Filey Holiday Camp

[South of 1E]

The short Filey Holiday camp branch closed in 1977. I travelled  on several Filey HC bound trains but never once they left York. Trains like the Newcastle - Filey HC, did they run round at York, Scarborough and Filey before reaching the Butlins terminus or did 31's/37's  work the trains down the branch from Filey?

The disused stations website has a photo of 45002 on a Leicester - Filey HC service at the terminus so it looks as if the branch handled type 4's. Be intrigued to hear how the several loco hauled branch trains were worked with the many run rounds needed 

 

Doesn't seem a well reported branch online so any memories welcome!

 

thanks in advance

 

Nick R

Edited May 31, 2015 by South of 1E

[jamie92208]

The short Filey Holiday camp branch closed in 1977. I travelled  on several Filey HC bound trains but never once they left York. Trains like the Newcastle - Yarmouth, did they run round at York, Scarborough and Filey before reaching the Butlins terminus or did 31's/37's  work the trains down the branch from Filey?

The disused stations website has a photo of 45002 on a Leicester - Filey HC service at the terminus so it looks as if the branch handled type 4's. Be intrigued to hear how the several loco hauled branch trains were worked with the many run rounds needed 

 

Doesn't seem a well reported branch online so any memories welcome!

 

thanks in advance

 

Nick R

John Farline of the Wakefield Club grew up at Filey and has researched the station extensively.  I believe that he is a member of RMWeb and I will see him tomorrow night.  I'll mention you query to him and hopefully he will be able to answer you question.

 

Jamie

[46444]

Hi Nick,

 

There's a book published titled 'The History of the Hull-Scarborough Line' which gives a good account of the Filey Butlins terminus. Here's the link:

 

http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk/hullscar.htm

 

I have a copy but I've lent it out to a friend.

 

May be worth sourcing a copy.

 

The concrete platforms and lights are still in situ as is the triangle formation of embankments off the mainline.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[APOLLO]

A google images search on "filey holiday camp railway station" brings up some interesting photos,  Class 45 "Peaks", Class 40's etc. Also a track diagram.

 

Would make an interesting layout.

 

Brit15

Edited May 31, 2015 by APOLLO

[Adrian]

There was a good article in the British Railway Journal about the branch, Issue 42, summer 92. The author was the aforementioned John Farline.

 

http://www.steamindex.com/brj/brj5.htm

[Boris]

I don't think they ran round per se, an ex-York driver reckons most of them had locos attached to the rear at York and Scarborough, the original loco being uncoupled, and then the train worked on to the next point.

[Market65]

Hi, South of 1E. In the book Railways In East Yorkshire, Volume Three, by Martin Bairstow, there is good detail in the opening chapter about both Filey station and the Camp station and the operating of them.

 

Sprung points at the concourse end of the platform roads allowed loco's to be released and serviced. The engine of an arrival would be uncoupled and then draw forward up to the buffer stops and then reverse onto the engine release line. It would then continue onto the south curve until stopping at the South Box starting signal on the up main. The signalman in the South Box would then request the signalman in the North Box to gain permission for the engine to shunt. The engine would run back past the home signal on the Filey side of Royal Oak LC.  When acknowledgement was got from Filey box, the gates would be closed at Royal Oak LC.  The engine would then be signalled through wrong line on the up main. Running as far as the 'Limit Of Shunt' on the Filey side of the LC, the signals and points were set so that the engine could either run into the Camp station or the servicing area alongside the North Curve.

 

On page 38 there is a photo' of class 40, 40 267and class 31 D5566 on the 22nd July, 1972. I believe all classes of loco' could indeed be used.

 

I hope that this will be of some use.

 

All the best,

 

Market65.

[6Y99]

Royal Oak North Signal Box still survives in a back garden in East Hull

[Ray M]

I`m sure i have read, some where, that a Deltic

also made it to the station.

Twas awhile ago, but i think it was No17.

[South of 1E]

many thanks to you all for the knowledgeable replies and links. The Filey Holiday camp has quite a history will visit one weekend to view the surviving relics and help build the picture. Looks classic modelling material with class 31/37/40/45/47/55  visits plus a huge variety of DMUs. Class 20/24/25/27/46 must also have been possible down the branch too? After the branch closed in 1980 a deltic was diagrammed for the Filey - Newcastle which it worked to Scarborough for the Bridlington - Kings X forward from Scarborough so holiday camp forays as suggested by Ray M were likely too.

 

a fascinating branch

 

thanks again

 

NR

Edited June 3, 2015 by South of 1E

[russ p]

This branch would make a great model.

In it's early days trains from the north ran via Gilling ,Malton and Driffield this was before the line through Burdale closed in 1958

[Market65]

Hi, South of 1E. I've been looking at the book, which I referred to in the earlier post, again, and the branch to the Camp station closed at the end of the 1977 summer season, with the Camp closing in 1983.  As far as I can recall there were no class 27's used on the services, but there were pairs of 24's and 25's. Class 20's were mainly confined, I think, to some of the Bridlington - Hull services. On page 38, of the book, is a photo' of a class 101 DMU on a returning service to, of all places, Liverpool Lime Street, departing at 11.34 on Saturday's in the summer of 1976.  Deltic's were used up to the summer of 1981, and on page 16 in the book, there is a photo' of an unidentified Deltic departing Filey on the 08.54 to Newcastle in the summer of 1981.

 

With regards,

 

Market65.

[waggy]

Hi, South of 1E. I've been looking at the book, which I referred to in the earlier post, again, and the branch to the Camp station closed at the end of the 1977 summer season, with the Camp closing in 1983.  As far as I can recall there were no class 27's used on the services, but there were pairs of 24's and 25's. Class 20's were mainly confined, I think, to some of the Bridlington - Hull services. On page 38, of the book, is a photo' of a class 101 DMU on a returning service to, of all places, Liverpool Lime Street, departing at 11.34 on Saturday's in the summer of 1976.  Deltic's were used up to the summer of 1981, and on page 16 in the book, there is a photo' of an unidentified Deltic departing Filey on the 08.54 to Newcastle in the summer of 1981.

 

With regards,

 

Market65.

  I recall seeing pairs of York based class 20's  ( D8300 - D8309 ) working south through Filey Station  on summer saturdays in the late 60's, some probably made it onto the Butlins branch, also lots of Dairycoates 37's. Never saw a Dairycoates 20 at Filey, Remember seeing them at Bridlington on the pickup goods.

 

Regards.

 

Graham

[montyburns56]

I stumbled across some pictures of this station while I was looking for DMU pictures and it intrigued me for a couple of reasons. Firstly the unusual track/platform layout to accommodate the points for the run around loops and secondly because the line was only built in 1947, but was closed in 1977 which must surely be a record for a sizable terminus to have such a short life?

 

Also it's a shame that a preservation society didn't take it over as although it's not a long branch it would be perfect for running brake van rides and you would have a ready made customer base with the nearby holiday/caravan camp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1983

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by montyburns56

[lmsforever]

I have a dvd DMU,s on North EasternLines this shows the Filey branch as well as many other routes by Cine Rail

[DLT]

Interesting photos,

There was an article on the Filey Holiday Camp branch in British Railway Journal, No.42, back in 1992.

Here is the site on Google Maps:  https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.1858974,-0.295473,1353m/data=!3m1!1e3

More photos on the Disused Stations website here:  http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/filey_holiday_camp/

Cheers, Dave.

Edited March 15, 2020 by DLT

[45125]

On 04/06/2015 at 08:03, waggy said:

  I recall seeing pairs of York based class 20's  ( D8300 - D8309 ) working south through Filey Station  on summer saturdays in the late 60's, some probably made it onto the Butlins branch, also lots of Dairycoates 37's. Never saw a Dairycoates 20 at Filey, Remember seeing them at Bridlington on the pickup goods.

 

Regards.

 

Graham

One of the odd jobs that the York 8300ers had was working the Scarborough Plymouth, presume they came off at Masborough.

 

[luckymucklebackit]

A very interesting thread.  I am assuming that the Sprung points at the concourse end of the platform roads mentioned in the article quoted by Market65 must have been changed to hand worked points at some time, as there is levers to be seen in a couple of the photos above.  I would imagine that this would have been done when DMUs started appearing, or there would have been some interesting situations arising if the front coach passed the points!

 

Jim

[keefer]

It just looks so desolate, hardly going to make you excited about your holiday!

That said, i went to Butlin's at Ayr in 1979 and it still looked as it would've done when it was built - some bits were cheery and colourful, others bits had a bit of a 'Stalag' lookabout them.

The thing is, it didn't matter to most folk, you were going on an all-inclusive holiday with lots of activities laid on (personally i preferred when we went to a caravan site, like at Berwick-on-Tweed)

[lmsforever]

Like the passenger transport  to the camp very different starts your holiday off on a jolly note.

[luckymucklebackit]

8 hours ago, keefer said:

It just looks so desolate, hardly going to make you excited about your holiday!

That said, i went to Butlin's at Ayr in 1979 and it still looked as it would've done when it was built - some bits were cheery and colourful, others bits had a bit of a 'Stalag' lookabout them.

The thing is, it didn't matter to most folk, you were going on an all-inclusive holiday with lots of activities laid on (personally i preferred when we went to a caravan site, like at Berwick-on-Tweed)

 

At least Ayr had a couple of big attractions in Duchess of Sutherland and Martello, Filey didn't get a loco.  Photo from the Eastbank MRC site

 

 

There is still a big Holiday Park at Ayr, but it is a wild place during the summer, the "SUN £9.50 Holiday" offer combined with large quantities of alcohol makes it a place to avoid

 

Jim

[Pete the Elaner]

23 minutes ago, luckymucklebackit said:

 

At least Ayr had a couple of big attractions in Duchess of Sutherland and Martello, Filey didn't get a loco.  Photo from the Eastbank MRC site

 

 

There is still a big Holiday Park at Ayr, but it is a wild place during the summer, the "SUN £9.50 Holiday" offer combined with large quantities of alcohol makes it a place to avoid

 

Jim

I do like the class without deflectors. I can understand why it won't run on the main line without them though,...for the same reason they were fitted in the first place.

 

Back on topic, having been to Filey a couple of times, I quite like that part of the country. It is a shame the holiday camp has gone.

In contrast, Skegness is a place I can't wait to get away from, but Butlins is still there.

[russ p]

The hand points seem a bit odd I hope they are clipped where the DMUs are over them

I cant see any stop boards where the train is signalled to , so it appears to have loose points on what is technically a running line

[DLT]

 

9 hours ago, keefer said:

It just looks so desolate, hardly going to make you excited about your holiday!

 

Quite agree, a very bleak appearance.  The station is still there, including the tunnel under the road, but the camp has gone completely and the site is a large caravan park.

[russ p]

When I was a kid we went to various holiday flats in filey over the years and sometimes we'd have a walk along the cliffs near butlins it used to scare me as I was convinced there was armed guards on the gate that would shoot at will. Good job I never saw the station at that would have definitely convinced me!

Was it only open on summer Saturdays or did any weekday service trains call there