The Hull and Hornsea Railway

The Hull and Hornsea Railway was opened in 1864, but was acquired just two years later by the North Eastern Railway. It was intended to bring holiday makers to the budding resort, which was seen as a quieter alternative to Bridlington, further to the north. Early visitors were encouraged to take the local spring water as a potential health benefit. The seaside aspect of Hornsea today is rather under-whelming, and the more stately, Victorian housing in the town centre is much more appealing. The railway went under during the Beeching cuts, losing passenger traffic in 1964 and goods services in the following year.

However, Hornsea Town station still stands. Though derelict after closure, it was converted to attractive housing in 1987 and is now Grade II listed. The old station house is a particularly elegant structure, complete with LNER-style house name above the front door. The old line is now the last [or first] section in the trans-Pennine off-road cycleway from Southport.

The nearest railway to Hornsea today is at Beverley, where we intercepted a late afternoon Scarborough to Hull service, in the form of one of the 7 surviving two-car Class 155 DMUs used by Northern on this route, at a level crossing barrier in the town.