19th Feb 1993

Until 2014 Hensall station was on of only three railway stations in the world to feature electrical wheel boom level crossing gates, as seen here. The other two places were Castleford Cutsyke Junction and Urlay Nook (near Darlington). I suppose the best way to describe how these gates worked was that they were "driven" remotely by the signalman from the signal box.

The station was opened in 1848 by the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway, which became a part of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. It's a wonderful station building, now in private hands, and boasting a fine collection of period railway signs.