Wensleydale Railway Rail Link Photos

Wensleydale Railway - Photo Archive

October 2020

Photographs

Work continues on the redecoration of Leeming Bar Station House which was supported by a Heritage Lottery Grant. However the main focus at the beginning of this month was been the continuation 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. Continuation and conclusion of the Army Exercise on our railway together with associated works trains.
2. The Army signing a Military Covenant with us in recognition our support of their railway exercise.
3. The restoration of coaches for the Polar Express supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund continues.
4. More Pacers arrive on the line.
5. Work on new drains at Leeming Bar continues.
6. Painting of lanterns to be attached to the restored Station House at Leeming Bar.
7. The restoration by the Direct Works Team of a Waiting Room Bench for the restored Leeming Bar Station House is progressing with the first one being completed and installed.
8. Work by the Direct Works Team at Scruton on a platform trolley for Leeming Bar continues.
9. Progress of the interior decoration of Leeming Bar Station House continues.
10. 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 - 6402

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 3. More of the old trackbed dug out at Wensley Crossing. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6402

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 3. More of the old trackbed dug out at Wensley Crossing. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6403

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 3. More of the old trackbed dug out at Wensley Crossing. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6443

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 4. Bottom ballast,sleepers and rail at Wensley Crossing. (01/10/2020)
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Ref - 6444

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 4. There's always shovelling. (01/10/2020)
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Ref - 6445

Photo - Kev Burnitt
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - A Works Train moving sleepers from Redmire to Harmby through Leyburn Station. (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6446

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 7. Just a small gap to fill. (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6447

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 7. Kerbs set, track ballasted and tamped, Polysafe panels going in at Wensley Crossing. (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6448

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 8. All panels in place, gap filled at Wensley. (05/10/2020)
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Ref - 6449

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 7. 03 shunter and Salmon dropping sleepers at the Argill Farm relay site. (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6450

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
Colas Rail 56090 at Scruton Station with a train load of ballast in support of the Army relay at Argill. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6451

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. 56090 at the head of the ballast train crosses Leases Road at Leeming Bar. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6452

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. 66718 'Sir Peter Hendy' (now Network Rail Chairman) pauses on the rear of the ballast train at Leeming Bar. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6453

Photo - Nigel Cockburn
56090 heads 04.36 Doncaster Belmont Down Yard to Argill Farm ballast train shortly after passing through Bedale. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6454

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
GBRF 66718 "Sir Peter Hendry CBE" was on the rear of the train seen here at Finghall Station. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6455

Photo - Nigel Cockburn
56090 is seen just west of the old Spennithorne Station with a ballast train for the track renewal at Argill Farm (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6456

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
03144 seen at Stoop House Bridge propelling the salmon wagon from Leyburn to Constable Burton Loop to pick up the Lowmac and Shark Van before heading back to Leyburn. It would be used later to plough the ballast at Argill. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6457

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. 03 shunter, Flatrol, Salmon and Shark ballast plough head towards the worksite at Argill Farm to pick up the excavator. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6458

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. Loading the excavator. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6459

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. Harmby Bridge excavator safely loaded, heading to Leyburn in preparation for unloading ballast. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6460

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
56090 at Harmby after a slight hiccup when it slipped to a standstill in the cutting. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6461

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. Harmby Bridge, ballast train heading for Leyburn. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6462

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
56090 Approaching Yorkshire Dales level crossing. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6463

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
The Army Volvo 360 excavator unloads 2 wagon loads of ballast at Leyburn for future projects. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6464

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. Unloading at Leyburn. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6465

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
56090 (On rear) now at the worksite about to drop ballast on the Argill relay. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6466

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
66718 passing Spennithorne Station now dropping spare ballast on the return back to Constable Burton. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6467

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
A close up of the JJA Autoballasters dropping ballast on each shoulder of the track. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6468

Photo - Nigel Cockburn
66718 'Sir Peter Hendy CBE' approaches Bedale in what can be described as perfect light with the return ballast working to Doncaster (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6469

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 12. Relaid and ballasted track at Argill Farm ready for tamping. (09/10/2020)
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Ref - 6470

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 12. Signing ceremony at Leyburn. (09/10/2020)
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Ref - 6471

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 12. Signing ceremony at Leyburn, rather damp! (09/10/2020)
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Ref - 6472

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 12. Socially distanced handover. (09/10/2020)
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Ref - 6364

Photo - Unknown Photographer
It’s all go at the railway this week with the MK2 coaches receiving their top coat of rail blue. Both will shortly receive the grey top coat followed by a white border. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6365

Photo - Unknown Photographer
It’s all go at the railway this week with the MK2 coaches receiving their top coat of rail blue. Both will shortly receive the grey top coat followed by a white border. (30/09/2020)
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Ref - 6366

Photo - Unknown Photographer
The top coat of grey is now applied to one of the MK2 coaches leaving only the white border to complete.
This project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and it is thanks to all of you who play the National Lottery that projects like this can go ahead (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6367

Photo - Unknown Photographer
Work has started by Grinsty Rail on the recovering of the MK2A seats as part of the current restoration project. This is the first MK2A coach at the railway to be reupholstered. (09/10/2020)
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Ref - 6368

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Yet more Pacers (some for the Aln Valley Railway) pass Scruton. (14/10/2020)
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Ref - 6369

Photo - Andy Glendinning
More Pacers arriving at Leeming Bar. (14/10/2020)
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Ref - 6370

Photo - Peter Harbord
The train of 8 class 144 vehicles after arrival at Leeming Bar (14/10/2020)
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Ref - 6371

Photo - John Tong
Trenches at Leeming Bar for sewerage connection (21/10/2020)
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Ref - 6372

Photo - John Tong
Equipment being lowered into the sewerage trench at Leeming Bar (21/10/2020)
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Ref - 6373

Photo - Neil Guest
Finished painting of wall brackets for the lanterns to be installed on the outside of LBR station house. (--/10/2020)
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Ref - 6374

Photo - Neil Guest
Finished painting of lanterns to be installed on the outside of LBR station house. (--/10/2020)
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Ref - 6375

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Curious sheep. This lot were quietly going about their business around the field until I hammered a rail key back in during a track patrol near Redmire when they all started baaaing away and gathered to see what the man in orange was up to. (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6376

Photo - John Tong
The first bench for Leeming Bar Station Waiting Room very nearly complete (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6377

Photo - John Tong
Bill Simmon applying wood preserver to the platform trolley for Leeming Bar Station (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6378

Photo - John Tong
Finished Bench loaded in to van at Scruton to be taken to Leeming Bar (21/10/2020)
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Ref - 6379

Photo - John Tong
The first Bench restored by the Direct Works Team is installed in Leeming Bar Station Ladies Waiting Room (21/10/2020)
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Ref - 6380

Photo - John Tong
Bob Coombes painting in Leeming Bar Station Building (21/10/2020)
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Ref - 6381

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The portico entrance to Leeming Bar Station Building. It is the intention that our passengers will enter through this door to buy their tickets (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6382

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar Station Building - Finishing touches being applied to the bay window paintwork (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6383

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar Station Building - Through the door from the portico future passengers will pass though the former office which will be set up as a parcels office following restoration (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6384

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar Station Building - The corridor with the ticket office windows on the left hand side where our passengers will buy their tickets. The door into the Ladies Waiting Room is at the far end. The electricity box above the door still needs to be removed once the far end of the feed cable has been disconnected. (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6385

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar Station Building - Inside the ticket office where the ticket sellers will sell the tickets through the windows (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6386

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar Station Building - The ticketing corridor from the other end where our passengers will be able to buy their tickets through the ticket windows (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6387

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar Station Building - The Ladies Waiting Room with Bob Coombes in the doorway. He has been leading the decoration work (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6388

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar Station Building - The Ladies Waiting Room with Bob Coombes in the doorway. (20/10/2020)
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Ref - 6389

Photo - Alan Graham
During October the vegetation team have been working between Bedale signal box and the new A684 bypass bridge. In this view looking west the vegetation on the right has been earmarked for removal. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6390

Photo - Alan Graham
The vegetation shown previously being removed by a chainsaw operator. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6391

Photo - Alan Graham
In this picture the vegetation team have strimmed away thistle, balsam, nettles and long grass for as far as the eye can see. Same location, looking in the opposite direction towards Bedale signal box. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6392

Photo - Alan Graham
It looks like a tree but vegetation has encroached and surrounded this telegraph pole and its anchor cable. A member of the vegetation team examines the remains of a trackside telephone somewhere within. (07/10/2020)
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Ref - 6393

Photo - Alan Graham
A typical scenario in the work of the vegetation team. People hard at work, stacking logs, burning brash whilst maintaining social distance. Here between Bedale signal box and the new A684 flyover. (14/10/2020)
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Ref - 6394

Photo - Alan Graham
By the end of October the vegetation team had moved further west, beyond the new A684 flyover bridge, to this little bridge spanning Bedale beck, where a fallen tree is resting on masonry at the far side. (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6395

Photo - Alan Graham
Members of the vegetation team preparing to remove dead overhanging boughs and branches resting against the bridge over Bedale beck (28/10/2020) (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6396

Photo - Alan Graham
Another view a short time later showing that the unwanted branches on the far side have been removed. (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6397

Photo - Alan Graham
A missing coping stone on the bridge allows a peep at the Bedale beck beyond. Train passengers only get a fleeting glance at this view but the next slide allows a better look at the vista beyond. (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6398

Photo - Alan Graham
View from a bridge. Being members of the veg team licences us to work in some (otherwise off limits) amazing locations and the views themselves must be some of the best incentives for becoming a volunteer (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6399

Photo - Alan Graham
We're in to the Back End as we say in these parts. On a chilly October day, a good fire keeps spirits up and keeps us warm. Here the vegetation dispose of brash removed from the area beyond the fire. (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6400

Photo - Alan Graham
Looking west beyond the Bedale beck bridge, and Autumn colours are clearly visible in the distance. The trees on the right have lost their leaves, while those on the left seem relatively unaffected. (28/10/2020)
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Ref - 6401

Photo - Alan Graham
All smiles from the vegetation gang prove that despite the hard work, volunteering is fun. If I wasn't doing this, out in the fresh air, I'd probably be plonked in an armchair. I'm sure it's doing me good! (28/10/2020)
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