Railway Station. Before 1848, only aristocratic or wealthy classes could visit Harrogate, but the opening in that year of railway lines to Brunswick and Starbeck stations enabled great numbers of the general public to visit the town in search of health and leisure. Visitors had to travel to central Harrogate by horse-drawn carriage or donkey cart, but in 1862 the North Eastern Railway Company constructed a link line with a new station in the developing area of central Harrogate. Designed by company architect Thomas Prosser, who had also designed York Railway Station, the new station was the first public building in Harrogate to be built of brick. In 1896, an improvement programme provided extended platforms and a beautiful glazed entrance canopy, by which time the station boasted eight platforms. At this time, the often exclusive nature of Harrogate’s visitors entitled the Station Master the rare honour of wearing a silk top hat. In 1965 the Victorian station building was replaced by the present structure designed by Harold Taylor as part of a tower block development. This plaque was presented by Northern Rail in 2012 to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of central Harrogate’s Railway Station. British Monarchs who have passed through it have included King George V, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth II.

Railway Station, Station Parade, Harrogate, United Kingdom

Subjects

King George V of the United Kingdom
(1865-1936) King of the United Kingdom

Queen Mary of Teck
(1867-1953) Queen Consort of England

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
(1926-2022) Queen of the United Kingdom

Thomas Prosser
(1817-1888) architect

Harold Taylor
architect

Harrogate railway station
(1862-present) railway station

Paisley Canal Line This plaque marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Telford, the great civil engineer, who designed the Glasgow, Paisley & Ardrossan Canal opened to here in 1811 and converted to a railway in 1883. Blackhall Bridge (1809) over the white cart, with the longest aqueduct span of the canal age and now carrying the railway, is 3/4 mile east of this station.

Causeyside Street, Paisley, United Kingdom

Subjects

Thomas Telford
(1757-1834) civil engineer

In honour of Asquith Xavier who successfully fought to become the first black worker employed as a train guard at London Euston station in 1966

Euston Station, Euston Road, London, United Kingdom

Subjects

Remembering Surbiton News Kiosk Surbiton news kiosk was part of the station for over 70 years. It was opened in 1940 on platforms 1-2 just outside this waiting room 10 studs in the platform surface mark its position. Last time it served customers on 23 March 2016. The kiosk forms part of the railway heritage and in July 2017 South West Trains donated it to Swanage Heritage Railway at Wareham station. South West Trains

Victoria Road, Surbiton, United Kingdom

Subjects

Wilston Samuel Jackson Born 17 May 1927 Jamaica. First Black British Train Driver. Fireman & Driver of Steam and Diesel Locomotives out of King's Cross & St Pancras 1952-1967 Fireman & Driver of the locomotives 'Mallard' and 'The Flying Scotsman' and the train "The Elizabethan" Died 15 September 2018 aged 91

Kings Cross Station, London, United Kingdom

Subjects

Wilston Samuel Jackson
(1927-2018)

LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
(1923-present) steam locomotive

LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard
(1938-present) steam locomotive

The Elizabethan
(1953-1961)

Black Lesbian & Gay Centre 1992-1995 Europe's groundbreaking first support centre for Black Queer communities

Bridge Underpass, next to 83 Bellenden Road, Peckham, London, United Kingdom

Coventry Station Multi-Storey Car Park. Officially opened by The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Coventry Councillor Shabbir Ahmed. 19 April 2007.

Coventry railway station, Coventry, United Kingdom