York railway station

York
National Rail
Overall roof in 2016
General information
LocationYork, City of York
England
Coordinates53°57′30″N 1°05′35″W / 53.9583°N 1.0930°W / 53.9583; -1.0930
Grid referenceSE596517
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byLondon North Eastern Railway
Platforms11
Other information
Station codeYRK
ClassificationDfT category A
Key dates
25 June 1877Opened
1909Extended
Passengers
2018/19Increase 9.991 million
 Interchange Decrease 1.034 million
2019/20Increase 10.089 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.775 million
2020/21Decrease 1.836 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.116 million
2021/22Increase 8.092 million
 Interchange Increase 0.495 million
2022/23Increase 8.863 million
 Interchange Increase 0.930 million
Listed Building – Grade II*
FeatureStation buildings
Designated1 July 1968
Reference no.1256554[1]
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

York railway station is on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) serving the cathedral city of York, North Yorkshire, England. It is 188 miles 40 chains (303.4 km) north of London King's Cross and on the main line it is situated between Doncaster to the south and Thirsk to the north. As of June 2018, the station is operated by London North Eastern Railway.[2] It is the busiest station in North Yorkshire, the second busiest in Yorkshire & the Humber, and the fifth busiest in Northern England.[3] In Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins, the station was one of only ten to be awarded five stars.[4]

The present York Station was built during the 1870s after it had become clear that the old station, which could not facilitate through traffic due to its positioning, was a hindrance to long distance express services along what is now referred to as the ECML. Designed by the North Eastern Railway architects Thomas Prosser and William Peachey and built by Lucas Brothers, the station was built to be expansive and well-furnished from the onset, complete with a distinctive curved train shed. Upon its opening on 25 June 1877, it was the largest railway station in the world, possessing it had 13 platforms along with various amenities, including a dedicated hotel (now The Principal York). Various additional facilities, from lengthened platforms to additional passenger facilities such as tea sheds, would be subsequently built.

The station took extensive damage from German bombers during the Second World War, resulting in both deaths and injuries amongst the staff. Repairs to the station were completed in 1947. Journey times between York and other destinations along the ECML were slashed following the introduction of the British Rail Class 55 locomotives and the Intercity 125 high speed trains. During the late 1980s, extensive changes were made to the signalling and track layout through and around the station as a part of the wider electrification of the ECML. These works facilitated the use of electric traction, such as the Intercity 225, at York Station for the first time. Further improvements to the station have continued following the privatisation of British Rail, including new control facilities, additional retail units, redesigned approaches, and track layout changes.

York Station is a key junction approximately halfway between London and Edinburgh. It is approximately five miles (eight kilometres) north of the point where the Cross Country and TransPennine Express routes via Leeds join the main line, connecting Scotland and the North East, North West, Midlands and southern England. The junction was historically a major site for rolling stock manufacture, maintenance and repair.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference HE1256554 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Station facilities for York". National Rail. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Estimates of station usage". ORR Data Portal. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ^ Morrison, Richard (9 December 2017). "Review: Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.