Wensleydale Railway - Photo Archive


Turnout 20 Exercise by the Army Royal Engineers
Part 2 - October 2020
During the fortnight commencing 27th September 2020 the Army Royal Engineers are using our line for a major exercise, to train and practice their Railway Engineering skills. This is first major railway exercise by the Army for over 50 years
They are carrying out a number of training tasks which will also be of great benefit to our railway. These are:-
1. Replacement of Wensley Crossing and the slewing of the track to allow for the possibility a passing loop to be installed there in the future.
2. Relaying 500 yards of track at Harmby
3. The timber baulks on Swale bridge will be replaced with new timbers and the walkways replaced.
4. A few other small jobs.
Although the Army were doing all this as part of an exercise, there was still a lot of costs to us for material and consumables.
Photos below show some of the work carried out during October 2020.

Ref - 6405
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 4 - Akebar in the morning, lovely place for a days work (01/10/2020)
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Ref - 6405
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 4 - Akebar in the morning, lovely place for a days work (01/10/2020)
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Ref - 6406
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 4 - The Army Geotechnical team arrive at Akebar work site (01/10/2020)
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Ref - 6407
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 4 - Drilling rig being set up at Akebar - The Army are also helping out with some smaller projects to both practice their skills and benefit the railway. One of these is to carry out geotechnical surveys of a number of stretches of the line where embankments and cuttings may be liable to movement.
To allow us to understand what is happening with our earthworks bore holes and core samples are being taken to allow a picture to be built up. This will allow us to focus our maintenance effort going forward. (01/10/2020)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 6408
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 4 - The rebuilding of Wensley crossing is also advancing well, with the old track dug out and the new track panel already installed. The next stage here will be to install the new £13,000 road deck (01/10/2020)
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Ref - 6409
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 4 - The rebuilding of Wensley crossing is also advancing well, with the old track dug out and the new track panel already installed. The next stage here will be to install the new £13,000 road deck (01/10/2020)
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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 - 6410
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - The 03 shunter approaches Wensley crossing with a short works train (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6411
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Ensuring that everything is level (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6412
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Arrival of concrete to create the shoulders for the deck beams (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6413
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Pouring the concrete (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6414
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Pouring the concrete - One side nearly complete (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6415
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Getting ready to lift the beam into place (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6416
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Ready to lift the beam (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6417
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Tractor lifting the beam (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6418
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - First beam done, crack on with the rest (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6419
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Check the beam is level (02/10/2020)
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Ref - 6420
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 5 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Final adjustment of the first beam (02/10/2020)
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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 - 6421
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 6 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - The decking supports are now in and ready for the decking to be fitted (03/10/2020)
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Ref - 6422
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 6 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - The decking supports are now in and ready for the decking to be fitted (03/10/2020)
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Ref - 6423
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 6 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - The decking piled up ready to be fitted (03/10/2020)
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Ref - 6424
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 6 - Work progressing by the Army on the Harmby track relaying (03/10/2020)
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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 - 6425
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Delivery of extra ballast (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6429
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Beams in and decking going down (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6430
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - The crossing looking towards Redmire, starting to look the part (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6431
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Decking components being lifted into position (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6432
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Crossing now getting more decking panels. (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 - 6426
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - One side of the decking completed (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6427
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Adding additional ballast (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6428
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - First of the center deck panel being lifted into place (04/10/2020)
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Ref - 6433
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 7 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Track slewing the traditional way (04/10/2020)
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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 - 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 - 6434
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 8 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - The deck is now in, levelled and secured. Just need to replace the tarmac edges and then re-paint the road markings. (05/10/2020)
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Ref - 6435
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 8 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - The deck is now in, levelled and secured. Just need to replace the tarmac edges and then re-paint the road markings. (05/10/2020)
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Ref - 6436
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 8 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - The deck is now in, levelled and secured. Just need to replace the tarmac edges and then re-paint the road markings. (05/10/2020)
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Ref - 6437
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 9 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Crossing in and looking good (06/10/2020)
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Ref - 6438
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 9 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Compacting the crushed stone ready for the tarmac (06/10/2020)
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Ref - 6439
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 9 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - More stone being delivered (06/10/2020)
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Ref - 6440
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 9 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Tidying up the periphery around the crossing (06/10/2020)
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Ref - 6441
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 : Day 10 - Wensley Crossing Replacement - Now complete (07/10/2020)
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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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 6461
Photo - Andy Glendinning
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 10. Harmby Bridge, ballast train heading for Leyburn. (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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 6442
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Exercise Turnout 20 Day 12. Signing ceremony at Leyburn. (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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