WENSLEYDALE
RAILWAY
British
Rail Class 20 No. 20166 (D8166) at Redmire
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The
Wensleydale Railway is a heritage railway running from Northallerton on
the East Coast Main Line to Redmire in Wensleydale. Authorised by
an Act of Parliament in 1846, the first 5.5 mile (9km) section between
Northallerton and Leeming Bar opened in 1848 and the line eventually
connected with the Settle to Carlisle Railway at
Minister
of Defence Class 03 No. 03144
(D2144)
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Garsdale Head in 1878. Passengers and goods were carried on
the line until it's decline when the last freight train ran between
Northallerton and Redmire in 1982. The line beyond Redmire was
lifted in 1965 and some bridges demolished but occassional passenger
excursion trains were run until the 1990's when the Wensleydale Railway
Association was formed to preserve the remaining line.
Today regular
passenger services operate from Leeming Bar to Redmire. A short section
of
track complete with train at Hawes Station forms part of the Dales
Countryside Museum.
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In early 2020 a separate company was formed reinstate the Upper
Wensleydale Railway between Hawes and Garsdale. It is planned to
run it as a regular train operating company and has been shortlisted
for funding from the goverment's Reverse Beeching Fund in June 2020.
The
Wensleydale Railway operates mainly diesel hauled trains and several
diesel multiple units. A steam locomotive is also operated here,
No. 69023 Joem, a 0-6-0 Class
J72. A second steam locomotive, No. 92219 a 2-10-0 British
Railways Standard Class 9F is currently undergoing restoration.
The
railway's connection with the national rail network at Northallerton
enables preserved steam locomotives to visit from elsewhere in the
country.
Class
47 at
Leeming Bar |
Departing
Redmire |
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