30th August North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Probably one of, if not the most popular preserved railway in the country; the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is 18 miles long, and runs trains through the North York Moors National Park between Grosmont and Pickering. I can't understand why I haven't taken the trouble to visit the NYMR long before now! Although this wasn't my first visit, the last time I can only just recall, aged four. We had a very enjoyable day, riding down from Pickering behind BR Standard 4MT 75029, before talking to the driver (ex York shed) and firewoman at Grosmont. We spent the next few hours exploring Grosmont shed and yard, and were even lucky enough to have a look behind the scenes. Our return train was hauled by Southern Railways S15 825, which made easy work of the notorious three mile section of 1 in 49 between Grosmont and Goathland. The only (slight) disappointment, was that newly restored LNER A4 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley was not running, which was being 'saved' for weekends. Although not pictured, LSWR G2 'Super D' 49395, BR Standard 4MTs 80135 and 76079 (employed on Whitby trains) were also in steam.

29th August Thirsk

Situated north of York on the East Coast Main Line is Thirsk. We stopped for about an hour on our trip across country from the Lakes to Pickering. It is the first time I've been to Thirsk since 1997, when the traction was a little more varied! (I later found out that we left 20 minutes before a Deltic came through, Doh!)

27th August Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway

The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is one of Britain's most famous narrow gauge railways. The line runs for 7 miles, from Ravenglass on the coast to Dalegarth in the center of Eskdale. The line has a very interesting history, originally being 3 foot gauge, it become (its current) 15" gauge in 1915. The R&ER has also carried freight in its time, even the Royal Mail! Today it is defiantly a tourist railway, with over 120,000 passengers every year. Five locos (four steam and one diesel) were in operation during my visit, all pictured below.

26th August Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway

First on our tour of the Lake District and Yorkshire was the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. After a very pleasant boat trip across Lake Windermere we stepped onto the train at Lakeside station. The line meanders for three and a half miles through the picturesque Cumbrian countryside with an intermediate stop at Newby Bridge (Halt), before reaching the southern terminus at Haverthwaite. I was hoping (being August) that the railway would have one of their two sole surviving Fairburn tanks (42073 and 42085) hauling the trains, but we had to make do with Hunslet Austerity 150 Cumbria.