Wensleydale Railway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wensleydale Railway
Tornado at Newton-le-Willows in May 2019
Locale	North Yorkshire
Commercial operations
Name	Wensleydale Railway
Original gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated by	Wensleydale Railway plc
Stations	7
Length	22 miles (35 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened	between 1848 & 1878
Closed to passengers	26 April 1954
Closed	1992
Preservation history
Headquarters	Leeming Bar

The Wensleydale Railway is a special heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. It runs through the beautiful areas of Wensleydale and Lower Swaledale. This railway was built in different stages by various companies a long time ago.

Originally, the line stretched all the way to Garsdale railway station on the Settle-Carlisle line. Since 2003, the part of the line that remains has been run as a heritage railway. It's about 22 miles (35 km) long. The railway connects Northallerton West station to Redmire. Northallerton West is a short walk from the main Northallerton station.

Today, regular passenger trains run between Leeming Bar and Redmire. There's also a short shuttle service to Scruton. Sometimes, special freight trains and excursions use the whole line.

The railway used to go from Northallerton to Garsdale. However, the tracks between Redmire and Garsdale have been removed. Many bridges in that section were also taken down. The Wensleydale Railway hopes to rebuild this part of the line one day. There's also a separate idea to link Hawes to Garsdale for daily travel and tourists.

History of the Wensleydale Railway

Building the First Sections

On June 26, 1846, a special law allowed a railway company to build a line. This line would connect Northallerton and Bedale. The first part, about 5+1⁄2-mile (8.9 km) long, opened on March 6, 1848. It ran between Northallerton and Leeming Lane.

The rest of the planned section to Bedale was not built at that time. This was because a railway businessman named George Hudson faced problems. So, the railway stopped near Leeming Bar. Passengers for Bedale had to travel the last part by horse and cart.

Extending the Line to Leyburn

Local landowners helped fund the Bedale and Leyburn Railway. This was an 11+1⁄2-mile (18.5 km) extension. It connected Leeming Bar and Leyburn. This extension was approved on August 4, 1853.

The part from Leeming Bar to Bedale station opened on February 1, 1855. The rest of the line to Leyburn opened for goods on November 28, 1855. Passenger services started on May 19, 1856. The company that built this line joined the larger North Eastern Railway (NER) in 1859.

Connecting to Hawes and Garsdale

In the 1860s, different railway companies wanted to build lines to Hawes. Eventually, a law was passed on July 16, 1866. This law allowed the Midland Railway to build a branch line. It would go from Garsdale to Hawes, connecting to their Settle-Carlisle line.

Another law was passed on July 4, 1870, for the North Eastern Railway. This allowed them to build a line between Leyburn and Hawes. Work on this section began in 1874. The part from Leyburn to Askrigg opened on February 1, 1877. The section from Askrigg to Hawes opened for goods on June 1, 1878.

The Midland Railway's branch from Garsdale to Hawes opened for goods on August 1, 1878. Both the Askrigg to Hawes and Hawes to Garsdale sections opened for passengers on October 1, 1878. There were delays because building the Hawes Junction to Hawes section was harder. It needed a tunnel and two large bridges.

By this time, there was a complete railway route. It ran all the way from Northallerton to Garsdale. Both railway companies could use each other's tracks.

Changes and Closures

The Wensleydale line mostly remained a single track. Only the section between Leeming Bar and Bedale had two tracks. Trains mainly carried coal, milk, and stone.

Passenger trains between Garsdale and Hawes stopped on March 14, 1959. Freight trains continued from Northallerton to Hawes until 1964. On April 27, 1964, the line between Redmire and Hawes closed completely. The tracks west of Redmire were removed. Many bridges in this area were also taken down in 1965.

Most freight traffic on the line stopped in 1982. However, limestone continued to be carried from Redmire to Teesside. This was used for making steel. But this traffic also stopped in December 1992. This was because British Steel found a new source for limestone.

After 1992, only one train ran daily. This led to the closure of the Leyburn loop and signal box. Some special excursion tours ran to Redmire in the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s. These trips sparked interest in bringing back passenger services.

Train Services Over Time

When the railway opened to Leyburn in 1856, there were five or six return journeys each day. By 1878, the North Eastern Railway ran five trains daily between Northallerton and Garsdale. The Midland Railway added one more daily return train from Hellifield to Hawes. People called this train Bonnyface.

In the 1880s, the Midland Railway had two local passenger trains. These connected with the North Eastern Railway trains at Hawes Junction (Garsdale). On Tuesdays, the Midland Railway ran an extra early morning train to Hawes. This was for the cattle market day in Hawes.

By 1914, five daily return trips ran the full length of the line. Two more trains went part way. One went from Northallerton to Bedale. Another went from Northallerton to Leyburn. In the other direction, two extra trains ran from Leyburn and Hawes to Northallerton.

By 1939, three trains ran the full length of the line each way. Two extra services either started or ended at Leyburn and Hawes. In 1942, only two trains ran the whole line. But a third service was brought back by 1950. After 1954, the Bonnyface train became a once-daily service. It connected Hawes with Hellifield.

Bringing the Railway Back to Life

A diesel train at Leyburn railway station in 2005

The Wensleydale Railway Association (WRA) started in 1990. Their main goal was to bring passenger trains back to the line. When British Rail wanted to sell the line, the WRA decided to operate the services themselves.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) was interested in using the line. They wanted to move armoured vehicles to and from Catterick Garrison. The MoD paid to fix the line and build loading areas at Redmire. They also agreed to let the Wensleydale Railway operate trains. A test train ran in November 1993. Full MoD operations began in July 1996, and these military trains still run today.

In 2000, the WRA created a separate company called Wensleydale Railway plc (WRC). They sold shares to raise money. They managed to raise £1.2 million! In 2003, they signed a 99-year lease for the line. Passenger services started again on July 4, 2003. The stations at Leeming Bar and Leyburn reopened. In 2004, Bedale, Finghall, and Redmire stations also reopened. A new passing loop was added near Constable Burton. This allows two trains to run at the same time when needed.

In 2014, Scruton station reopened. A new station called Northallerton West was built. This allowed passenger services to go further east from Leeming Bar. However, this section closed again in August 2016. This was after a train hit a car at a level crossing. The railway hopes to restart services there once safety upgrades are finished.

In 2016, it was reported that over 50,000 people ride the railway each year. For every £1 spent on the railway, £4 is spent in the local towns and villages.

Future Plans for the Railway

The company hopes to reopen the 18 miles (29 km) of line west from Redmire. This would go through places like Castle Bolton, Aysgarth, and Hawes. It would then connect to the Settle-Carlisle Railway at Garsdale. A study showed that extending the line to Aysgarth (3 miles (4.8 km)) would bring in an extra £3.1 million per year to the local economy. It would also add £500,000 in ticket sales for the railway.

A short-term plan is to extend the line about 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to a new station serving Castle Bolton. This project is estimated to cost £2 million. To do this, a missing bridge west of Redmire station needs to be replaced.

In January 2019, a report suggested the line should be reopened. This was part of a plan to bring back old railway lines. In 2019, services between Leyburn and Redmire were stopped. This was because the tracks were old and needed fixing. As of 2024, trains still end at Leyburn. There is a fundraising effort to replace the old tracks.

Upper Wensleydale Railway Group

In late 2019, a separate group called the Upper Wensleydale Railway was formed. They want to bring back the line between Hawes and Garsdale. This group wants a regular, year-round train service. They prefer this over a heritage service. This idea was considered for government funding in June 2020.

How the Railway is Organized

The old signal box at Leeming Bar. It used to be at North Wootton

The Wensleydale Railway plc runs the railway line and passenger services. This company has both paid staff and volunteers.

The Wensleydale Railway Association (Trust) Ltd is a charity. It supports the railway by raising money and providing volunteers. They also help with training and maintaining old buildings like Scruton station.

Trains on the Wensleydale Railway

Steam Locomotives

Steam Locomotives

Number & Name	Type	Status	Livery	Owner	Built	Photo
No. 69023 Joem	Class J72	Needs repair.	BR Apple Green	North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group	1951

Some other steam locomotives have moved from the Wensleydale Railway. This happened in December 2020 to make more space.

Diesel Locomotives

Diesel Locomotives

Number & Name	Type	Status	Livery	Owner	Built	Photo
No. 37250 (D6950)	Class 37	Running.	Dutch civil engineers	Private Owner.	1964

Other diesel locomotives, like 20169 and 37674, also moved from the railway in December 2020. Many older or unused locomotives were cleared from the railway in spring 2021.

Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs)

DMUs are trains that have their own engines and can carry passengers.

• BR Class 121 No. 55032: This train is currently being used for training and maintenance.
• BR Class 142 No. 142018: This train will be painted in a special chocolate and cream colour.
• BR Class 142 No. 142028
• BR Class 142 No. 142041
• BR Class 142 No. 142060
• BR Class 142 No. 142078: Stored.
• BR Class 142 No. 142087: Stored.
• BR Class 142 No. 142090: Stored.
• BR Class 142 No. 142094: Stored.
• BR Class 144 No. 144020: Waiting to be used.

In late 2020, two other BR Class 144 trains (Nos. 144004 and 144016) were temporarily stored at the railway. They later moved to the Aln Valley Railway in December 2020.

Past Incidents on the Line

• February 15, 1867: Two trains crashed on a single track near Newton-le-Willows station. One train was trying to move to a side track to let the other pass. Both trains were allowed onto the single track at the same time. Only passengers on one train were hurt. After this, a second track and platform were added.
• December 24, 1894: A goods train was moving around the yard at Bedale. A heavy goods train arriving from Darlington crashed into it. One wagon rolled down a bank, but no one was injured. Passengers had to get off and walk past the accident to continue their journeys.
• December 6, 1900: A landslide north of Bedale Signal Box caused a train to go off the tracks. It ended up in Bedale Beck. The fireman was badly burned and later died in the hospital.
• 1988: A train carrying limestone from Redmire went off the tracks at a level crossing outside Bedale station. This damaged the track and station. Old, rotten wooden sleepers were the cause. The cleanup took over two days and caused traffic problems.
• June 30, 2011: A tractor was hit by a train at a private crossing.
• August 1, 2011: A car was hit by a train at Fox Park level crossing. This was between Jervaulx and Crakehall stations. No one was reported injured. These two accidents led the railway to improve its safety rules.
• October 20, 2012: A car was hit by a train at Fox Park level crossing again.
• January 30, 2013: A car was hit by a train at Aiskew level crossing. This crossing used to carry the A684 road over the railway.
• August 3, 2016: A heritage train hit a car at a level crossing near Yafforth. The crossing lights and alarms were working correctly. The car driver and two train passengers were injured.

Images for kids

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  Share of the Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne Junction Railway Company, issued 1. August 1846

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  144004 and 144016 at Bedale

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  Leeming Bar Community hub