Edition 184 RAIL LINK October 2019 News and information from the Association (Trust) and Wensleydale Railway plc

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY BRANCH MEETINGS - held at the Cricket Club, Farndale Avenue, Mondays at 19.30. Everyone is welcome. You do not need to be a WRA(T) member to attend. Monday 16 th September – Details to be confirmed Monday 21 st October is the next meeting when an old friend of the Railway, John Young, will tell us about the work carried out at Richmond Station to refurbish it and restore it to its present condition. Monday 18 th November sees the return of Christine Hallas who will talk about the Railway Manias & Outcomes in theNorthern Dales, 1840s to 1912. Monday 12 th December will be our Christmas Lunch at The Coore Arms, Scruton. Menu will be available in October. Monday 20 th January 2020 , Phil Roser “Life in the front line of the RAF” February to May - schedule yet to be finalised. TRAIN SERVICES – During October there will be services every Saturday and Sunday plus Fridays 4 th and 11 th and Tuesday 29 th October. See the railway website for details. The 2019 railway advertising leaflet can be downloaded from - https://wr-rail-link.co.uk/download/2019-WR-Timetable.pdf PIE AND ALE TRAIN - Come aboard on October 12 th for a Pie and Ale Train in partnership with our friendly neighbours The Vale of Mowbray. The train will depart Station at 7pm and will return at approximately 9.45pm. Once on board you will enjoy two different ales and a delicious Vale of Mowbray picnic hamper which includes: A standard Vale Pork Pie, A Flavoured Pork Pie (either Piccalilli or Cheese & Pickle), A bag of Crisps and Nuts, A bar of Yorkshire Flapjack. The pies and nibbles go perfectly with your ales. If ales aren’t your thing don’t worry you can purchase a hamper only ticket. There will be a Vale of Mowbray pie expert on board to tell you all about the history of pies and how they are made and they will have a selection of produce that can be purchased to take home at the end of the evening. We will also have a full bar on board so addition drinks will be available throughout your journey. Pie and Ale 18+ – £29.50. Pie only – £25.00 For more details and to book see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or phone the admin team on 01677 425805. AUTUMNAL AFTERNOON TEA - On the 20 th of October Enjoy a scenic journey through the Yorkshire Dales and marvel at the crisp autumnal scenery, all whilst enjoying an afternoon tea served at your table in the warmth of one of our heritage carriages. The afternoon tea will consist of a selection of locally produced sandwiches, pastries and cakes served on delicate vintage china. You will be served with unlimited tea and coffee with a bar for additional drinks. The train departs from Leeming Bar Station at 14:15 and is due to return around 17:00 approximately. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to departure. Tickets are: Adult £32.50, Child (14 years and under) £17.50, Under 3s Free (please note food will not be provided). For more details and to book see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or phone the admin team on 01677 425805. HALLOWEEN MURDER MYSTERY - Join us on October 26 th for a spooktacular murder mystery event like no other! One thing is for certain, not everyone will survive! Come aboard if you dare…. Gladys and Frank Lee are celebrating their lottery win with their new neighbours – a Halloween masked ball on The Wensleydale Railway which will give everyone the chance to get to know them! But behind the scary masks it’s easier to get away with murder. Dress up, don your Halloween masks and see if you can work out whodunit. Tickets are £25 which includes: Return rail ticket; Welcome drink; An evening of 5 start entertainment from the cast at Tall Tale Mysteries. ). For more details and to book see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or phone the admin team on 01677 425805. BEDALE BONFIRE EXPRESS - It’s approaching that time of year again when the annual Bedale Bonfire Express departs, bringing people from across The Yorkshire Dales to the Bedale Bonfire celebrations! The Train will be departing on 2nd November from Redmire at 17.05 and Leyburn at 17.26 arriving into Bedale at 18.00 where it is a short 10 min walk to the bonfire. The return service from Bedale departs at 20.20. There will be a bar on board selling a variety of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks. Adult – £7, Child (5-15) – £3, Under 5s – Free. For more details and to book see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or phone the admin team on 01677 425805. THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride at Wensleydale - Join us at The Polar Express Yorkshire for a magical Christmas Experience. We are the ONLY licensed Polar Express in Yorkshire. This Christmas experience is unlike any other. Brought to you by the organisers of the number 1 voted Polar Express in the World, Wensleydale Railway hosts The Polar Express Yorkshire new for 2019. For more details and to book see https://yorkshiredalesthepolarexpressride.com/ ------

Page 1 of 5 NEWS FROM THE WR PLC BOARD At the September Board meeting, the Board approved and signed the annual accounts for 2018/19, which have been audited and sent to all shareholders. They show an improved financial position on the previous year and the current year so far has continued that improvement, especially due to Tornado, events and on board catering. However, August has been disappointing in passenger numbers, seeming to reflect the experience of other tourism businesses. There was considerable discussion over the General Manager’s report relating to plans for steam for 2020 and subsequent years; there are some exciting possibilities on the horizon! Plans for Polar Express were also discussed further. Safety issues include necessary actions to reduce risks from passengers leaning out of windows, following a tragedy on a main line train and subsequent increased interest from the Rail Regulator. This has included a full survey of the line to see where risks of fixed structures, other railway stock and vegetation may be particularly dangerous. Also relating to safety, a full survey of crossing gates has been undertaken and “mind the gap” signs are being painted on to the platforms at Bedale and Redmire, which are lower and therefore provide greater risks. Reports from Events, Volunteer, Training and Heritage & Education were discussed. It was noted with sadness that this was the final report from Virginia Arrowsmith as she takes up her new job; a replacement is being sought. The Trust has now agreed the conditions for the National Lottery grant for the Leeming Bar Station House refurbishment and it is expected that this will now proceed, including an improved new power supply and new toilets; connection has now been made to the main sewer, although Leases Road will have to be closed at some point to cross the road with both power and sewer links. There has been excellent progress with Total/Elf negotiations. The company has agreed to supply all WR lubricants free for a period of 5 years in the first instance and there are hopes of their support in other respects, including possibly resurfacing the platform at Leeming Bar. The Board has identified a possible new Board Member and is also seeking to a new Secretary, following my “retirement” from the position. Phil Smith

RAILWAY NEWS FROM THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Summer fundraising The Summer Raffle which was run from Tornado’s arrival in May until 1 September raised £3900 and the winners have been notified and are listed on our website. This Raffle is in addition to the Tornado Raffle held in February, which raised £1700 demonstrating the huge benefits to the Trust coffers of unrestricted fundraising via raffles. Thanks to all of you who bought and sold tickets. One lesson learnt for the future is to price each individual ticket at £2 so £10 for a book as £5/ticket was too expensive. We shall run the next raffle in spring 2020. Small change donation envelopes have been developed this season which are the size of a small seed packet and have been handed out when passengers bought their tickets. These envelopes are also part of the small donation Gift Aid scheme so the Trust receives 25% back from the Government. They are proving an additional easy stream of income too.

Thank you and goodbye A slightly belated thank you to Alan and Sandra Broadfoot who have moved back home to Scotland from Bedale. Alan was an active member of the Bedale Station Group and both Alan and Sandra helped with Rebekah’s events; they also enjoyed and were very competitive in the Bedale quiz nights! We wish you well with your life back in Scotland with your families but don’t forget where we are.

Yorkshire Post article The fantastic article on Sue Threadgold, as our first female guard at the Railway in Saturday 24 th August’s Yorkshire Post Weekend magazine was brilliant. Furthermore we didn’t realise until we saw a paper copy but we were also in the editorial of the main newspaper and that the article was 3 full colour pages long with photos of the Railway and Sue in action. For the article the journalist chatted to Robert Carter and I in the office whilst he waited for Sue on the 1 st train service to return to Leeming Bar; little did we realise that would feature in the article too so all about the Railway’s history, volunteering and events. As a result of the article we have received a few extra bookings on the Autumnal Afternoon Tea and so far 2 extra volunteers. Publicity really does help and we shall be tracking this going forward too. Helen Ashworth (Volunteers Coordinator and Lead Fundraiser)

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DMU DRIVER EXPERIENCES We are offering you the chance to drive a DMU! The experience will start at Leeming Bar where you will be driven to Bedale station and then you will be able to take control and drive all the way up to Leyburn and back to Bedale. The experience will last approximately 90 minutes and you can bring up to 4 guest who can ride on the train. You will also receive a years free membersip to Wensleydale Railway Assocoation Trust. DMU Driver experiences are available on 28th, 30th and 31st October and cost £180. To book please call 01677 425 805 or see our website. Rebekah Jerram

WRA 250 CLUB WINNERS AUGUST 2019 1st Prize £100 No 325 Mr J Liddle, Market Harborough 2nd Prize £75 No 532 Mr C Doyle, Hungerford 3rd Prize £55 No 579 Miss F Pickard, Dewsbury 4th Prize £35 No 615 Mrs A Rothenberger, Northallerton 5th Prize £30 No 508 Dr R Smith, Pitcairngreen Margaret Smith

NEWSLETTER PHOTOS OF THE PAST MONTH This month we have : 1. The J27 steam loco and diesel locos on the line 2. The Northallerton Branch at the Hunton Steam Gathering. 3. Work at Leyburn station. 4. The World Cycling Championships at Bedale. 5. Work by the Direct Works Team at Leeming Bar. 6. The J27 steam loco and a coach leaving Leeming Bar by road 7. Work by the Infrastructure Team. 8. Work by the Vegetation Team. The general monthly photos can be found at https://photos.wr-rail-link.co.uk/2019/2019-09.php Please send photos for future newsletters to [email protected] . Timothy Edwards (Rail Link Editor)

WELCOME TO NEW VOLUNTEERS The following new volunteers have recently joined us after passing their PRS:- Angus Clowes, Martin Dewhurst, Paul Smith, Grahame Shepherd and Wendy Shepherd We welcome them to the railway and hope they will have an enjoyable and rewarding time with us. Bob Coombs

BACK ISSUES OF RELAY + OTHER HERITAGE RAILWAY & RAILWAY SOCIETY MAGAZINES On sale in Leyburn Station Shop on Train operating days. Latest stock list and full sales details can be downloaded from: https://wr-rail-link.co.uk/download/Magazines-of-Heritage-Railways.pdf Further information and offers - contact Paul Kenyon Tel: 01748 824249, Email: [email protected] Paul Kenyon

NORTHALLERTON BRANCH AT HUNTON STEAM GATHERING The Northallerton WRA(T) Branch attended the Hunton Steam Gathering on 7th & 8th September with our promotional stand. The show was well attended with 25 traction engines and other vehicles on show. The star of our stand was an OO scale model of Leyburn Station. This had been built over 4 years by Bill Flatters a supporter of the Railway. This helped enormously in attracting people to our stand. We were busy on both days responding to interest in the Polar Express, general railway enquiries and volunteering opportunities. The Leyburn model also lead to some interesting conversations with locals on the history and their families' involvement on the Railway. There are some pictures from the show in this month’s photo gallery. Andrew Fletcher

Page 3 of 5 WANTED / DO YOU WANT This section is for any railway group to list items they are looking for and also for anyone to offer items to the railway that they no longer need. If anyone has any wants/offers for this section please send them to [email protected] .

NORTHALLERTON BRANCH REPORT Our 2019 – 2020 season began with a talk by John Ellis about the Redmire to Castle Bolton Extension Project, which was first announced at the AGM in2017. A group of interested volunteers was gathered in 2018 and briefed about the Project. Very little has been done since. John has studied documents prepared a few years ago and has visited the trackbed to take photographs, some of which were shown to the Meeting. The main obstacle to progress is the need to replace a missing bridge over Apedale Beck at Redmire, which had a span of 24 feet. The bridge was demolished after flood damage to its foundations in 1991. The track along the line was removed in 1964 and the trackbed was sold to local farmers. The Railway has since acquired leases for it, although there are gaps between Castle Bolton and Aysgarth which are beyond the end of the Project. After 65 years neglect there are many trees which have grown to meet over the trackbed for several hundred metres on both sides. Rabbit holes abound, possibly resulting in cavities under the line. The WRA repaired fences along Castle Bolton Cutting in 1996-7, but after 23 years the nails have rusted and repairs are needed. The drains along the cutting, about 500 metres on both sides were cleaned out, but they are now silted up and flooding occurs every time there is heavy rain. There is only one suitable site for a station, to be built into the cutting side and back into the adjoining field. The platform would need to be long enough to take the six-coach trains which we often run. There is just enough length west of the bridge for this, providing the west end points are west of a bridleway level crossing. The west points and headshunt would extend for about 140m beyond the crossing. The length of the Project is only about 1200 metres, but the problems are out of proportion to this. This preliminary assessment was emphasised to be a private exercise. The Project is not authorised, nor indeed have cost estimates been prepared because there are many options to be costed. The Branch Christmas Lunch will be on Thursday 12 December at the Coore Arms, Station Road, Scruton at 12:00 for 12:30. Details will be circulated later in October. John Ellis

DIRECT WORKS TEAM (DWT) The team continues to focus on Leeming Bar with works to the Goods Shed Office, drains and 3 phase power installation. Using the Wickham Shed workshop at Scruton the goods shed office windows have been stripped, repainted and reglazed ready for refitting. The new meter cabinet is almost complete, door fitting and casting of the concrete roof will complete the structure. A trench is being excavated from the meter cabinet the full length of the car park ready for the cabling to be installed through to the new distribution board in the Goods Shed. Once complete, attention will move to the drain installation. David Walker

INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT This month a concentrated effort, 10 working days at least, has been made to remove much of the vegetation and trees on the steep embankment at Middlefields near Spennithorne working west towards Leyburn. The photos from this month show how steep the embankment is and how difficult it is under foot especially when carrying branches etc to keep the fires going. The sleeper wall to prevent further ballast loss has been extended and re-inforced. This work will take some pressure of the embankment and will improve the scenic views for the passengers More vegetation work has taken place in the cutting at Bridge 29 1 mile west of Leyburn and whilst in that area some badly dipped joints have been levelled by jacking and packing ballast under the sleepers. The Redmire to Wensley section has some of the oldest track components on the W.R, there is a lot of 90lb rail which is approximately 100 years old and rail chairs that are even older, we have seen one chair dated 1888 which is still in use. A lot of these old chairs use wooden keys to hold the rail in place and a day was spent replacing these old wooden keys and collecting lineside scrap. Heavy rain again caused problems this time flooding and silt deposits that washed down from a farm track totally covering Primrose crossing west of Newton Le Willows. Similar issues were dealt with at Smiths UWC near Constable Burton where blocked cross drains and heavy rains meant water and mud deposits covered the tracks. Andy Waite

Page 4 of 5 EDITORIAL REMARKS Our railway could not run without our volunteers and staff who put in much work in so many different ways. If you would like to become a volunteer please email [email protected] Thanks to everyone who has sent me contributions and...... Deadline for the next newsletter is 19:00 on 31 st October to - [email protected] Timothy Edwards (Editor)

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