THE city council has asked the Government to designate the giant York Central site behind York railway station an 'Enterprise Zone' in an effort to kick-start its redevelopment.

Given the site's importance in York's railway history, the publication of a new book about York and its railways by local historian Paul Chrystal could hardly be more timely.

Paul's book, York and its Railways, is a sweeping history which takes in everything from the 'Railway King' George Hudson to York's stations, railway hotels, industrial railways and carriageworks.

As usual with Paul's books it is lavishly illustrated with evocative old photographs: pictures that bring the great days of York's railway past back to life.

We are focussing on just a few of those photographs today: starting with pictures that give a glimpse of life inside the carriage works.

York Press:

Inside the smiths' workshop. From York and its Railways by Paul Chrystal

Wagon shops first opened at Holgate in 1865, and were extended in 1875, Paul writes. They were hugely busy. "In 1876 output stood at 102 carriages, 2,387 wagons, 419 engines built, with 2,865 carriages and 22,185 wagons repaired. The weekly pay bill was £2,500 for a workforce of 1,600."

Paul's book doesn't contain photographs from those very earliest days: but there are some stunning images from the 1920s through to the 1970s, which will bring memories flooding back for anyone who was ever employed in the carriageworks. They include glimpses inside the smiths' shop in the 1930s; a 1925 shot showing workmen busy on a dining car; an aerial view of the timber storage yard; and a photograph of painters on their day out to Wembley in 1928.

The carriage works built all the coaching stock for the NER, Paul writes - and also built the bodies for the NER's fleet of buses, vans and lorries. One photograph in his book shows a 1914 Maudsley, which was requisitioned by the War Department and fitted with a lorry body.

York Press:

A 1914 Maudsley built at the carriageworks and requisitioned by the war department

Paul also takes a look at the freight lines and depots that were such a feature of life in York, serving the likes of Rowntree's, Terry's, Craven and the sugar beet factory. Among the photographs in his book is an undated one showing a freight train at Layerthorpe in York.

"A railway branch line extending about 1 3/4 miles opened in 1880, connecting the NER York to Scarborough line to the large industrial area and freight depot in the Foss Islands area of the city," Paul writes. "Apart from the Rowntree's factory on Haxby Road, there were sidings used by the York Gas Company at Monk Bridge; the York Corporation power station and refuse destructor; Leetham Mills' navigation warehouse at the junction of the River Foss and Wormald's Cut; and the British Transport Hotels laundry."

York Press:

A freight train at York Layerthorpe. From York and its Railways by Paul Chrystal

Paul's book covers a lot of ground. It is less than 100 pages long, and packed with old photographs: so inevitably, some of the history is a little sketchy.

But it is worth its cover price for the photos alone - a wonderful evocation of York's grand railway past...

  • York and its Railways 1839-1950 by Paul Chrystal is published by Stenlake, priced £16.

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