Northallerton High Jct. - Eaglescliffe South Jct.; Longlands Jct. (Up Dive Under & Down Loops) - Northallerton Low (East) Jct.**
Date Closed to Passenger Services
1 Oct 1990
Mileage Closed
16m 79c**
Stations Closed
Northallerton (Town) (01/01/1856); Brompton (06/09/1965); Welbury (20/09/1954); West Rounton Gates (13/09/1939); Picton (04/01/1960); Yarm* (04/01/1960)
Services Operated
Leeds/York - Newcastle via Eaglescliffe
Latterly, 0527 SX Sunderland - London Kings Cross 'The Cleveland Executive'
Timetable Reference
GBTT 2 Oct 89 - 13 May 90 Table 26
Cobb Atlas Reference
449 42 14 - 436 36 93
Present Status
Reopened - Northallerton High Jct. - Eaglescliffe South Jct. (see Notes below). Freight - Longlands Jct. (Up Dive Under & Down Loops) - Northallerton Low (East) Jct.
Map
RCH Durham & Northumberland Districts 1922; Yorkshire District 1918
Further Notes
This is an interesting example of a line that nearly faded out of existence by stealth. Unlike many lines that lost their local service on a given date but then continued to be served by through, often seasonal trains, this line suffered a more gradual decline.
The station closure dates exemplify this. Despite the closure of the final intermediate station, Brompton, in 1965 the local service (Leeds/York - Newcastle via Eaglescliffe) continued broadly to the same pattern. Some minor adjustments occurred with the closure of the Harrogate - Ripon - Northallerton line in March 1967 line, but it took until the May 1975 timetable, and an intervening decline in trains, for the 'local' service to effectively disappear.
All that remained as 'regular' trains were 1340 and 2220 SuO Newcastle - London Kings Cross. The line continued to be used by dated seasonal trains.
From Mon 14/05/1979 these 'regular' trains ceased to run and Northallerton had disappeared from Table 41. The seasonal trains continued but from Mon 16/05/1983 a through service from Sunderland to London Kings Cross, 'The Cleveland Executive', was introduced - BLN 468 p139/3.
However, during this period concern for the condition of Yarm viaduct led to complete closure of the line being considered - BLNs 461 p60/64A; 464 p96/39B; 473 p209/83-51.
The line was eventually closed to passenger services from Mon 01/10/1990 with the withdrawal of the one remaining service, 0527 SX Sunderland - London Kings Cross, 'The Cleveland Executive' - LTR - Fri 28/09/1990. Latterly used in Up (southbound) direction only - BLN 644 p315.
Controversy followed with claims that this closure was illegal - see BLNs 599 p353/88-17; 648 p383/90-25; 652 p53/91-27.
Northallerton High Jct. - Eaglescliffe South Jct. RO - Mon 11/05/1992 with introduction of Liverpool (Lime St.) - Middlesbrough service.
*Yarm RO - Mon 19/02/1996.
**Northallerton High Jct. - Eaglescliffe South Jct. - 14m 31c; Longlands Jct. (Up Dive Under & Down Loops) - Boroughbridge Rd. Jct. - Northallerton Low (East) Jct. - 2m 48c. This latter section(s) of line has been included here, though it would appear that regular passenger services, those not calling at Northallerton, ceased from an earlier date - presumably from Mon 14/05/1979 (see above).
Page updated: 08/01/2023