THE WEARDALE RAILWAY

[MTheStrong]

Again last visited more than years ago. This time no steam, instead a visiting HST 125. We joined the tain at Bishop Auckland which is the southern terminus. It has no facilities. We parked our car in the main line station car park and walked approximately 200 metres to the Weardale Railway platform. The departure of the Weardale Train is time to coincide with the mainline train fro Darlington. The photos of the railcars were taken at Stanhope the current northern terminus.

 

[dunnyrail]

Not much to attract the older codgers though I suspect some of the younger enthusiasts would be happy, nodding donkey and all.

 

[MTheStrong]

Not much to attract the older codgers though I suspect some of the younger enthusiasts would be happy, nodding donkey and all.

When we visited the last time we were steam hauled. Currently they use a railcar, a DMU and occasionally a Class 31 Diesel. They do won an ex NCB Steam Loco No40 which is currently out of service undergoing major repairs.

 

[HobbitFertang]

Is there still a 5 mph speed limit at 'Broken Bank' landslide??

 

[MTheStrong]

Is there still a 5 mph speed limit at 'Broken Bank' landslide??

I think so.

 

[MTheStrong]

I have found some photos of my visit to the Weardale Railway in June 2012. sadly it looks like I travelled by a DMU and not steam!!

 

[maxi-model]

I have found some photos of my visit to the Weardale Railway in June 2012. sadly it looks like I travelled by a DMU and not steam!!

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Class 141. Apparently this set scrapped by the Wesrdale. It was stripped for spares. What a pity, lifecexpired uneconomic to overhaul. Now have class 142 set. Max

 

[PhilP]

The tortured offspring, of a National Express coach, and a GWR carriage...


PhilP.

 

[dunnyrail]

The tortured offspring, of a National Express coach, and a GWR carriage...


PhilP.

To say nothing of an Air Brakes Van chassis, obsolete before the Weardale got it. Remember my first trip on one back in around 1983, bump bump bump bump pong (Aws going off) bump bump bump bump pong, well you get the idea. Worse trains ever, invented out of a cash starved requirement to retire older DMU’s that filled the coach with Diesel fumes. I am just waiting to see what horrors will be infected on the new GBR when cash strapped replacements for the Sprinters start to arrive.

 

[Rhinochugger]

You mean I could go there and ride in a Pacer? I have never ridden in one

I'm not a steam fanatic, as there was not a lot of steam about where I was brought up - EMUs were the order of the day for most journeys.

I did, however, get to travel back to London on the Bournemouth Belle hauled by Elder Dempster Lines

 

[Paul M]

We mustn't forget that time is passing, EMUs and DMUs of the 80's are historical vehicles now.

 

[Rhinochugger]

We mustn't forget that time is passing, EMUs and DMUs of the 80's are historical vehicles now.

Yeah, part of the problem is that trains are generally expected to have 40 year lives (some get used longer) and who knows what travelling is going to be like in 40 years from any point in time?

The Pacers bridged a gap, and may have helped certain lines survive as rail usage in general has increased during their lifetime. Who knows?

 

[dunnyrail]

Yeah, part of the problem is that trains are generally expected to have 40 year lives (some get used longer) and who knows what travelling is going to be like in 40 years from any point in time?

The Pacers bridged a gap, and may have helped certain lines survive as rail usage in general has increased during their lifetime. Who knows?

Yes there is that, likely allowed some dodgy lines to have replacement cheeper trains, my big issue with them was the use in large conurbations for commuter services such as to Leeds, Cardiff, Bristol and Manchester