Couple raise their three children in £280,000 converted railway office with private level crossing – while trains stop outside of their bedroom up to 12 times a day

A couple who raised their children in an old railway office they purchased for £280,000 have revealed how trains stop outside of their bedroom up to 12 times a day.

Tim Hill, 58, and his wife Elly, 54, purchased a converted four-bedroom bungalow in Yorkshire’s Battersby Station in 2007 with their three daughters: Katie, now 22, and twins Emma and Zoe, 20. 

The historic station is on the Esk Valley Victorian railway line, which serves trains running between Middlesbrough and the popular seaside resort of Whitby.

Formerly known as Ingleby Junction when it opened in 1858, it soon became a major hub with three-road engine shed and railway turntable.

Having opted to relocate as they were keen to escape the busyness of life in the Lincolnshire market town of Bourne, the pair are now just steps away from the railway station and can even see the platforms from their kitchen, office and bedroom. 

‘We have our own level crossing to get into the village,’ revealed Tim, former chief scientist at Natural England.

‘I found the trains coming in and going out were surprisingly useful for keeping track of the time of the day when I worked in London. Now they punctuate our day and you become familiar with them.

‘I don’t need to set an alarm as I’m subconsciously aware the first train has come in and I need to wake up.’

Explaining why the train location was the perfect spot for a young family, Tim added: ‘We wanted to find somewhere that was a bit more rural and safer where our kids could go tearing about and have a proper childhood.

‘We went to view the house and even before we’d stepped inside it, we just knew it was the right one for us. We fell in love with it.’

He added that in the years since they moved in, the couple have ‘taken advantage of trains by going to York or London on the train via Middlesbrough.

‘It’s good family fun, when you’ve got toddlers and young children, to be able to jump on the train on a sunny day. We’ve spent many days in Whitby,’ explained Tim. 

‘We’re surrounded by fields and footpaths, so the girls had the run of the place, and would often be playing outside with friends for hours on end.

‘Our garden was horribly overgrown and the house had been empty for ages. One of the biggest jobs was to switch the sitting room and kitchen around. We put solar panels on the roof and installed an electric car charge point.

‘We’ve always liked houses that are a little bit quirky and we’ve never been shy of rolling our sleeves up.’

However, while the station was predominantly safe for his children, Tim recounted one instance in which his daughter fell onto a train track while learning how to ride a bike. 

‘Once I was brushing my teeth and my daughter cycled past the window. As she did, she waved, and fell off the platform onto the track,’ he said.

‘I do stress there were no trains due for another two hours.’

Battersby, formerly known as Ingleby Junction when it opened in 1858, was a busy through station in the 19th century, used by freight trains transporting ironstone and ferrying Victorian holidaymakers to Whitby.

However the closure of the line west out of Battersby in 1954 meant a third platform was closed and all services have to reverse out.

Train drivers have to exchange a physical token from a machine on the platform before they can reverse out on the single-line track.

The system ensures only one train is on the track – preventing any collisions and informing the signaller they are on the move.

For Tim and Elly, living in an old railway office was a no-brainer as it fulfilled their criteria of wanting to be near the sea and mountains. 

While Tim admitted that National Rail works ‘occasionally’ keep him up at night, he insisted that the benefits far outweigh any noise. 

Since relocating to the station 18 years ago, the family have seen the Flying Scotsman on visits to the King and Tim revealed that he can always tell when something ‘interesting’ is happening as enthusiasts flock to the platform on otherwise quiet days.

There are two buildings at the station, with the Hill’s living in the old ticket office, and the old station master’s property.

A few years after moving in, Tim and a few other locals decided to form the Friends of Battersby Station adoption group, who volunteer to look after the station throughout the year.

‘It wasn’t just the house that looked a bit sad and unloved – the station itself did too,’ he explained. 

‘I wanted to do something about it so started out picking up litter and clearing back overgrown vegetation.

‘We bought new benches, picnic tables and installed planters which we tend to year-round.

‘The watering of plants in summer takes quite some effort. We’re also working to help support the local wildlife.

‘I’ve installed bat and bird boxes on the mature pine trees, sown wildflower seeds, and we even have a bug hotel on the platform.’