Starbeck

Starbeck is an area of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. The population of Starbeck Ward taken at the 2011 census was 6,226. It has many facilities, including Starbeck railway station, which serves the Harrogate Line. Frequent services depart to Harrogate, Leeds and York.

Starbeck apparently takes its name from the 'Star Beck' (Old Norse stǫrr bekkr "sedge brook"), which flows into the Crimple Beck, a tributary of the Nidd.

Starbeck was originally a hamlet in the township of Bilton with Harrogate in the ancient parish of Knaresborough. The township was part of the ancient Royal Forest of Knaresborough, which is situated to the south of the River Nidd. In 1896 Starbeck became a separate civil parish, but in 1938 the civil parish was abolished and Starbeck was absorbed into the Municipal Borough of Harrogate.

The railway came to Starbeck in 1848. The railway buildings gradually increased, and with them came a corn mill, malt house and water bottling plant. The population expanded rapidly in this period, most families owing their livelihood in some way to the railway.

In the 1950s the decline set in. In 1951 the Nidd Valley Line closed to passengers and the loop line to Pannal (under Crimple Viaduct) closed completely. In September 1959 the engine shed and marshalling yard closed. In 1967 the passenger service to Ripon was withdrawn.

The last goods train travelled the old Leeds to Thirsk railway line from Starbeck to Northallerton on 9 October 1969, leaving only the current Harrogate Line. By 1969 the station was no longer manned and the station buildings, goods shed and coal depot were demolished in 1978.

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