I WAS naturally pleased to see the photographs I took of the last official freight train on the Ryedale lines on August 7, 1964 included in the August 12 edition of The Press.

However, two captions were incorrectly shown: the middle right side photo caption should have read “Leaving Coxwold with its train”, and the bottom right side photo caption should have read “Leaving Helmsley heading for Kirbymoorside [railway spelling]”.

More of a disappointment to me, as the one who provided the correct information from which the article was produced, were the errors it contained.

For example, Malton did not close on October 19, 1964; it’s still very much open on the York to Scarborough Trans-Pennine route.

For the benefit of railway enthusiasts, the correct sequence of closure dates are: Kirbymoorside (excl) - Pickering Mill Lane Junction, February 2, 1953; Bishophouse Junction - Sunbeck Junction, February 15, 1959; Pilmoor (formerly Sessay Wood Junction) - Sunbeck Junction - Husthwaite Gate (excl), March 19, 1963; Husthwaite Gate (inc) – Gilling – Kirbymoorside (inc) and Gilling - Amotherby (excl), August 10. 1964.

This left a four-mile stub between Amotherby (inc) and Malton East Junction which closed on October 19, 1964.

Charles Allenby, West Close, Swinton, Malton