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Wensleydale Railway extension.

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Hellfire

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I was in Hawes in North Yorkshire today and was interested to find out that the Wensleydale Railway has a long term ambition to extend their current line from Redmire through to Garsdale on the Settle-Carlisle.

I think it is a great ambition and would be a huge tourist attraction but I understand that many of the bridges over the disused section have been taken down.Does the whole of the track bed still exist and, if so, how realistic is the hope to reopen this wonderful stretch of line?
 
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RichmondCommu

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Mossdale Head tunnel between Hawes and Garsdale isn't looking too good and its hard to see how trains could ever be run through it without spending a lot of money. The rest of the track bed hasn't changed since it was closed.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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It would be good if this could be extended to Hawes and onto Garsdale.

I think firstly they want to get back into Northallerton Main Line Station, they are getting towards there, but still have someway to go yet.

I traveled on this line a few years ago, and there was a connecting vintage bus that went on from Redmire to Hawes and some journeys did go towards Garsdale. Not sure if that still operates. I had a great day then. Out Diesel hauled with MK1 or MK2 carriages and return it was a steam loco, oddly enough hauling a DMU.
 

SeanG

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I find the WR a bit odd in that they have their own livery and do not do what many would see as preservation.

However as I understand it (may be incorrect), the WR see the journey as the attraction, rather than the trains themselves
 

Hellfire

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I find the WR a bit odd in that they have their own livery and do not do what many would see as preservation.

However as I understand it (may be incorrect), the WR see the journey as the attraction, rather than the trains themselves

That's an interesting thought. The line itself was constructed piecemeal by three separate railway companies originally, The Midland Railway, The Leyburn to Bledale Railway and The Great Northern Railway so would have presumably had a number of liveries. If they were to adopt one of the original ones what would it be?

I guess that could apply to other lines originally constructed by companies that were eventually absorbed into bigger concerns. I'm all for authenticity but, as long as the line is running with the prospect of expansion, I'm not that concerned what colour their trains are
 

alexl92

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I find the WR a bit odd in that they have their own livery and do not do what many would see as preservation.

However as I understand it (may be incorrect), the WR see the journey as the attraction, rather than the trains themselves

I believe they have their stock in their own livery because the WR was originally intended to be a community railway providing public transport for locals rather than specifically a heritage railway (but obviously still welcoming tourists and enthusiasts). However, this is very difficult to achieve with a heritage line and make a profit etc, so I think they've shifted focus a little.

Personally, I love it. You can see correctly-liveried mk1s and 2s everywhere; Cream and Red Mk2s stand out and look pretty good in my opinion - definitely a refreshing change. Personally I think that an 'authentic' mk2 livery - Blue and Grey or intercity - would look wrong running through the dales. Furthermore, the branding on their coaches means that whenever they're seen in photos, you know which line it is even if you know nothing else. That's how I discovered them - thanks to Railways Illustrated!

I've heard rumours that plans are afoot for the next livery when the time for a repaint comes, but nobody's been willing to say what that might be! I just hope they continue with something unique and smart.
 
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Pinza-C55

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I was in Hawes in North Yorkshire today and was interested to find out that the Wensleydale Railway has a long term ambition to extend their current line from Redmire through to Garsdale on the Settle-Carlisle.

I think it is a great ambition and would be a huge tourist attraction but I understand that many of the bridges over the disused section have been taken down.Does the whole of the track bed still exist and, if so, how realistic is the hope to reopen this wonderful stretch of line?

From memory the road to Garsdale has been cut through the trackbed at an angle west of Hawes. East of Hawes there was a large metal bridge over the river which has gone. Askrigg station yard is full of industrial units.
Redmire to Aysgarth is pretty straightforward though.
 

paul1609

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Theres actually a pretty substantial bridge over a beck missing immediately beyond the buffer stops at Redmire. A footbridge next to the site has been built for the footpath to Bolton Castle. It doesn't really show on Google Earth as the site is overgrown with trees.
 

Trainfan344

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Theres actually a pretty substantial bridge over a beck missing immediately beyond the buffer stops at Redmire. A footbridge next to the site has been built for the footpath to Bolton Castle. It doesn't really show on Google Earth as the site is overgrown with trees.

I seem to remember finding the bridge that was missing as we were following the track bed.
 

Pinza-C55

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Theres actually a pretty substantial bridge over a beck missing immediately beyond the buffer stops at Redmire. A footbridge next to the site has been built for the footpath to Bolton Castle. It doesn't really show on Google Earth as the site is overgrown with trees.

Yes I know about the Redmire bridge as I used to volunteer on the WR. However it isn't as serious an obstacle as the road and bridge at Hawes though it will obviously be costly to rebuild. The National Lottery should be made to stump up for worthwhile projects like this IMHO.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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The National Lottery should be made to stump up for worthwhile projects like this IMHO.

If all the "worthwhile" projects in this country were treated as a compulsory financial stricture upon the National Lottery as you suggest, how many of these in number do you think would be financial recipients in the first tranche of finance given and how long do you envisage that it would take for all the "worthwhile" projects to receive their required funding? Who will decide the order of priority?
 

Bletchleyite

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I thought their Mk1s are vacuum braked as well? Joem works with the red Mk1s mostly these days...

Didn't know they had any Mk1s - I'm just going on a few years ago when they had steam running and it was done using the DMUs because (they said) they were the only vacuum braked stock, the Mk2s being air braked. I guess the Mk1s have been obtained for that purpose since.
 

paul1609

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Yes I know about the Redmire bridge as I used to volunteer on the WR. However it isn't as serious an obstacle as the road and bridge at Hawes though it will obviously be costly to rebuild. The National Lottery should be made to stump up for worthwhile projects like this IMHO.
It's a case of making a case and filling all the paperwork in-we got a grant from the national Lottery for re-opening the Northiam to Bodiam section of the K&ESR of approx £1 million.
Reopening railways isn't as easy these days, I know of one railway who has spent around £350,000 on environment assessments to re-open 4 miles of narrow gauge and their applications not there yet.
 

Pinza-C55

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It's a case of making a case and filling all the paperwork in-we got a grant from the national Lottery for re-opening the Northiam to Bodiam section of the K&ESR of approx £1 million.
Reopening railways isn't as easy these days, I know of one railway who has spent around £350,000 on environment assessments to re-open 4 miles of narrow gauge and their applications not there yet.

That's got be the Lynton and Barnstaple ? Hell of a project that.
 
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