Great Ayton railway station

Great Ayton
Location
Place Great Ayton
Local authority Hambleton
Grid reference NZ574108
Operations
Station code GTA
Managed by Northern Rail
Number of platforms 1
Live arrivals/departures and station information
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage
2004/05 *   4,297
2005/06 * 4,405
2006/07 * 4,738
2007/08 * 5,666
2008/09 * 5,668
History
Original company North Eastern Railway
Pre-grouping North Eastern Railway
Post-grouping London and North Eastern Railway
1 April 1868 Station opened
National Rail - UK railway stations
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Great Ayton from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Great Ayton railway station serves the village of Great Ayton in the county of North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Esk Valley Line and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all of the station's passenger services.

Contents

History

The North Eastern Railway built a short line to link Battersby (on their route between Picton and Grosmont) with Nunthorpe on the Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway (a subsidiary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway). This link line opened on 1 June 1864 but was used at first only for mineral trains. Passenger trains along the route began four years later,[1] and a station at Great Ayton was opened on 1 April 1868.[2]

Description

The station is on the single track rail line between Nunthorpe and Battersby and there are only a few trains per day. Until the mid 1980s the station had a goods shunting yard etc. which later served as the village coal merchants. Trains until the 1950s used to run from the station to Stokesley, Whitby Town and Middlesbrough but only the latter two destinations are in use currently. Next to Great Ayton station is the village garage and towing service. The station had, until 1934, a full station building complete with booking office and waiting room, this however was demolished to save costs. From the start of the May 2010 timetable Northern Rail will be operating a service to and from Newcastle on a Sunday morning (and return in the evening) for holiday makers going to and from Whitby. The station has only one platform which is usually served by Northern Rail stopping services - these are usually composed of Class 156 Diesel Multiple Units (although Class 142 "Pacers" can also appear on occasions). Four services each way are scheduled to call on weekdays & Saturdays and five each way on Sundays from mid-May until early September only.

The Esk Valley line is the only rail connection to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and occasionally one can view locomotives going to and from the railway, information about moves can be obtained from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The best place to view trains at Great Ayton station is on the road bridge which overlooks the station. Further information about station facilities can be obtained from Northern Rail.

References

  1. ^ Allen, Cecil J. (1974) [1964]. The North Eastern Railway. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 117. ISBN 0 7110 0495 1. 
  2. ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 108. ISBN 1 85260 508 1. R508. 

External links

Preceding station   National Rail   Following station
Northern Rail