York Historic Environment Record

The first known railway nursery in York was constructed c.1881, and moved to this site in 1941, where part of Poppleton Station's Goods yard was transformed into an area to produce food for railway workers canteens and railway owned hotels.

Post-war, the nursery was used to produce flora to beautify stations along the East Coast Main Line.
The nursery has been renovated and extended at multiple points, now with features such as the storage shed which is the former waiting room from Knottingley Station, and a two-foot gauge railway which transports plants around the site.
Poppleton Community Railway Nursery was established as a charity in 2009 and now partners with the NHS to deliver horticultural training to adults with mental health issues.

It is the only surviving example of a railway nursery in the UK, giving the site significant heritage value based on its rarity, and arguably of interest for national listing. It speaks to York's proud railway heritage and has strong historical value and some age value (of its time), and has contemporary value to the community as a NHS partner.
York Civic Trust