The closure of the line meant that a really unique part of railway history was also lost .

I travelled the line as a child, going on holiday to Scarborough from Middlesbrough and a highlight of the trip was when the whole train was shunted backwards uphill from Whitby Central to Whitby West Cliff.

The train could then procede in a forwards direction over the viaduct (over the river Esk) and on to Robin Hoods Bay.