Scarborough railway station clocktower: ‘Crowning glory’ of station’s £14m restoration
For thousands of people, Scarborough railway station is the gateway to the coast, but last year some may have thought that the landmark building had seen better days.
Now a £14 million project to upgrade the station is almost complete, with the “crowning glory” being the painstaking restoration of the clocktower.
The Network Rail scheme includes a new roof, drainage systems and restored stonework. The project also aimed to preserve the Grade II-listed building's historical character.
The waiting room and ticket office were also revamped to improve passenger experience at the station, which has remained open throughout the year-long project.
A Railway Heritage Trust grant of £203,000 has enabled the clocktower to be restored at the same time, taking advantage of the scaffolding and site compound already being in place.
The station clock, built by Potts of Leeds and costing £110 (equivalent to £11,564 today), was added in about 1884.
Each part of the four faces has been individually restored to its best – forming what Network Rail calls the crowning glory of the wider project.
Network Rail contractors will remain on site until the end of June due to the controlled removal of asbestos which has been found in the social club, ticket office and café areas of the station. The station’s social club and ticket office will operate as normal with no risk to the public. The café is set to reopen later this month.
Ann Shannon, Network Rail scheme project manager, said: “Our project at Scarborough station is in its final stages, and thanks to the Railway Heritage Trust grant for the clocktower restoration, we’ve been able to deliver more benefits than originally planned.
“The main project is on track for completion as planned, but some of our colleagues will be working at the station for slightly longer because of the asbestos we’ve recently identified.
"We’re grateful for everyone’s patience and understanding while we address this safely and responsibly.”
Roof repairs were started after a glazing failure in 2021.
The station was made safe and, after funding constraints were overcome, the full restoration began in spring 2025.
Scarborough’s coastal location has meant other considerations – hawks were employed to prevent seagulls nesting during the main roof work last summer, and specific types of tile, paint and timber are used because of the salt-heavy sea air.
Scarborough station opened on July 8 1845, following the completion of the line from York.
To accommodate excursion traffic, two new platforms were added in 1883, now known as platforms 1 and 2.