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North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by The Black Hat, Feb 13, 2011.

  1. Charles Parry

    Charles Parry Member

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    Yes I was surprised to see it when I passed through on an NR service at lunchtime.

    Made my first visit to the line in several years on Thursday and had a pretty good time. The gradients are always a treat. Bit off that two of the six coaches on the service were out of use under test, meaning for rather cramped travel during school Easter holidays. And surprised there was no buffet or trolley service when the timetable isn't exactly frequent so hopping off for refreshments isn't that easy. Great to see the progress on the carriage shed and what I am guessing is volunteer accommodation and offices at Pickering. Feels rather "commercial" these days but if that is felt it is necessary to stay alive then needs must. And an impressive array of locos in traffic.
     
  2. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    It was running in today, piloting the 10.30 and 13.30 trains up to Goathland. All being well I believe it should be entering traffic on Wednesday. Here it is piloting "Eric" on the 13.30 departure - note how steam tight it is (apart from the safety valves that is;))

    IMG_3345 copy.jpg

    Peter
     
  3. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    It was in the shed Sunday when we visited, lots of banging underneath, then quiet as we left to catch the 14.30 to Pickering, photo's in the photography thread of our Easter on the line.
     
  4. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Any news on the B1 61264 about it been overhauled or not I've looked on Thompson B1 loco trust but cant find no updates since July 2020 I heard that the owner of the B1 had passed away, so will we ever see 61264 run again or is it just left dormant at Grosmont M.P.D.?
     
  5. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    It’s owned by the B1 Locomotive Trust so, no, the owner hasn’t passed away.
     
  6. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Separated from it's tender and obviously being worked on when we were there at Easter.
     
  7. Respite

    Respite Member

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    It isn't being worked on, it has been like that for a while now.
     
  8. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for that, stand corrected.
     
  9. ykin01

    ykin01 Member

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    Not the greatest of sources but RailAdvent is reporting 37403 is going to be visiting the line for an extended visit, presumably to take over from 31128.

    North Yorkshire Moors Railway to hire in Class 37 locomotive (railadvent.co.uk)

    "BR Class 37 No. 37403 is to be hired in by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for the summer season.

    The SRPS locomotive has now re-entered service and will go to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for the summer, starting in early May 2022.

    Before 37403 leaves for the NYMR, the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway will operate their running night on the 1st May 2022 to give hours of mileage behind the locomotive to celebrate its return to traffic."
     
  10. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    I believe it is working an SRPS train to Kyle and back on Sat 30/4 then heading off for the NYMR on Mon 2/5, meeting 31128 en route for a crew change. At least that was the plan, last I heard.

    Peter
     
  11. chrishallam

    chrishallam Member

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    We're heading for a week in Malton in July. I understand from the website the Whitby's and to an extent the internal services have to be pre-booked.

    Whilst I appreciate things regularly change on the day and there are no guarantees, are there diagrams for steam Vs diesel that are aspired to? Are either of the Whitby services more or less likely to have steam throughout?
    Thanks
     
  12. ykin01

    ykin01 Member

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    The NYMR Diesel site is quite good at showing the timetable with any diesel/steam turns NYMR Diesel.

    From looking at that and barring any failures etc I believe the way I read it should mean the below:
    The only scheduled diesel turn on the 'bronze timetable' is the 1040 Grosmont-Whitby and 1235 Whitby-Grosmont both these runs are on the Whitby 'A' service from Pickering. So if you want Steam throughout the 'B' service would possibly be the best to go for which is the 1200 from Pickering.

    The 'gold timetable' has a bit more diesel the runs as mentioned above along with the 0955 Pickering-Grosmont, 1230 Grosmont-Pickering, 1400 Pickering-Grosmont and 1835 Grosmont-Pickering. This means the Whitby 'B' service would be fully diesel internally with steam on the Grosmont-Whitby section. The Whitby 'A' service would be steam internally with diesel taking the Whitby section.
     
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  13. chrishallam

    chrishallam Member

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    Much appreciated... Thank you
     
  14. Sidmouth4me

    Sidmouth4me Member

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    Typical loco roster showing steam v diesel. View attachment 68
     

    Attached Files:

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  15. Hirn

    Hirn Member

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    More trains? In particular a capacity buster out in the morning Pickering to Whitby in the morning, back in the evening Whitby to Pickering and stow the stock at Whitby in between.

    Assuming they can’t be lengthened, the options would appear to be first high capacity carriages, second faster trains - omit stops or double head over the summit, third track capacity, loops and more signals so that two trains can follow one another through a section - North Yorks Moors: signals or ideally a loop between Levington and Goathland , intermediate signals between Gotland and Grosmont, Network Rail obviously out of NYMs hands but critical that it ceases being one section between Glaisdale and Whitby which though only 4 miles makes scheduling difficult and makes the worst of any late running - I assume Network Rail will not necessarily be bloody minded to the NYM but will give priority to recovering the service between Middlesbrough if it has gone awry given all the knock on effects on single line. The resignalling should be done as simply as possible but with passive provision - ducts big enough to draw extra cables in - for likely possible future developments e.g. as well as signals either side of the junction at Grosmont putting in an outer home at Whitby with possibly points west of Whitby to provide direct access to the NYM platform there from c.MP 30 through Bog Hall Sidings or a loop and two platforms at Grosmont on the Esk Valley line.
     
  16. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Caused by the good detail on post #2172 and the excellent rostered loco per service on the linked diesel page it did make me wonder following on from the Transparency of Mainline Charters thread about Heritage Line transparency.
    I am sure most of the public, and myself included, would expect that if visiting a major heritage line (and I would have the NYMR in my top 5) steam traction would be employed unless specified in the timetable.
    Many lines, SVR, Swanage, WSR to name three have diesel services on some timetables but these are clearly shown. Unless it is hidden somewhere I can see no mention of on the Gold Timetable the 1235 from Whitby (the second of the Yorkshire Express runs) being 50% diesel hauled, where as the first service is only diesel hauled between Grosmont and Whitby on the return.
    Encouraged to book in advance by the railway I would be very unhappy to find this out when I had paid £41 up front. As an enthusiast I may expect diesel on the NR section sue to lack of approved locos, but not all the way to Pickering.
    I would have expected better from the NYMR.
    As an aside I noticed there is a peak supplement on the fare. Whilst hotels, airlines and even the national network price based on supply and demand are Whitby loads so high to justify this in such an economically difficult year for the travelling public?
     
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  17. Sidmouth4me

    Sidmouth4me Member

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    The NYMR try to roster steam on all its trains between Pickering and Grosmont with diesel on some of the trains between Grosmont and Pickering simply because some of its steam locomotives are barred by NR, and in particular the Q6 and 9F. Occasionally, and for operational reasons, diesel might operate between Pickering and Whitby but steam will then normally operate in the opposite direction.

    The 12.35 departure off Whitby is referred to as the Whitby Hopper, similar to the Moorland Explorer and might sometimes be diesel hauled as far as Grosmont (today the cl 31). It enables both an early return for those passengers who wish to return off the 9.20 ex Pickering (rather than the normal 14.00 departures from Whitby) as well as a later departure for ex Whitby passengers rather than their normal 10.00 departure.

    Whilst it is proving an economically difficult year for passengers, I am sure it is proving an equally economically difficult year for all heritage railways particularly given the price of coal doubling in less than a year. In the case on the NYMR the peak fare of Pickering-Whitby return is £43 compared to £41 off peak. Nevertheless, it does try to make it easier for families by selling a 2+2 family ticket (as well as 2+3); for example the Pickering-Whitby off peak family ticket is £84, meaning children effectively travel for £1 each.

    ps the peak Pickering-Whitby loads are quite high, with both the 9.20 and 12.00 departures often sold out by times of departure, hence why the NYMR encourages advance bookings to avoid disappointment. But it still enables turn up and go passengers by only releasing seats from Coach A on the morning of departure and which are then sold on a first come / first served basis.
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2022
  18. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    I understand all that, and do not disagree, and I am not saying the fare is too expensive, but the gold timetable appears to have diesel planned all the way from Whitby to Pickering with a diesel to diesel swap at Grosmont based on the timetable rosters on the diesel site. It thus becomes a far different offering to the early Whitby to Pickering service in my opinion, and is not made clear to those purchasing tickets in advance they may not be getting what they expected, or what I suspect many would perceive as a far lower quality experience.
    You have also failed to answer my question of why the extra fare for peak time, are trains so crowded you need to discourage travel or is it just lets charge more because it is school holidays so we can. Not sure I know of any other standard gauge heritage line that has peak charging. They often charge less for the quieter days of a multi day gala when train volumes are less, but not for an identical product. Even the family fare, which is great with kids in tow, has a peak excess. To me it has the possibility of being self defeating with lots of negative trip advisor comments, but then what do I know?
     
  19. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I'm afraid that on the Gold T/T the 12.35 ex Whitby is diesel all the way to Pickering on the days when the Moorlander operates and the diesel haulage continues with the 15.00 back from Pickering. The 17.40 ex Whitby is also diesel from Grsomont through to Pickering. On Gold, the Whitby trains count for 222 train miles out of a total train mileage of 348 and 60 of those Whitby train miles are scheduled for diesel haulage with a further 36 train miles on internal services. That's 90 miles of planned diesel haulage which is a tad over 25%.

    Having said that, there are good reasons for the use of diesels on these services. The steam servicing facilities at Pickering New Bridge are limited to two locos so, when a third loco is required on Gold, it has to be a diesel, which does not need a pit and does two round trips between Pickering and Grosmont. The locos from New Bridge also have to go on shed for service and examination at Grosmont and, to enable this to happen, the Whitby turns that have a long layover are diesel hauled from Grosmont whilst the steam loco goes to shed for service. It would be nice not to do this but the limitations imposed by the Northern T/T to Whitby make it almost inevitable. The NYMR has recently purchased the adjacent pig farm next to New Bridge which would allow for a vastly expanded servicing facility/shed but that is for the future and many pennies to be collected first.
     
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  20. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    The NYMR has recently purchased the adjacent pig farm next to New Bridge which would allow for a vastly expanded servicing facility/shed but that is for the future and many pennies to be collected first.

    That rather depends on how they go about it, of course! A pragmatic approach would be do it in stages as quickly as possible to relieve the urgent needs, but what's the betting it is delayed till YMJ is finished so that the services of the carriage shed architects can be used again!
     

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