The last of the public railway companies to reach the area was the Leeds Northern, which was founded in the late 1840’s as the Leeds Thirsk Railway. In 1851 it changed its name and extent of operation, and Stockton was added to its routes the next year. The most spectacular remains locally of the Leeds Northern is the magnificent viaduct at Yarm which also opened in 1852.
The arms of the company are quartered and show, top left, the arms of the city of Leeds. Top right, the sailing ship represents the company’s links with the port of West Hartlepool (the Leeds Northern had a physical connenction to the West Hartlepool Railway). Bottom right, the stooks of corn and botton left, the bales of wool represent the commodities the company expected to carry.
On it’s merger with the York and North Midland and the York, Newcastle and Berwick, the Leeds Northern became part of the North Eastern Railway in 1854. The North Eastern’s had the arms of the three companies were placed together to form a circle – so the Leeds Northern’s device continued to be seen. It’s there in the spandrels of the roof at York station, for example, to this day.
In a later transfer, used exclusively on the North Eastern’s more important locomotives, the Leeds Northern device was altered. The stooks of corn were replaced with a rampant lion below three ships, the arms of Middlesbrough, and the bales of wool with three crowns one above the other, the arms of Hull. (neither place was served by the Leeds Northern, but this was an adaption of the North Eastern to show the importance of these two east coast ports to the North Eastern company)