Leeming Bar station lies on what was the North Eastern Railway’s (NER) line from Northallerton on the East Coast Main Line to Garsdale on the West Coast Main Line.
Never more than a useful cross country link, the line was closed in 1982. There were the occasional excursion trains until 1990 when the Wensleydale Railway Assosciation was formed with the intention of restoring passenger services on the line.
Today a preserved railway, the Wensleydale Railway (WR) operates between Northallerton West and Redmire a distance of 22 miles.
Running started in 2003 between Leeming Bar and Leyburn eventially extending eastward to Northallerton West and westward to Redmire from where the Ministry of Defence uses the line to transport Armoured Fighting Vehicles to and from Catterick Camp.
What was the station yard is now ‘home’ to a variety of stock.
69023 ‘British Railways’ 0-6-0T shunter Class J72 ‘Joem’
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Built to an ‘NER’ design, dating from 1898, Class E1 as it was then known was built across a period of 54 years by the NER, the LNER and BR who between them built 113 examples.
69023 was one of a batch of 20 built by BR in the period between 1949 and 1951.
Preserved in the1960’s 69023 has been around many of the heritage railways before coming to the ‘WR’.
92219 ‘British Railways’ 2-10-0 Class 9F
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Preservation beckons but there is a long way to go.
Built at Swindon in 1960.
47715 ‘Haymarket’ ‘British Rail’ Network Southeast liveried Class 47
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
One of 512 loco’s built by Brush Traction at Loughborough.
Formerly appearing in the black and red livery of the defunct FM Rail by whom it was nemed ‘Poseidon’.
37674 ‘British Rail’ Railfreight liveried Class 37
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Built in 1963 as D6869 at English Electric’s Vulcan Foundry, one of 309.
Initially working in South Wales, It was re numbered 37169 in 1974 and again in 1977 when it became 37674.
Withdrawn in December 1995 after which it spent some time in storage at Kirkby Stephen East.
26007 ‘British Rail’ Class 26
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
One of 47 built by The Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company between 1958 and 1959.
Originally numbered D5300, it spent most of its life in Scotland
20020 ‘British Rail’ Class 20
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
One of 228 built by English Electric between 1957 and 1968.
03144 ‘British Rail’ Class 03
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
One of 230 built at Swindon works in 1961with the original number of D2144.
03144 has been resident at Leeming Bar since since around 2004.
01545 ‘Ministry of Defence’ Class 01
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Built by Thomas Hill.
Ex military and lettered for ‘Defence Logistics Organisation’.
WR 5307 ‘Wensleydale Railway’ Madison
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Built at Derby, this former British Rail’ Mark 2a coach being classified as a TSO (Tourist Second Open).
All the operational coaches on the day I was there were carrying this red and cream livery which approximates to the old BR ‘Carmine and Cream’ livery dating back to the 1950’s.
In addition, they all carried girls names.
