Potto railway station

Potto railway station was a railway station built just north of the village of Potto in North Yorkshire, England. The station was on the North Yorkshire and Cleveland's railway line between Picton and Stokesley. The line was extended progressively until it met the Whitby and Pickering Line at Grosmont. Potto station was closed in 1954 to passengers and four years later to goods.

This article is about the railway station that served Potto, North Yorkshire. For the railway station that served Potton, Bedfordshire, see Potton railway station.

Potto
The former station in 2009
LocationHambleton, North Yorkshire
England
Coordinates 54°26′05.0″N 1°16′30.2″W
Grid referenceNZ471046
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyNorth Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-groupingLondon North Eastern Railway
Key dates
3 March 1857 (1857-03-03)Station opened
12 June 1954 (1954-06-12)Station closed to passengers
1 December 1958 (1958-12-01)Station closed completely

History

The station was opened with the line in 1857 when the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway Company built their line between Picton and Stokesley.[1] Picton became a north facing junction on the Leeds Northern Railway that allowed services on the line through Potto to work between Stockton and Whitby.[2] The line and stations were taken over by the North Eastern Railway (NER) in 1859.[3] The station was in use for passengers until 1954 when the line became freight only, with freight being withdrawn by December 1958.[4] During the last few years of operation, only the eastbound track was used through the station, whilst the westbound track was used for wagon storage.[5]

The station had only nine stationmasters, of whom the first three, were from the same family (grandfather, father and son) and were incumbent between 1857 and 1911. The last stationmaster was appointed in 1945[6] and he formally ended his tenure as stationmaster in 1960, just over a year after the line had closed.[7]

Between 1867 and 1892, Potto was the junction for the Whorlton Branch line which served Ailesbury ironstone mines in the Whorlton and Swainby region to the south of Potto.[8]

Cabin in the former station yard

After closure, the main station building became a private house with the goods yard and other sidings becoming part of the freight depot for a road freight haulier.[9] The haulage company have left the weighbridge cabin and former NER crane in-situ.[10]

References
  1. Hoole, K (1983). "3: Battersby - Grosmont". Railways of the North York Moors : a pictorial history. Clapham: Dalesman Books. p. 20. ISBN 0-85206-731-3.
  2. Body, Geoffrey (1989). Railways of the Eastern Region. Wellingborough: Stephens. p. 119. ISBN 1-85260-072-1.
  3. Burgess, Neil (2011). The Lost Railways of Yorkshire's North Riding. Catrine: Stenlake. p. 8. ISBN 9781840335552.
  4. Hoole, K. (1985). Railway stations of the North East. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 182. ISBN 0-7153-8527-5.
  5. Suggitt, Gordon (2005). Lost railways of North and East Yorkshire. Newbury: Countryside Books. p. 64. ISBN 978-1-85306-918-5.
  6. Maynard, Peter J (2015). "3: A Brief Description of the Railway, Picton to Kildale". The North Yorkshire & Cleveland Railway. North Eastern Railway Association. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-873513-98-9.
  7. Whitlock, Mike. "Potto Station - A history of Potto Station & the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Railway Company". www.pottostation.co.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  8. Young, Alan (2015). Lost Stations of Yorkshire; the North and East Ridings. Kettering: Silver Link. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-85794-453-2.
  9. Bairstow, Martin (2008). Railways around Whitby (3 ed.). Halifax: Martin Bairstow. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-871944-34-1.
  10. "Disused Stations: Potto Station". www.disused-stations.org.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Trenholme Bar   NER
Picton-Battersby Line		   Sexhow
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