Wensleydale Railway - Photo Archive


Replacement of Crakehall Crossing Gate
Part 2 - Official Opening and Award
In February 2023 the new crossing gates at Crakehall were used for the first time. The ribbon was cut by Bob Coombs who paid for the gates
In December 2023, Bob Coombs on behalf of the railway was been awarded 'The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award' at the National Railway Heritage Awards Ceremony for his superb work on the replacement level crossing gates at Crakehall. Bob would like to thank all the other volunteers/staff of the railway, without whom, this job would never have been done.
We held a ceremony on 3rd June 2024 at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes.

Ref - 11036
Photo - Tim Gregson
The new west gate at Crakehall. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11036
Photo - Tim Gregson
The new west gate at Crakehall. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11037
Photo - Tim Gregson
The new east gate at Crakehall. The two gates, based on a NER design, replace four metal gates at the crossing. A red ribbon has been tied between gate posts. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11073
Photo - Tim Gregson
Crossing keeper Ian, opens the east gate at Crakehall for the first service train. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11038
Photo - Tim Gregson
The west gate at Crakehall is closed by Ian. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11074
Photo - Tim Gregson
Bob Coombs, who generously funded the new gates at Crakehall, prepares to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11039
Photo - Tim Gregson
The cut ribbon drops away. Ian will shortly show a green flag allowing the first service train to traverse Crakehall crossing with the new gates. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11075
Photo - Tim Gregson
142060 leads a pair of pacers across the crossing, passing the new gates at Crakehall for the first time. (15/02/2023)
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Ref - 11040
Photo - Andy Glendinning
No more 'Crakehall Dance' in the wind. The old double section crossing gates recovered to Leeming Bar. (17/02/2023)
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Ref - 12612
Photo - Unknown Photographer
Bob Coombs on behalf of the railway has been awarded 'The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award' at the National Railway Heritage Awards Ceremony for his superb work on the replacement level crossing gates at Crakehall. (06/12/2023)
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Ref - 12698
Photo - Timothy Edwards
'The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award' which was awarded to the railway at the National Railway Heritage Awards Ceremony in December for Bob Coombs' superb work on the replacement level crossing gates at Crakehall. (12/12/2023)
Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14136
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14155
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14156
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14157
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14137
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14158
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14159
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14160
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14138
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Hendy (Chair of Network Rail) and the ceremony was attended by Andy Savage, Chair of the Railway Heritage Trust and Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust. They were joined by members of the National Railway Heritage Awards team, volunteers and staff from our railway, along with William Lambert, his wife Claire and daughter Rachel. William produced the superb gates at the Woodcraft Studio, Raygill House Farm, near Hawes. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14139
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
Seen here one of the new gates. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
Ref - 14140
Photo - Nick Keegan
We held a ceremony on 3 June at Crakehall Station to unveil the plaque awarded to Bob Coombs at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards in London! The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award was received for the replacement level crossing gates that Bob generously donated to our railway.
Seen here one of the new gates. (03/06/2024)Click here to see higher resolution photo
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