The Yorkshire Coast by Rail: New Yorkshire exhibition takes visitors back to golden age of seaside holidays
An exhibition captures the story of the railways in the 19th century that took people to the coast.
A new heritage exhibition at Scarborough’s Old Parcels Office Artspace takes visitors back to the golden age of seaside holidays.
The Yorkshire Coast by Rail, developed in partnership with the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations is now open.
The arrival of the railway in the mid 19th century transformed the Yorkshire Coast into one of Britain’s most popular holiday destinations. Scarborough, Filey, Whitby and Bridlington all became accessible to families seeking fresh air, beaches and fun by the sea.
This nostalgic exhibition captures that story through vintage photographs, stories and memorabilia, model engines.
Copies of the famous LNER railway posters that once enticed visitors to the coast are on loan from Scarborough Museum and Galleries and model engines and artefacts are on loan from local model engineer Nigel Watkinson.
Peter Myers, Chair of the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership, said: “This exhibition brings to light some fascinating stories about the impact the arrival of the railway had on the development of the Yorkshire Coast as a seaside destination.
"We are grateful to our sponsors Northern Rail and TransPennine Express for their support, which has helped make it possible to share this important chapter.”
The Old Parcels Office itself is a piece of railway history.
Built in the 1883 as extra waiting rooms to cope with the surge of holidaymakers arriving by train, the Grade II listed building now provides art studios alongside gallery and event spaces.
Sally Gorham, Chair of the OPO, added: “The railways opened up the Yorkshire Coast to generations of holidaymakers, and this exhibition celebrates that legacy in a building that once welcomed those very travellers.”