York railway station

York
Overall roof in 2016
General information
Location	York, City of York England
Coordinates	53°57′30″N 1°05′35″W / 53.9583°N 1.0930°W / 53.9583; -1.0930
Grid reference	SE596517
Owned by	Network Rail
Managed by	London North Eastern Railway
Platforms	11
Other information
Station code	YRK
Classification	DfT category A
Key dates
25 June 1877	Opened
1909	Extended
Passengers
2018/19	9.991 million
Interchange	1.034 million
2019/20	10.089 million
Interchange	0.775 million
2020/21	1.836 million
Interchange	0.116 million
2021/22	8.092 million
Interchange	0.495 million
2022/23	8.863 million
Interchange	0.930 million
Listed Building – Grade II*
Feature	Station buildings
Designated	1 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^[update], 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 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.