New Rails For The Dales

It's about to get easier to get into the eastern Yorkshire Dales by public transport with the news that regular train services are returning to Wensleydale on Saturday for the first time in almost 50 years.

The new Wensleydale Railway Company is relatively small beer at the moment, with just 12 miles of track linking Leyburn at the head of Wensleydale with Leeming Bar, but the longer term aims of Britain's newest railway company are more ambitious.

At the moment the stretch of line isn't connected to the national rail network, however a shuttle bus service will operate between Leeming Bar and the East Coast main line at Northallerton. It's hoped however, that by this time next year, the stretch of line linking the two towns will be re-opened and it will be possible to travel to Wensleydale direct by rail from anywhere else on the national rail network.

Ultimately it's hoped to construct the 18 miles of track necessary to reconnect the East Coast main line at Northallerton with the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line at Garsdale.

The railway's very much a community project and will be running special services this weekend with a four train a day timetable from next Monday.

There's more information at the Wensleydale Railway site including timetables, prices and background information on the railway together with pictures.