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| Wetherby Race Course Railway Station |
Old and new photos of Wetherby Railway Station and Wetherby Race Course Railway Station
The photo to the left shows the little known Wetherby Racecourse Railway Station - how things have changed! See larger image below - and what the same place looks like today.
We also show photos of the main railway station in Wetherby, together with modern day views of the same places.
The next photo shows a steam locomotive just leaving Wetherby Railway Station and heading north. It may be going to Harrogate or through Wetherby and around past Wetherby Racecourse (where there was another Station - see below) and on to Tadcaster.
Wetherby Railway Station
The photo seems to have been taken from the Spofforth Hill road bridge (now the main A661 to Harrogate) over the railway line.
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| Wetherby Railway Station |
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| Where Wetherby Railway Station used to be! |
Here is Wetherby Station from the other end looking back to the Spofforth Hill bridge.
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| Wetherby Station |
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| Wetherby Railway Station is now a wasteland/car park |
Another view of the old railway station -
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| Steam Engine in Wetherby Railway Station |
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| Where has the Steam Engine gone? |
Wetherby Railway Lines
Here is a satellite view of Wetherby showing the old railway lines in blue. The red dot at the left is where the main Wetherby station used to be and the red dot at the right is where Wetherby Racecourse Railway Station was. It too is disused and no longer there.
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| Wetherby Railway System |
Walking/Cycling from Wetherby Railway Station
You can only get a few yards south west (the line that went to Leeds) from the old station because the path of the railway lines is really overgrown and leads straight into someone's back garden!
This next photo is taken from the Linton Road bridge looking north over the whole area where the railway station was. The Spofforth Hill bridge is in the distance beyond the area where the car is seen.
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| Looking back over Wetherby Railway Station from Linton Road bridge |
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| Where the railway line used to run towards Leeds (from Linton Road Bridge) |
The first two photos of Wetherby Station (above) were taken looking south from the Spofforth Hill road bridge and if you look off the other side of the bridge you can see the junction of the two lines below:
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| Wetherby Railway Junction - just before the Station |
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| Spofforth Hill Bridge - carrying the A661 |
However, you can pick up the route just over the A1... the part of the line that used to run along the south edge of Wetherby Racecourse. What remains now is a tarmac cycle path but there are some relics of the old Race Course station...
Wetherby Race Course Railway Station
Here is Wetherby Racecourse Station as it used to be:-  |
| Wetherby Racecourse Railway Station |
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| Site of Wetherby Racecourse Railway Station |
This too is a tarmac cycle path, but imagine great steam trains here, perhaps race-day specials, delivering racegoers from Leeds and Harrogate...
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| Old map of Wetherby showing location of the Racecourse Railway Station |
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| Location of the old Wetherby Race Course Railway Station |
Wetherby Racecourse Railway Station by Drone
I filmed the following drone footage over the site of the old railway station. As well as aerial views of the layout of the site of the station you can see the remains of some old fencing which may have lined the pedestrian route from the station to the racecourse itself. The line of trees shows the route of the old Wetherby to Church Fenton line - you can see this up to, and beyond the A1 at Wetherby and disappearing away in the other direction towards Thorp Arch/Church Fenton.
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| Site of Wetherby Racecourse Railway Station - now a bike track |
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| Bike track, where Race Course Station used to be |
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| Remains of Station Buildings |
Update Jan 2015 - Wetherby to Church Fenton LineFollowing the high winds of January 2015 a tree has been blown over onto the tracks of the Wetherby to Church Fenton Line, just past the Racecourse Station.All trains now terminate at the Racecourse Railway Station!  |
| Wetherby to Church Fenton Line blocked by fallen tree |
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| All trains terminate at the Racecourse Station due to the line being blocked by a fallen tree |
Once you have passed Wetherby Racecourse, the (now) cycle path becomes poorer and less well used but you are still following the path of the Wetherby to Church Fenton line.
There are some interesting bridges. This one, seems to just carry a disused track - maybe a way for the local farmer to get livestock across the railway line:-
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| Bridge 15 on the Wetherby to Church Fenton line |
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| The Plaque under Bridge 15 |
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| Looking towards Wetherby through bridge 15 |
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| Thorpe Arch Railway Bridge |
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| Plaque under Thorpe Arch Railway Bridge |
Thorp Arch Railway Station
Just a bit further down the track, there was a railway station at Thorp Arch. This railway station still stands and has been converted into an amazing private house - even the platforms are still there and form part of the landscaping. I would love to get photographs of this lovely house.
There is also an engine shed:-
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| Engine Shed just before Thorp Arch Railway Station |
Thorp Arch Viaduct
Continuing from Thorp Arch railway station, the old line (now Route 66 cycle path) goes through/around Thorp Arch industrial estate but used to come to an abrupt end with some fierce looking railings at Thorp Arch Viaduct, an amazing 10 arch structure with a big central section that spans the River Wharfe.
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| Railings keeping you off Thorp Arch Viaduct |
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| Thorp Arch Viaduct when it was decayed, dropping to bits and dangerous! |
Here is the same view in 2019...
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| Thorp Arch Viaduct restored, at least as a cycle path/walkway |
This was the view under the first (North) half of the central section spanning the River Wharfe, doesn't look good does it?
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| Thorp Arch Viaduct was see-through in 2013 |
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| The northern half of Thorp Arch Viaduct 2013 |
Here is the restored Thorp Arch Viaduct by Drone:
APPEAL
Please let me know if you have any old photos of any part of the Wetherby railway system that you would allow me to feature on this blog...
Love this post!
ReplyDeleteThe "engine shed" above appears to be the goods shed where miscellaneous boxes, sacks, parcels, etc. would be loaded and unloaded. Thorp Arch was merely a wayside station and would never have had its own engine shed, being served by trains to and from larger centres.
ReplyDeleteDave - thank you for your post and correction of my terminology. I only use the term "engine shed" loosely. I assume an engine shed is rather bigger and used to "park up", and perhaps work on, stock that is not being used? In any event, it looks like a really well preserved building into which trains could go - "goods shed"... I'm happy with that. Thank you :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely post and fotos old bridge, greeting from Belgium
ReplyDeletethere are some more nice pictures of wethery railway station on leodis website. these pictures are great, & i remember wetherby station closing, & watched everything get torn down. we played in the derelict buildings for years after.
ReplyDeletedoes anyone know the name of the A4 locomotive at wetherby station
ReplyDeleteHi there, brilliant blog I must say! The first image of wetherby station the train is heading towards spoffoth ( points are set that way) and indeed, if you walk from the steel bridge towards the station, looking closely at the ground on the right hand side, you can clearly see the platform edge ( cattle dock) . Also near the road entrance nearly in line with the lights, you can see the foundation of the ticket pedestal and runner for the sliding door ( both cast iron). The A4 that I'm aware of is 60032 - Gannett. Re: Racecourse station... lamp posts and the concrete posts holding the nameboard still remain opposite the now current bmx track - the concrete plinth situated at the top of the mound there was the concrete foundation to the wooden building in the old image. The station being made out of sleepers and ash, buildings were 'placed' atop. Again, if you venture in to the shrubbery or into the adjacent field, you can still sfhjee the back end of the platform wherenit was concreted for stability. The bricks photographed are the foundations of the footbridge. At thorp arch therwas no shed as such, but locomotives, coaching stock and wagons were stored in the expansive sidings for the munitions factory ( RoF Thorp arch itself had a large internal network fed from this line). The factory of which had its own single locoshed as depicted on ordinance maps of the site. Hope this clears a few things up and answers a few questions. SD
ReplyDeleteStephen - many thanks for your information... I will have to revisit the stations and have another look...
DeleteIf the remains of the lamp posts and the concrete posts holding the sign are still there, opposite the BMX track, that must mean that the old photo of the Racecourse Railway Station is actually looking TOWARDS Wetherby? So the main station buildings are on the right? I had assumed it was looking towards Thorp Arch. This means that my photo "from the same spot" is the wrong way round :-)
Do you have any more information because this is fascinating. Mike
Hi mike, upon further inspection and recollection, I may be mistaken on two points made previous... firstly the cattle dock platform is not on the right hand side, its on the left, on the right there is/was the post holding the totem ( station sign ) which could be made out through the brambles. There are also the remains of the wetherby name board at to the top of the access path off the road leading to spoforth ( metal bridge). Secondly, somewhat puzzlingly is the brick remains at racecourse... further inspection places the footbridge on the wetherby end of the platform; where the remains are is on the Thorp arch end. Pondering for a while the only thing I can think of as to what they were is the foundation of the signal box type building as can be seen from this image courtesy of Google images. http://s269.photobucket.com/user/currantbun_bucket/media/A10/A10-225_zps1c8cb772.jpg.html . Having only just seen this picture, its fascinating to see what actually remains! As the weather is nice, I may stroll around to the sites and take a few snaps. Hope this helps a little :-D .
DeleteWell... I've been back to the Racecourse Station for another look...
DeleteI more or less crawled through all the bushes on both sides and can find no trace of the three concrete posts that would have held that sign. I would dearly love to find them!
Looking at the old black and white photo again - it MUST be looking towards Wetherby? There is a bridge in the distance: obviously the A1 was in a different place in those days but there must have been some bridge there at that time. So - if the photo is looking towards Wetherby, am I right in assuming that the main station buildings were on the right? There appears to be an angled wooden fence, perhaps funnelling passengers onto the path (Racecourse side) that led them down towards the racecourse buildings?
The brick remains are exactly opposite the BMX track so they could be what remains of that little building (waiting room?) seen just to the left of the footbridge? I would go with that rather than the signal box building seen in that other photo you refer to. That seems to be further along, towards Thorp Arch?
I need to go back... I have GOT to find those three concrete posts...!
Going to go back to the main Wetherby Station too, to have another look for the platforms etc that you referred to. Hunting ghosts... :-)
Only a year and seven months since I last posted...Apologies! Walked down from thorp arch today and took plenty snaps of Racecourse. I've uploaded these to the disused railways of Yorkshire Facebook group (hopefully you can access this). Taken pics of the lamp post that remains on the platform, where I think the nameboard posts were and of that big concrete abutment in the picture from my last comment. I will try upload these pics to somewhere where I can share them on here!
DeleteGood to have you back... where are those photos... I need to see them :-)
DeleteHopefully if you go to the following link it will bring you to the 'disused railways of Yorkshire' group where I've uploaded them. If not, will try alternate means.
Deletehttps://m.facebook.com/groups/1647352755494595?message_id=1703876409842229&ref=m_notif¬if_t=like&actorid=1128543819
The A4 at wetherby station is 600032 Gannet
ReplyDeleteWell done Dave a cracking piece of work. I am a newcomer to Wetherby only been here since 1970...and have walked the railways loads of times.One puzzle that I have still to resolve is details of a signal box in the V of the lines coming from Spofforth, one line to the station and one line on the church Fenton.A work colleague told me years ago he was a lad working in that box. The Signalman had an annoying habit of disappearing just before the train from Spofforth came into view... and he had to make the choice of which way he was to send it....Station or church Fenton. Don't panic indeed! It was in the country side then, none of the present houses were there so a picture probably has never been taken
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I parked my car in the old station car park today before cycling which included Thorpe Arch to Wetherby.
ReplyDeleteSpent most of my childhood playing up the railway line. It was myself and friends who turned the old remains of the racecourse station into a BMX track back around 1983. We also use to play at the back of the old Engine Shed which was waste land back then. It still had parts of an old Railway turn table there. Happy days
ReplyDelete