Routes out of North Yorkshire to Blackpool Summer 1945

[katebadappletheatre]

Hello-

I am researching a new comedy play, that is set between VE and VJ days, 1945, and centres around a thwarted journey from North Yorkshire to Blackpool.

I have been trying to get an accurate idea of the usual route from say Northallerton to Blackpool at that time- can anyone help?

And also whether (if pressed) the journey could have been made cross country via Hawes Junction, wither numerous connections....

Any help appreciated!
All the best,
Kate

http://www.badappletheatre.com

[Mickey]

Just as a point of historical fact Hawes Junction station on the S&C was renamed Garsdale from September 1932 onwards.

[StevieG]

Anyone know if there was a Bradshaw's or an ABC Rail Guide for that period ?

[JASd17]

You say a thwarted journey, if one tried via Hawes, Garsdale, Hellifield, Blackburn, Preston and then to any of the Blackpool stations, one might well find a temptation to give up, perhaps just beyond Hawes, and certainly by Hellifield! At least a nice trip up Wensleydale.

I don't have any details for summer 1945. But timetableworld.com has LNER and LMS timetables for June 1947.

If starting at Northallerton, most likely on a Saturday, one would take a train to York and catch the 10-15am LMS train which had through carriages to Blackpool Central, arriving at 2-34pm. On other weekdays a change at Manchester Victoria would be necessary, arriving almost one hour later at Blackpool North.

If on a Saturday one wanted to attempt to go via Garsdale, here goes:

Northallerton d 7-15am
Garsdale a 9-10am
d 10-00am
Hellifield a 10-43am
d 1-2pm
Blackburn a 1-55pm
d 2-5pm (Sats Only Colne-Blackpool through carriages)
Blackpool Ctl a 3-19pm

It would take even longer on other weekdays.
I hope I have read all the tables correctly, not easy off the screen.

John

[JASd17]

An alternative to the wait at Hellifield would have been to travel on to Skipton and thence to Colne, to catch the same (SO) Colne-Blackpool through service, as picked up at Blackburn.

Of course these are all timetabled services, many excursions and holiday extras would have been run to Blackpool stations.

John

[Wavey]

An alternative to the wait at Hellifield would have been to travel on to Skipton and thence to Colne, to catch the same (SO) Colne-Blackpool through service, as picked up at Blackburn.

Of course these are all timetabled services, many excursions and holiday extras would have been run to Blackpool stations.

John

If travelling via Skipton and Colne then an alternative might have been via the Leeds Northern and then the Otley and Ilkley Joint. I don't know how many changes would have been required to achieve this though! I believe excursion traffic may have used this route.
Northallerton
Ripon
Harrogate
Arthington Jnct
Otley
Ilkey
Skipton

[JASd17]

Cannot disagree with that Wavey. There may be other routes via Leeds too.

The Northallerton-Blackpool via Garsdale original is, I think, 4 different trains, via Skipton on my version 5.

Ready for a holiday after that.

And, I have not considered a return journey at all!

John