History
The line was built by George Hudson's York and North Midland Railway and opened on 7 July 1845. The line was constructed remarkably quickly by the standards of the time, taking just one year and three days to complete the 42-mile route. This feat was possible because the Y&NMR decided against the more costly and time-consuming option of building a tunnel through the Howardian Hills south of Malton. Instead the chosen route meanders with the River Derwent for around four miles, creating a slower but more scenically pleasant experience for passengers
The new railway included a 6-mile branch from Rillington to Pickering that connected with the horse-worked Whitby and Pickering Railway which the Y&NMR immediately proceeded to take over and upgrade for steam traction.
Most of the intermediate stations on the line were closed to passengers in September 1930 as the number of excursion and holiday trains going straight through to Scarborough during that period meant that the line was too busy to accommodate local services. The closed stations retained their goods facilities and were maintained for occasional passenger use by excursion trains until the 1960s.
There are currently plans to re-open the stations at Haxby and Strensall due to the growth of population in those areas. In January 2009 funding to re-open Haxby station was confirmed but the Strensall plan has yet to come to fruition.
Read more about this topic: York To Scarborough Line
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