'World's longest railway bench' carefully restored in £14,500 Yorkshire heritage project

A Grade II listed railway bench, reported to be the longest in the world, has been carefully restored at Scarborough's railway station to ensure it survives for years to come.
The bench is reported to be the longest of its kind in the world.The bench is reported to be the longest of its kind in the world.
The bench is reported to be the longest of its kind in the world.

The bench stands at 139 metres long, which is nearly as long as 12 double-decker buses parked end to end, and runs along a retaining wall next to the platform.

The construction of the bench is thought to date back to 1883 when the Grade II excursion station was constructed by William Bell for the North Eastern Railway to accommodate high numbers of tourists visiting Scarborough.

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Network Rail workers carried out the £14,500 heritage project which saw all the nuts and bolts that hold the bench together replaced as well as a fresh lick of paint to all of the cast iron supports.

Timbers in the seat and backrest were also replaced with a specialist type of pine timber that is sustainably sourced and should last for another 50 years.

Craig Hall, Programme Manager for Network Rail, said: "This is a unique bench and we really wanted our restoration work to do it justice, so that it can continue to be enjoyed by visitors and residents for years to come.

"We're really happy with the results, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of the teams who carried this out."

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Mike Drewery, TransPennine Express’ Station Manager for Scarborough said: “Scarborough railway station is steeped in history and we are very proud to be the home of the longest railway bench in the world."