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Church Fenton to Harrogate
1848 - 1964
 North Eastern Railway
Contributors:  © Reproduction prohibited / Phill Davison / James Hinchcliffe / David Taylor / Andrew Ripley / Neil Mackay / Lost Railways
The Route
From junction north of Church Fenton on Leeds & Selby line to Harrogate (Brunswick station).
via Stutton, Tadcaster, Newton Kyme, Thorp Arch & Spofforth.

Length
 ?
Original Company
Opened by George Stephenson & the York and North Midland railway company in 1848.
The York & North Midland became part of the NER in 1854.

Opening
 20th July 1848

Closure
 6th January 1964
Church Fenton to Harrogate
Phill Davison 
The railway arrived in Harrogate in 1848 built by George Stephenson and the York and North Midland railway company. The branch line diverged from the Leeds and Selby line at Church Fenton and had stations at Sutton, Tadcaster, Newton Kyme, Thorpe Arch and Spofforth, the line then navigated the Prospect tunnel and the magnificent 31 arch Crimple viaduct were it meets the present day Leeds line. The Church Fenton to Harrogate line has the dubious honour of been the first line to fall under the Beeching axe with all stations closing in 1964. The original Harrogate station was called Brunswick and was situated next to Trinity Methodist church on Trinity Road opposite the stray.

See Phills blog at - http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=265602590&blogID=351327703
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
Just past Crimple viaduct we catch sight of Prospect tunnel on the Harrogate-Church Fenton line. The line has the dubious honour of been the first to close under the Beeching axe. The line was gradually run down over the years and the service was classed as 'nowt nor summat' amongst the long suffering passengers.
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
 Nearly half a mile of tunnel ahead. Co-explorer added for scale. Prospect tunnel is a straight 825 yds long and is in reasonable condition apart from deep standing water throughout. The tunnel is relatively shallow at 81' below the surface and has a total of 3 air shafts. Note the wooden type of fixing on the left of the portal. It seems to be hanging off a bit now. It appears to have been some sort of sign or notice board there. (see next photo)
Prospect Tunnel : James Hinchcliffe
 Express train leaving Prospect tunnel, 500 yards from crimple viaduct.
On the back it says Leeds-West Hartlepool Express leaving Crimple Tunnel 4-4-0 Loco No. 1878 (Class Q).
Note the wooden type of fixing on the left of the portal, (see previous photo)
Note : Andrew Ripley
It's not a sign, it's a sighting board for the signal in front of it.
Similar white patches seen painted on the bridges of the S&C so the semaphore signal has a white background to be seen against.
Note : Neil Mackay
Just for info, the white wooden board seen in the NER photo and the current one is a "sighting board" for the signal at the entrance to the tunnel (Crimple Junction's No. 22 "Up Advance - Branch"). These were placed behind signals which would otherwise have been hard to see because of a dark background - in this case the tunnel portal and cutting.
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
Looking back towards Harrogate, Another track refuge coated in orange iron.
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
Close up detail.
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
In the middle of the tunnel we come to air shaft no 2. From the bottom of the tunnel to the top of the cappped shaft measures 81'.
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
Marker for Prospect no2 shaft. The walls are coated in soot from the steam trains.
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
Looking back towards the Harrogate direction at the end of the tunnel. The blue tint on the brickwork is caused by the daylight shining in on a long shutter capture, I like this effect achieved with this method.
Prospect Tunnel (03-02-08) : Phill Davison
View of the South portal and the embankement for the A658 now built over the old trackbed.
Crimple Viaduct (17-10-09) : David Taylor
The line closed as far as Crimple Junction, immediately north of Prospect Tunnel, in 1964 but remains open from there in to Harrogate crossing the Crimple Valley on the magnificent 31 arch Crimple Viaduct still used for Leeds - Harrogate trains.

Wetherby station
Note : Mike Bale
The line also had a station at Wetherby which opened in August 1847 together with those from Church Fenton to Spofforth. The Wetherby station shown on the above map is the passenger station opened in 1902 at which time the original station became Wetherby Goods station. see Leeds Wetherby You’ll know that the lines around Wetherby were the first to close after the Beeching Report. Apart from 3 overbridges the Goods Transfer Shed at the original station is the only item of railway architecture remaining in the town.

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