Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Embsay
Don't tell the kids! Thomas the Tank Engine is nothing more than a fibreglass face stuck on a regular loco...
'Norman' (Currently in disguise as NCB No. 35)
Built: 1943 Robert Stephenson’s Locomotive, Newcastle upon Tyne, Works number 7086/43 Original use: 154 Railway Operating Company, Long Marston, 24th April 1943 in khaki livery, in readiness for the D-Day landings. Number WD5050 August 1944: Moved to the Longmoor Military railway, renumbered 75050. December 1944: shipped to France and traveled to the SNCB depot at Antwerp Dam. Utilised for local services over the next six months, it was then transferred to 155 Railway Workshops Company in May for wheel turning, returning to Antwerp, but this time the ‘south’ sheds. 19th February 1946: returned to the UK and was bought by Doncaster Amalgamated Colliery Ltd, numbered No. 35. Early 1960’s it was fitted with a Gas Producer firebox and a Kylpor exhaust. 1970: Moved to Askern Main colliery. 1976: Sold to the Titanic Steamship Company. 1979: Sold to the Kent & East Sussex Railway, re-numbered No. 27. Now owned by Southern Locomotive Group, and on hire to Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.
Hunslet Austerity 0–6–0 'Wheldale' at Bolton Abbey
Ex War Dept saddle tank built 1944 will be restored if the fund they're promoting heavily reaches its £200,000 target (the target is now more than £300,000 – the boiler costing more to repair than expected).
The Dales Diesel Group has a collection of diesel locomotives on the line including these three mainline locos. Left to right: class 31s, 31119 (D5537) and 31435 (D5600) and class 47, 47004 (D1524).
At Bolton Abbey station with class 31 and class 47 behind
'Norman' (Currently in disguise as NCB No. 35)
Bolton Abbey
'Norman' (Currently in disguise as NCB No. 35)
Bolton Abbey
Class 14 (D9513) NCB No.38 at Bolton Abbey
Dales Diesel Group's diesel-hydraulic 0-6-0 was running a goods train and I paid a bit extra for the privilege of riding in the guard's van, which made photography along the line much easier.
Class 14 (D9513) NCB No.38 at Bolton Abbey
You can see the new second platform here. They're going to need a footbridge at some point too.
