Thorp Arch Station, Wetherby
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G.T. Andrews designed this very attractive single storey station in 1847 on the line from Harrogate through Tadcaster to Church Fenton. The size and quality of the station serving a very small village was due to the proximity of Boston Spa across the river Wharfe.
In the Tudor style, with Gothic windows, it is of cream limestone with a steep gabled roof supported on the platform by wooden posts. It has paired and tri-partite lancet windows. There is also a well preserved goods shed. Both are Grade II Listed Buildings. The track bed has been converted into a foot and cycle path.
Thorp Arch housed one of sixteen Royal Ordanance Factories built to manufacture munitions during the second World War. It produced various ammunitions including mortars for the army and bombs for the RAF. It was connected by a circular railway, and linked to the main line. The site is now a shopping park, as well as housing the Northern Reading Room, Northern Listening Service and Document Supply Centre of the British Library. Another part is a prison, originally HMP Thorp Arch, now HMP Wealstun. It is also where Leeds United have their training facilities.
By road: Off A659
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Sustrans - National Cycle Network, Route 66, Thorp Arch to Wetherby
Urbex Forums - ROF Thorp Arch