Wensleydale Railway Rail Link Photos

Wensleydale Railway - Photo Archive

September 2020

Photographs

Work continues on the redecoration of Leeming Bar Station House which was supported by a Heritage Lottery Grant. However the main focus of work this month has been the preparation work and the start of the major Army Railway Exercise by the Royal Engineers on our railway. They are renewing Wensley Level Crossing, relaying a section of track near Harmby, replacing structural timberwork on the Swale Bridge, along with several other smaller jobs. These are all jobs designed to help the training of the Army Sappers in railway work. This is the first time in about 50 years that the Army has done such an exercise in this country.

This month we have:-
1. Preparation work for the major Army infrastructure exercise on our railway.
2. The first few day of the Army Exercise on our railway.
3. Some work by the Bedale Station Support Group.
4. The leaving do for our Volunteer Coordinator Helan Ashworth. She has left for a new job in Thirsk
5. The restoration of coaches for the Polar Express supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund continues.
6. The restoration of diesel locomotive 33035 is continuing.
7. The Restoration by the Direct Works Team of a Waiting Room Bench for the retored Leeming Bar Station House is progressing.
8. Work by the Direct Works Team on the old Whickam Trolley shed which was moved to Scruton continues.
9. The Temporary Portacabin offices have now been removed from Leeming Bar.
10. The Vegetation Team now have a new storage container at Bedale
11. Work by the Vegetation Team at various locations.

You can see more photos of the work carried out on our line by the Army during this month here

Ref - 6294

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep Work for the track replaying project to be done by the Army - Selby, Barlow Tip branch, recovering sleepers for the relay at Argill Farm by the Army Reserve. Uncovered sleepers in the foreground, the jungle from which we recovered them behind. (10/09/2020)
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Ref - 6294

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep Work for the track replaying project to be done by the Army - Selby, Barlow Tip branch, recovering sleepers for the relay at Argill Farm by the Army Reserve. Uncovered sleepers in the foreground, the jungle from which we recovered them behind. (10/09/2020)
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Ref - 6296

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep Work for the track replaying project to be done by the Army - As far as we got in removing sleepers from the Barlow Tip branch, Selby. (11/09/2020)
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Ref - 6297

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep Work for the track replaying project to be done by the Army - The last four sleepers being uplifted from the Barlow Tip branch, Selby. (11/09/2020)
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Ref - 6298

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Prep Work for the Track Relaying project by the Army at Harmby. The recovered concrete sleepers are all now at Redmire. (19/09/2020)
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Ref - 6300

Photo - John Slaughter
Bedale signal box in early morning sunshine awaiting the engineering trains on the following days. (22/09/2020)
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Ref - 6301

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep work for Wensley Crossing replacement by the Army - Unloading Polysafe crossing units in the pouring rain at Wensley for the crossing deck replacement. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6302

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep work for Wensley Crossing replacement by the Army - Not a lot of room but the fork lift can turn in almost its own footprint. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6303

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep work for Wensley Crossing replacement by the Army - Last kerb goes down. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6304

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep work for Wensley Crossing replacement by the Army - Kerbs for the crossing. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6305

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 0 - The Army Reserve excavator prepares to load onto the Flatrol at Redmire before heading to Leyburn. A few of the sleepers from Selby in the foreground. (27/09/2020)
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Ref - 6306

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Prep work for Wensley Crossing replacement by the Army - Panels for the crossing. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6312

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 0 - Unloading at Peter Blacks User Worked Crossing at Leyburn. (27/09/2020)
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Ref - 6313

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 0 - Busy time in the Dairy Yard at Redmire by the Army. (27/09/2020)
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Ref - 6314

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 0 - Back at Redmire ready to load the bulldozer. (27/09/2020)
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Ref - 6317

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 1 - Colas Rail 56094 on the river bridge at Morton on Swale with 2 wagon loads of flat bottom rail for the start of the 2 week infrastructure Army Exercise. (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6319

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 1 - 56094 in Leeming Bar Station. (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6320

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 1 - The incoming train of rail donated by Network Rail pauses on its way to Leyburn to unload. (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6324

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 1 - Having run round in Constable Burton Loop 56094 propels the rail wagons and the newly restored Shark ballast plough over Peter Blacks UWC. (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6325

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 1 - Recently restored Shark Van been propelled into Leyburn for the rails to be unloaded. (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6329

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 1 - Getting ready to lift the first rail off the train at Wensley using an Army machine (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6330

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 1 - Army's tracked Volvo excavator lifting off rails at Leyburn. (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6337

Photo - Kev Burnitt
The army comes to Leyburn Station (28/09/2020)
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Ref - 6343

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 2 - The Army digging out Wensley Crossing (29/09/2020)
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Ref - 6341

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 2 - The Army using a heavy equipment to dig out Wensley crossing (29/09/2020)
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Ref - 6347

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 2 - The rails though Wensley Crossing being cut by the Army (29/09/2020)
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Ref - 6348

Photo - Kev Burnitt
The army comes to Leyburn Station (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6349

Photo - Kev Burnitt
The army comes to Leyburn Station (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6350

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 3 - The Army taking some equipment to Swale Bridge using a special road/rail vehicle (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6353

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 3 - The Army starting work on Swale Bridge. They will be replacing all the structural timberwork (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6354

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 3 - The Army starting work on Swale Bridge. They will be replacing all the structural timberwork (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6254

Photo - Andy Crawford
Bedale Station Group: Alan Cassells with the annual re-paint of the platform edge (21/07/2020)
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Ref - 6255

Photo - Andy Crawford
Bedale Station Group: Brian Harland and Peter Lohmeyer re-pointing the platform fascia whilst socially distanced (21/07/2020)
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Ref - 6256

Photo - John Slaughter
Bedale Station Group: Brian Harland and Peter Lohmeyer repointing the brickwork and coping stones of the station platform. (08/09/2020)
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Ref - 6257

Photo - John Slaughter
Bedale Station Group: Peter Lohmeyer and Brian Harland repointing the brickwork and coping stones of the station platform. (08/09/2020)
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Ref - 6258

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Helen Ashworth - our Volunteer Coordinator left the railway this month for a new job in Thirsk. Here she is trying out a new Boot Scraper made out of an old rail chair which was presented to her. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6259

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Helen Ashworth - our Volunteer Coordinator left the railway this month for a new job in Thirsk. Here she is trying out a new Boot Scraper made out of an old rail chair which was presented to her. On the right is Bob Coombs who is leading the decoration of Leeming Bar Station House following its restoration (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6260

Photo - Timothy Edwards
A close up of new Boot Scraper made out of an old rail chair which was presented to Helen Ashworth on her departure from the railway. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6261

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Helen Ashworth - our Volunteer Coordinator left the railway this month for a new job in Thirsk. Here she is being presented with flowers by Andy Glendinning (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6262

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Helen Ashworth - our Volunteer Coordinator left the railway this month for a new job in Thirsk. Here she is thanking all the volunteers who turned up to say goodbye. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6263

Photo - Joan Walker
Helen Ashworth - our Volunteer Coordinator left the railway this month for a new job in Thirsk. Here she is thanking all the volunteers who turned up to say goodbye. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6264

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Well spaced at Helen Ashworth's leaving do. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6265

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Work is continuing on the Mk2 coaches to make them ready for Polar Express. Paintwork preparations continue on both vehicles with 5378 now having its first proper undercoat on the lower half. (--/09/2020)
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Ref - 6266

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Work is continuing on the Mk2 coaches to make them ready for Polar Express. Coach 6163 receiving its guide coat of light grey to check for imperfections. (--/09/2020)
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Ref - 6267

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Work is continuing on the Mk2 coaches to make them ready for Polar Express. The welcome return of the SAGA club on a Tuesday has seen the brake rigging replaced on 6163. A great effort by them. (--/09/2020)
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Ref - 6268

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Finally some paint is going on the MK2 coaches! Here you can see the first top coat of rail blue freshly applied. Going forward all of our air brake stock will be blue and grey and all vacuum stock will be maroon covering two eras of railway liveries. Great effort by all involved! (20/09/2020)
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Ref - 6269

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Introducing the latest member to our team! As head of Permanent Way and Infrastructure Toby Lampitt has joined us bringing with him his knowledge from other operators on the railway network including the Isle of Man steam railway. Toby has previously volunteered at the railway on some of the bigger track projects and is a welcome addition to the team. (--/09/2020)
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Ref - 6270

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Work is continuing on the restoration of 33035 by Pioneer Diesel Ltd. Here showing off a brand new set of snow ploughs. Thanks to Pete Burrows and the South Devon Diesel team! For allowing us to use a set of their ploughs as a copy for these to be manufactured. (18/09/2020)
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Ref - 6271

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Work is continuing on the restoration of 33035 by Pioneer Diesel Ltd. Here showing off a brand new set of snow ploughs. Thanks to Pete Burrows and the South Devon Diesel team! For allowing us to use a set of their ploughs as a copy for these to be manufactured. In this view the middle plough has been removed as it is sitting too low and the bracket needs modification (18/09/2020)
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Ref - 6272

Photo - Joan Walker
Progress on Restoration of Leeming Bar Station Waiting Room Bench by the Direct Works Team. (09/09/2020)
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Ref - 6273

Photo - Joan Walker
Progress on Restoration of Leeming Bar Station Waiting Room Bench by the Direct Works Team. (09/09/2020)
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Ref - 6274

Photo - Joan Walker
Leeming Bar Station Waiting Room Bench is now covered with felt prior to outer cover being fitted by the Direct Works Team. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6275

Photo - John Tong
The Direct Works Team working on insulating the old Whickam Trolley Hut which is now at Scruton and being prepared for use by the DWT - Batons being cut for holding the insulation. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6276

Photo - John Tong
The Direct Works Team working on insulating the old Whickam Trolley Hut which is now at Scruton and being prepared for use by the DWT - Here the insulation is being covered. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6277

Photo - John Tong
The Direct Works Team working on insulating the old Whickam Trolley Hut which is now at Scruton and being prepared for use by the DWT - Covering of the insulation is nearly finished. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6278

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Moving day at Leeming Bar. Removing the temporary portacabin offices (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6279

Photo - Andy Glendinning
The temporary offices depart from Leeming Bar. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6280

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Spotted having a rest at Crakehall while refreshing crossing keepers for the forthcoming Army Reserve exercise. (18/09/2020)
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Ref - 6281

Photo - Steve Hall
The vegetation team receiving a new home for their equipment at the location that's been cleared and made ready for it at Bedale Oil Dock, west of the signal box. (05/09/2020)
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Ref - 6282

Photo - Steve Hall
The vegetation team receiving a new home for their equipment at the location that's been cleared for it at Bedale Oil Dock, west of the signal box. (05/09/2020)
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Ref - 6283

Photo - Alan Graham
The vegetation team clearing sight lines at a farm crossing east of Leeming Bar station. (02/09/2020)
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Ref - 6284

Photo - Alan Graham
The vegetation team have cleared overhanging branches and undergrowth to improve sight lines at a farm crossing east of Leeming Bar station. (02/09/2020)
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Ref - 6285

Photo - Alan Graham
A section of track where the vegetation team have strimmed back vegetation to improve level crossing visibility, this time at Blind Lane between Bedale station and Aiskew level crossing. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6286

Photo - Alan Graham
The vegetation team working at Blind Lane between Bedale station and Aiskew level crossing on an overcast day. (16/09/2020)
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Ref - 6287

Photo - Alan Graham
In conditions to test everybody's waterproofs the vegetation team worked in a heavy downpour lasting all day to remove the risk of this dead lime tree falling on to the track between Bedale and Aiskew. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6288

Photo - Bill Briggs
The dead lime tree brought safely to earth. The vegetation team can now get to grips with clearing the tracks, creating logs and burning brash. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6289

Photo - Bill Briggs
The vegetation team has turned the dead tree in to logs, the brash has been burned and the area made safe. (23/09/2020)
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Ref - 6290

Photo - Alan Graham
The vegetation team arriving on site at Flood Bridge crossing near Aiskew on 30th September getting ready to strim back undergrowth blocking sight lines and visibility at this farm crossing. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6291

Photo - Alan Graham
Looking towards Flood Bridge crossing after the vegetation has been cut back to ground level to improve visibility. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6292

Photo - Alan Graham
Another 'after' picture at the same crossing showing the triangular taper which has been cut in to the undergrowth by the vegetation team to improve crossing visibility and safety. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6293

Photo - Alan Graham
Jobs a good un! All our own work! The vegetation team packing up and ready to go, just before the steady drizzle which had lasted most of the day turned in to another downpour. (30/09/2020)
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