York railway station (1841)

File:City walls railway station entrance - geograph.org.uk - 7437154.jpg.]]

In 1839, the York and North Midland Railway opened the first railway station in York. A temporary building just outside the city walls on Queen Street. It acted as the terminus of the original mainline route for trains to London,{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: York (Temporary) |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/y/york_temp/index.shtml |website=Disused Stations }} via {{rws|Derby}} and Birmingham.{{cite web |title=Railways in York |url=https://yorkcivictrust.co.uk/heritage/civic-trust-plaques/railways-in-york/ |website=York Civic Trust |accessdate=18 August 2023}}

Within two years, the Y&NMR had completed York old station inside the city walls at the junction of Toft Green, Tanner Row and Station Rise. The building was the work of architect George Townsend Andrews, who also designed the neo-Tudor arches in the city walls which allowed trains to access the station. When it opened on 4 January 1841, the temporary station was closed.

File:York old station hotel frontage.jpg

Andrews built the station in an Italianate style. The main façade, which faces Tanner Row and Toft Green, has a symmetrical seventeen-bay three-storey block. The ground floor is constructed from limestone while the upper floors are brick with stone dressings.

Behind the station facade was the train-shed containing the platforms. It the canopy was constructed in iron. It was demolished in 1965. By the city walls, were brick buildings which housed the refreshment rooms and waiting rooms. They originally were only one storey but second floor was added in 1850.{{cite book |last=Pevsner |first=Nikolaus |author-link=Nikolaus Pevsner |last2=Neave |first2=David |title=Yorkshire: York and the East Riding |orig-year=1972 |edition=2nd |year=1995 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=London |isbn=0-14-071061-2 |pages=201–2}}

Andrews also designed the hotel on Station Rise. After it was completed in 1853, it became the first purtpose-built hotel to be incorporated into a railway station.{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: York (old) Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/y/york_1841/index.shtml |website=Disused Stations}} It was named "The Royal Station Hotel" in 1854 following a visit by Queen Victoria.{{cite web |title=History of the Hotel |url=https://theprincipalyork.com/history-of-the-hotel/ |website=The Principal York}}

File:York old station, rear view.jpg.]]

With the rapid increase in the number of new railway lines during the period known as railway mania, this station suffered from being the terminus for all trains from London. When plans were proposed for York to become part of the route from London to {{rws|Newcastle}} and beyond. Any through-trains calling at York would have to reverse out of the station to continue their journeys.

In 1877 the current York railway station opened on a site just outside the city walls for all through-trains. Although passenger services into York Old Station ceased, the lines were used a sidings until 1965. The railway building and hotel were converted into offices. Following the Beeching Axe the lines were lifted, and the station site cleared.

In February 2010, the City of York Council announced that it intended to convert the former station hotel into its new {{convert|150000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} headquarters, to be known as the West Offices. A planning application was submitted, and was approved in June 2010. English Heritage and York Civic Trust supported the proposal.{{cite news |url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8238594.New_City_of_York_Council_HQ_gets_go_ahead/?ref=mc |work=York Press |date=26 February 2010 |title=New City of York Council HQ gets go-ahead}} Following objections by The Victorian Society to some aspects of the conversion, the application had to await a decision of the Secretary of State, but it was eventually approved and work on refurbishing the building was completed in April 2013. A 'Topping Out' ceremony was conducted by construction and project teams from York Investors LLP, Miller Construction and City of York Council on 17 November 2011. The council moved in during the spring of 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.york.gov.uk/press/article/1045/first_chance_to_visit_west_offices_at_residents_festival_2013 |title=First chance to visit West Offices at Residents Festival 2013 |publisher=City of York Council |date=24 January 2013 |access-date=3 December 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314074940/http://www.york.gov.uk/press/article/1045/first_chance_to_visit_west_offices_at_residents_festival_2013 |archive-date=14 March 2013 }} An official opening ceremony was conducted on 20 September 2013.{{cite news|url=http://www.york.gov.uk/events/event/240/west_offices_official_opening_ceremony |title=West Offices Official Opening Ceremony |publisher=City of York Council |access-date=10 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111012542/http://www.york.gov.uk/events/event/240/west_offices_official_opening_ceremony |archive-date=11 November 2013 }}

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Category:Disused railway stations in North Yorkshire

Category:Grade II* listed railway stations

Category:Grade II* listed buildings in York

Category:Former North Eastern Railway (United Kingdom) stations

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1841

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1877

Category:Former York and North Midland Railway stations

Category:George Townsend Andrews railway stations

Category:1877 disestablishments in England

Category:1841 establishments in England