133,940 140,158 107,940 133,680 130,210 137,196 131,810 138,492 130,900 135,238 49,828
The annual passenger usage is based on sales of tickets in stated financial years from Office of Rail and Road estimates of station usage. The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve-month periods that start in April. Methodology may vary year on year. Usage from the periods 2019-20 and especially 2020-21 onwards have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic

Note: James Cook opened on 18 May 2014.[13]

Future

A proposed park and ride station, located between Nunthorpe and Great Ayton, has been suggested by a joint project of local councils. The Roseberry Parkway station would aim to serve over 70,000 people, and seek to encourage car drivers out of their cars to alleviate the gridlock on the roads leading into Middlesbrough.

The project aims to increase services into Middlesbrough to half-hourly, and double the number of trains on the Esk Valley Line to Whitby.[14]

Following the December 2019 timetable change, Arriva Rail North introduced two additional return trips on the line on weekdays and Saturdays. The first of which operates in the morning, to allow commuting from Whitby to Middlesbrough, with the second providing a later evening service.[15]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Delivering a better railway for a better Britain: Route Specifications 2019 London North Eastern and East Midlands" (PDF). Network Rail. April 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  2. ↑ "Timetables | Northern". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  3. ↑ "Northern retires first Pacer train". Northern News. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Northern launches North East's first fully refurbished train". Northern News. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "Northern's refurbished trains – creating jobs and boosting the economy". Northern News. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  6. ↑ "North York Moors Historical Railway Trust - NYMR". North York Moors Historical Railway Trust - NYMR. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  7. ↑ Hoole, K. (1957). "Railway History between Pickering and Whitby". British Railways Magazine (North Eastern Region). Vol. 8, no. 9. London: British Railways. pp. 242–243.
  8. ↑ "British Summer Timetables". Railway Magazine. Vol. 104, no. 686. June 1958. p. 382.
  9. ↑ Body, p.120
  10. ↑ "James Cook". Esk Valley Railway Development Company. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  11. ↑ Network Rail LNE Route Sectional Appendix, Module LN8
  12. ↑ Gleeson, Janet (1 June 2018). "Dramatic increase in passengers on rural line". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 22–2018. p. 24. ISSN 2516-5348.
  13. ↑ "Middlesbrough James Cook Hospital railway station opens". BBC Tees News. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Brown, Mike (20 August 2019). "Plans for brand new railway station and park and ride". Gazette Live. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  15. ↑ "Northern Timetable 5 - Middlesbrough to Whitby (Esk Valley Railway)" (PDF). Northern. 15 December 2019 – 16 May 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2019.

References

  • Body, G. (1988), PSL Field Guides – Railways of the Eastern Region Volume 2, Patrick Stephens Ltd, Wellingborough, ISBN 1-85260-072-1

Further reading

  • Hunt, John (9–22 April 1997). "The Esk Valley - a rattling good ride!". RAIL. No. 302. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 34–38. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
  • Hunt, John (23 April – 6 May 1997). "A bright future for the Esk Valley". RAIL. No. 303. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 58–63. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
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