Wensleydale Branch: A New History

Written by Stanley C Jenkins

£12.95

Book condition

This book is brand new

Book details

Paperback:

192 pages

Publisher:

The Oakwood Press 2002

Language:

English

ISBN:

085361587x

Book description

Running for almost 40 miles across the former North Riding of Yorkshire, the Wensleydale line was one of the longest secondary routes of the North Eastern Railway. Built over a 30 year period, the history of the route is surprisingly complex; the route was built in stages by a bewildering variety of companies, some of which hoped to transform themselves into important main lines, while others were modest branch line schemes. By the time of the opening of the final section the NER operated most of the route, but the western portion from Hawes to Garsdale was operated by the Midland Railway and as a result, the NER and MR shared operation of the route, although it was never a joint line in the way of the Midland & Great Northern and Somerset & Dorset. This, the second Edition of this history has brought the story up-to-date and now includes the controverial proposals made in 1992 and ultimately the transfer of the railway to Wensleydale Railway plc. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph in June 2000 a WRC Director said it was hoped, eventually, to restore the long-lost 18 miles from Redmire to Garsdale, so the line’s history is by no means closed. The line remains part of the national network.