Scarborough Station - facilities, improvements and events

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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"All aboard please!" - David Birdsall, Scarborough's town crier, announced the total number of people sat on the lengthy seat

Hundreds of people have squeezed onto what is claimed to be the world's longest station bench to mark a railway milestone.

The Grade II^▸ (IndustryInsider - a respected member of this forum) listed bench, on platform one at Scarborough railway station, is about 456ft (139m) long, with 239 people filling the vast seat to mark the 200th anniversary of the first British passenger rail journey.

The celebration, organised by the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership (YCCRP), aimed to beat its previous record of 200 people seated side-by-side.

Pete Myers, chair of YCCRP, said: "We only planned to put 200 on the bench, but managed well above that."

The bench, installed in 1883 to accommodate growing numbers of Victorian tourists heading to the seaside, is the length of about 12 double-decker buses.

The event, which saw many of the participants don Victorian outfits, was part of national celebrations marking 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the first in the world to operate passenger and freight trains.

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Elithia Francis, 72, says she joined in "to be part of history"

Among those taking a break was 72-year-old Elithea Francis, who said she was "here to be a part of history".  Ms Francis, originally from South Africa and a North Yorkshire resident of 28 years, said: "My grandfather, who was based in Doncaster, used to drive the trains from Kings Cross to Scotland and used to drive the Flying Scotsman."

Rachael Osbourne, community rail officer for YCCRP, said: "The huge bench was fixed to a retaining wall on platform one, which was known as an excursion platform. As holiday traffic increased in the late 1800s, they had to build longer platforms and platform one was specifically used for that enormous holiday traffic."

She added: "It's hard nowadays to imagine how busy it was, but the bench would be filled with people waiting for trains - the railway company wouldn't have built a bench of this length if they didn't need it."

YCCRP said the bench is the "longest station seat in the world", with local sixth form college students also helping to set the new record.

Mr Myers, from the YCCRP, said: "Scarborough owes its reputation as a tourist hotspot to the railways. That's why North Eastern Railway put this ridiculously long bench here."

Shortly after announcing the final total to the crowd, David Birdsall, Scarborough's town crier, said it was "fantastic seeing all these people sitting on this bench, everyone is so happy to join in with this".

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Scarborough Station clock tower restored as part of £14m upgrade

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A railway station clock tower in a seaside town has been "painstakingly" restored to its former glory as part of a major upgrade.

Scarborough's Grade II^▸ (IndustryInsider - a respected member of this forum)-listed station is also getting a new roof, drainage system and an improved waiting room and ticket office as part of the £14m scheme.

A recent grant of £203,000 from the Railway Heritage Trust has meant the gold clock tower's four faces could be individually restored at the same time, said Network Rail, who carried out the work.

A spokesperson added that works are due to be completed by the end of March and the additional funding meant the company had been able to "deliver more benefits than originally planned".

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The golden-coloured structure is part of the Grade II-listed station's refurbishment

Network Rail also confirmed workers would remain on site after the project's completion for the controlled removal of asbestos found in the station's social club, ticket office and cafe. However, the areas remain open and pose "no risk to the public", though the cafe will be closed from 30 March for up to three weeks.

Ann Shannon, Network Rail scheme project manager, said: "The main project is on track for completion as planned this month, but some of our colleagues will be working at the station for slightly longer because of the asbestos we've recently identified."

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The upgrade is due to be completed by the end of March

Roof repairs were started after a glazing failure in 2021 and the station was made safe and full restoration began in spring 2025. Network Rail said Scarborough's coastal location also meant other considerations had to be implemented such as hawks to prevent seagulls nesting during the main roof work and specific types of tile, paint and timber being used because of the salt-heavy sea air.

Shannon added: "We're grateful for everyone's patience and understanding while we address this safely and responsibly."