 Increasing road competition and a consequent drop in passenger usage outside of the peak summer seasons ultimately led to the route being proposed for closure in the 1963 Beeching Report along with both of the others serving Whitby.A public outcry followed, but this was not enough to keep the line open and it closed to all traffic from 8 March 1965.The closure of the line was marked by the Whitby Moors Rail Tour run by the Stephenson Locomotive Society and the Manchester Lococmotive Society and was hauled by preserved LNER Class K4 2-6-0 no.