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Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines Index 43. A grand day out on the Wensleydale Railway and visiting the villages of Castle Bolton, Wensleydale and Redmire - Scroll down for some great sights! Leeming Bar
Leeming Bar Station Yard - good to see many of the original buildings from the 19th century. The Wensleydale Railway is a valiant attempt to redress the loss of a beautifully set rural railway line that was axed as result of Dr Beeching's 'great plan'. This is a community project as well as a steam heritage line and riding on the trains from Leeming Bar station to Bedale, Finghall, Leyburn and Redmire is proving a really popular with Yorkshire Dales tourists and there are some lovely towns and villages to visit as well as great walking in Wensleydale.
You will see a variety of locomotives and rolling stock by the station platforms. You can get snacks from one of the carriages which acts as a cafe and there are two pubs nearby - The Corner Hose Hotel opposite the station entrance and the White Rose Hotel right round the corner.
Ex BR standard class 2-6-4 4MT mixed traffic tank engine 80105 takes on coal and water in preparation for a hard days work. 80105 was built to a Riddles standard tank engine design and built at Brighton Works in 1955 and spent most of her working life in Scotland - Glasgow area?
80105 backs into the platform by the newly green and creamy-yellow painted neat looking signal box.
80105 waits to depart from Leeming Bar with a train Bedale, Leyburn and Redmire.
The black livery and BRITISH RAILWAYS lion logo.
- Leyburn Station
The entrance to Leyburn Station.
Two heritage buses went by, UNITED and LINCOLNSHIRE
80105 takes on water while waiting to depart from Leyburn Station with a train for Redmire. Chugging up Wensleydale
80105 travelling in the countryside of lower Swaledale between Leyburn and Redmire. The coaching stock is actually diesel multiple units (DMUs) which can operate the service in their own right.
The scenery is lovely and becomes more spectacular the nearer you are to Redmire. Redmire Station
Redmire Station in Wensleydale, right in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Everybody is waiting for the steam locomotive to back in and nobody is looking at the stunning views of Wensleydale!
Just checking all is ok!
WENSLEYDALE VINTAGE BUS: There were three heritage buses in Redmire Station Yard. These classic vintage coaches operate between Redmire, Bolton Castle, Carpeby, Aysgarth Falls, Hawes, Garsdale and Leyburn on various routes - tour of including Wensleydale. Ex UNITED LHN 823 and ex LINCOLNSHIRE FFW 830
EASTERN NATIONAL 208 YVX
2-6-4 Tank engine 80105 departs from Redmire Station with the train back to Leyburn and Leeming Bar. A walk from Redmire Station to Castle Bolton
From Redmire Station there is a short but glorious walk through Wensleydale to the village of Castle Bolton. The views are really good and you also notice occasionally on the left, traces of the railway embankment from the days when the steam trains went much further into the Yorkshire Dales and eventually your first glimpse of the magnificent Bolton Castle.
Bolton Castle.
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The south across Wensleydale from Castle Bolton. The village, castle and church of Castle Bolton
Looking west up the village green towards the castle in Castle Bolton. The village green was probably laid out when the castle was built in the late 14C.
Two donkeys in Castle Bolton near the village green.
The imposing Castle Bolton with St Oswald's Church on the right.
The south-west tower and south-east tower of Bolton Castle. Bolton Castle epitomises English military engineering of the late 14th century and is in a much better state than the similar Sheriff Hutton Castle.
The castle viewed from the road down to Redmire Village. The four towers of the square courtyard stand nearly to their full height except the north-east tower - just glimpsed at the back on the right.
There is a good cafe in Bolton Castle - excellent cakes and 'atmosphere', and a craft and gift shop - the piece of handicraft illustrated above reminds you of the days when the ladies of the court spent hours producing the great medieval tapestries depicting the life of the court and courtly love themes etc.
Bolton Castle viewed from the south-west and in font of it the formal gardens and vineyard.
The walled garden and vineyard of Bolton Castle - all south facing. Sir Richard Scrope built the castle in 1379 south facing and overlooking the richly wooded Wensleydale that would be well stocked with game. So, there were formal gardens, flower beds and arbours right from the start of the history of this impressive castle.
St Oswald Church at the top right of the village green, beside the castle, was originally built in the late 14th century, so contemporary with the building of the castle, but it is much rebuilt and restored.
Looking east down the simple structure of the church.
Some reminders of the stonework of the medieval church - three Sedilia divided by cross walls with pierced two pointed-trefoiled openings.
One of the stained glass windows and the restored medieval tracery of the east window above the altar.
Looking east down Castle Bolton village green.
A view of the castle in its glorious Wensleydale context. Return to Redmire Station
The steam locomotive 80105 pulls into Redmire Station, but the engine has to go from 'front to back' to haul the steam train back down the dale. The villages of Redmire and Wensley
There are several good pubs in the area to eat and drink, or whatever refreshment you require!
The Church of the Holy Trinity of Wesley - built in 1245, though some restored parts and the tower was rebuilt in 1719. However its history as a Christian site goes back much further. Saxon stones in the church date from 760-792, in 1086 Wensley is written as Wendreslags in the Domesday Book, so the present church was built on the site of a Saxon church.
Holy Trinity is cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. "Although it is no longer used for regular worship, it remains a consecrated building and is a part of England's history and maintained for the benefit of future generations." So PLEASE leave a donation to help in its upkeep and their is a really good two page guide Of Holy Trinity Church Pevsner in his book Yorkshire - The North Riding in his series of the Buildings of England - states "This is a church of quite some architectural interest".
Looking east down the 14th-15th century nave to the 13th century chancel and altar. On the right is the south aisle. Each aisle has three bays
The 18th century east window (the original was 13th C), and its 'medieval' tracery on the left, and, on the right, sections of the older stonework are preserved. The east window consists of five stepped cusped lancet lights under one arch - simple symmetrical tracery and there are pointed trefoils above the two lowest lights on the extreme left and right. The Sedilia have barbed dog tooth mouldings.
More details of the sections of the older Norman church.
Set into the east window are four surviving medieval 13th century heraldic symbols.
There are few jumbled fragments of medieval glass in the east window of the north aisle and set into the north wall are carvings-effigies of a knight and lady? from 1525. This is a really interesting building and contents and well worth a visit. Travelling by steam train always seems a pleasure, especially if through wonderful scenery either in England, Scotland, Wales or on holiday in the rest of Europe! Railway trips involving seeing or travelling behind a 'real' steam locomotive in action is something special and there is nothing like the sight and sounds of a steam train to invoke feelings of nostalgia in some of us! * There are many steam heritage railway lines including dining car facilities so you can eat a great meal as scenery passes by so see also below for other railway 'connections'!
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