Work starts on transformation of former North Yorkshire railway site

Work is underway to transform a former North Yorkshire railway station, which played a key role in World War Two D-Day preparations, into a £20m housing development.

Wetherby-based Berkeley DeVeer is breathing new life into the three-acre brownfield site at West Tanfield, six miles north of Ripon.

Surrounded by countryside, the development – known as Regency Place – was once home to Tanfield station, which opened in 1875, before closing to passengers in 1931, and shutting down completely in 1963.

Dan Newett, managing director of Berkeley DeVeer, said: “Regency Place offers a family of homes tailored to meet the needs of a growing local community, particularly the demand for new-build homes, and fit well with the organic growth of the village.

“Many are tailored with first-time buyers in mind to meet the needs of the local community, while others offer spacious family homes.”

The station – which sat on the single branch line between Masham, Melmerby and Ripon – drew around 8,000 passenger journeys a year, as well running a daily livestock train.

Although it closed in 1931 to passengers, World War Two gave it a new lease of life as the station acted as a transhipment point for as many as 76,000 tons of munitions stored locally each year.

According to historians, during the build-up to D-Day 42 trains were dispatched from Tanfield, each with up to 50 wagons.