Wensleydale Railway

Wensleydale Railway
Tornado at Newton-le-Willows in May 2019
LocaleNorth Yorkshire
Commercial operations
NameWensleydale Railway
Original gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated byWensleydale Railway plc
Stations7
Length22 miles (35 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Openedbetween 1848 & 1878
Closed to passengers26 April 1954
Closed1992
Preservation history
HeadquartersLeeming Bar

The Wensleydale Railway is a heritage railway in Wensleydale and Lower Swaledale in North Yorkshire, England. It was built in stages by different railway companies and originally extended to Garsdale railway station on the Settle-Carlisle line. Since 2003, the remaining line has been run as a heritage railway. The line runs 22 miles (35 km) between Northallerton West station, about a fifteen-minute walk from Northallerton station on the East Coast Main Line, and Redmire.

Regular passenger services operate between Leeming Bar and Redmire, with a shuttle to Scruton, occasional freight services and excursions travel the full length of the line.

The line formerly ran from Northallerton to Garsdale on the Settle-Carlisle Railway but the track between Redmire and Garsdale has been lifted and several bridges have been demolished, although one of the stated aims of the Wensleydale Railway is to reinstate the line from Redmire to Garsdale. Additionally, a separate proposal exists to link Hawes to Garsdale with a view to providing commuter and tourist services rather than heritage services.


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