York  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Overall roof in 2016 | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | York,City of York England | ||||
| Coordinates | 53°57′30″N1°05′35″W / 53.9583°N 1.0930°W /53.9583; -1.0930 | ||||
| Grid reference | SE596517 | ||||
| Owned by | Network Rail | ||||
| Managed by | London North Eastern Railway | ||||
| Platforms | 11 | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | YRK | ||||
| Classification | DfT category A | ||||
| Key dates | |||||
| 25 June 1877 | Opened | ||||
| 1909 | Extended | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2019/20 |  10.089 million | ||||
| Interchange |  0.775 million | ||||
| 2020/21 | 1.836 million | ||||
| Interchange | 0.116 million | ||||
| 2021/22 | 8.092 million | ||||
| Interchange | 0.495 million | ||||
| 2022/23 | 8.863 million | ||||
| Interchange | 0.930 million | ||||
| 2023/24 | 9.185 million | ||||
| Interchange | 1.276 million | ||||
Listed Building – Grade II* | |||||
| Feature | Station buildings | ||||
| Designated | 1 July 1968 | ||||
| Reference no. | 1256554[1] | ||||
| |||||
York railway station is a principal stop on theEast Coast Main Line (ECML) serving the cathedral city ofYork,North Yorkshire, England. It is 188 miles 40 chains (303.4 km) north ofLondon King's Cross and, on the main line, it is situated betweenDoncaster to the south andThirsk to the north. As of June 2018[update], the station is operated byLondon North Eastern Railway (LNER).[2] It is the busiest station in North Yorkshire, the third busiest inYorkshire & the Humber and the sixth busiest in Northern England,[3] as well as being the busiest intermediate station on the East Coast Main Line. InBritain's 100 Best Railway Stations bySimon Jenkins, the station was one of only ten to be awarded five stars.[4]
The present York station was built during the 1870s after it had become clear that theold station, which could not facilitate through traffic due to its positioning, was a hindrance to long distance express services along what is now referred to as the ECML. Designed by theNorth Eastern Railway architectsThomas Prosser and William Peachey and built byLucas Brothers, the station was built to be expansive and well-furnished from the onset, complete with a distinctive curvedtrain shed. Upon its opening on 25 June 1877, it was the largest railway station in the world, possessing 13 platforms along with various amenities, including a dedicated hotel (nowThe Principal York). Various additional facilities, from lengthened platforms to additional passenger facilities such as tea sheds, would be built subsequently.
The station took extensive damage fromGerman bombers during theSecond World War, resulting in both deaths and injuries amongst the staff. Repairs to the station were completed in 1947. Journey times between York and other destinations along the ECML were slashed following the introduction ofBritish Rail Class 55Deltic locomotives andInterCity 125 high speed trains. During the late 1980s, extensive changes were made to the signalling and track layout through and around the station as a part of the widerelectrification of the ECML. These works facilitated the use of electric traction, such as theInterCity 225, at York station for the first time. Further improvements to the station have continued following theprivatisation of British Rail, including new control facilities, additional retail units, redesigned approaches and track layout changes.
York station is a key junction approximately halfway between London andEdinburgh. It is approximately five miles (eight kilometres) north of the point where theCross Country andTransPennine Express routes viaLeeds join the main line, connecting Scotland and theNorth East,North West,Midlands andsouthern England. The junction was historically a major site for rolling stock manufacture, maintenance and repair.
The first York railway station was a temporary wooden building on Queen Street outside thewalls of the city, opened in 1839 by theYork and North Midland Railway (Y&NMR). It was succeeded in 1841, inside the walls, by what is nowYork old railway station.[5] On 31 July 1854, the Y&NMR merged with theLeeds Northern Railway and theYork, Newcastle & Berwick Railway to form theNorth Eastern Railway (NER); shortly thereafter, it became clear that the company's desire to run through trains between London and Newcastle without needing to reverse out of the old York station to continue their journey would necessitate change, specifically the construction of a new through station outside the city walls.[6] Furthermore, as the NER's dominance of rail traffic in the region expanded through further mergers, several directors desired an expansive and elaborate facility to serve York, where the company was headquartered. During 1866,Parliament authorised the construction of this new railway station.[7][8]
This new station was designed by theNorth Eastern Railway architectsThomas Prosser and William Peachey and built byLucas Brothers.[9] A prominent feature was the large curvedtrain shed, which had been viewed as one of the more impressive monuments of the railway age.[8] This train shed was supported by a combination ofwrought-irontrusses andcast-iron columns. The majority of the station was built of yellow Scarborough brick with mouldedashlar plinths and dressings.[1] The site selected for the station had been formerly used asagricultural land, although aRoman-era cemetery was located there as well.[10]
Construction of the present station took place between 1871 and 1877.[8] Opened on 25 June 1877, it had 13 platforms and, at that time, was the largest railway station in the world.[11][12] As part of the new station project, the Royal Station Hotel (nowThe Principal York), designed by Peachey, opened in 1878.[13] The original ticket hall and concourse were both located on the eastern side of the station.[1]
Between 1900 and 1909, several of the original platforms were extended both northwards and southwards while an additional western platform was added; a new signal box, tea room and book shop were also opened.[1] Between 1938 and 1939, the western platform was refurbished, the current footbridge was built, and the station was resignalled.[14]
The station was heavily bombed during theSecond World War.[8][15] On one occasion, on 29 April 1942,[16] 800 passengers had to be evacuated from a King's Cross-Edinburgh train which arrived during abombing raid.[15] On the same night, two railway workers were killed, one being station foreman William Milner, who died after returning to his burning office to collect hisfirst aid kit; he was posthumously awarded theKing's Commendation for Brave Conduct.[17] A plaque in his memory has been erected at the station.[15][16] The station was extensively repaired in 1947.[1]
During 1951, a new signal box was opened.[1] The station was designated as a Grade II*listed building in 1968. An extensive refurbishment was undertaken in 1977.[1] Journey times between York and other destinations along the ECML were slashed following the introduction of theBritish Rail Class 55 locomotive in 1961 and theIntercity 125 high speed train during 1976.[8][18]
The track layout through and around the station was remodelled again in 1988 as part of the resignalling scheme that was carried out prior to theelectrification of the ECML shortly afterwards byBritish Rail.[19] This resulted in several bay platforms (mainly on the eastern side) being taken out of service and the track to them removed. Consequently, the number of platforms was reduced from 15 to 11.[20] In May 1989, a new signalling centre (York IECC) was commissioned on the western side of the station to control the new layout and also take over the function of several other signal boxes on the main line.[21] The IECC supervised the main line from Temple Hirst (near Doncaster) through toNorthallerton, along with sections of the various routes branching from it. It had also taken over responsibility for the control area of the former power box atLeeds and thus, the signalling for trains as far away asGargrave andMorley.[22][23]
Between 2006 and 2007, the approaches to the station were reorganised to improve facilities for bus, taxi and car users as well as pedestrians and cyclists. The former motive power depot and goods station now house theNational Railway Museum. The station was renovated during 2009; these works included the reconstruction of Platform 9 and the implementation of extensive lighting alterations. New automatedticket gates (similar to those inLeeds) were planned, but the City of York Council wished to avoid spoiling the historic nature of the station. The then operatorNational Express East Coast planned to appeal this decision, but the plans were scrapped altogether upon thefranchise's handover toEast Coast.[24] During the late 2000s and early 2010s, the track and signalling systems on the southern side of the station were renewed. In early 2011, an additional line and a new junction were completed, which eliminated one of the biggest bottlenecks on the ECML.[25][26]
Further improvements to the station have been made under LNER's stewardship, including a new lounge for first class passengers, additional retail units, and newpublic toilets.[27][28]
All the platforms except 9, 10 and 11 are under the large, curved, glass and iron roof. They are accessed via a long footbridge, which also connects to theNational Railway Museum, or via lifts and either of two pedestrian tunnels.[31] Between April 1984 and 2011, the old tea rooms housed theRail Riders World/York Model Railway exhibition.[32]
The platforms at York have been renumbered several times, the most recent being in the late 1980s to coincide with a reduction in the number of platforms from 15 to 11. The current use is:[33]
Platforms 10 and 11 are outside of the main body of the station. Another siding, the formerfruit dock, exists opposite platform 11.
Just to the west of the station is one of Network Rail's modernRail Operation Centres (ROC), which was opened in September 2014.[34][35] This ROC took over the functions of the formerIECC in December 2018 and will eventually control the majority of the ECML from London to the Scottish border and various subsidiary routes across the North East, Lincolnshire and South, North and West Yorkshire.
During Christmas 2020, major track replacement occurred, with Network Rail releasing time lapse footage of the works.[36]
In 2022, work began to redevelop the area outside the station. Queen Street Bridge, built to cross the lines into the old York station within the city walls, will be demolished in April 2024.[37][38]
In 2023, a further £10.5 million has been confirmed for the massive revamp of the area at the front of York railway station.[39]
Located adjacent to the station,York Central is one of the largest city centre brownfield regeneration sites in the UK. The 45-hectare (110-acre) site has been designated as a UK Government ‘Housing Zone’ and has also been awarded ‘Enterprise Zone’ status, which offers commercial occupiers significant incentives. Outline planning approval was given for the site in March 2019. It is anticipated that development of the full site could take between 15 and 20 years to complete.[40]
York is served by fivetrain operating companies:
London North Eastern Railway operates regular services that stop at York between London, Newcastle and Edinburgh. In addition, there are infrequent services toGlasgow,Aberdeen andInverness. One train per day servesMiddlesbrough.The fastest southbound services run non-stop to London, completing the 188 mile journey in one hour and 52 minutes.[41]
Rolling stock used:InterCity 225 (Class 91electric locomotive &DVT),Class 800 bi-mode trains andClass 801 electric trains
CrossCountry provides a number ofinter-city services that run across the country, primarily betweenPlymouth andEdinburgh Waverley viaBristol Temple Meads,Birmingham New Street andLeeds. Certain services extend to reachPenzance southbound, and others extend to reachGlasgow Central andAberdeen northbound. Additionally there are a limited number of services betweenReading andNewcastle, viaBanbury, Birmingham New Street andDoncaster.[42]
Rolling stock used:Class 220 andClass 221Voyagerdiesel multiple units.
TransPennine Express provides various express services across the north of England toManchester Piccadilly,Manchester Airport,Liverpool Lime Street, Newcastle,Scarborough andSaltburn via Middlesbrough.[43]
Rolling stock used:Class 185Desiro diesel multiple units andClass 802 bi-mode trains.Class 68 diesel locomotives and pull-pull Mark 5A coaches were used on some services (mainly to /from Scarborough) until the winter 2023 timetable change, but these have now been phased out.
Grand Central runs anopen access service between Sunderland and London.[44]
Rolling stock used:Class 180Adelante trains.
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Northern Trains operates a mostly hourly service towards Hull via Selby and Blackpool North, with a half-hourly service towards Leeds on both routes (via Garforth and via Harrogate) serving most stations en-route (plus three per day to Sheffield viaPontefract Baghill).[45]
Rolling stock used:Sprinter (Class 150/155/158),Class 170Turbostar andCivityClass 195 units.Pacer (Class 142/144) diesel multiple units were in regular use on the Harrogate and Sheffield lines until December 2019, but have now been phased out.
Until May 2021,East Midlands Railway provided one weekend return journey between York and London St Pancras via theMidland Main Line.
| Preceding station |  National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrossCountry | ||||
| TransPennine Express North TransPennine | ||||
| Terminus | ||||
| Peterborough orLondon King's Cross | Grand Central London-Sunderland | Thirsk | ||
| Doncaster or Peterborough | London North Eastern Railway London-Newcastle/Edinburgh | Northallerton | ||
| Doncaster or Retford or Peterborough | London North Eastern Railway London-York | Terminus | ||
| London King's Cross or Doncaster or Peterborough | London North Eastern Railway London-Newcastle/Edinburgh/Scotland express services | Darlington | ||
| Leeds | London North Eastern Railway Leeds-Aberdeen | Darlington | ||
| Northern Trains | Terminus | |||
| Northern Trains | ||||
| Northern Trains | ||||
| Northern Trains Micklefield Line | ||||
| Future services | ||||
| Leeds | TBA Northern Powerhouse Rail | Darlington | ||
| Sheffield | TBA Northern Powerhouse Rail | Darlington | ||
| East Midlands Hub | TBA Northern Powerhouse Rail | Darlington | ||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Terminus | Y&NMR York to Scarborough Line | Haxby Station closed; Line open | ||
| Disused railways | ||||
| Terminus | NER York to Beverley Line | Earswick | ||
| Naburn | NER East Coast Main Line | Beningbrough | ||
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York Model Railway is making tracks to Lincolnshire after 27 years in its current home. The tea rooms at York station have been host to the exhibition since its inception
