Wensleydale Railway Rail Link Photos

Wensleydale Railway - Photo Archive

November 2023

Photographs

During November lots of work has been going on on the railway both in preparation for Polar Express and by our vegetation and Infrastructure teams. This month we have:
1. New platform lighting at both Leeming Bar and Scruton.
2. Enhanced facilities in Bedale Signal Box toilet.
3. Bedale Station Support Group have started their annual work on clearing the embankment.
4. The Black 5 45407 ‘Lancashire Fusilier’ arriving on our line.
5. Setting up and preparations for Polar Express.
6. The refurbishing of a Mk1 coach as a green room for Polar Express actors is completed.
7. Work by the Infrastructure team.
8. Work by the Direct Works Team.
9. Work by the Vegetation Team.
10 Restoration work on both the railway crane and Wickham trolley continued - see below for links to these photos.

For more photos of the conversion of an old Mk1 coach into a 'green room' for the Polar Express actors see here.

For photos of the continuing restoration of the Wickham Trolley see here.

For photos of the continuing restoration of the railway crane see here, here and here.

Ref - 12544

Photo - John Slaughter
Crakehall Crossing and Station Cottages in the distance behind the signpost, awaiting the next Polar Express. (25/11/2023)
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Ref - 12544

Photo - John Slaughter
Crakehall Crossing and Station Cottages in the distance behind the signpost, awaiting the next Polar Express. (25/11/2023)
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Ref - 12558

Photo - Neil Guest
One of the new lights on Leeming Bar platform (07/11/2023)
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Photo - Neil Guest
One of the new lights on Leeming Bar platform (07/11/2023)
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Ref - 12565

Photo - Neil Guest
As well as at Leeming Bar, Scruton has also got some new period lighting installed on the platform (14/11/2023)
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Ref - 12566

Photo - Neil Guest
David Constable installing a floodlight at the end of Scruton platform to make access to the compound easier in the dark (14/11/2023)
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Ref - 12567

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The improvements to the Bedale signal box toilet have now been completed, just in time for Polar Express duties. There is now touch free hot water for washing hands. A frost protection heater has also been installed, to hopefully prevent water freezing during the winter. A new light has also been installed (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12568

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The improvements to the Bedale signal box toilet have now been completed, just in time for Polar Express duties. There is now touch free hot water for washing hands. A frost protection heater has also been installed, to hopefully prevent water freezing during the winter. (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12569

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The improvements to the Bedale signal box toilet have now been completed, just in time for Polar Express duties. The new light installed as part of the work. (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12570

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The improvements to the Bedale signal box toilet have now been completed, just in time for Polar Express duties. A hand drier has also been installed (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12571

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The Bedale station group have started their annual clearance of the embankment opposite the station (28/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
The Bedale station group have started their annual clearance of the embankment opposite the station (28/11/2023)
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Ref - 12545

Photo - Alan Graham
On the first of November the vegetation team travelled eastwards towards Northallerton in loco 37250 to rendezvous with the Polar Express from the main line. Here they're stopping to assemble pole saws to remove high overhanging branches in preparation for the Black five to pass unimpeded. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12546

Photo - Alan Graham
Inside the cabin of the vegetation team's locomotive - 37250 (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12547

Photo - Alan Graham
View from the cab of loco 37250. We're actually looking backwards in this photo as the train's being driven from the other end towards Northallerton, and so we're looking backwards towards Ainderby in this picture. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12548

Photo - Alan Graham
The vegetation team waiting on the platform at Northallerton West Halt, ready for the Polar Express to meet them from the main line (ML). Here the veg team are receiving a message saying that the Polar is awaiting a slot between East Coast ML traffic to join our branch line. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12549

Photo - Alan Graham
The Polar express and the single maroon coach its brought with it are arriving on the Redmire Branch and backing up to the veg team loco at Northallerton West, ready to be hooked up and towed back to Leeming. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12550

Photo - Alan Graham
Towing the Polar Express towards Leeming; view from the cab. Easy does it as the loco makes its way cautiously westwards across the Yafforth level crossing towards Scruton and Leeming. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12604

Photo - Andy Waite
Black 5 45407 Lancashire Fusilier being towed through Scruton on its way to Leeming Bar. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12551

Photo - Alan Graham
View from the cab as the train approaches Leeming where there's already quite a crowd ready to welcome our Black five Star of the Show (hissing gently behind out of shot). (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12552

Photo - Alan Graham
The Polar Express having finally arrived at Leeming on 1st November. Everyone's got their pictures and enough people have now moved away to get an uninterrupted photo. From a veg team perspective it feels like a worthwhile and successful job well done to get it there. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12553

Photo - Alan Graham
The Polar Express basking in glory having made it to Leeming Bar station after a very long journey earlier in the day. (01/11/23). (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12575

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Preparing Leeming Bar platform and the coaches for Polar Express (06/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
Preparing Leeming Bar platform and the coaches for Polar Express (06/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
Preparing Leeming Bar platform and the coaches for Polar Express (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12578

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Getting the eating area and marquees ready for Polar Express (06/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
One of the Polar Express marquees (06/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
One of the Polar Express marquees (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12581

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The Polar Express marquees and eating area from the road (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12582

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Black Five steam locomotive No. 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ in our maintenance shed being prepared for Polar Express (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12583

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Black Five steam locomotive No. 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ in our maintenance shed being prepared for Polar Express (06/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
Black Five steam locomotive No. 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ in our maintenance shed being prepared for Polar Express (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12560

Photo - Neil Guest
Leeming Bar platform set for Polar Express with one of the new platform lights (07/11/2023)
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Ref - 12561

Photo - Neil Guest
Leeming Bar platform set for Polar Express with one of the new platform lights (07/11/2023)
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Photo - Neil Guest
The green room coach for Polar Express actors nearly ready for use. It look vastly different to only a few weeks ago (07/11/2023)
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Photo - Neil Guest
The green room coach for Polar Express actors nearly ready for use looking from inside the adjacent buffet coach. It look vastly different to only a few weeks ago (07/11/2023)
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Photo - Neil Guest
One of the refurbished compartments in the green room coach for Polar Express actors (07/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
The entrance arch to the Polar Express experience (28/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
The eating area beside the marquees for hungry customers (21/11/2023)
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Ref - 12593

Photo - Timothy Edwards
A set piece outside of the Polar Express marquees (28/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
A set piece bit of theatre in the marquee that Polar Express customers congregate in on arrive (21/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
A set piece bit of theatre in the marquee that Polar Express customers congregate in on arrive (21/11/2023)
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Ref - 12594

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The Polar Express sales marquee (21/11/2023)
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Ref - 12595

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Leeming Bar platform all dressed up for Polar Express on a rest day (28/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
One of the lanterns on a table in the Polar Express train (28/11/2023)
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Ref - 12589

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Black Five steam locomotive No. 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ resting in Leeming Bar yard on a rest day (21/11/2023)
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Ref - 12590

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Black Five steam locomotive No. 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ resting in Leeming Bar yard on a rest day (28/11/2023)
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Ref - 12591

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Black Five steam locomotive No. 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ resting in Leeming Bar yard on a rest day (28/11/2023)
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Ref - 12585

Photo - Timothy Edwards
The Polar Express coaches in Leeming Bar platform on a rest day (21/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
The class 14 'teddybear' diesel loco D9513, alias NCB's no.38. in our maintenance shed for some repair work (28/11/2023)
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Ref - 12597

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Class 37250 loco in Leeming Bar yard (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12598

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Class 37250 loco in our maintenance shed undergoing some maintenance (21/11/2023)
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Ref - 12599

Photo - Timothy Edwards
Renovation of the Mk2 coach in the maintenance shed is going very slowly as all personnel were concentrating on getting everything ready for Polar Express (21/11/2023)
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Ref - 12601

Photo - Andy Waite
An old disused badger sett east of Scruton station filled with donated rubble. One of the Bedale Pway team's new trugs top right of frame. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12602

Photo - Andy Waite
More old disused badger sett holes filled. (01/11/2023)
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Photo - Andy Waite
More old disused badger sett holes filled and topped off with ballast. (01/11/2023)
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Ref - 12606

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Many years of neglect and rabbits burrowing have allowed spoil to wash down up to rail level and into the four foot from the cutting side on the north side of the track between Bridges 28 & 29. (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12607

Photo - Andy Glendinning
The mini digger carefully clears the four foot of spoil. (06/11/2023)
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Photo - Andy Glendinning
Spoil dumped on the north side. (06/11/2023)
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Photo - Andy Glendinning
The larger machine clears back the north side cess. Some material is dumped on the south side where it's arm can reach. (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12610

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Under the rails, around the chairs and on the sleeper tops where the big machines can't reach has to be laboriously cleared by hand of compacted spoil. (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12611

Photo - Andy Glendinning
Some spoil is dumpered east toward Bridge 27 to support a sleeper wall there reinforcing the embankment. (06/11/2023)
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Ref - 12537

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
Work continues in a 3 day job to clear the lineside of debris of the collapsed banking which was up to rail height in places. The mini digger is clearing up and then puts the spoil into the dumper and transported to a suitable area in need of it. (07/11/2023)
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Ref - 12538

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
The excavators can only clear so much and it's down to sheer hard human graft with pick and shovel to clear around the rail chairs and under the rails of compacted debris. Come and try this for 3 days in a row...!! (07/11/2023)
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Ref - 12539

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
The big digger clears the banking away and can reach this side of the track where there is room to dump it. (07/11/2023)
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Photo - Andy Waite
Extensive earth works between Bridges 28 and 29 west of Leyburn. (07/11/2023)
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Photo - Michael Metcalfe
The back of the bucket is used to round off the edge of the bank. (08/11/2023)
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Photo - Michael Metcalfe
Work starts on a trial basis to build a sleeper retaining wall with the mini digger and auger. (20/11/2023)
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Ref - 12542

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
The first 2 posts are concrete and the rest are scrap lengths of rail. It's time consuming cutting the rails with a Stihl saw let alone the risks associated with repetitive strain injuries - concrete wins! (20/11/2023)
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Ref - 12543

Photo - Michael Metcalfe
General view of the worksite under B28. (20/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
The Direct Works team carrying out some repairs to the fencing on the old Bedale Oil Dock (21/11/2023)
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Photo - Timothy Edwards
The Direct Works team carrying out some repairs to the fencing on the old Bedale Oil Dock (21/11/2023)
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Photo - Alan Graham
Lunch Time. The vegetation team taking a break from their endeavours on a protected section of line where no trains were running (west of Constable Burton). Before the tree had fallen the cleared area in the foreground had been completely overgrown and inaccessible. (22/11/2023)
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Ref - 12554

Photo - Steve Hall
On a cold frosty November morning the vegetation team are clearing and tidying up west of Constable Burton where gales had brought a large tree down over a temporarily un-worked section of line. (29/11/2023)
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Photo - Steve Hall
The vegetation team using a pole saw to remove a branch which had split away from the main part of a tree at Constable Burton in recent storms. (29/11/2023)
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Photo - Steve Hall
"Making good". The vegetation team removing a fractured limb from a tree damaged in gales. (29/11/2023)
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