Prototype Wensleydale Railway

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
I am posting this in the hope that there will be much to take photos of and share with you from over the back fence.

Starting today when Tornado came visiting for a couple of weeks and came up the branch light engine while running driver experience and cab rides. I say cab rides plural but despite there being 4 trips each way advertised it only came out and back the once. The good news is that the sun was out and I had the camera to hand. It made a welcome change from fitting architraves...

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Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
Since taking the photo above there have been no trains running on the branch so we were surprised and delighted to see a humble 05 with an engineering train come up the branch this lunchtime.

They picked a rotten day for it as it's chucking it down today. That's in marked contrast to the last 5 days which were lovely sunshine while I have been painting the back of the house (rough textured rendering!!!).

We hope it's the start of more regular running and a move towards them getting some much needed revenue.
 

Al Tait

Western Thunderer
Sure I read something the other day that they are hoping to start running again soon, but there are a number of engineering works required first, suspect you'll see some more activity over the next few weeks.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
I am sure that you are right Al, we were speaking to one of the track inspectors a month or so ago and he advised that there was plenty of work to catch up on before they run this year's Polar Express in November.

Whatever their purpose it's good to see trains running again and it will hopefully serve to discourage the locals who have been using the track past our house as part of a circular walk. While adults walking on railway lines, even heritage lines isn't a great idea, some of them have had children with them and letting youngsters think that it's safe to go on railway lines can have tragic consequences.
 

Al Tait

Western Thunderer
Whatever their purpose it's good to see trains running again and it will hopefully serve to discourage the locals who have been using the track past our house as part of a circular walk. While adults walking on railway lines, even heritage lines isn't a great idea, some of them have had children with them and letting youngsters think that it's safe to go on railway lines can have tragic consequences.

I live near to the Churnet Valley and the amount of trespass is ridiculous. Even seem some of my friends posting pictures on Facebook of them walking their kids along the railway. Unfortunately some of the locals see parts of the railway as 'closed' & rights of way though they've never actually been shut, even the bits that look disused are technically still open.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
The track is almost level with the back of your garden

The back garden is on the same level as the track bed although the house itself is about 3 or 4 feet higher. The plot is sat on what was the station coal drops and coal yard, Jervaulx station itself, was just up the line in the direction of the train about 20 yards.

Although the station building and the waiting room on the opposite platform have long since been demolished, there are still two concrete posts which from period photographs used to support the platform lamps either side of the waiting room.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
We had another works train up the branch today. This one came from the outside world bringing a load of flat bottom rail for a 500 yard rail/sleeper replacement project at Harmby a few miles up the branch from us. I was having a shave when it went up the branch at about 8:15 this morning but caught it on the way back empty.

 

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
Cheers Rob,

I especially liked the view at the end with the unkempt permanent way, something I hope to try and replicate on Church Norton in the near future.

Martyn.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
Looks like Network Rail have missed that bit with the Weedkiller train.

Funny you should say that Barry, there was a weed killing 'train' came down the branch about 6 weeks ago. I missed it, but apparently it was a converted quad bike. I reckon that it had run out of weedkiller by the time it got to us. As you can see, it didn't make the slightest difference to the weeds.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
I think the hedge behind the property to the right of yours needs to go. It spoils the view of approaching trains.
Good luck convincing your neighbour of that!
Cheers
Dave

Hi Dave, I couldn't agree more, it's only a couple of hawthorns but it may as well be a full hedge. We have subtly suggested that if they were ours we would take them down but they like the birds nesting in them.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
There have been trains and light engine movements on the branch for the last 3 days but it's almost like they were sneaking about as the first we knew that they were there, was when the vibrations were felt under foot.

Today the wind must have been in the right direction as 20166 made it's way back to Leeming Bar with the Shark brake van in tow, I heard it's horn as it sounded at Fingle crossing a couple of miles away and I was able to grab Chris's phone popping outside to take a few shots as it passed.

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