News Update 6 added to Supporters' Snippets.

Santa Special services are now sold out for most trips - Latest remaining availability on Timetables page.

The first weekend of Santa Specials has used the 141 railcar set bringing visitors to "Lapland" station in Stanhope:

The remaining trips are expected to use our heritage coaching stock hauled by 31452. This locomotive is currently en route from Derby to Wolsingham.

31452 at a previous location. (Tim Farmer at Preserved Diesels)	31452 en route to Weardale. (J. Askwith)

News Update 4 added to Supporters' Snippets.

Track clearance continues apace! Read the Northern Echo report here:

Railway on track for extension after high speed line clearing.

Santa Special services continue to be well subscribed. Three of the weekend runs are totally sold out already, and some others are likely to be sold out soon. Available seating is updated frequently (at least twice per week) and linked from the start of the Timetables page. There are already ten special mid-week 'Santa' charters, a huge increase on last year. If this activity appeals to your group, contact Stanhope Station for details.

News Update 3 added to Supporters' Snippets.
It includes details of track clearance, now getting close to Bishop Auckland.
Santa Specials bookings are ahead of last year - some runs are already sold out!
You can check current seat availability here.

Supporter Mike Trewhella has produced a promotional video for the railway. You can view it in Snippets or here:

 
Weardale Railway 2008 from Mike Trewhella on Vimeo.

News Update 2 added to Supporters' Snippets.
It includes links to YouTube video of the Rio Grande Scenic Railway operated by Iowa Pacific.

Some news on the new company and its plans: (more detail in Supporters' Snippets section).

THE NEW COMPANY

• Weardale Railways is a Community Interest Company, 75% of the shares are held by Iowa Pacific Holdings through their UK subsidiary : British American Rail Services (BARS). 12.5% of the shares by the Weardale Railway Trust (WRT) and 12.5% by Durham County Council (DCC), until April 2009 this DCC shareholding is split 50:50 with Wear Valley District Council.
• Directorships : The Board is made up of 4 Directors appointed by BARS, 3 appointed by WRT and 2 appointed by DCC.A Safety Director will also sit on the Board

COMPANY PLANS

Ed Ellis (President, Iowa Pacific) has given an overview of their plans for the group of Companies they acquired from ECT, the main points are to :-

• Gain licences from Network Rail and the ORR to set up and operate network wide rail freight Company to be called D & C Railway.
• Seek freight haulage contracts at Weardale and elsewhere on the network.
• Clear track etc to gain access to Bishop Auckland by year end 2008.
• Commence freight and passenger service capability to and through Bishop Auckland in 2009.
• Move remaining stock and records from RMS Wakefield to Weardale.
• Move accounting function from Wakefield to Stanhope.
• All depot based rolling stock not owned by WRCIC, WRT or BARS to be subject to a written agreement.
• All non functional rolling stock for which there is no funded plan to be removed or scrapped.  

The Northern Echo's article:

MORE than 50 years of rail isolation could be ending for thousands of North-East residents who are on track to get back direct passenger and freight links with the rest of the country. 
The new US owner of the Weardale Railway tourist line, in County Durham , is showing it means business by clearing the whole 18 miles of track between Eastgate and Bishop Auckland by the end of the year. This will open up a direct link with main line services in Bishop Auckland and pave the way for the eventual return of the first regular passenger service through Weardale since 1953. 

Iowa Pacific Holdings, which is investing £800,000 in the railway through a new company, British American Services Ltd, has a five-year plan which would eventually see freight, commuter and tourist services operating through Bishop Auckland.
The company is negotiating with quarries in Frosterley and Eastgate to carry aggregates to industrial centres on Tyneside and Teesside. 
Freight trains would pass straight through Bishop Auckland, but passengers would have to switch carriages through a new Weardale platform west of the present station. Regular passenger services cannot start until the income from freight and tourist trains, which operate at 25mph, helps pay for track upgrades to allow 60mph operations.

Communities along the Weardale line would have the option of opening their own mini-stations, opening tourist links with places such as Escomb Saxon Church and Low Barns Nature Reserve, near Witton-le-Wear. 
One of the main places to benefit would be the proposed renewable energy village in Eastgate, where the railway is seen as a vital transport route, keeping traffic from Weardale’s narrow roads. 
The move would also open up a rail heritage trail, taking in Darlington and Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon.

Iowa Pacific’s president Ed Ellis was upbeat about the railway’s prospects when he visited Bishop Auckland station yesterday. He said negotiations were progressing with Network Rail, which has so far raised no objections to reopening the main line link. 

Mr Ellis owns 700 miles of track and six North American railways, including the 60-mile steam Rio Grande ride through the Colorado Rockies. Now he has two more – Weardale and the Dartmoor Railway, in Devon , which were sold by the London-based ECT group.

He said yesterday: “We are confident that £800,000 is enough to get the line ready and running by the end of next year. “We are going to take the line to the next level, starting with freight and heritage services running the length of the track by next year.

“We are patient investors and we are confident that, over the next five years, the railway will be a successful enterprise for all those involved in it.”

Bop Hope, director of regeneration at Wear Valley District Council, said the rail link would bring economic benefits to the whole of the south Durham area, encouraging industry and new homes.

Ed Ellis, President of British American Railway Services today outlined to the press his plans for the development of the railway. They include making fit for use the track back to Bishop Auckland by the end of this year, and the introduction of passenger services to Bishop Auckland next year.

Sunday 28th September - Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Display:

Weardale welcomed the north east branch of the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club.
Twelve classic cars including Rolls Royce and Bentley’s provided a static display in the car park at Stanhope Railway Station. Our guests (almost forty from the club) took the opportunity of travelling on the train from Stanhope to Wolsingham and back before leaving for Helme Park Hotel where they were booked in for lunch.

We have already received feedback from the club. They said that they had had a wonderful time with us at the railway and later a lovely lunch at Helme Park – the finish to a perfect day.

Photographs courtesy of John Askwith

No. 40 Progress report:  

The refurbished and newly certificated boiler and firebox have returned to Wolsingham and are now reunited with the frames. Volunteers are now working flat out to complete the rebuild so that this year's Santa Specials can be steam hauled.
Unfortunately there is still a shortfall in the budget - if you would like to make a contribution to the fund click here.

Unloading completed, Wolsingham 15 Sept.
See more photos in "Snippets"

Next event - Sunday 28th September - Rolls Royce Enthusiasts:

This group will be driving to Stanhope to display their heritage Rolls Royce and Bentley cars. They will be on view from approximately 11am until 1:30pm in Stanhope Station car park.

American partnership in Weardale. . .  

ECT's share in Weardale Railways CIC have today been transferred to a new company, British American Railway Services Ltd, a new company established in the UK by Iowa Pacific Holdings.
The following information has been released:

"The companies being transferred include RMS Locotec and its subsidiary Dartmoor Railway CIC. ECT is also transferring its 75% interest in Weardale Railways CIC.

Iowa Pacific is a privately-owned company that owns and operates six shortline railways in the United States with over 700 miles of track, 180 employees, and a current annual turnover rate in excess of $40 million (US). Iowa Pacific handles over 35,000 annual freight carloads and over 75,000 annual passenger trips in six states, with additional subsidiaries that repair freight and passenger cars, and operate first-class mainline passenger tours.

RMS Locotec provides spot-hire services (primarily shunters), manages shunter and track maintenance services, and provides contracted infrastructure upgrade services. Dartmoor Railway operates a 17-mile freight and passenger line in the South-West of England, serving Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. Weardale Railway owns an 18-mile line in County Durham between Bishop Auckland and Eastgate, with heritage passenger services presently operating between Wolsingham and Stanhope.

Anna Whitty, chief executive of ECT Group, said: “ECT is delighted to have found a new home for its rail businesses, with an organisation that supports the values of community rail and has the skills and resources to provide them with a sustainable future.”

Ed Ellis, president of Iowa Pacific, said: “We believe in the community rail model and look forward to developing freight, tourist and passenger services on the two railways, and to sustained, profitable growth in the services RMS provides. The experienced staff and management in both the UK and US will be able to add value in all locations. In addition, we are excited about the support from other stakeholders, particularly at the Weardale Railway, who are making it a vital attraction in the community.”

. . . and a comment from Trust Chairman, Ian Gardner:

"It’s been a long few months but at last as can be seen in the press release the sale of the ECT rail Division has been completed.
The memberships held by ECT in Weardale Railways CIC have now passed to British American Railway Services, (BARS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Iowa Pacific Holdings.
The Trust look forward to working with Ed Ellis, president of Iowa Pacific, and his team, in driving the project forwarding getting the line open to Bishop Auckland and reconnected to the main line as well as developing the services we can offer to our visitors."

Best regards
Ian Gardner
Chairman WRT

 Weardale Railway Loco back in steam.

Work on the boiler and firebox of the  Weardale Railway 0-6-0 tank engine No 40 has been completed.  The work has been carried out at the Tylesley Locomotive Works and on the 28^th of August a steaming test took place in the presence of our Boiler Inspector.

Photo : J Shepherd 28 August 2008

Trust Director Julian Shepherd was present at the test and reports :- 
“I arrived to find the front end / smoke box had been re-fitted and was smoking gently.  The steam pressure was already at 100psi and was increasing steadily.  Just the odd drip was noted, but generally everything looked dry. The Tyseley people were impressed that steam was being raised smoothly and quite quickly without any external help (draught).  There was no sign of any leaks from the tubes in the firebox. 
Once it has cooled down, No. 40 will be prepared and moved to a more accessible place for loading for transport, and should be available to depart within a week.”

Gala Weekend 2008
The new Wolsingham Station building was in use for the first time. Apart from the ticket office and waiting room, it found use as the base for the Junior Club selling refreshments and running their auction (see last entry).

Rolls Royce Display - Sunday, September 28^th
There will be a display of Rolls Royce and Bentley cars at Stanhope Station car park.
Vehicles provided by Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club (North East) will start to arrive from around 11.00am.

This display follows the recent Morris 1000 gathering pictured below:

Gala Weekend 2008, Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st August - update:

Activities at Wolsingham Station

 As part of the Weardale Railway “Anything goes” Gala Weekend, Saturday 30^th & Sunday 31^st August 2008 our new station building at Wolsingham station will be in operation for the first time, having been completed this week by a band of committed volunteers and Junior Club members.
The building brings new benefits to our customers boarding at Wolsingham with a waiting area, ticket sales, gift shop and light refreshments under one roof.
As well as being the interchange point for the Gala Harperley Wickham trolley service and train service to Stanhope, the new station building will also be the focal point for anyone wishing to join the Weardale Railway Trust or become a volunteer during the Gala Weekend. 

During Saturday morning the Weardale Junior club will be presenting representatives from the Trust with a cheque towards the No 40 appeal, which is a result of their recent successful sponsored walk and bag packing at Asda. 

The Junior Club will also be running a fund raising stand at the station which includes an auction. National Express East Coast have kindly donated two pictures to the Junior Club for fund raising and, as a taster, these two lots are detailed below.  Also donated are two desirable signed, limited edition prints, also shown below. If you would like to submit a bid please email the junior club admin@wrjc.org.uk or alternatively visit us at Wolsingham station during the Gala Weekend.

Lot 1 Item: Framed photo of Essex Class 309 EMU, 73 cm x 63 cm in good condition. Donated by: National Express East Coast Fund: Junior Club
Lot 2 Item: Unframed photo mounted on wood of  HM the Queen sitting in the cab of a Class 91 loco  at Kings Cross station during the official launch of  Inter-City electric services on the ECML, 92 cm x 76 cm,  very slight damage. Donated by: National Express East Coast Fund: Junior Club
Lot 3 Item: "Stirling Departure" by Eric Bottomley, showing Blue Peter leaving Stirling Station. This is no. 327/850, commisioned by NELPG in 1991. Mint condition, signed, unframed. Donated by: Mr & Mrs Bloomfield, Frosterley.  Fund: No. 40 appeal.
Lot 4 Item: "Mallard at Kings Cross" by David Noble. This is no. 285/850. Mint condition, signed, unframed. Donated by: Mr & Mrs Bloomfield, Frosterley. Fund: No. 40 appeal.

 Other lots will be available during the weekend.
Email bidders should include their name, address and mobile telephone number.
The auction will end after the arrival of the last train service into Wolsingham on Sunday 31^st August 2008, the successful bidders will then be contacted to arrange collection.

Gala Weekend 2008, Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st August:

A message from Ian Gardner, Trust Chairman:
As many of you will no doubt be aware, at the beginning of August the railway held its War on the Line event. This built on last years event and proved to be a success in drawing in visitors both to the railway and to the towns.
Hopefully we can continue to build on the work put in this year and last and make 2009's wartime weekend even better.
The only way events such as this can work is through the efforts not only from the volunteers on the Railway, but also from the many hours of time put in by the re-enactors and the owners of the vehicles who turn out at these shows up and down the country.
Thanks to everyone involved in makinga success of the weekend. We look forward to seeing you all again next year.

On a different note. Thanks must go to the members of the junior club.
In recent weeks they have raised nearly £2000 pounds towards the Number 40 appeal fund. They undertook a sponsored walk, (this was done in typical summer weather, ie it was raining), but they still pressed on.
They followed this up with a bag pack at Asda in Bishop Auckland and are planning another bag pack at Morrisons in the near future.
When we are more used to reading in the press about the problems with young people in todays' world, it's good to see that we have a group of youngsters we can take pride in.

Finally for now, I'm hopeful that we may have further news on the sale of the ECT rail division soon. Once we have, we will be getting the news on to the website as soon as possible.

War on the Line 2008 was again an overwhelming success despite not having steam motive power available this year. (News of No 40's refurbishment soon!).
The spectacles of the weekend were enjoyed by participants, local people and visitors alike with many local businesses reporting booming trade. This high profile event also provided enthusiastic feedback both to the railway and to the Military Vehicle Trust.

A couple of pictures are shown below to give a flavour of the event:

To see more, click here.  

We give our thanks to the following volunteer groups for making the weekend such a success:

M.V.T North East
Yesterdays Heroes
V.E.R.A.
North West 101st Airborne
The Normandy Arnhem Society
Crusader Group
The 40's Family
102^nd Battalion REME Pipe Band

War on the Line 2008 is our next big event, held in association with the Military Vehicle Trust over the weekend of August 2^nd and 3^rd. 

Stanhope and Frosterley will be coming under attack from Second World War German troops, being repelled by Allied forces. Local townsfolk are warned to expect some loud explosions and gunfire over the weekend of the 2^nd and 3^rd August. The activities will take place in and around both Frosterley and Stanhope Stations.
Fret-sur-Lee (formerly Frosterley) will be taken over by German forces and passengers will need to have their travel passes ready for inspection by the occupying forces.
On the home front catch up with the latest fashions and learn how to re-style using whatever you have in your wardrobe.  Visit our hairstylist and have your hair dressed for the evening entertainment. Enjoy a preview of the evening’s offerings.

To aid morale there will be a dance held in the marquee on Bondisle Recreation Field at Stanhope commencing at 7.30pm, featuring the ever popular singers – The Fenner Sisters – with Moggie providing many of the popular tunes from the era on his gramophone so you can take to the dancefloor.  Entry to the dance is £5.00. Bar and food will be on sale.

The Fenner Sisters

Visit the local cinema to catch up on the world scene through the Pathe news reels.

BEWARE UNEXPLODED BOMBS!    LISTEN FOR THE AIR-RAID SIRENS AND TAKE COVER!

Two free tickets to the evening dance will be awarded to the two best dressed civilians wearing 1940’s period costume on 2^nd August.

Trains:  NB: Due to a direct hit the steam engine is out of commission. The Class 73 diesel will be operating the service between Wolsingham and Stanhope. 
(Diesel engines were used during the war – the advantage being that during air-raids the lights on the whole train could be switched off all at once).

Timetable: Special timetables apply all weekend. Please refer to Timetables area of the website for full details.

Tickets: Purchase a Travel Warrant - £10.00 (Adult) £8.00 (Senior) £4.00 (Child) - for combined entry to the field and ride on the train. Please have this ready for inspection by the authorities.

The Lamp Room Gift Shop will be open with all manner of gifts, toys (including Thomas the Tank Engine) and souvenirs; the Signal Box Café will be offering the usual selection of homemade soups, light lunches and home bakes to eat in or take-away.

Customer Enquiries:  01388 526203 (operational days/recorded information)
                  info@weardale-railway.com                       www.weardale-railway.org.uk

Commercial & Marketing Enquiries
Katharine Wood:        kathwood-weardalerailways@hotmail.co.uk      07779571228
              Office:       Enquiries@weardalerailways.com                     01924234440

A reminder of last year's event is shown below (courtesy J. Askwith).

An update message has been issued by the Trust Chairman:

• The sale of ECT's shares in Weardale Railways is progressing and on track for early completion.

• The boiler and firebox of our steam loco No. 40 will be tested soon, and should then be certificated ready for re-assembly at Wolsingham. 

• Despite the poor summer weather visitor numbers continue to increase, including several coach parties and school visits. Special event weekends have proved extremely popular and will continue to feature in our forward planning. The next event, War on the Line, held in association with the Military Vehicle Trust, will be held on August 2nd and 3rd. It will include a 1940s dance on the Saturday evening.

You can read the full message in Snippets.

Last Sunday's Classic Vehicle Rally was remarkably well-attended despite the continuing unseasonal weather (the cafe sold more tea than ice cream!). The members of the public who attended thoroughly enjoyed their visit.
A couple of pictures of the car and commercial lineup below, courtesy of John Askwith.

Legacies and Bequests .... Over the years, a number of people have remembered our railway project in their will and recently we have been asked for information on the most effective ways to do this. To assist, our Treasurer has drawn up a simple advice leaflet. If it is of interest, you can download it here.

Santa Specials ... It may seem a long time to Christmas but most of last year's runs were totally sold out weeks in advance. If you want to plan ahead, the 2008 Santa Specials leaflet/booking form is now available to download on the Timetables page.

Gala Music Evening, Locomotion, Shildon, 29th August 2008 

Locomotion, the Northern Satellite Museum of the National Railway Museum, York, with its connotations with the Weardale Railway, and a close eventual neighbour of the Railways link to the main line at Darlington, is the setting for this prestigious Gala Evening.

The entertainment will include Suzannah Clarke, international opera singer, the Shiney Row Male Voice Choir, well known in the North-East for its Charity work, and popular Benny Graham, Northumbrian Folk Singer.

The programme commences at 7.00 pm and includes a finger buffet and pay bar. 

"The Heritage Line and the Railways of Weardale" – Wednesday 2nd July
An open evening with photographs and slide show documenting our railway heritage from the birth if the S&DR to the creation of the Weardale Railway.

If this topic interests you, download details here.

Father's Day / Big Boys' Toys – Sunday 15th June

Yesterday's event saw a large number of dads dragged along to the railway for their free ride and a close look at the displays of "toys" at Wolsingham and Stanhope Stations.

Pictures below from Stanhope (courtesy of John Askwith).

	Above: Part of the line-up of classic commercial vehicles. Left: 1910 Martilghi Organ exhibited by Mr. P. Raymond.

ECT, the major partner in Weardale Railways CIC, issued the following press release yesterday:

ECT Group, one of the UK’s leading social enterprises, is moving in a new direction it was announced today. The Group, whilst retaining its commitment to the provision of high quality public services for the community and to sustainability and partnership working, is preparing for major changes in direction.

This is a joint press release sent on behalf of ECT Group and May Gurney Integrated Services Plc  

ECT Group, one of the UK’s leading social enterprises, is moving in a new direction it was announced today. The Group, whilst retaining its commitment to the provision of high quality public services for the community and to sustainability and partnership working, is preparing for major changes in direction.

ECT Recycling - part of the ECT Group with 1,100 employees - has been acquired by May Gurney, one of the UK’s most successful maintenance and support services companies and listed on the London stock market (AIM).

First and foremost, it’s ‘business as usual’ at ECT Recycling - the current strong management team will remain in place, led by Stephen Sears, and the focus will remain on delivering service quality for its customers and its customers’ customers – members of the public.

For some time, ECT Recycling had been exploring ways to secure its future and to build upon its successful business formula in delivering municipal waste services to local authorities.

Stephen Sears, who has led the development of ECT since 1980 said: “ECT has been looking for a partner for our recycling and waste management business with a good reputation in the local authority market place and with the commercial muscle to help us to secure bigger contracts. This will allow us to deliver our social and environmental objectives as well as the financial results that are essential to continued success.

We are delighted to have the opportunity to work within May Gurney and to develop our sustainable waste management business in a way that retains our commitment to working in partnership with our customers, to staff development and to strong corporate responsibility to communities and the environment”.

David Sterry, Chief Executive of May Gurney, said: “We are delighted to welcome a company whose long-term customer oriented culture and focus on partnerships is aligned to our own. This acquisition significantly enhances our capabilities and customer relationships in the local government waste services market, a market where the demands on our customers and challenges for our customers are growing rapidly.”

The ECT Group (which includes the charity Ealing Community Transport) will continue to operate community transport services in Ealing, Milton Keynes, Cheshire and the 195 bus service. It will maintain its joint venture with Hackney Community Transport (E&HCT), transporting construction workers within the Olympic Park, on behalf of the ODA.

The rail businesses - RMS, Weardale and Dartmoor - are in the process of being sold to new owners with the financial firepower and resources to develop them successfully.

Cuckoo Lane Health Care will become an independent organisation. Its association with ECT made Cuckoo Lane one of Britain’s most well known nurse-led practices.

ECT Group recently sold its interest in its successful recycling joint venture in Northern Ireland; Bryson Recycling to its joint venture partner the Bryson Charitable Group.

Anna Whitty, who becomes Chief Executive of the ECT Group commented: “From community transport to mainstream bus services, ECT Group will continue to put our passengers first, thanks to the staff and volunteers who make our services run so smoothly.

“It has been an exciting time for us with the expansion of our services up and down the country and our new joint venture with Hackney Community Transport.

“We look forward to working in partnership; whether it is with local authorities, charities, other community transport organisations, or government schemes such as SureStart, to provide quality, accessible, sustainable community and public transport services”.

***** A message from the Trust Chairman, Ian Gardner has been posted in the "Snippets" page *****

Big Boys' Toys – Sunday 15th June

To coincide with Father's Day, Dad can travel for free and get excited about the vehicle displays at Stanhope and Wolsingham Stations. More details here.

The Livery Competition for No. 40 is now closed. The winning livery is to be BR lined black with early crest.
Further details in Snippets section.

Teddy Bear’s Picnic – Sunday 25^th May

 The good weather over the Bank Holiday weekend brought excellent business to the Railway. Particularly enjoyable was the Teddy Bear’s picnic event on the Sunday which was well attended and saw the diesel hauled coaching stock and the griddle car in operation.  Customers could purchase drinks and picnic bags on the train as well as the usual range of goods from the Signal Box café at Stanhope station. 

As well as the bears brought by our young customers a larger than usual Teddy Bear was observed at Stanhope.  The families were entertained by a magician, and  a treasure hunt and other fun and games and prizes  were laid on. 

Thanks to all the volunteers who organised the event and those who helped out on the day.

Click me!  

Teddy Bear’s Picnic – Sunday 25^th May

 Weardale Railways is happy to announce a fun filled day on the Railway. Aimed at the young (and young at heart) we are sure it will prove to be a big hit! 

Children can take a free ride if they bring their teddy bear’s along too.  

Picnic bags will be for sale on board (£2.50 each), in our heritage griddle car, and the Signal Box Café will be serving a full range of menu items, including sandwiches and homemade cakes – to eat in or take away. (You may bring your own picnic too!) You can enjoy your picnic in and around the station or the adjacent recreation field (some seating is available but you may prefer to bring something to sit on) where there will be music, fun and games … and a children’s entertainer all day. Take part in the Teddy Bear’s Treasure Hunt, Teddy tombola and raffle.

The first train departs Wolsingham Station at 10:30; and 11:45 from Stanhope. 

The Lamp Room Gift Shop will be open with all manner of gifts, toys (including Thomas the Tank Engine) and souvenirs; the Signal Box Café will be offering the usual selection of homemade soups, light lunches and home bakes to eat in or take-away. 

Downloadable poster here.

Group Visits Boosting  Weardale Railway passenger numbers

Since re-establishing the passenger service last year, a concerted effort has been made to encourage groups and coach parties to visit the Railway. This effort is now bringing results.

A recent example is the visit of a party from the Teeside Caledonian Society. This was initiated by a talk and slide show by our volunteers to a meeting of the Society.
Their visit took place on the 26^th April and was part of a day out which included a visit to the Shildon Railway Museum, the Durham Dales Centre, the Weardale Museum and culminated in a journey on the 16.30 ex Stanhope.

The Society have acknowledged their visit and commented to our Chairman as follows :- 

Dear Ian,
             The quick rail trip provided a good end to a rather hectic but enjoyable day.
Your colleagues at Stanhope and on the train were very helpful and, particularly on the train, hilariously entertaining.

Thank you for your help.
Regards
James Smith. 

Classic Car Rally:
The weather did not produce snow this time, so the twice-postponed rally took place yesterday.

Twenty three cars, the oldest dating from the 1920’s took part in a 50 mile trip around Teasdale and Weardale, finishing in the car park at Stanhope Station on the Weardale Railway.
The morning started with a ‘Full English breakfast’ at the Bridge Inn, Ramshaw for motor enthusiasts from the North East Club for Pre-War Austins and Northern Vintage Transport Association taking part. Cars included were a Bullnose Morris, Jaguar XK150, Ford Consul, Lea Francis, Morris Minors and Wolseleys. The event was organised by Alan Hutchinson in conjunction with Weardale Railways CIC.
The Signal Box café at the station was kept very busy selling a selection of homemade soups, light lunches and home bakes. The Lamp Room Gift shop was also busy selling railway souvenirs and Weardale related goods.
Photographs below courtesy of John Askwith:

ECT to sell its share:
There has been much speculation and misinformation about the effect on the project of ECT's withdrawal from railway operations. You can read a statement from the Trust's chairman, Ian Gardner here.

From the beginning of May, Weardale Railways will be running trains on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays before the full seven day a week service is introduced from the middle of July. The next special event on the railway will be the Teddy Bears Picnic on 25^th May.

Classic Car Rally revised date:
The deferred classic car rally will now take place on Sunday 27^th April. The cars should start arriving at Stanhope Station from midday to form a display for the afternoon.

Family Fun Days, April 19th/20th:
was principally organised by the Junior Club who brought in their own equipment, set up the various games and manned the car park on both days so that they were there to tempt other youngster to join in. Well done! Any under-16s interested in being involved can find out more on the Junior Club's own website www.wrjc.org.uk

Classic Car Rally postponed again:

The deferred classic car rally was to take place on Sunday 6^th April. Unfortunately the organisers of the rally have again decided that owing to the forecast of inclement weather they will postpone the rally. We hope this event change does not affect your plans.

Diesel Gala, April 12^th/13^th:

The planned diesel gala will now be run as Depot Open Days so that visitors can see all our diesel stock. Details here.

Weardale Railways CIC's major shareholder ECT is seeking to transfer all of its railway interests to another company.
You can read their press release here.

Easter Sunday Classic Car Rally postponed:

Part of the Easter weekend programme of special events was to be a classic car rally. Unfortunately the organisers of the rally have decided that owing to the forecast of inclement weather they will postpone the rally. Their rally will now take place on Sunday 6^th April, the vehicles arriving at Stanhope Station from around noon and staying on display throughout the afternoon.
We hope this event change does not affect your Easter weekend plans.

WEARDALE RAILWAY MAIN SHAREHOLDER ECT TO REORGANISE ITS RAIL BUSINESSES

Last week ECT announced that due to the poor performance of some of its Group rail businesses it was taking action to improve the situation. ECT is the major shareholder in Weardale Railways.
Under the rescue plan launched in 2005 after Weardale Railways Limited entered administration, the Company membership was reconstituted with ECT taking the majority membership holding. ECT is a Community Interest Company with activities in both recycling and rail transport. Other members were the Weardale Railway Trust, Durham County Council and Wear Valley District Council.
The new Company was formally constituted as Weardale Railways CIC in 2007 and services recommenced in that year and have operated every week since then.
As part of its action plan ECT has appointed a new General Manager of the rail businesses. It is likely that the core rail businesses, which are in activities such as operating charter trains and contract railway engineering work on the main network, will be treated separately from the Heritage railway interests (the Dartmoor and Weardale Railways)  and the outcome will be dependent on discussions with ECT and the other members, including the Trust, which will take place in the near future.

The following statement was issued by Ian Gardner, Chairman of the Trust:

“We are very disappointed at this turn of events not only for the Trust and its members, but also for our colleagues within the ECT Group with whom we have worked over these past months. It is important that we recognise that without the participation of ECT in the rescue plan then the Railway would not have been able to exit administration and with the lack of any other buyers would have gone into liquidation and its assets sold off, the purchase of the line from Network Rail cancelled and the line abandoned and probably scrapped.” 

“ECT has put in considerable resources of manpower and equipment and has made a substantial financial contribution to maintain and develop the railway in the last two years. This enabled the Trust to organise and operate a sell out season of Christmas Santa trains. We plan to continue to expand and improve our services. These plans include the reintroduction of midweek services in the main holiday periods, the use of steam locos in the summer season and the opening of a station building at Wolsingham and expansion of our catering and retail facilities. We also plan to operate a full programme of special events, the next of which will be over the Easter Holiday weekend”. 

“So the Weardale Railway remains open for business. It faces further challenges in the months ahead but with the continued support of our volunteers and the growth in the numbers of our passengers and visitors we believe we can survive these challenges.”

 GCM

5 March 2008

Mother's Day success: 

This years programme of special events got off to a good start yesterday. The trains were filled with mums (and grandmums) and their families - many of whom enjoyed cream teas en route. Stanhope Station down platform waiting room (the Education Room) was opened for children to make their own special Mothers Day Cards.
Overall a very successful and busy day for the Railway. Customer comment forms were handed out and the feed back was uniformly positive.

Photo courtesy of John Askwith.	4 generations of mums & daughters.

More details and photos in the Supporters' Snippets area.

Mother's Day (Sunday March 2^nd): 

For the Mother's Day runs we will again be using the class 73 diesel with heritage coaching stock (see last news item for picture).
If mum is accompanied by her family, she will travel free. The café and shop will be open on Stanhope Station, and cream teas will be available on the train.

To download a poster giving details click here.

To download flyers to give to friends click here.

There will be further special events at Easter including a classic car rally and a Bunny Hunt - details to follow.

Attention all class 25 enthusiasts: 

It has been decided to give the 141 a rest and use the class 25 diesel with coaching stock on the weekend of Feb 23^rd/24^th.
This train will be in use for all services over that weekend.

25067 at Stanhope Station.

2008 Timetables and Special Events: 

These are now published in the Timetables section. The list of special events will grow and have more detail added during the year.

Going anywhere near our "sister" Dartmoor Railway at any point this year?
If so, you may be interested in their special events. Download a poster here.

Steam for the summer? No 40 BACK IN SERVICE : TARGET DATE – 15 JULY 2008 …….With your help

The Trust owned 0-6-0 locomotive No 40, an ex-NCB passenger tank engine built in 1954, is currently undergoing repairs to part of the inner firebox at the Midland Locomotive Works in Tylesley. These repairs and the subsequent reassembly, testing and recertification of the locomotive are targeted to be completed by July 15^th, thus we could have it available for the summer school holiday period.
The total cost including transport back to Weardale and reassembly etc is going to be in the order of £48,000. The Trust has already paid an initial sum of £6,650 and from its own resources and from the amount already raised from the members through the No 40 Appeal, can cover just over half of these costs when the bill falls due in June. 

But that still leaves a gap of £24,000 to find between now and June 2008. We will be conducting further campaigns during the spring and early summer at events on the line but one of our main sources of funds has been by the direct appeal to the members through the magazine and via the website. This has so far raised over £6,000. The gratifying response has been nationwide, with over 40% of the contributions coming from outside the region, and also including a donation from Holland. 

 So now here is your chance to help to have No 40 steaming again in July. Please give as generously as you can.

 All gifts over £10 will be acknowledged and the donor will receive a colour print of the loco in action in Weardale.

For gifts over £100 you will receive the above benefit plus recognition as a premium donor in the Trust magazine  ‘Between the Lines’.

For gifts over £500 you will receive the above benefits, recognised a Silver donor and receive a voucher for a footplate ride on No 40.

For gifts over £1000 you will receive all the above benefits, recognised as a Gold Donor and receive a pass valid for one year allowing free travel on the railway for yourself and three accompanying passengers.

Please remember if you are a taxpayer you can donate via Gift Aid, which increases the value to the Trust at no cost to you. Please indicate in the appropriate place on THIS FORM.

The Santa Special Season saw almost every run totally sold out as reported last time.
Here are some photos (Courtesy David Scott ) of the Santa trains on a very wintry and atmospheric 8^th of December. The photos show the Class 73 diesel which provided the haulage power and the Class 25 which provided the (very welcome) steam heating. The newly arrived maroon griddle car was a welcome addition to the 4 coach formation and provided a means of providing refreshments en route. Also shown are the Appalachian dancers ‘Step This Way’ performing on the platform at Stanhope station.

Just a reminder that the 141 will be operating every weekend through to March.

The Weardale Railway Junior Club now has its own website. Pay it a visit at www.wrjc.org.uk especially if you are under 15 and interested in helping out on the railway.