Scruton Station, hidden in North Yorkshire’s scenic countryside, was once forgotten after its closure in 1954 just prior to the widespread Beeching closures of the 1960s. Originally opened in 1848 as Scruton Lane Station by the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway, it later became part of the North Eastern Railway in 1854 and the London & North Eastern Railway in 1923. Primarily used for passengers, goods, and livestock, the station fell into disrepair following its closure, overgrown and neglected for decades.
In the 1990s, efforts to restore the Wensleydale Railway sparked a renewed interest in the station. After the Ministry of Defence reinstated the railway for military use in 1996, the Wensleydale Railway Association sought to restore passenger services. Despite this, Scruton Station remained abandoned until local volunteers, supported by grants from the Railway Heritage Trust, began revitalizing it. Over 300 hours of volunteer labour went into clearing the site and restoring the buildings, including contributions from Darlington College students who built timber screens and window frames for the station.
After the Wensleydale Railway Trust reopened the line in 2003, in the year 2014, Scruton saw its first train pass through in 60 years when a vintage railbus marked the anniversary of the line’s closure. However, further challenges persisted. Firstly, the platform was far too short and its extension was required to comply with modern safety regulations, not to mention there was no through route from Redmire until the Northallerton West terminus was completed around six months later. Then a collision in 2016 near Yafforth halted services
between Northallerton West and Scruton. Despite the setback, local volunteers remained committed, launching an award-winning education program that recreates Edwardian railway life for visiting schoolchildren. They also curated a historical archive on the station’s past, displayed in the restored station buildings.
The Wensleydale Railway Trust continues to maintain the line, with future ambitions to extend it beyond Redmire to Garsdale (hopefully by 2025), reconnecting it with the Settle to Carlisle Line. Scruton Station stands as a symbol of community effort and historical preservation, maintaining its legacy as a “sleeping beauty” now reawakened.
Address: Scruton Station, Wensleydale Railway, off Station Rd, Scruton, Northallerton DL7 0QN, United Kingdom
Books by Dr Emma Wells
