Edition 178 RAIL LINK April 2019 News and information from the Wensleydale Railway Association (Trust) and Wensleydale Railway plc DATES FOR YOUR DIARY NORTHALLERTON 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 15 th April - The A1 Steam Railway Trust. Monday 20 th May - AGM followed by a presentation by Helen Ashworth & Rebekah Jerram, Wensleydale Railway plc TRAIN SERVICES – During April there will be services every Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus 16 th , 22 nd and 23 rd . The 2019 railway advertising leaflet can be downloaded from - https://wr-rail-link.co.uk/download/2019-WR-Timetable.pdf TORNADO IS RETURNING! Tickets will be going on sale on Friday March 1 st at 11am for our steam services, footplate experiences and afternoon tea service on Tornado in May and June! EASTER AFTERNOON TEA - Come and celebrate Easter Sunday on board one of our heritage locomotives and enjoy a scenic journey through the Yorkshire Dales all while enjoying afternoon tea served at your table. We will set of at 14.15 from Leeming Bar Station and travel west up to Redmire with glorious views of Penhill before returning to Leeming Bar at 17.00 approximately. Tickets are: Adult £32.50 and Child (14 years and under) £17.50. For more details and to book, see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or ring the office on 01677 425 805. GIN TRAIN WITH DURHAM DISTILLERY - Join us on the 27 th April on our first gin train of the New Year! A selection of three gin based drinks from our guest distiller Durham Distillery, will be served during the journey for £29.50pp which includes return train travel from Bedale station. A gin expert from Durham Distillery will be on board offering samples and answering all your gin related questions. If G&Ts are not to your taste instead you can receive three prosecco/ale/cider tokens with train travel for £25.00. We also have a train ride only ticket available for £15. For more details and to book, see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or ring the office on 01677 425 805. TEDDY BEAR AFTERNOON TEA ON TORNADO - To celebrate a certain bears favourite locomotive we are hosting on 19 th May a teddy bear themed afternoon tea on Tornado complete with marmalade sandwiches! Teddy Bears travel free, so don’t forget to bring yours and please note this event is suitable for children and adults alike! We will set of at 14.15 from Leeming Bar Station and travel west up to Redmire with glorious views of Penhill before returning to Leeming Bar at 17.00 approximately. Tickets are: Adult £32.50 and Child (14 years and under) £17.50. For more details and to book, see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or ring the office on 01677 425 805. WHIRLWIND EXPRESS ON TORNADO - All aboard the FIRST EVER non-stop run of a steam engine on the Wensleydale Railway since it reopened! The Whirlwind Express will begin at Leeming Bar and travel to Northallerton West, then Redmire and then back to Leeming Bar over 44 miles of track. Your journey will begin at 6.30pm at Leeming Bar on 31 st May and will return to Leeming Bar at approximately 9.00pm. There will be a bar on board serving a wide selection of drinks, savoury nibbles and sweet cakes. For more details and to book, see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or ring the office on 01677 425 805. PHOTO SHOOT OF TORNADO AT SCRUTON STATION - A rare photo opportunity is occurring on May 21 st at our award-winning heritage Scruton Station. The iconic steam locomotive Tornado will be pulling into the station at 7pm where it will remain for 2hrs allowing visitors to get some terrific shots of the engine at our picturesque station at sunset and into the early evening. The station will be open from 6.30pm and refreshments will be available. Photo pass tickets are £5 per person. For more details and to book, see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or ring the office on 01677 425 805. THE BOTTOMLESS PROSECCO COCKTAIL TRAIN is back by popular demand! - Join us on May 11 th for an evening of fun, laughter and bottomless bubbles on a Wensleydale Railway event train into The Yorkshire Dales! A selection of bottomless prosecco and cava cocktails will be served throughout the journey for £32.00, which includes return train travel from Leeming Bar station. If prosecco cocktails are not to your taste, instead you can receive three beer/cider tokens with train travel for £25.00. Extra real ale will be available to purchase from our bar. We also have a train ride only ticket available for £15. For more details and to book, see https://www.wensleydalerail.com/future-events/ or ring the office on 01677 425 805. WENSLEYALE 2019 - We are proud to announce that WensleyAle 2019 will take place at Redmire station from Friday 24 th to Sunday 26 th May. Including 40+ Ales, Gin, Prosecco, Live Music, Street food and of course Tornado. Page 1 of 6 And if this is not enough 37250 will be returning to service over the weekend as well. See http://wensleyale.com/wp/ for more details ------------------------------------ NEWS FROM THE WR PLC BOARD At the March Board meeting, the financial reports showed an operating profit in February, an unusual occurrence at this time of year, mainly thanks of course to the Tornado visit. Passenger numbers for February, excluding on Tornado, were slightly increased over the same month in 2018. Major items of expenditure expected and being planned for include level crossings work at Finghall and Ainderby Gates during 2019 and at Wensley in 2020. Some track work is required at Leeming Bar in order to improve the access of Tornado and other large engines. Further detailed plans for the next Tornado visit were discussed. Also, for the expected use of the S160 during the season and, in particular, for August when there is the possibility of two steam engines operating concurrently. A report on the refurbishment of the café at Bedale was received and the volunteers from the Bedale Station Group were thanked for their remarkable efforts in keeping the expenditure down. It was agreed that the existing tenant would continue but that supplies for tea trains and events would be sourced elsewhere. Safety issues raised in a report from the Safety Manager were addressed and dealt with appropriately. Also, very positive reports from both the Events Coordinator and the Volunteer Coordinator were received. The excellent media coverage of the Tornado visit had resulted in increased interest in volunteering and from potential corporate partners. David Walker reported on progress with the Leyburn loop, which is nearly completed; the footbridge installation is planned for the autumn. One suitably qualified and experienced person had come forward to express interest in becoming Chair of the plc Board and a panel was set up to take this forward. About 30 persons had responded to the suggestion of forming a signalling team under Neil Guest’s leadership and the Volunteer Coordinator agreed to work with Neil accordingly. Finally, it was reported that a replacement sleeper coach had been obtained and would be sited, with the Leeming Bar Community Coach at the same location. Phil Smith HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND GRANT FOR LEEMING BAR We have received some good news from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. We have been awarded a grant to restore Leeming Bar Station and to deliver heritage programmes.. The grant of £368,000 is the largest yet awarded to the Wensleydale Railway and represents a significant vote of confidence in its direction of travel. Building work is planned to start after the coming operating season when people working in the station will be re-housed in temporary buildings adjacent to the Goods Shed. The restoration will take around 9 months to complete and will include restoration of the station family’s accommodation in 1920’s style. Once complete the public will have access to the ticket office, waiting rooms and station family’s lounge and kitchen. A wide range of activities with railway themes will be delivered in and from the station house to the public, schools, families and community groups. The Wensleydale Railway is building a national reputation for the excellence of its restoration work and delivery of heritage programmes. Thanks to the National Lottery players and the Railway's supporters and volunteers Leeming Bar will become a fitting gateway to the Railway and Dales. Updates will be provided through the Railway’s web site and social media. The press release can be downloaded from https://wr-rail-link.co.uk/download/WR-second-round-pass-press-release.pdf David Walker THE BOLTON ARMS, REDMIRE Martin Bellarby, the new owner of the Bolton Arms, is very keen to establish links with the Wensleydale Railway; if you want to run any events which include a meal or drinks there, he will be very flexible and helpful. Also, any railway supporters would be very welcome to attend his “launch party” at the pub on Sunday 13 th April, where there will be a beer tent, wine tasting, gin tasting, gluten free beer, menu sampling and cooking stations, a kids corner with crafts and painting and live music. I understand that it will go on all day. Phil Smith 250 CLUB WINNERS FOR MARCH 2019 1st Prize £100 No 210 Mr G Sherrocks, Liverpool 2nd Prize £75 No 476 Mr D Horwill, Sunbury on Thames 3rd Prize £55 No 318 Mr P Jones, Northallerton 4th Prize £35 No 428 Mr R Flint, Doncaster 5th Prize £30 No 330 Mr & Mrs K Pratt, Cheadle Margaret Smith Page 2 of 6 TOUR DE YORKSHIRE The Wensleydale Railway Team were delighted to have the Tour de Yorkshire trophies visit Bedale Station on 7 th March! The Letouryorkshire Women’s and Men’s races will be finishing in Bedale on Friday 3 rd May 2019 and the team here at Wensleydale Railway have many exciting activities planned at the station in support of the event, details of which are due to be released shortly! Pictured are Councillor Mark Robson, Councillor and Acting Chairman of the Wensleydale Railway PLC Carl Les, General Manager Richard Brown, Events Manager Rebekah Jerram, Bedale Station Master Brian Whitehead and Bedale Station Volunteers Gill Thornton and Angela Kingsbury.