A short history by Frank Johnston-Banks
Presentation to Easingwold u3a History & Heritage Group on Thursday 18th March 2021
"Our Local Express"
Image 1 - Title Page
Context and Before the Railway
Easingwold's late medieval industry was largely confined to a tannery and handful of shoemakers, but in the late 18th century it grew prosperous on the back of the coaching trade, which developed in the 1780s.
The town stood on the main road from York to Newcastle and was a natural first stop for stagecoaches travelling north. At its peak there are said to have been 26 inns to serve travellers, either around the Market Place or along Long Street, when the principal coaching inns for through traffic were the New Inn, which served as the excise office, and the original Rose & Crown (where was that? – Where Longley House is now)- the population quickly rising to 1,467 in 1801 to 1,912 by 1821.
These were heady days indeed for Easingwold!
The Great North of England railway
However in 1836, the Great North of England Railway Act was passed, authorising it to build a railway from York to Darlington and then soon to connect all the way south to London.
In January 1841 the railway was opened for goods & freight, and by March it was opened for passenger traffic. There were stations at Shipton, Tollerton, Alne, Raskelf and Sessay and five, trains, each way during the day,
As a significant agricultural market town in the Vale of York, Easingwold recognised the need for a railway connection early on – but we lost out big time as the main line did not go through Easingwold after all. This decision was a calamity for us and greatly affected Easingwold then on.
Coaching was a major source of the town's obvious prosperity in the early 1800s as I’ve mentioned, , most of the traffic was being diverted to the alternative rail route.
Anything to do with Stagecoaching was affected and thus employment declined rapidly and so did the Town’s prosperity – indeed its population fell significantly as a result.
Within a few years –all of the large stage based carriers either went out of business or transferred the bulk of their business to the railways and coaching Inns were closing all over Easingwold .
A small North Riding Town, not directly served by a railway was in for a period of stagnation at best.
In 1851, the population of Easingwold peaked at about 2240 - 80 years later in 1931, it only stood at 2043 - and it did not really expand much further until after WW2 as it became increasingly a pleasant commuter town for York and Leeds. Let’s return to our story…
When it was seen the main line was not going to run through Easingwold, the agitation for such a connection switched to a demand if not panic, for a branch line.
Image 2 – Post stage coach to Alne station
Image 3 Easingwold Map 1856 -
A number of schemes were proposed but we had to wait for another 25 years before a number of leading landowners and residents got together and found the willing and indeed put their money where their mouth was - for a new branch line - resulting in the Easingwold Railway Act of 1887
The Easingwold Railway Company was finally formed on 23rd of August, 1887, its first directors, being as I said, the wealthy landowners & residents of the area.
- Sir George Wombwell of Newburgh Priory,
- Mr Joseph Love of Hawkhills,
- George Hudson Smith ( yes that’s GH Smith the printer)
- Honorary Francis Dawnay of Benningbrough Hall with £12,000 of capital.
Image 4 – EWR book of reference cover
Image 5 – EWR reference book of adjacent landowners
Construction
After funding was secured, construction was contracted to the ominously named Death & Co. However they lived up to their name and went bust during construction!
A second contractor was found and the line opened on 27 July 1891 at a cost of £17,000.
£5,000 over budget.
Image 6 – EWR Engineering plans & sections cover
Image 7 – Engineering map of the route
It was built as a standard gauge light railway with rails spiked directly to the sleepers
The Board of Trade inspectors described the line as more or less a tram road; and restricted its speed to 12mph.
Image 9 - EW terminus at knott lane
Image 10 – Map of terminus superimposed on modern buildings
Image 11 – EW station 1905
Early (pre war) years
The 2 1/2 mile (or more accurately 2 miles 28 chains) branch running from a bay platform at Alne was opened on 27th July 27 1891. The line had cost about £17,000 to construct, £5,000 over budget.. The official opening day was Saturday 25th July 1891, and was obviously a large event for the residents of Easingwold.
The first train was driven by Mr Sidney Smith – son of one of the Directors and funders GH Smith…(yes that’s the GH Smith of the printers) still then a teenager! History doesn’t record what the more experienced drivers on the railway thought of that!
The directors decided to celebrate the opening by giving the some 400 local school children and teachers of the town a free ride to Alne and back – bearing in mind most of the children and adults had probably never seen a train in their lives!
As you can imagine, the station etc was decorated with flags and banners – it was a real red letter day for Easingwold! There was much cheering as the engine whistle blew to announce the train.
At 4.00pm, tea was provided for the children and teachers in the market hall (now probably the GH Smiths building I imagine) Three cheers were raised for the directors for the trips and everyone was invited to the beautiful grounds of the Vicarage on Church Hill (not the current vicarage it must be said!) The proceedings ended at 8.00pm with the National Anthem. It must have been quite a day!
The station had a single platform with a small timber building; there was also an extensive goods yard comprising four sidings, passing loop, goods sheds, weighbridge, weigh office, coal drops, cattle dock and a yard for cattle to auction, and an engine shed large enough for the one loco owned by the company but not large enough for the bigger locos later hired.
Before the First World War there were nine trains in each direction on weekdays but the line never had a Sunday service. During this period the company had a staff of twelve, made up of one stationmaster, one clerk, four porters, two drivers, one fireman, one guard, and two permanent way men. There were two level crossings – one at Alne and one at Crankley Lane, both would have a house and a gate keeper.
And if you think mischievous behaviour is a new thing, a curious accident occurred on the Easingwold railway in 1906. In August of that year the Easingwold magistrates had before them four boys, who had manage to set off a truck in the goods yard at Easingwold, which then gained enough momentum to crash through the level crossing gates at Crankley before coming to rest not far from Alne station!
Image 11A – EW steam wagon for distribution of goods from station
From 1906, NER agreed to provide a “railhead service from Easingwold to Brandsby, Crayke & Stillington – mainly for farming produce, thus relieving EWR from financial responsibly. Railway staff were still responsible for the loading & unloading at the station – and indeed for providing its shed
Timetables.
Image 11 B – EW Timetable
In the pre first world war period, there was a passenger service of up to 9 return trains
By 1927, this was reduced to 6 return trips daily (not Sunday)
1940 wartime saw only 3 passenger trains daily and in 1946, this was further reduced to 2 trips daily by 1946. All passenger services stopped in 1948, but freight lasted a while longer –just.
Journey time from Easingwold to Alne was 8 minutes – for 2.5 miles this averaged at under 20mph! Not that different to the typical narrow gauge railway at Newby Hall for example!
Tickets were very similar to the NER and were indeed sold in local NER stations such as Leeds, Scarborough, Stockton & York.
Image 11 C – Ticket
Image 11 C - Ticket
Engine & Stock
Any railway buffs on here?
Image 12 – EW Engine No2 – the famous T’awd Coffee Pot – 1903 - 1947
The line took ownership of at least three locomotives; initially a small 0-4-0 Hudswell Clarke steam engine was planned but it was decided to use a larger one instead – a 0-6-0, or as it was named, Easingwold No 1.
There is some doubt about Easingwold colour but she probably started off painted Midland Red, and was later green.. Easingwold No 1 was sold off in 1903.
Hudswell Clarke works No. 608 or Easingwold No 2 was supplied on 7 May 1903 and this was our well know engine you see in most of the pictures of our railway. It was known affectionately as the T’awd Coffee Pot in fact!
It was more powerful than the other two locomotives though. No 2, started off Midland Red, but by 1908 she was black. About 1935 she reverted to Midland Red.
This locomotive survived until 1948/49 when T'Awd was scrapped in the winter at Darlington when it arrived for a new firebox and boiler. It was basically worn out after 45 years use! One of her maker's plates has been preserved in the National Railway Museum.
A replacement locomotive was obtained on a lease agreement was chosen instead of the estimated £1,400 price of new equipment. No diesels are believed to have ever passed on its tracks.
Track
The Easingwold Railway was short at only 2.5 miles long and with two stations.
Image 13EW railway terminus at Alne
The line started at a bay on the northern end of the Up platform of Alne Station. A water tower column was located on the bay platform, but this was removed during the 1930s.
A single siding was located at the Crankley level crossing. This siding was rarely used and was typically locked.
Level Crossings
Level Crossings were at Alne (Station Rd) and at Crankley Lane – each had an associated house with a person employed as a gate keeper.
Image 14 – Original terminus behind Budgens
Interestingly the railway was originally planned to reach the back of what was to become the Royal Oak in Long St (next to Budgens), this proved too expensive – and as the Railway was always run on a shoestring budget, the directors decided to end the line at Knott Lane and saved the cost of a Knott Lane level crossing and associated house and keeper.
Image 15 – EW No 2 & workers
Image 16 – Hudson Clarke advert 1929
Image 17 – EW No 2 & Station Hotel in background
Image 18 – EW Railway waiting at EW station
Image 19 – EW No2 & rolling stock
Between the wars
Unlike most light railways, the Easingwold Railway was profitable for much of its life. Although it made a loss in its first year, it was turning a profit by 1893.
Image 20 – EWR dividend payment at 3% in 1920
By 1920, the Easingwold was paying a regular dividend of about 3-4% before road competition began to affect railway traffic. A 1% dividend was paid in 1931 - the last dividend until World War 2. Heavy war time traffic resulted in high traffic levels and good profits for a few years and a dividend of 3% was paid in 1943.
Image 21 – EWR at EW station
Freight traffic was mainly agricultural and was always more important than passenger revenue allowing the line to remain in profit until the 1920's but the end of the decade the company was finding it difficult to compete with road transport with only a 1% dividend being paid in 1931
The first recorded goods traffic was a batch of horses destined for Malton Show in July 1897 and the last load was several wagons of sugar beet destined I guess for the factory in Selby or York. In between, all types of loads were carried as the opportunity arose.. Also carried were thousands of day old chickens from nearby Spinks Chicken farms.
Freight revenue improved during WW2 when the rails carried much ammunition, for example to feed the airfields at Tholthorpe, Eastmoor and perhaps Linton until it was pointed out that the rapidly wearing out track was unsafe to carry heavy loads of munitions with the risk of derailment and consequent explosion.
In 1944 the windfalls of income from war supplies was ploughed back into the company by relaying the track with second-hand L.N.E.R. materials. The company was criticised at the time for not paying a dividend while the line was in profit!
And as we know, the war ended soon after the new track was laid. – and so did the high war department usage and sadly the line lost money thereafter.
Post war & Closure
Image 23 – EW station scene 1957 near closure
Image 24 – Station hotel 1949
Image 25 – Midland bank office at EW station
There was a very small Midland Bank office on the station for some time – after closure it moved to Church St as a small office and ended up as a garden shed in Husthwaite!
Image 28 – looking across to gates in corner of Raskelf Rd (Station Rd) & Knott Lane
Unfortunately the end of the war and the resulting drastic reduction in passenger and freight traffic quickly led to losses. In 1947, the Easingwold lost £1,078. Profitability was not helped by the need to hire locomotives to replace No. 2 which was basically worn out by the busy war time traffic.
Sadly it was a case of use it or lose it and the branch was clearly headed for closure and passenger services were withdrawn on 29th November 1948 - though a number of enthusiasts specials used the line through the 1950's
Image 29 – Crankley tracks & siding almost hidden in 1957
Image 29A – EW railway in colour 1955
The station remained open for freight with for another 8 years or so run on a shoestring with little maintenance being done. But by the end of 1956 the line was losing £ 1,700 a year with no hope of a turnaround. .
Things got so bad that in September 1957 – the British Transport Commission (British Rail) withdrew supply of leased rolling stock to EWR and effectively closed the company..
The last train left Easingwold on Friday 27th December 1957 in drizzling rain. Hauled by Engine J72 No. 68698, with “City of Tears” chalked on the side tanks and “Omega” on the smoke box. It was driven by George Paragreen, with 40 years of experience behind him, dropped the fire for the last time – and then had to get a lift home to Easingwold by car as BR relief crew had forgotten about their rendevouz.
The train carried several wagons of sugar beet, and the 4-wheel van with the Directors, General Manager and various passengers. These passengers included two who had travelled on the Easingwold Railway's opening train 66 years earlier – notably Mr Sidney Smith – the young Directors son who had driven the first train way back in 1891!
Disappointingly, no public announcement was made that this was to be the last train on the line at its ignominious end.
Image 30 – Earnest Broad & Andy the Mare – parcel delivery
For local deliveries, EWR for many years owned and ran a 4 wheel dray but a local carter actually provided the horse and did the delivering and collecting, For many years until the railways closure, Earnest Ward with his grey mare Andy, was a familiar sight in the area. Sadly at the end of the railway, they had to retire.
Disposal of Assets
Image 32 – EWR liquidation accounts
So the line and the company went into voluntary liquidation with debts of £17,000. But – remember the Easingwold Railway Act which started it all? To close the title would require another Act of Parliament and that was not – and probably never will happen!
Image 33 – Incorporation to EWR Ltd
All the assets & debt were therefore transferred to a limited Company – Easingwold Railway Ltd which dealt with all the financial matters before it was closed. In legal terms at least the Easingwold Railway Company still exists – and probably always will!
Extraordinary winding up meetings were called and the company’s assets all sold off to repay its creditors.
Image 34 – EWR station after removal of track
Image 35 – Original station cottages
Assets
The long serving drivers Mr Pagreen and Mr Morse were sold their cottages as a reduced rate in recognition of their long company service!
Railway Cottages on Raskelf Rd which are still there of course
No#1 sold to Driver Paragreen for £150
No#2 sold to Mr Spink for £250
No#3 sold to Mr Morse for £150
No#4 sold to Mr North for £300
Land at Alne Station to BTC (British Rail) for £40
Records show that Mr Morse was sold the old weighing machine and old safe for removing all the rubbish at the station!
It was also resolved to destroy the books and papers of the Company and liquidator 12 months after closure !
Land comprising the Action Mart, Grass Paddock & Station Yard & Buildings - £3000 to Mr Simpson?
All of the rolling stock was leased and thus of no asset value.
Personnel
I could not give a history of the railway without mentioning te people that worked t here.
Railway Company Directors
In 1891 the following wealthy landowners put up £12000 as share capital to start the Company – obviously with an eye for both making money and to deliver their farm produce more cheaply.
Sir George Orby Wombwell of Newburgh Priory
Mr Joseph Horatio Love of Hawkhills - Chair
George Hudson Smith the GH Smith of the printers
Honorary Francis Herbert Dawnay of Benningbrough Hall.
By 1910, almost all the directors had changed exception being George Wombwell.
A few stalwart directors remained with the company for many years including Mr Robinson until his early death.. But a certain Mr Coates joined in 1923 I think and stayed until his death in 1953 – more of this later.
EWR was a small company yes, but had a very local and very loyal workforce!
For most of the railways existence the staff totalled 12 men and many in Easingwold would have known at least one of them I’m sure!
In the leaner post war years however, this was reduced to only 4 men – all trying to keep the railway going!
George Pargreen – born in Crankley gatehouse where his sister Emily Dalton was the crossing keeper. He joined EWR after leaving school A cheerful personality, he served over 40 years on the footplate, but never found (he said) his work monotonous!
He drove the very last train at its closure. Sadly soon afterwards he had a stroke and died in hospital in 1967. His father was Mr W Pargreen who helped to lay the original track in 1891, and as Foreman Platelayer, continued to maintain it for the next 50 years!
Edward Morse (known as Jack!) came to EW from Crewe in the very early 1900’s, coming from a long line of railway men. A framed drawing given to him for cleaning one of Queen Victorias coaches on the Royal Train hung proudly in his cottage parlour – wonder what happened to it?
Starting work in Easingwold in 1906, during the next 51 years (!) tackled most jobs there were to be done including engine driver, guard, ticket collector and helping to distribute parcels. Apparently his handwriting was a delight to see!
When EWR closed, he became Depot Agent at Easingwold for British Railways goods delivery by vanto & from York. And attended at the old station until 1963-4.
When he finally retired at the age of – 87 years old. He died in 1960 aged 90
Mrs Margaret Coates
Margaret’s husband was a director of EWR from the 1920’s for many years but at his early death in 1953, Margaret was elected onto the board as she held her husband’s shares. During 1955, the other directors in the ailing company left leaving Margaret (who had no management experience I understand let alone turning round a railway company on its knee, the only director for a year!
She must have had an awful job – talk about being dropped in at the deep end!
She lived afterwards in Long St for some time afterwards – I am assuming she is no longer with us – but does anyone know either way?
Image 36 – Track bed looking towards the station
Aftermath
The line was often referred to as England’s shortest standard gauge passenger railway at about 2 1/2 miles in length. It wasn’t in fact there were at least two others shorter
Easingwold Railway 2 miles 36.5 chains
Churston & Brixham railway 2 miles 6 chains
Waterloo & City Railway 1 mile 45 Chains
– but it was certainly England’s shortest independent railway !
Within two years Alne Station was closed and demolished during the main line modernisation.
Easingwold station survived in a derelict condition until 1967 when it was destroyed by fire leaving only the Station Hotel standing.
Image 37 – Station court & course of railway
The station remained as a Council Yard for several years and BR retained use of the office & goods yard as a depot for local deliveries until 1964 when a mysterious fire burnt down the station buildings. The site remained derelict until it was acquired by HDC for social housing – now owned through Broadacres of course – the name – what else but Station Court.
land occupied by the auction mart paddock to the east of the station was built on later with the appropriate name Drovers Court!.
Image 37A – Path of track bed again at rear of station court
Easingwold Council has retained a small stretch of the branch line between Drovers Court and Station Court as a park for the Station Court Housing Estate, the track being removed by the spring of 1960. You can still walk along the old line there for a short distance.
Today few signs of the railway survive except the Station Hotel, though that is no longer open for business as it is a private house. Prior to closure as a Hotel, it was run by various owners – names I have are the Willis Family and I believe the Allinsons later, as well as a Mr Ken Clark during the 1970’s and by Geoffrey Simpson who is still with us.
Image 37B – EW Brewery beer mats
In the 1990’s it became a craft brewery for a while and there are still many in Easingwold who remember many enjoyable times there for a drink. It was reputed by some to have a ghost in the beer cellar!
Image 38 – Track line on google maps
You can still see the original track bed from the air though – have a look at Google maps and see!
Image 39 – Track bed near Alne station
Track at Alne
I am hoping to put in place via the town council perhaps, either an interpretation board on the site of the railway or if possible a short railway history trail around the area showing the locations of the various buildings.
Image 41 – Englands longest garden?
Alne garden
An interesting aside to our railway occurred in a house at Alne Station. The plot, along with the two-bedroom house that sits at one end of it, was sold for £300,000 8 or so years ago. The Gables at Alne, 11 miles from York, was a house was originally occupied by a gatekeeper who operated the level crossing.
It incorporates a good length of the original railway track bed. In fact the garden is 30ft wide and three-quarters of a mile long. – Is it englands longest garden?
It takes a good half-hour to walk to the end of the garden and back, if that wasn’t enough, - the hedge that runs all the way down one side of it is in need of constant trimming!
Image 42 – Mr & Mrs Topham
The previous owner was ex-postmaster Ian Topham, 73, who retired to the former railway worker’s cottage with his 71-year-old wife Barbara nine years previous after spotting its potential. Mr Topham, a former mayor of nearby Boroughbridge, has transformed the elongated plot of land that a previous owner had used to grow trees.
The garden was divided into a number of distinctive areas, beginning with a patio, pond and barbecue area behind the house, surrounded by flower borders. Beyond it is a 12ft greenhouse used for growing seedlings, tomatoes and cucumbers, while an enormous 40ft structure further down is for tomatoes and year-round baby carrots and turnips. A recently planted rose garden with pergolas comes next, followed by a 70ft-long Nissen hut that Mr Topham used as a workshop.
Further down are two paddocks and an old railway goods carriage once used as a goat shelter. Finally, there is what Mr Topham called a wildlife area with trees, daffodils, snowdrops, other wild flowers and a stream.
Would you like to live in a house like this?
Thank you very much for your patience!
Any Questions
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