The Railway through Pannal

Enter the Steam Era

More than any other single invention, the steam engine marked the turning point in history from agrarian to industrial based economies. And it was in England that this revolution started. Just as the French Revolution and Oliver Cromwell's parliamentarians liberated the populous from dictatorial monarchies allowing freedom of political expression, and the Reformation and printed Bible's gave people the freedom of religious expression, so the steam engine brought new-found freedom of travel for person and trade.

Initially invented to help drain coal mines, Thomas Savey's pump (1698) condensed steam to form a partial vacuum to suck up the water. Thomas Newcomen (1710) separated the boiler and used the vacuum to move a piston in a cylinder. It was James Watt (1763) who first used steam pressure itself to drive the piston. He added to this the connecting rod and crank to produce rotary motion, then the double acting piston where steam drives both the up and down strokes. It was William Murdock (c.1800) who was the first Englishman to put a steam engine on a vehicle, though Cugnot had done the same in Paris in 1763.

In 1796, Richard Trevithick built the first steam locomotive on running rails, having a single upright cylinder and large flywheel. In 1801, the first steam-engine powered ship was launched. Then in 1802, Trevithick ran the first passenger train drawn by a steam locomotive.

At the same time, the potential for steam powered machinery began to manifest itself. The Industrial Revolution was launched with the consequent social upheaval from cottage based industry to factory towns and cities.

But it was George Stephenson (b.1781) whose developments of the steam engine with a tubed boiler and steam blast to draw air over the fire, who made the steam railway revolution a reality.

Still, it was not until Sept. 27th 1825, after having to overcome much fear and resistance, that the first passenger carrying public railway was built and run between Stockton and Darlington. Public and commercial acceptance was immediate. Companies sprang up all over England in a frenzy to build and operate railway lines.

Railways Reach Pannal and Harrogate, 1848

The little market town of Pannal, having had a population of only several hundred for the past 650 years, was not to be exempt from the touch and impact of the railways. On the 1st September 1848, the first train ran through Pannal on the new Leeds to Thirsk line (later to be the Leeds-Northern line). The line ran along the southern bank of Crimple Beck to Follifoot, before swinging north across the beck to climb into Starbeck in Upper Harrogate.

Around the same period, the York and North Midland Railway built a line from Church Fenton via Tadcaster and Wetherby to Harrogate. It passed through the 875yd long Prospect Hill (Crimple) Tunnel, then just east of Pannal, crossed Crimple Beck on to 110ft. high, 624yd long Crimple Viaduct (built by George Hudson) to Almsford Bank terminating at Brunswick Station on The Stray in Lower Harrogate.

Crimple Viaduct

Crimple Viaduct c.1950

Pannal Junction

When the new Central Station was opened in Harrogate in 1862, a connection was built at the southern end of Crimple Viaduct to permit trains from Leeds via Pannal, to join the York and North Midland line and to cross the viaduct to reach Harrogate's new station. Pannal station signal box then controlled this junction.

In its heyday, Pannal station was a very important weighing station with a large staff. With the connection of the Thirsk line to the Northern line, trains such as the Royal Scot, the Flying Scotsman and the Silver Arrow train ran through Pannal at times. The line was also an important freight route. Corn was brought in to the mill and flour taken away. Also, barley was trained in to the Burn bridge malthouse.

Pannal Station in the Late 20th C.

Just as steam railways revolutionized travel, so in turn did the internal combustion engine. Although the road motor vehicle was developed in the early part of the 20th century, it was not until the 1950's that diesel powered railway locomotives took over from steam power. But it was the post war 1950's that also saw major growth in personal motor car ownership, much improved roads and widespread use of the motor lorry. This saw the closure of many small branch rail lines and the downgrading of many village stations.

Pannal station was similarly affected. It was downgraded to an unstaffed way-side stop and railway freight traffic ceased in 1965.

In October 1980, after having laid empty for a number of years, the station building was turned into a public house called "Platform One". A Pullman carriage named "May" (after the landlady at the old Harewood Arms in follifoot) was installed as a restaurant. But after a few changes of ownership, Platform One stands empty. "May" was removed on 17th May 1998.

Pannal village, WRY Yorkshire UK