The Weardale Line

[yorkie]

...The 141 had around 10-15 people on both ways,...

...Full 141 both ways ....

What trains did you get? We're hoping that the 1025 on Sundays isn't too busy (I wouldn't have thought so at that time?) as we want to get a few bikes on, probably this Sunday.

 

[142094]

Was on the 11.35 from Bishop Auckland West and the 12.35 back from Stanhope. This was a week ago yesterday (Wednesday).

 

[Bish Boy]

Wonder if they'll extend all the way to Eastgate, especially since IIRC the development there got planning permission?

This is definately in the pipeline they will have a station at the eco village and there is also suggestions that a nearby quarry will use the line to transport aggregates.

 

[142094]

I'd heard that they had a planning application in to allow aggregates to be loaded at Wolsingham (IIRC) onto wagons for transport along the line. Guess it depends on how much of a success this reopening could be.

 

[spoony]

I shall definately be using the service again. Were thinking of taking the tent up near Woolsingham. Makes it so much easier for us to get there now theres a service.

 

[142094]

Next time I go I'll probably stop at Stanhope and have a look around for a bit. First time I went I just got the train straight back, got a Tyne and Tees Day Ranger, popped down to Saltburn for a bit, up to Newcastle and back to York.

Any ideas if there are any decent pubs at Stanhope? Had a look on the net but most of them seem to have out of date reviews, plus half the reviews I wouldn't trust anyway.

 

[spoony]

Next time I go I'll probably stop at Stanhope and have a look around for a bit. First time I went I just got the train straight back, got a Tyne and Tees Day Ranger, popped down to Saltburn for a bit, up to Newcastle and back to York.

Any ideas if there are any decent pubs at Stanhope? Had a look on the net but most of them seem to have out of date reviews, plus half the reviews I wouldn't trust anyway.

If your anything like me, anytime Ive ever visited Stanhope Ive always had to have my photo taken next to the petrified tree. Anyway, theres two pubs on the the square there which looked good but I neglegted to visit as was forced to wander and find an ice cream van:roll:

 

[142094]

I'll have to investigate that petrified tree the next time I'm there. ANy ideas what the cafe on the station is like? Think the gap between trains is around 3 hours so would have a lot of time to kill.

 

[spoony]

I'll have to investigate that petrified tree the next time I'm there. ANy ideas what the cafe on the station is like? Think the gap between trains is around 3 hours so would have a lot of time to kill.

The station cafe is small but clean and tidy. Had a cracking slice of pie there and a nice cuppa for about £2.00 so reasonably priced. 3 hours is a long time to kill in a small place like Stanhope though. We had a walk by the river and used the steeping stones to get across. I wouldnt mind going back and sampling one of the pubs mind. Also worth checking out the Durham Dales centre too.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What trains did you get? We're hoping that the 1025 on Sundays isn't too busy (I wouldn't have thought so at that time?) as we want to get a few bikes on, probably this Sunday.

Sorry for the late reply, I missed your post. I was the 10.30 from Bishop Auckland West last Monday. Busy, but even so the 141 had plenty of space for bikes.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

226 Passengers a day isn't exactly indicative of a lucrative business, but for a new startup Railway running its own stock on its own line then it does seem to have achieved a useful function in the area's travel offerings in just 4 months.

Weardale Railways off to strong start with new line

British American Railway Services Ltd. said recently that its Weardale Railways unit has experienced “strong and growing demand” for its community rail service launched May 23.

The line provides local and connecting service in County Durham, between Bishop Auckland, Wolsingham, Frosterley and Stanhope, England.

The railway has carried 17,743 passengers since service launched. In the week ending Sept. 4, the railway carried 1,582 passengers, averaging 226 riders per day.

Weardale Railway operates five Stanhope-to-Bishop Aukland round trips daily Monday through Friday and three round trips on Saturday and Sunday. Weardale trains connect with Northern Rail trains to and from Darlington at Bishop Aukland, British American Railway Services officials said in a prepared statement.

British American Railway and Weardale Railways are owned in part by Iowa Pacific Holdings L.L.C. Weardale Railways has adopted the American short-line model, which "integrates track maintenance, traction and rolling stock maintenance, and freight and passenger operations under a single entity for cost-effective, locally-managed light-density branch line operations," according to a prepared statement.

from http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=24371

Weardale Railway

 

[YorkshireBear]

not a bad start i'm sure once NR get them into bishop auckland and they can see if they can get work done on linespeed increases then it should be a good venture, how reliable are the 141's?

 

[ainsworth74]

they can see if they can get work done on linespeed increases then it should be a good venture

Unless I'm very much mistaken as a heritage railway the top speed they are allowed is 25mph.

 

[142094]

Seems like a good number, would be good to see a breakdown of how many people have done the journey once and how many do it a few times per week. I haven't heard anything more about the plan for coal to be road-transported to Wolsingham and transferred to rail there, apart from the fact it had planning permission granted. Wonder if any extra revenue from this will be put into increasing the line speed in areas.

Also read in the Newcastle Journal the other day that the planned eco-village at Eastgate has been shelved due to spending cuts by One North East. Would have been good to see a rail link back there again.

 

[yorkie]

It's a good line to do, and very good value for the distance.

Next Summer we plan a repeat of the cycle ride we did last Summer, and I would really highly recommend it to anyone. The train takes you up to 200m above sea level, you then walk up a further 220m and have absolutely stunning views. It's then downhill all the way (440m descent) to either Durham, Chester-le-Street or Metrocentre, brilliant ride it is. If anyone is interested in joining us, please do. The countryside in this area is fantastic, you get some great views, and the route is almost entirely off-road along abandoned railway lines that have been converted into cycle paths.

It was much harder to do this ride without Weardale line services, which have made it so much easier for us.

 

[Bish Boy]

I haven't heard anything more about the plan for coal to be road-transported to Wolsingham and transferred to rail there, apart from the fact it had planning permission granted. Wonder if any extra revenue from this will be put into increasing the line speed in areas.

Also read in the Newcastle Journal the other day that the planned eco-village at Eastgate has been shelved due to spending cuts by One North East. Would have been good to see a rail link back there again.

BARS has been given a Europe wide freight & passenger licence and there are plans a foot to get the loading depot finished for next year to start shipping coal. I think the extra revenue will be mainly absorbed keeping the line running let alone improvement.

Shame about the eco village I know alot of people "up dale" didn't want it but it would have been cool for the line to be reopened up there. That's what happens when regional development agencies are closed down.

 

[142094]

Will be good to see more freight in the region, especially on a line that has none at the minute.

 

[YorkshireBear]

someone mentioned on another thread that the ex fastline 56's may have been bought for this service.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Newcastle Journal. December 27th

A LACK of passenger demand has led to bosses of a historic heritage railway cutting back their services by 40%.

Just seven months after passenger services between Stanhope and Bishop Auckland in County Durham were restored for the first time in decades, Weardale Railway has announced the imminent withdrawal of two of its trains.

From January 4 the first and last services to and from Bishop Auckland are being axed, meaning only three passenger trains per day instead of five will operate on the entire 18-mile stretch of line in each direction.

A newsletter from railway controller Gerry Mudd said: “Now the company has had time to assess the results and loadings of the first seven months of services it has decide to modify the timetable by curtailing the early and late services to and from Bishop Auckland.


“Loadings on these services in the late autumn and winter do not justify their operation on a regular basis.

“Additionally during the next few months there will be a need for increased line possessions to facilitate the infrastructure works necessary to accommodate the freight trains expected to start in the second quarter of the year.

“Management will revisit the community service schedule at that time once the pattern of freight services is clear. The new service pattern will be supplemented during school holiday times on selected days with a twice daily Wolsingham to Stanhope and return heritage service.”

On May 22 thousands turned out to see the relaunch of the passenger service between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope for the first time in almost 60 years.

Mr Mudd said he hoped “competitive fares” of £5.50 return would encourage passengers from Weardale to use the train into Bishop Auckland instead of their cars.

Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-to-be-cut-back-61634-27889924/#ixzz19PC2kIDC

 

[142094]

Saw that the other day. Hopefully when the work to improve the line for the coal traffic happens it will increase the linespeeds and help to attract more customers.

 

[lancastrian]

Glad to see that this line is now running regularly. My son and I went to travel on it in its first reincarnation, just running Wolsingham to Stanhope. We where visiting Locamotion at the time. We drove all the way to Stanhope and discovered it had closed down. A real pain as we had driven all the way from near Whitby to visit both.

Next time we are in the area we will try again to travel the line. The fact it now runs from Bishop Auckland will make things easier. So I wish it ever success and I hope that we can travel it soon.

 

[142094]

Would be quite easy to make a good day out just using the line - look around Stanhope and trip to Bishop Auckland, short hop to Shildon and then on to North Road for the museum there. Then of course the delights of Darlington.