Great Ayton
General information
Location	Great Ayton, Hambleton England
Coordinates	54°29′22″N 1°06′54″W / 54.4893819°N 1.1150788°W / 54.4893819; -1.1150788
Grid reference	NZ574108
Owned by	Network Rail
Managed by	Northern Trains
Platforms	1
Tracks	1
Other information
Station code	GTA
Classification	DfT category F2
History
Original company	North Eastern Railway
Pre-grouping	North Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway British Rail (North Eastern Region)
Key dates
1 April 1868	Opened as Ayton
1874	Renamed Great Ayton
Passengers
2017/18	7,322
2018/19	7,726
2019/20	8,614
2020/21	2,064
2021/22	8,662
Services
Preceding station Northern Following station Nunthorpe towards Middlesbrough via Nunthorpe Esk Valley Line Battersby towards Whitby
Location
Great Ayton Location in North Yorkshire, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Great Ayton is a railway station on the Esk Valley Line, which runs between Middlesbrough and Whitby via Nunthorpe. The station, situated 8 miles 37 chains (13.6 km) south-east of Middlesbrough, serves the village of Great Ayton, Hambleton in North Yorkshire, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

History

On 1 June 1864, the North Eastern Railway opened a short line which linked Battersby, on their route between Picton and Grosmont, with Nunthorpe on the Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway – a subsidiary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

This link line was initially used solely by mineral trains. Passenger trains along the route began four years later,^[1] and a station at Great Ayton was opened on 1 April 1868.^[2]

The station is on the single track rail line between Nunthorpe and Battersby^[3] and there are only a few trains per day. The goods yard at the station closed down in July 1965 along with many other stations on the Esk Valley line.^[4] Until the 1950s, trains used to run from the station to Stokesley, Whitby Town and Middlesbrough but only the latter two destinations are now served.^[5]

Next to Great Ayton station is the village garage and towing service. The station had, until 1934, a full station building complete with booking office and waiting room, this however was demolished to save costs.

Services

Northern Trains Route 5
v t e
Esk Valley Line
Middlesbrough James Cook Marton Gypsy Lane Nunthorpe Great Ayton Battersby Kildale Commondale Castleton Moor Danby Lealholm Glaisdale Egton Grosmont Sleights Ruswarp Whitby

As of the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by five trains per day (four on Sunday) towards Whitby, with two trains per day (Monday to Saturday) running as far as Battersby. Heading towards Middlesbrough via Nunthorpe, there are seven trains per day (four on Sunday). Most trains continue to Newcastle via Hartlepool. All services are operated by Northern Trains.^[6]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter