Wet Day on the South Tynedale Railway 28 06 23 0
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- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2023
- Just a week ago I filmed at Haltwhistle station on the Newcastle - Carlisle line and mentioned that it had long been a junction station for the Alston branch. Part of the branch has now been taken over by the narrow-gauge South Tynedale Railway who normally only operate at weekends. I spotted that they had a working day on Wednesday 28th and Accuweather suggested it would be a not-too-bad day. Decision made.
The weather gods had other plans however and the day proved difficult - but rewarding. The staff of the S.T.R. were amongst the friendliest I have encountered, the catering at Alston station was in a league of its own - only the weather let them down and - when you are based in the highest market town in England - well - what can you expect?
As the signalman that day can I thank you for your kind comments towards the railway and its volunteers
No more than you all deserve Mike. I often wonder how many of the general public have any idea of the hours of work which go on before the railway opens to them - or after the last passenger has gone home for the day - not to mention the endless hours of engineering, building, maintenance etc which continue even when the railway is not open to passengers.
And my thanks for your hospitality in the signal box on the day. Best wishes to you all.
How very interesting and enjoyable to watch. Thank you for filming and posting. I enjoy all of your videos.
Thanks Steven - always nice to be appreciated. The weather conditions didn't help and some of the problems are all too evident in the final film but I hope to get back some day soon when the sun is shining and steam is at work so that I can do some lineside walking and filming. Best wishes.
@@schoolshorts I think that some raid adds to the video, bit of different atmosphere, can’t be sunshine and blue skies all the time.
Brilliant 🇦🇺🇬🇧👍
Thank you Kiwi.
A very enjoyable video Tim. An interesting visit to the signal box. Cheers, Jeff.
Thanks Jeff - next time I'll pick a better day!
Lovely video again, another part of the country I have never been to, even in the rain it looks good, thanks Tim
Well worth a visit Laurence - although without a car it's not easy - public transport is sparse in the area.
Its Fabulous been in love with English and Scottish Border Country since childhood seventy one now.
Very interesting video I enjoyed the trip on board thanks tim
Thanks Kenneth. I also enjoyed the trip - despite the weather!
Great video Tim. I think the problem with the South Tynedale Railway is the lack of a regular bus service between Haltwhistle and Slaggyford.
For those like myself who do not own a car the bus link is too irregular.
Hopefully in the near future the line will be extended to Haltwhistle.
I'm afraid that bus services are few and far between in that area - I did explore the possibilities, as I've reached the age where I prefer to avoid long-distance driving whenever possible. I could have made it from Dumfries to Alston for the first train of the day but would have to leave immediately afterwards if I were to get home by public transport.
The plan is to eventually restore the rails all the way to Haltwhistle - but I think that's going to be a long-term ambition.
There was a seasonal bus service from Newcastle to Penrith and Keswick, the 888 run by Wright Bros who still run a few local buses to and from Alston. The 888 was a spectacular ride, but it hasn't run for a few years. I live in Newcastle, I don't drive, so I take the train to Haltwhistle and cycle from there - it takes a couple of hours, but most of the cycle route is along the old line. By the time I get to Alston I'm more than ready for the full English breakfast at th cafe. :) The railway is a little gem and well worth the effort to get there
Sorry the weather did not go according to plan for you Tim,but very interesting to watch and see the extended line since I last visited in 2007. On that occasion it was a gala day and the amount of engines, both steam and diesel on display was amazing and I had a great day out. Since then the station I see, now as a canopy and Old Rusty did not have a name or number on that occasion, Kirkhaugh was indeed the end of the line back then also.
Although, over the years, I have driven through Alston - and even stopped there for a coffee - I've never visited the railway until this rather wet day. So long as I'm able to carry on driving - for Alston is well-nigh impossible to visit by public transport - I'll be back!
Very enjoyable video Tim, and the railway is a credit to the staff and volunteers who operate it. As the signalman said, 95% of the passengers are people looking for a nice day out and this is true of most preserved railways , so thanks also to the paying public who help keep our heritage railways going.
Yes, it's easy to forget just how much work goes on in the background that the public never sees - much of it done by unpaid volunteers - without which the railway simply couldn't exist.
@@schoolshorts Good to see how the railway is today as it's a long way from home and I've not visited since the late 1990's. Love your presentation style, Best regards, Andy
@@andrewjohnfox Thank you Andy - glad you enjoyed it and hope you manage
another visit one of these days. Best wishes.
Vsited the railway regularly on trips to see the narrow guage in Wales and the North York Moors Line.
I have lived most of my life in Scotland,although thanks to Adolf and the Kaiser the family is half English.
Well familar with Yorkshire Wessex and Devon and Cornwall.
Great what the South Tyne have acheived,only sorry I can no longer visit for health reasons.
There are routes in Scotland where closure could have lead to similar clever initiatives,but alas !
Great video Tim!
Thanks Charles. The STR normally only operates at weekends so there's not a lot of freedom to pick one's visit by the weather forecast. Better luck next time, eh?
Excellent footage again Tim. The line reminds me when i did the Pennine Journey in 2005 and walked the full length from Haltwhistle to Alston and back. The weather you had is the same as today here in Penwortham, Lancashire.👍👍
Time was when I could have done that - and enjoyed it - but these days I have to settle for shorter distances. Time catches up with all of us!
@@schoolshorts True
Excellent captures of a great NG railway in a beautiful part of the country. Just a shame that you were ‘blessed’ with the soft Pennine weather not unknown during Summer.
Tragic that this line was ever closed in the first place and a shame that it will never re connect with the mainline at Haltwhistle.
The STR is hoping eventually to make it all the way to Haltwhistle. Looking at the progress they have made so far, I wouldn't rule out the possibility - though I doubt I'll live to see it.
@@schoolshorts If you’re familiar with the trackbed north of Slaggyford then you’d realise that it’s going to be nigh on impossible to reach Haltwhistle. Lambley Station in it’s entirety including the trackbed is now in private hands and the owner won’t budge.
Even if they allowed access across their land then there’s the small matter of the trackbed having been breached by 4 new roads since closure including the A69 Haltwhistle bypass.
That entire section would require 2 new bridges to take the line over roads 1 new bridge to carry a road over the line plus 3 level crossings - 1 over a new road 2 reinstated over existing roads.
I admire their dedication determination and vision but given that they’ve got 5 miles in 40 years I doubt that the remaining 8 miles will be achieved in the next 100 years given the magnitude of the task in hand.
Having said that if the government were to deem it to be local transport infrastructure rather than a heritage operation grants and compulsory purchase orders could be used to complete the line in a similar way to the Borders Railway but I just can’t see it in the current climate.
@@winco68 Network Rail have offered us a bridge (gratis) to go over the A69 and access to the bay platform at Haltwhistle and we would probably win a legal battle to regain access to the trackbed at Lambley BUT, and it's a big BUT, we would need to find about £30m down the back of the signalbox sofa to reinstate track, build abutments, move said bridge into position, upgrade existing track, loco's and rolling stock etc etc etc. Then clone the existing volunteers to staff the line and hope that enough people would want to travel!!
Hope you have dried out. Enjoyed this nostalgic trip. I rode it as a boy with my father and can even remember steam special huffing up hill out of Haltwhistle. The other wonder of the line is Lambley viaduct. Amazing view down South Tyne. Is now a walkway across.
I'm sure it must have been a fascinating trip with a steam engine up front working hard. I hope to get back in better weather - and Lambley viaduct will certainly be on the menu!