Thirsk railway station

The railway line between York and was built by the Great North of England Railway, most of which was authorised in 1837; the line was formally opened on 30 March 1841. The station at Thirsk, which opened to the public on 31 March 1841, was originally named Newcastle Junction. In 1933 Britain's first route-setting power signal box using a switch panel rather than a lever frame opened at Thirsk, to the specification of the LNER's signalling engineers A.F. Bound and A. E. Tattersall, forming the template for many such future installations on the nation's railway network. In 2020, the government awarded £1 million from its Access for All fund to improve the accessibility at the railway station. There are now plans to install lifts and a new footbridge to enable step-free access to all platforms. ==Facilities==

The station has a staffed ticket office (on the southbound platform), which is open through the week (06:45-19:30 Mondays to Saturdays, 08:45-17:30 Sundays) and there is also self-service ticket machine available (this can be used for collecting pre-paid tickets as well as for purchasing when the ticket office is closed). There is a waiting shelter on the northbound platform and customer help points and digital CIS displays on both sides. Step-free access to both platforms is via a barrow crossing and only possible when the station is staffed. ==Services==

TransPennine Express Northbound, there is an hourly service to Redcar Central via Northallerton, Yarm, Eaglescliffe, Thornaby and Middlesbrough with 2 trains per day extending to Saltburn. One late evening train per day terminates at Darlington with one train continuing to Newcastle via Durham and Chester Le Street. Southbound, there is an hourly service to Manchester Airport via York, Leeds and Huddersfield with one early morning train to Manchester Victoria (originating at Newcastle). Some evening services terminate at York. Grand Central Northbound, six trains per day operate towards Sunderland via Northallerton, Eaglescliffe, Hartlepool and Seaham. Southbound, six trains per day operate towards London Kings Cross via York with one train per day calling at Peterborough in both directions. On Sundays, there are five trains per day in each direction (with no calls at Peterborough). ==Events==

• 1841 Station opened at the same time as the York - Darlington line. • 1847 permanent water tower built. • 1855 Connection to Leeds & Thirsk Railway line to Ripon via Melmerby opened. • Accidents occurred in 1867, 1870, 1875, 1879 and 1882. • 1933 Britain's first "panel" route-setting power signal box opened at Thirsk. • 1954 The first four carriages of the "Heart of Midlothian" express from King's Cross to Edinburgh composed of thirteen coaches derailed. The four carriages derailed after problems with signalling and points, no one was injured. • 1959 Ripon services cease in September with closure of Melmerby branch line to all traffic. • 1967 A goods wagon derailed which led to a collision with an express, seven people were killed, 45 injured. ==See also==