North York Moors Railway

The North York Moors Railway has for many years been a favourite of mine. The scenery is excellent and the gradients steep. Add a frequent train service and some interesting motive power and you have a line that is hard to beat. And, since it came under new management recently I can recommend the pub adjacent to Grosmont station. The half hour between arrivals and departures is just long enough for a pint!
On the 19th June 2001 Standard 2-6-4 Tank 80135 was on the first train off Grosmont. As the Tank approaches the tunnel Black 5 44767 hisses past on the other line heading for the station ready to work the next departure.

The steep 1 in 49 climb from Grosmont all the way to Goathland begins at Esk valley. Black 5 4-6-0 45428 is heard in this lineside recording beginning the climb on 18th May 1996.

I've mentioned before that non-BR locos are often not popular with enthusiasts. The NYMR has a few including a couple of ex-WD 2-10-0s which at least have the excuse that this type of loco did at one time work on the main line railways in this country. One of these, now named 'Dame Vera Lynn' passes Beck Hole on 11th July 1998. This loco had at that time done over 100,000 miles in preservation, which was believed to be some kind of record for a standard gauge loco.

In 1997 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' spent the summer on the North York Moors and is heard in this recording leaving Levisham on 9th August. Since ceasing to run on the main line the loco has become a permanent resident on the line but is now out of service awaiting an overhaul.

75029 was on the first train from Pickering on 19th June 2001. The previously entertaining climb through Newtondale was rather spoiled that year by the appearance of a number of speed restrictions. This is how the Standard 4 sounded recovering from a restriction to 15 mph near Gallox Hill before easing off for Newtondale Halt.