Wensleydale Railway Matters

I have been looking to see if there is a stock list for the Wensleydale Railway. I believe that a 16T mineral wagon (B 97217) may have gone there from the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (Ex GCR Windcutter). Can anyone confirm please?

 

The line had a small model railway event last year which they are looking to expand but its early stages and still finding its feet. Having said that there was a nice mix of loco-haulage and the Pacer to Scurton. I think they plan on making more of the model event and expanding where they can have displays as last time was half the shed. Overall, it was a nice start and shows potential.

 

I went to Bradford in the end last year because my car had some issues and I didn’t fancy being stranded on the A1! But my BiL went to Wensleydale and said it was a good event.

 

Made my first trip to the Wensleydale Railway today, and first in a while for people on NP given the lack of posts in this thread.

It's not a line that has ever massivly appealed to me, but they recently announced that 45407 (which had been hired in for Polar Express services) would do few days post christmas and with me being in Manchester for work at the moment it wasn't too much of a challenge to pop ovdr.

The main problem is I don't drive and the line hasn't run through to Northallerton for a while, but Leeming Bar has an hourly bus service. Well it usually does anyway... after waiting a while I called the bus company to discover a bridge was flooded out and the next bus running on diversion would miss the first of the two service trains. Not to be defeated I grabbed a pricey cab. If only the line to Northallerton could be re-reopened then you could have a bus-replacement rail service!

It was a good thing I booked as the train was very busy, with the railways website and social media advising people that tickets were now very limited, which is great to see and a contrast to my boxing day trip to the East Lancashire which was certainly feeling a little sleepy (with two of the mk1s locked out of service). The Black Five was eventually marshalled onto a lengthy rake of MK2s (7ish) and we left about 15 down (with apologies given by staff), which was a bit of a trend for the day as it was late running all day without any clear reason as to why. The scenery I'd say was in the top ten for preserved stabdard gauge lines in the UK, and that is without running to Redmire which I understand is even more picturesque. There is a lot to like about the line: the lengthy run without stops is something not that common on preserved lines; Leeming Bar seems to have been recently renovated with replica parcels office and displays through the windows; the scenery; the squeegees about the carriages to clear the condensation so passengers can enjoy the view.

Operational it was interesting, with the loop at Leeming Bar otherwise engaged so the train stopping short, the Black Five dropping off and a diesel added to pull us the final couple of hundred yards.

The staff were enthusiastic but neither on arrival or on the train did anyone check my ticket. I doubt you get many freeloaders on a steam railway but it did feel odd. Catering was a bit of a missed opportunity as Leeming Bar cafe and shop was was shut due to still being set up for Polar Express and there was no on train buffet or trolly so the tea room at Leyburn was mobbed on arrival. Indeed when I got off at Bedale that was all shut and locked too which again felt like a missed opportunity to capture secondary spend.

It has been interesting to read this thread from the start today whilst waiting on non-running buses etc and it seems the doom and gloom of 2017ish was misplaced. Not only has the line successfully weathered past issues and the covid storm it seems to be in a good state and very well patronised. If they can get Northallerton to Redmire back open that'd be a good pull, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is and joining as a member to help propel things along a tiny little bit. The line shows a lot of promise and if today's visitor numbers are anything to go by it should be able to move from strength to strength.

The railway's own website isn't the most informative in terms of up to date news but this site is a great way to see what progress is being made: https://photos.wr-rail-link.co.uk/

 

Sadly Northallerton is impossible due to modern infrastructure placed on the previous branch trackage length apart from the reverse junction.
Redmire requires track upgrades, this railway is tight on money and volunteers.

 

I assume the poster was talking about Northallerton West, not Northallerton mainline station. This was operational for a short time a few years back, I was lucky enough to be able to ride all the way from Northallerton West to Redmire and back. Northallerton West is a fairly short walk from the mainline station (about 15 mins as I remember it) and is just before the NR boundary and the reverse junction.

Last time I looked, running to Northallerton West again in future was still possible but required some level crossing improvements which were subject to finance being available. I don't know if that ambition is still alive though.

Edit: Here's an aerial view of Northallerton West, showing the platform and runround loop. Access is from Springwell Lane via the path going North-East from the platfrom.

Edit: Corrected rogue reference to "Northallerton North".

 

What's also interesting, from the photo, is both how tight the curve of the former west to south chord was and also the route of the wartime emergency link between the low level line & the ECML proper at Castle Hills. You can also see that this crossed the west to south chord, where the odd little swing bridge arrangement had to be installed.

 

A little update as I don’t think this has been posted on here on the over 2 weeks in February from prep to completion the Pway team with assistance from contractors completed the replacement of the level crossing at Ainderby gates. Some pictures are mine the rest from the railways social media taking by other volunteers

It started with prep work with the Vegetation team clearing the area around the work site



then once that was completed a works train was sent down to the site of Ainderby station to drop the rails and sleepers required for the job








Following that they Pway team moved in to remove the old crossing replace the sleepers



At this point we handed over the site to the contractor to install the sill beams crossing deck and restore the road interface

 

Brill. One day when my kids are less reliant on me (this could be 16 years away!)I'll be up there giving you a hand.

 

Thanks Alex, The more the merrier I only do a couple of days a month as my shifts allow.

 

Lev 1 has now had a paint job and returned to locomotion at shildon

 

The task for the past few Pway turns for the Bedale team has been spot resleepering around Newton le willows here’s a picture of the team out yesterday taking a well deserved tea break was a good day for it and got a good 10 sleepers replaced.

 

Well recently the Bedale team have turned our attention to some drainage issues in the newton grange area and have spent a couple of days clearing drainage channels labour intensive shovel work but will definitely make a difference

 

Meanwhile at the Redmire end we have some big work planned in the Wensley area to make it fit for traffic which as I understand will swallow much of the set aside funds already raised. So the railway has just launched a new funding campaign to raise money for more work to get us closer to reopening the Leyburn to Redmire section to passenger traffic

please see the just giving page below if you could spare anything towards it would be appreciated.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign...bIdI9nH41rLe_SVs3A_aem_wCiaHMuiyeEyupg0Rn9A8Q


David

 

Just a little update from the latest fundraising effort copied verbatim from the FB page


Thanks to your donations so far, we have filled the equivalent of 9 40-tonne seacow ballast wagons!
Our new appeal aims to raise funds to allow us to tackle a damaged section of trackwork that is impeding progress in restoring passenger services to Redmire. Ballast is approx. £25/tonne to buy, and it costs about £1,000 to fill our Seacow wagon. We estimate we'll need 25 full wagon loads to complete the track repairs holding up our return to Redmire. We need your help. Please help us fill those wagons!
Read more and donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/redmirenextsteps




David

 

Estimation of ballast quantities is a very inexact subject.
I wouldn't be surprised if you came in at plus 25 % in the end.

 

I don’t know how the exact figure for ballast has been calculated but it’s been worked out by someone more qualified than myself. Out of curiosity Do you mean 25% surplus or 25% short?

David

 

From experience in National Network track renewals, you can almost guarantee that a calculated tonnage of ballast will always need topping up.
There will always be the fact of ballast moving down slope off the shoulders or having a wider shoulder than specified.
Digging the trackbed too deep or too wide is another factor.
Poor control of Tipping from hoppers.
Overlifting by the tamping operations.

I am not being critical just commenting based on my experience elsewhere.

My figure means you would have a shortfall of up to 25%

I usually call in to the Wensleydale about twice a year for the last 25 years maybe more, usually spending something at one of the shops.

 

Judging by the pictures, the formation seems to need some rebuilding before anyone starts tipping fresh ballast.

 

Is there a Bunny problem?