Couple Revives Historic Train Station Retreat

Quick Smiles:

• Mark and Carol Benson spent 30 years restoring a closed railway station into a welcoming vacation spot.
• The Old Station now offers visitors unique stays in converted train cars and a former ticket office cottage.
• The couple’s dedication was honored with a blue plaque for historical preservation.

Over the past three decades, Mark and Carol Benson lovingly transformed Ebbertson Station in North Yorkshire, breathing new life into the site after it was closed for decades. The Old Station now delights guests with stays in three repurposed First Class train cars and a cozy cottage fashioned from the ticket office.

The Bensons also turned the station master’s house into their family home, restoring the original platform canopy and waiting area, complete with a blue plaque marking its historic value.

“It has been a lot of hard work,” Carol shared.

“We are very proud of what we have achieved.”

Situated in the village of Allerston near Scarborough, the former Ebbertson Station stands as a testament to careful craftsmanship and is recognized as a prime example of architect William Bell’s classic design.

After acquiring the property in 1996, the couple set out to create a business that supported their family life and future retirement plans. They upgraded the train cars to include kitchens, bedrooms, and relaxing lounge spaces, giving visitors a taste of railway history.

In 2021, Mark and Carol salvaged bricks from the site’s former outbuildings to renovate the ticket office into a charming vacation cottage, adding two bedrooms with en-suite shower rooms.

Thanks to this heartfelt restoration, travelers can experience a piece of England’s rail heritage in a truly unique setting.

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