This is York 

It is indeed York

I'm not exactly a train fan, and maybe the trainiacs here won't quite understand this, but these calming and genuine videos have helped me through family tragedy and a 12 year addiction. Only posting this for myself, but thank you xo

York is a must visit, you can't really call yourself a British railway enthusiast until you have visited the railway museum there.

As an American who loves the UK and has visited dozens of times in my lifetime, I have some kind of deep, unexplained spiritual connection to York and Yorkshire. In 2019 I had a two week holiday in the area and spent a third of it in York and exploring the local railroads. Incredible engineering, history, and Victorian splendor all wrapped up in a tidy, beautiful package. Jago’s talented narration brought it all back to life. York is truly God’s country.

You know its old footage of York when you see a Pacer 2:14 😂

York looks very interesting, a Roman walled city. Never been myself, but would like to. Nice of Jago to visit other places in UK.

I’ve been to York many times just because of the National Railway Museum and the Jorvik Museum as well the city itself. York railway station is still as beautiful as it always will be. And York Minster is also incredible.

That footage coming into York was absolutely beautiful! I enjoy these little excursions to other parts of the UK.

Good old George Hudson, a Charles Tyson Yerkes before Charlie Tyson Yerkes! As a child I recall the old railway museum, located in, what I assumed to be goods sheds, behind the Railway Institute building and probably part of the old station complex. Rather cramped and dingy by today's standards. Needless to say, my father was a big wig on the railway so I managed to get shown round a lot of the buildings, not all of which were accessible to the general public. I also got to see the locomotive sheds in operation before they became the new Railway Museum. I find the simility of Newcastle to York rather striking, whilst not unusual for a railway company to build stations in a 'house' style, however, the rest of the stations on the ECML are very different in style to these two.

I was brought up down the line in Scarborough. On a school trip to York in (I think) 1977, we'd just got off our rattling diesel multiple unit & were on the platform when an astonishing machine came almost purring in on the main line. It was the first time I'd ever seen the InterCity 125, & it really did look like it had arrived from the future.

The present station is something to behold from the inside. Victorian engineering at its finest. Anyone who hasnt been to York should consider a weekend break - discover the National Railway museum, Guy Fawkes house and York Minister. Have a riverboat cruise down the Ouse, Direct present day LNER services from London and Edinburgh. (last time travelling from London to Edinburgh, a certain Mick Hucknell joined the train at York and sat in the seat across the aisle. A quick google showed he had been at a gig in Scarborough and was on his way to Dundee. I didnt speak to him. TBH, I dont think he wanted to be recognised. Fortunately, it was green all the way and no signal was Simply Red until we reached Edinburgh)

As ever a good piece of work. To me York station doesn't look right without the centre roads occupied by a Gresley, Thompson or Peppercorn pacific waiting to take over an East Coast express. Btw it's not Market 'Wayton' but Market 'Weeton' and maybe one day trains will once again run between there and York.

As someone who has recently moved from the London area to the North East, I am pleased Jago has discovered that it's not so grim oop North after all! Looking forward to more northern videos.

Jago, you may want to look at the history of York's station roof. The Victorian roof was notoriously leaky with loose panels leading to drips onto the platforms. The columns supporting the roof were hollow and supposed to act as drains, but weren't properly maintained and regularly blocked. Finally, in the 1990's, the station management got the money to fix it. They cleared and upgraded the columns, replaced the old roof panels with modern ones that actually fitted properly, and then discovered that there 'fix' had caused its own issue. The new roof was so good at keeping the rain off the platforms in the central part of the station, but the drains in the columns couldn't cope, so every time it rained a torrent of water would run off the ends. The Victorians had known the limitations of the technology they had, accepting the leaky panels, and the odd drips. Thus the columns were never designed to deal with all the water that fell on it. It took a second fix to finally properly drain the roof. A fix to fix a fix, if you will

The more one contemplates the titans of Victorian railways- Brunel, Dan Gooch, the Stephensons, architects such as Barlow, Scott and Lewis Cubitt- the more one grasps their exemplary importance in fusing art, technology and commerce. These men built to last. They were proud of their achievements and the local heritage their lines reflected in design. Rail transit seemed the acme of international modernity, but its roots were in an England that harked back to the straight, well-engineered roads and aqueducts of the Romans. The remake was in iron and steam. The fathers of the railroad were mavericks in the Britain of the early 19C- poor, foreign, uncouth- who upended ruling-class values, social and financial, and were courted by the highest in the land. Their power was based not on inherited land, military might or favoritism at court but on invention, inspiration and relentless personal effort. Practical above all, yet artists in spite of themselves, they created the nerve system of the modern industrial world. Amazing breakthroughs in speed and reliability of travel came with the stability of monuments to inventiveness, like the York train shed, which will endure to be marveled at like a Roman amphitheater or medieval cathedral. You need not visit a museum to behold their artefacts. They are all around, still in daily use. Functionalism in art was preached by Bauhaus; the railwaymen were doing it 100 years earlier. Hudson, the Yerkes of York, deserves to be in their fraternity. He may have cut corners and lined his own pockets, but he was a genuine visionary and patriot, not just a greedy swindler. His downfall was due to his early success, which launched the Railway Mania and made him a scapegoat for the extravagances of imitators.

Loved this film, it made me so proud to have worked at British Rail Eastern Region HQ from 1973 to 1987, in various finance-related jobs. We always thought Eastern was the "Premier Region"! By the way, Market Weighton is pronounced "Weeton"

York is most definitely one of my favourite places in the UK.

Thanks for covering York! It’s a wonderful city 😊 FYI - Weighton is pronounced “Wee-ton” (understandable mixup!)

York is an incredible place. Recently spent a couple of nights there with my partner, and it was a wonderful place to be.

Is it my imagination, or are your videos getting better and better? That was a belter!

A conservative MP who came from old money, who over-promised and under-delivered, who used public services as a catalyst to make a fortune, then fiddled the numbers to scarper with everybody's dosh before being caught and publicly shamed? What a refreshingly original tale; certainly couldn't happen in this day and age. For one thing, he actually went to prison.

1999/2000-ish I had fallen in love with a York student. Myself, I lived on the continent where both of us originally were from. It would never pan out between her and me. I made the journey to York a few times though and some of the shots from your video reminded me of the walk to where she had a room, halfway between the station and the factory where they made KitKat then. Bittersweet and wonderful memories. The train rides from Manchester, peering into the backyards of Yorkshire, taking the National Express to and from London another time. Drinks and Tuesday nights about town with the flatmates of hers... Thanks mate, this was something albeit it, not what you intended.

I love York. The station and NRM are terrific

this was a wonderful introduction to York station. As an American I've never been to York, but there was an episode of the BBC show Top Gear that featured a steam locomotive running the east coast main line from London to Edinburgh. The train stops in at York and the overhead photography showed the intriguing curved roof and sweeping turn through the yards. The gorgeous steam engine resting, puffing, seeming to beg to go forth again toward Edinburgh. Because of this I was curious about York and your video has filled in the gaps for me, thank you

I understand that the York Tap pub used to house a model railway club or a model railway shop. It's a nice little pub, I was there last summer.

What a pleasant surprise to have a Jago video about the city where I live! It's quite strange really seeing a lot of clips used in this video of places I walk or drive past very frequently! Just yesterday in fact I was walking over Lendal Bridge (pictured at 6:55) thinking how hard it is to believe that where there's now a grass bank there used to be a railway station between the road and the city wall

It's great to see that the new York Station was preserved so beautifully when the New York (Penn) Station was so tragically torn down and replaced with a cave.

Was lucky to live in York for a number of years, the station is always a spectacle going back, but I love a lot of train stations of course

Used to be a York-KXX 1st Class commuter 20 years ago when GNER had a restaurant car. 7am down, full English Grill. 5pm back with 3 course dinner. Albert the car park attendant used to cone off a space for me by Platform 1 in return for a Christmas bottle of whisky for him and a bottle of advocaat for his wife. #goodolddays

I'm just back from a trip to York. Very charming place!

Was at the museum for the turntable demo and just saying that at the start and the finish, the disorientation is literally mind boggling... I went all dizzy and nearly fell over. Remarkable experience. And then there is the station roof.... first time I saw it was filled with smoke, so I didn't appreciate it but about '65 I learnt that its one of York's 10 wonders and "sold" it to all my relatives.

My favourite station too although I think it lost some of its drama when the two through lines were removed from under the main roofed section.

I can honestly say, having lived in York and then worked trains in and out of York, it's a magnificent building. But, as a local, I must point out that Market Weighton is pronounced "weeton" and not "wayton" (at least that's the local pronunciation - the station announcer in This Is York even says the "weeton" pronunciation of the name. 😉😂🤣

I live up the road from the remains of Hudson's stately pile and his private station at Londesborough. Always love York station

Great video. I learnt a few things, even as a Yorkshire person and railway enthusiast. Market Weighton (pronounced wee-ton) is a small place but was an important junction. The line, however, continued to Beverley and Hull and is much missed.

I went to uni in York, so for three years this station was my portal to the "real world" back down south. I went back for a holiday a couple of years ago and parked near the station, when cutting through the platforms back to the hotel (the old NER offices!), the nostalgia was so strong it felt physical. Beautiful station in a beautiful city.

Come along to the city walls experience, just along from the station

So many images I can recall seeing on my own visit to York, the walled city and railway musuem. Stood under that roof and on that platform to watch trains until my own returned me to London. As others have said, very much worth a visit! I stayed at the old convent now hotel by the gate, lovely people, so a shout out to them.

York is one of my favourite places to visit in the UK, lots of fantastic buildings and history to see and its such a nice thing to see the station is also one of those things too (Even if it is a lot more recent). When I first visited by train back before I was really into rail travel and knowing nothing, I got a wonderful treat upon arrival.

Recently we stayed in a hotel in Hudson Quarter and our room overlooked the station canopy. We also ate in an Italian restaurant which was George Townsend' s architectural offices. All of which led us to do some research on this fascinating piece of railway history

What an interesting story this was. You learn something new everyday.

Lovely video. I spy a Pacer!

Another service York boasted was a direct tunnel link to the Royal Mail sorting office a short distance away meaning post could be taken directly from there onto the platform and onto mail trains. The lift shaft still exists and the door can be seen on one of the platforms, though it no longer works.

Terrific to know that you have ventured north, Jago. Next time you might like to cross the Pennines and view the scandalous neglect of railways in the north west--no, not Manchester or Liverpool, they are the north Midlands, but North Lancashire and Cumbria. The track which once carried London-Barrow-Workington expresses is dilapidated north of Barrow: there aren't even electric signals, let alone electric trains. The line to Windermere, formerly of the Lakes Express, is single track, with electification cancelled by the Westminster government--and of course the Keswick line long ago fell to the Beeching axe. Parliament seems to believe that north of Mancpool lies the English equivalent of the Saraha, uninhabited other than for a few nomadic herders 😡.

I adore this place. It’s such a beautiful station and the staff are always so lovely. I’ll never forget when a group of us went there and the assistance staff got us all to do the conga in the subway!

The major works about to begin at the front of the station involve removing the bridge which carried the road over the former tracks leading to the old station inside the walls. That will improve the view of the walls themselves, and allow more room for buses and pedestrians. These are welcome and long awaited improvements. On the other side of the station work is proceeding to upgrade the Railway Museum and build new housing and offices.

York for me is one of the most important and historical railway sites, especially since it contains the National Railway Museum, which at one point contained most of the entire National collection. The station is also very unique and the local history is also worth checking out.

York is a beautiful station and by far my favourite outside of London too Speaking of George Stevenson, Colin Baker’s Dr. Who met him and before he left in the TARDIS he said to George “Your invention will take off like a rocket, Stevenson!” 😂😂

York is a wonderful station in a wonderful town. Thanks Jago! My only gripe is that the big, scruffy gap between the tracks on platforms 3 and 5, and the disused platform areas. I know there used to be a third track which has been removed, and it's left with pieces of old rail piled in the space. Whoever is responsible (?Network Rail) please put the track back, remove that pile of rails, and tidy up the station in general. It would make all the difference!

A few years ago, I had to make a connection at York. I had 3 minutes to go from one end of the station to another, and he other train would have been in 2 hours. I was mesmerised by the roof, and long story short, I got to spend 2 hours exploring York - beautiful place!!

As a child, we visited my great grandparents in York. You missed the absolute terror of a fast steam loco going through the station. Bellowing smoke and steam as it passed under the footbridge... Many a smokey walk to Acomb ensued

I moved to York from London (Cockfosters) about 22 years ago! York has a fantastic station, historic city centre and home to the (National) Railway Museum! Thank you @Jago Hazzard for this video.

When I was little, the great hall formed by Brighton station's roof impressed me in the same way. :) I was smaller then, of course, and I don't think it's so long as York's, but it had transparent parts in those days, making the space much lighter than it is now, and the station was much busier. It was as grand as anything I knew! :) The flip side was that the station was so busy, an arriving train might have to wait for a free platform for a small child's lifetime, and with no views out of the cutting.

York was a frequent destination for days out with me and my Father to go ro the Railway Museum

One of life's pleasures is to have a cup of coffee in the old signalbox (now a Costa) accessed from the footbridge steps on platform 3.

That is probably the coolest station I've seen so far. I'm a welder by trade and just love how they made the structure flow. Yes, there is a lot of industrial workings, but it all flows in my opinion. Bravo Zulu sir.

As a teenager in the late 50s, I travelled regularly between York and King's X and also to Scarborough and Leeds. I still remember watching the A4s spinning their wheels to get traction starting towards Newcastle. It was a shame to remove the central tracks in the station.

I agree York is a beautiful city, its only about an hour from where I live.

Thank you for highlighting this out of London station. I've only ever got off during engineering works to change trains, but goodness it's a gorgeous and busy place with lots of interest on and off the tracks.❤

Since I was a child and throughout my adult life. Every time I've visited York, I've stood at the spot you start the video on for a family photo. It was odd seeing that scene without someone I know in it. :) My uncle was a BR painter who spent his last years on the job painting York Station. Great video.

The beautiful city of York and its station and curve which was an excellent location to view the steam locomotives rolling in particularly the Gresley A4s and later the departure of the English Electric ''Deltics'' with the sound of their complicated two stroke diesel engines.I've spent many hours in the rail museum there over the years.The North Eastern Railway has an interesting history especially with its busy and heavy freight haulage.

The plans involve knocking down the bridge over the tracks leading to the 'old' station now the CYC offices and moving the taxi rank outside a la Newcastle Central station. The land behind the station will be offices and houses - used to be sidings. The NRM is also being re developed and enlarged at the same time. Thanks for showing somewhere outside London.

No way, I can’t believe you came to York, I could have walked past you! I’m from London originally but moved to York for uni, and it’s so exciting to see your videos in both places - the railway museum here in York is a great bonus too :)

York is one of my most favourite stations too , since my 1st visit back in Christmas 1983 have visited the station and used it and also the NRM too , and have seen it change over the years with the different traction and track layout,one of my best memories of the station is the pneumatic point motor sounds from the 1980s and the dark winter night with a class 45 / 47 loco arriving and departing on a trans pennine service to Liverpool or Newcastle , wonderfully memories , thanks for this video 😊

My school railway society booked a trip behind Flying Scotsman from Finsbury Park to York just before it left for its tour of the USA. As well as the (old) railway museum, we sneaked into the closed York North loco depot where Blue Peter and Bittern were stored. At the time the old station was still in use as a wagon store so we had a look round there as well :)

York is one of my favourite cities, so it was really interesting to hear about the history of its station. I think it's actually a good thing that the current station doesn't look much from the outside; the alternative is frequently one of those places where the architecture sticks out like a sore thumb.

I can remember seeing the trains rushing through the station on the middle tracks. I also remember crossing the footbridge to get a train to Edinburgh one morning, then returning at night to find the bridge had been removed in a day. This was for electrification in the 1980s.

Like you, York is one of my favourite large stations if only because we had our honeymoon in York and travelled there by train. It is full of charm and interest and grandeur which is echoed in the hotel next door. The saddest aspect was when Costa decided to 'revamp' the cafe on the end of the bridge. It lost all its character for a boring corporate look. Such is progress.

When my late mother and I visited Britain in 1984, York was our first stop out of London, as I knew the railway museum was there. York Station dazzled me; I still call it a "Cathedral for Trains." -- It's a pity there is a 30 MPH curve through the whole thing, but I presume that is one reason nearly every train stops there .

Even by your standards Jago. An excellent and very enjoyable/informative video.😊

I can confirm I am the railway king

Enjoyed the video. I believe the modifications outside include removing the "Hump bridge" which used to go over the tracks into the old station.

Ahh, my beautiful hometown. I miss living there. And so much railway history! With the finest station in England, IMO.

One of the grand things about York Station is the massive cycle parking facility, one of the biggest I've seen.

A station I have once been through, but never stopped at. I must remedy this. Thanks for taking us around!

Thanks!

I used to live in York and would take trains regularly. I miss the station, there's something very homely about it

So interesting Jago! Thank you for your research and photography.

Excellent!!

Very similar to Newcastle. Brilliant show!

Been there a few days ago! The museum is so good and I love the city centre and station

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. But he can always go to York!

Lovely station. The shed is a thing of beauty. Really enjoyed this and would love to see more country-wide vids.

Thank you for this! I love York (both the station and the city). I had a really pleasant time with a cup of tea & far too early for my train in that station once.

Most informative indeed!

The child of Jago visits York. Please visit more of these iconic stations.

Came to visit 21 years ago. Stayed ever since.

I first visited York when I was 10. I remember, the air smelled of chocolate from the Rowntree and Terry's factories. And the air in the Viking Museum smelled of far more unpleasant things.

Current uni of York student here! I can’t help but feel like I’ve taken the beauty of the city, the station and other buildings around York for granted for a while. Now that I’m coming to the end of my final uni year, I’ll definitely miss being surrounded by it all when I go! This video was a nice little reminder to take everything in properly before I move away from York over summer when I’m no longer a student, so thanks Jago for that :)

Great video. A place I’ve proudly called home for the last 15 years and a station I drive trains from across the Pennines. My only sadness is seeing how much of the railway has disappeared over the years.

The front of York Station is being done up with the removal of the Queens Road bridge, moving about of car parks, taxi ranks, and generally making it a lot nicer!

York is one of my favourite stations. :)

Just watched and this is now one of my favorite videos from you. I've mentioned in previous comments on a few of your prior videos that I visited York four years ago. I really liked it there and am glad I spent a few days there. Just about every shot of yours in this video I saw first hand myself. Which is a very nice, if unintentional, touch by you. If you have footage from walking around the city itself, you should do a video or two on just the city! No need to mention the railroads. I don't think any of us will complain. It offers so much for people to see. For those who are considering visiting the UK (or UK residents thinking about visiting York): do it! Spend a few days there and walk around. There's a volunteer group that offers free walking tours of the city, that was fantastic, and the guy leading it was quite knowledgeable. And I liked the station itself. Though I admittedly didn't spend too much time there. I'm glad they did a good job of repairing the bomb damage rather than demolishing the entire thing and putting up something boring and drab. And being next door to the National Railway Museum was cool. With so many railroads serving York, it does strike me as an appropriate site for the museum.

Sign of changing attitudes that it was considered perfectly fine at one point to punch holes in an ancient monument like that \m/

Some beautiful buildings in that town!

ENJOYED THAT THE FIRST PORT OF CALL FOR ME WHEN I GET TO YORK IS ALWAYS THE RAILWAY MUSEUM

York is a great place to visit. I have been there quite a few times.

It is a lovely station, for sure and fairly bustles at times. Carlisle (citadel) is not dissimilar in layout, but was originally opened rather earlier in 1847, and was last extended in 1876 for the Midland Railway, upon the closure of other stations in the city. It was at one time being used by seven different railway companies. I'd hazard a guess it's a bit larger than York, too.

I love the metalwork in stations like that.

York is the most iconic station. It's instantly recognizable.