Some remnants of the 19th century railway mania are more obviously impressive than the humble bridges previously mentioned. Like this beauty at Stamford Bridge, not far from York.

Imagine getting a train from York to Stamford Bridge. At one time you could.

Where there’s now a cycle track from Wigginton Road to New Earswick a railway line branched off, going over the Foss where there’s now a link road, with a few more station stops at villages on the way, before it crossed the Derwent on this viaduct.

In 1991 it was threatened with demolition, but was saved and restored following a campaign by local residents and railway enthusiasts, and now forms part of a cycle track/pedestrian route.

Soon after crossing the river on the viaduct we approach Stamford Bridge station. The old engine shed is still used, but not by locomotives.

The York to Market Weighton railway line opened in October 1847 and closed on 29th November 1965.

Platforms retained, though there’s no reason for keeping them really. Just that perhaps we have a certain respect for our railway heritage, and if it isn’t in the way of future development we keep it in place where we can.

The old station building. Many of them were kept, reused for other purposes.

The Victorian railway mania brought the railway to many tiny settlements, much smaller places than Stamford Bridge. Or rather, often to a station a fair distance away up a rural road, far from the settlement it was supposed to serve. Not really surprising these couldn’t be sustained as a railway station.

Many are now private houses, and not looking odd or unusual when reused in that way, though they often have an entrance rather grander than the average house.

Beeching’s ‘axe’ didn’t have to be the end, and in some places it wasn’t. As at this station, Levisham.

At Levisham we can get some idea of how it was, that old railway experience. We can stand on beautifully maintained platforms, and listen to the deep distinctive sound of steam locomotives. They sound like they’re alive and breathing, those steam trains at Levisham, so I can’t help the fanciful notion that they’re perhaps remembering all those other stations they used to know.

Elsewhere on the web

Information on Stamford Bridge station taken from Disused Stations: Stamford Bridge

Stamford Bridge viaduct – transportheritage.com

Levisham station and the history of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

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Seems a good time to steam through my collection of photos from walks in Yorkshire which included parts of those abandoned routes, and their surviving railway architecture.

Near Market Weighton and Goodmanham, in East Yorkshire.

Market Weighton was at one time well-connected. A line from York came into Market Weighton from the north-west, from Selby to the south-west, then heading out to the north-east towards Driffield. A line curved out to the east, to Beverley (and then on to Hull).

The line itself – the ‘permanent way’ – obviously wasn’t permanent here. But the section of trackbed has been preserved from Market Weighton to Beverley and is now a cycle/walking route: the Hudson Way.

There must be thousands of these small brick-built bridges over railway lines. They’re everywhere, and seem ordinary. But look at that brickwork.

Bridges made of metal or concrete can be constructed off-site and brought in to be lowered into place, as with the bridge recently opened in York over the Foss. These brick-built bridges must have been built on-site, as the railway lines worked their way through the land in the mid-19th century.

Some have this kind of construction, carefully curved. This isn’t a photo taken on a jaunty angle on purpose: the bricks really are set at this angle, moving up into the curve of the underside of the arch. Some skilful bricklaying, don’t you think.

Graffiti-covered near Market Weighton, just as many of them are on York’s old closed lines.

And at Wharram, one of the most interesting and varied ‘abandoned railway line’ walks takes you to the famous deserted medieval village of Wharram Percy. (Described some years ago on these pages, in Wharram and the Wolds) On your way to that more ancient place, remember to admire the old chalk works, and this now rather dilapidated bridge – reminders of our more recent history.

Elsewhere on the web

Interesting article comparing the fortunes of Ilkley and Ripon – The Beeching report: How railway cuts divided Yorkshire

Wikipedia: York to Beverley line and Selby to Driffield line

Hudson Way walk (PDF)

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