Harrogate railway station

Harrogate
The station in 2013
Location
Place	Harrogate
Local authority	Harrogate
Coordinates	53°59′36″N 1°32′15″W / 53.9933°N 1.5374°W / 53.9933; -1.5374Coordinates: 53°59′36″N 1°32′15″W / 53.9933°N 1.5374°W / 53.9933; -1.5374
Grid reference	SE304553
Operations
Station code	HGT
Managed by	Northern
Number of platforms	2
DfT category	C1
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2011/12	1.372 million
2012/13	1.361 million
2013/14	1.442 million
2014/15	1.585 million
2015/16	1.558 million
Passenger Transport Executive
PTE	West Yorkshire (Metro)
Zone	6
History
Key dates	Opened 1 August 1862 (1 August 1862)
Original company	North Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway
National Rail – UK railway stations
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Harrogate from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.

Harrogate railway station serves the town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Located on the Harrogate Line it is 18.25 miles (29 km) north of Leeds. Northern operate the station and provide nearly all passenger train services except a daily Virgin Trains East Coast service to and from London King's Cross.

The station was opened by the North Eastern Railway on 1 August 1862. It was designed by the architect Thomas Prosser and was the first building in Harrogate built of brick and had two platforms. Before it opened (and the associated approach lines), the town's rail routes had been somewhat fragmented - the York and North Midland Railway branch line from Church Fenton via Tadcaster had a terminus in the town (see below), but the Leeds Northern Railway main line between Leeds and Thirsk bypassed it to the east to avoid costly engineering work to cross the Crimple Valley and the East and West Yorkshire Junction Railway from York terminated at Starbeck. Once the individual companies had become part of the NER, the company concentrated all lines at a new single depot.

A storm in November 1866 caused a chimney stack to fall through the station roof causing considerable damage. In 1873, a footbridge was added.

The booking office was robbed on 7 December 1868 when thieves drilled through the ticket window covering with a bit and brace, and stole a small amount of cash.