I CAN confirm that the photo of locomotive 1597, on page 22 of the November 5 edition of the Gazette & Herald, is standing at Amotherby station, on what I believe is a Gilling to Malton local passenger service, which ceased running from January 1, 1931.

It is perhaps appropriate to draw attention to the fact it was 50 years ago recently, Friday, October 16, 1964, that the last official train, the return freight to Malton, departed Amotherby station at 2.05pm, clearing Malton East Junction at 2.19pm.

The line west of Amotherby had closed on August 10, 1964, but the three miles, 949 yards of single line section between Amotherby and Scarborough Road Junction, where trains to/from Amotherby reversed, and the 904 yards double line section between Scarborough Road Junction and Malton East Junction, remained open for a further 10 weeks to fulfil a contract British Railways had with BATA at Amotherby for the forwarding of their traffic by rail to Seamer and Ruswarp.

Upon closure, Jack Mitchell, the porter-signalman at Amotherby, transferred to Ganton gate box and then became an inspector at Malton station, whereas Jack Hugill, the Scarborough Road Junction signalman, who was previously signalman at Goathland Summit, retired.

The line was taken up in the summer of 1965. The accompanying photo, taken by the late Patrick Howat, shows Amotherby station, later demolished, awaiting its fate in December 1964.

With regard to the photo on page 79 of the same edition, of Norman Windross at Kirkbymoorside (it would be more accurate by then to refer to “the branch line from Malton”); he had every reason to appear pessimistic as the station closed from August 10, 1964.

Charles Allenby, Swinton