Norton Road – or Blackboards as its better known – helps link Malton and Norton. Howard Campion looks back at its history.

THERE are currently problems regarding the management of this road which links the railway station to Norton’s Church Street – and there are ongoing trials to make it one-way. It is a valuable link road but its position makes for a difficult junction at the Norton end.

It was built by the York and North Midland Railway Company, who owned the land either side of the lines so there was no legal problem.

Old railway sleepers were used as makeshift – but very effective – boundary fencing to keep pedestrians off the track. Years of traffic thundering past turned them black. And so the Blackboards name was born.

The station needed connection by road for refight and customer access because it was isolated from Norton despite its proximity.

A wooden bridge had been built over the river for access but from there the towpath provided the only roadway.

The first bridge had already collapsed once (one of the Priestman’s tanners was carrying a load of bark over it and the wood broke through the bridge, falling into the water).

Something better was needed to facilitate business too – and to provide safe access for employees who lived in the company cottages at the junction of Church Street and Welham Road.

The only proper access had been a lengthy detour into Malton then down Wells Lane into the station.

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It was intended that the road’s use would be restricted to customers and employees but this created difficulties for many years.

Staff had to be available to police the use of the thoroughfare and the problems created were a local talking point on many occasions – even a director of the railway company was once refused entry!

A gate was built across the road at the Norton end and one remembers it being closed on one day per year in order to reinforce and consolidate the road’s status.

Things have calmed down nowadays and it is now just simply another road.

  • Howard Campion is a trustee at the Malton and Norton Heritage Centre