Battersby railway station

Battersby railway station serves the village of Battersby in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Esk Valley Line 11 miles (18 km) south of Middlesbrough and is operated by Northern Trains which provides all of the station's passenger services.

Battersby
LocationBattersby, Hambleton
England
Coordinates54°27′26″N 1°05′37″W
Grid referenceNZ588072
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2 (1 in use)
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeBTT
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original companyNorth Eastern Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
1 April 1868Opened as Ingleby Junction
30 September 1878Renamed Battersby Junction
1 May 1893Renamed Battersby
Passengers
2015/16 1,458
2016/17 1,660
2017/18 1,564
2018/19 1,520
2019/20 1,760
Location
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History

Track layout at Battersby railway station

Battersby is unusual on the British railway network, due to the layout of the tracks. Formerly the place where the branch from Middlesbrough joined the through route from Whitby to Picton (on the Stockton to Northallerton portion of the former Leeds Northern Railway), the closure of the direct line west of Battersby in 1954 means that all services have to reverse in the station. Until the rationalisation of the signalling in the late 1980s it was common for two trains to do so at the same time, in order to pass each other on the single track Esk Valley line. Trains can still pass each other in the one remaining platform, using the "first in, last out" principle, as the platform line is signalled to permit two trains to occupy it at once.

In its early years Battersby was known as Ingleby Junction, and opened on the Picton to Grosmont line in 1858 when the Ingleby Mining company's private line first linked to the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Railway. The station was renamed to Battersby Junction in 1878 to avoid confusion with Ingleby station, on the Picton Branch, which ran from Battersby to the main line at Picton. The station was simplified to "Battersby" in 1893 (The NER had a dislike of "Junction" suffixes and removed most of them).[1] Despite being located along single track routes, Battersby became a major hub with extensive marshalling sidings and three-road engine shed with turntable.[2] Two terraces with 30 cottages along with two houses were built and still stand today.

Battersby used to have three platforms: two long through platforms connected by a central footbridge and a shorter bay platform with a run-round loop. Water towers were located at both ends of the station. Only the one at the current "junction end" remains today. The signal box located here has long since vanished, but traces of the third platform are still visible and a run-round loop is available for loco-hauled trains.

Services

Route 5:
Esk Valley Line
Middlesbrough
James Cook
Marton
Gypsy Lane
Nunthorpe
Great Ayton
Battersby
Kildale
Commondale
Castleton Moor
Danby
Lealholm
Glaisdale
Egton
Grosmont
Sleights
Ruswarp
Whitby

Following the September 2020 timetable change, Battersby is served by six trains per day (four on Sunday) towards Whitby, and eight trains per day (four on Sunday) towards Nunthorpe and Middlesbrough.[3]

See also

References

  1. Hoole, K. (1983). Railways of the North York Moors: Dalesman Books. ISBN 0-85206-731-3
  2. Hayes R.H. & Rutter, J.G. (1974). Rosedale Mines and Railway: Scarborough and District Archeological Society. Research Report No. 9
  3. "Train times: Middlesbrough to Whitby (Esk Valley Railway)" (PDF). Northern Trains. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
Preceding station National Rail Following station
Great Ayton   Northern Trains
Esk Valley Line
  Kildale
Disused railways
Ingleby   North Eastern Railway
Picton and Battersby Line
  Terminus
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