Wensleydale Railway launch fundraising drive to re-open Redmire Station in the Yorkshire Dales and replace pre-WW1 tracks

Although the Wensleydale Railway leases the line between Redmire and Northallerton West and brought stations closed in the 1950s back into use in 2003, in recent years the termini at both ends of the route have been closed for safety reasons and a truncated service has run.

The stretch between Redmire – the western end – and Leyburn is currently unsafe for trains to use as much of the track dates from before World War One and requires renewal.

The Return to Redmire appeal aims to reinstate a stopping service to the station, which has not been served for the past three years due to deterioration of the permanent way.

In a statement, the line said: “The condition of track and infrastructure between Leyburn and Redmire is very poor and rapidly deteriorating. We cannot safely run passenger trains over this section of line in its current state. The railway is predominantly constructed on ash ballast, wooden sleepers and 90lb North Eastern Rail which is heavily worn out and life-expired. Some of this track dates back to before the First World War. There is considerable vegetation to be removed, re-ballasting done and drainage renewed. In addition, there is major infrastructure work to address such as secnd platform construction and footbridge replacement at Leyburn and signalling.

“Replacing track is incredibly expensive with costs varying according to a number of factors including whether new or second-hand materials are used. We estimate the total cost of all required track & infrastructure upgrade work being well in excess of £1million.

“With your support, the purpose of this appeal is primarily to raise essential "pump-priming" funds that will provide crucial support for future, larger grant funding applications, although some will be used on essential track repairs. The funds will act as a match-funding resource that can be used as vital leverage when applying for the larger, often governmental, funding opportunities necessary to reopen this section of line.

“It’s a standard requirement of many grant-funding bodies that applicants must provide match funding when requesting funding. This demonstrates that the applicant is fully committed to their project, has "skin in the game" and is not relying 100 per cent on the grantor. This match funding is often at least 10 per cent of the total amount of funding being sought.

“The railway continues to make significant progress. We secured a £386,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore Leeming Bar Station House and develop the 1920s heritage programme. This project's successful completion along with other Heritage Fund supported projects - Scruton Station and Leeming Bar Signal Box - demonstrate that we are able to complete complex capital & revenue projects. This positions us well to make further large-scale grant applications.

“This appeal is the next step in the railway's development and the beginning of major plans to upgrade the railway infrastructure and return to Redmire.”

The eastern end between Leeming Bar and Northallerton West was closed in 2016 for necessary safety upgrades following a collision between a car and a train at a level crossing.

Around 18 miles of further westbound track between Redmire and Hawes via Castle Bolton, Aysgarth, Askrigg and Bainbridge was lifted in the early 1960s and the Wensleydale Railway’s eventual aim is to reinstate this part of what was once a through route between the East Coast Main Line and the Settle and Carlisle line, which converged at Garsdale.

They do not own the station house at Redmire, which is used as a Scout activity centre.

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