1 result matching: Wensleydale Railway
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For a heritage line, the Wensleydale
Railway has had a unique history. The original route
known as the Wensleydale Railway ran between
Northallerton and Garsdale, and opened in stages from 1848 to 1878.
The majority of the track belonged to the North Eastern Railway,
whilst the Midland Railway owned the section from Hawes to
Garsdale.
Both parts of the line operated successfully for many years, but
services did begin to dwindle following the Second World War. But,
unusually in the history of railways in Britain, both parts of the
track were closed before the Beeching report. The North Eastern
section stopped passenger services in 1954, and the Midland part
was closed completely in 1959. Although the Midland part of the
track and the North Eastern branch west of Redmire was lifted, over
half of the railway remained open. This was to service the quarry
near Redmire, and freight trains continued until 1992.
People wanting passenger services to be reinstated on the line had
formed the Wensleydale Railway Association in 1990, and when
British Rail put the railway up for sale two years later they
decided to act. Making the railway safe for passenger travel took
longer than expected, but trains commenced between Leyburn and
Leeming Bar in July 2003. Services were extended to Redmire in
2004, and the line has been a scenic tourist attraction and a vital
passenger route for locals ever since.
