STAINMORE RAILWAY Company

Heritage railway company based at the ex Kirkby Stephen East Railway Station

Email: chem55555@hotmail.com

The Stainmore Railway Company is a volunteer manned non-profit preservation company formed in 2000 with the idea of restoring Kirkby Stephen East railway station in Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, England.

The idea is to convert Kirkby Stephen East into an authentic North Eastern Railway heritage centre representing the early 1950s, the early days of 'British Railways'.

The later Stainmore Railway Company was convened to restore the site including the roof, station platform and some of its rooms have been restored AND a short section of track has been laid along the formation of the old Eden Valley Line, with some sidings and yard infrastructure within the station yard area and surroundings. Some authentic rolling stock has been obtained.

Kirkby East station was formerly on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway and the company aims to relay a short section of track to allow train running and maybe joining up with the Heritage Eden Valley Railway based at Warcop.

In 2013 the Stainmore Railway Company began its first train operating season, running Peckett 0-4-0 'F C Tingey' on selected weekends (see photographs further down). Other trains for the public have been hauled by a diesel shunter locomotive

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The STAINMORE SUMMIT HEIGHT 1370 FEET (above sea level), the original railway line sign in York NRM

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: A general view of the yard looking away from the station buildings, with Class 20 and 37 diesel locomotives in residence.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: The Class 37 diesel under restoration.

A winter scene at Stainmore Railway, Kirkby Stephen East. The 0-6-0 diesel shunter STANTON No. 50 with two carriages (January 2015). This 'Janus' design diesel-electric shunter was built by the Yorkshire Engine Company in1958 for the Stanton Ironworks in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: Another view of the yard.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: A Class 47 diesel locomotive on site.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: Looking from the yard towards the station buildings.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: A diesel multiple unit, one of the 1st/2nd generation from British Railways.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: Close ups of the Class 20 diesel.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station:

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: The station platform, building and roof.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: A general view of the inside of the 'train shed' with some of the locomotives on display.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: The little 0-4-0 Planet diesel shunter no. 3598

 

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: 0-4-0ST built by Peckett & Sons, No 2084 called 'F. C. TINGEY'.

 

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station:

 

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: On display in the train shed is the historic NER 901 Class locomotive, built in 1875 for  passenger trains between York, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Originally preserved in the old York Railway Museum, later on display in the new National Railway Museum York and Shildon Locomotion Museum. Now on display in Kirkby Stephen East station on loan from the National Collection.

 

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: There is a little museum with photographs, display boards and a few bits of memorabilia, and the station cat of course!

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: An old NER? coach undergoing restoration.

Stainmore Railway - Kirkby Stephen East Station: Looking down the station platform and out into the yard.

A bit of history of the Stainmore line and Kirkby Stephen East station It took over three years for Victorian entrepreneurs, engineers and 'navvies' to build the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway across Stainmore, so connecting the collieries and furnaces of north east England with the haematite ores of Cumberland the shipyards of Barrow-in-Furness. The 'Stainmore Line' was planned and built as the final link in a plan to make a railway from the north-west coast of England to the north-east coast of England. The route ran from Darlington and West Auckland through Barnard Castle and Kirkby Stephen to Tebay and Penrith and much of the route passed across remote moorlands and a vital busy link with the industrial expansion of northern Victorian England. After completion, the 'Stainmore line' became the highest main line railway in the country with many spectacular and beautiful viaducts across Pennine valleys. The Stainmore Line was closed as a through route in 1962 and, sadly, the famous wrought iron viaducts have been demolished, but other historic structures still survive, e.g. beautiful bridges, network of footpaths, greatly helped by the Northern Viaduct Trust in upper Eden Valley. In 1997 a group was formed to restore Kirkby Stephen East station as an important railway heritage centre, with locomotives, rolling stock, working train and a museum.

WORTH A VISIT FOR A POTTER AROUND and PLEASE LEAVE A DONATION

to help all the volunteer workers to achieve the aims and objectives of the project

The KIRKBY STEPHEN EAST HERITAGE CENTRE

is open 10 am - 4 pm Saturday and Sunday

Station Approach, South Road, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4LA, 017683 71700

A history of the Stainmore Railway Company

Below is a fully sourced, structured, and comprehensive guide to the Stainmore Railway Company, its history, activities, rolling stock, visitor experience, and long‑term aims — all grounded in the search results you triggered.

The Stainmore Railway Company is a volunteer‑run heritage railway based at Kirkby Stephen East, restoring the 1861 station and recreating the atmosphere of a 1950s North Eastern Railway country junction. It offers historic locomotives, Victorian and vintage rolling stock, museum displays, special events, and train rides on a reinstated demonstration line.

1. Origins & Historical Development

The Historical Station

• Kirkby Stephen East opened in 1861 on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway (the Stainmore Line).

• It served as a key junction for routes to Tebay, Appleby/Penrith, and Darlington.

• Passenger services ended in 1962; the site later became a bobbin mill until the 1990s.

Formation of the Heritage Railway

• Stainmore Properties Ltd. formed in 1997 to save the derelict station and 6.5 acres of land.

• Stainmore Railway Company formed in 2000 to restore the site as a 1950s NER heritage centre.

• Restoration included:

  • Repairing the train‑shed roof

  • Restoring station rooms

  • Relaying track on the former Eden Valley Railway formation

  • Installing sidings and yard infrastructure

  • Bringing in authentic rolling stock

Reopening Milestones

• 2009: Heritage Centre opened to the public.

• 2011: Passenger trains returned for the first time in nearly 50 years during the Stainmore 150 gala.

  • First fare‑paying train hauled by BR Standard 2‑6‑0 No. 78019, driven by Steve Davis of the National Railway Museum.

• 2013: First operating season with steam locomotive Peckett “F.C. Tingey”.

• 2014: Diesel services added with Yorkshire Engine Co. “Stanton 50”.

2. Locomotives & Rolling Stock

Operational & Resident Locomotives

The site hosts a range of industrial steam and diesel locomotives, typical of the region’s mid‑20th‑century traffic.

Steam

• Peckett 0‑4‑0ST “F.C. Tingey” – mainstay of early steam operations (in service since 2013).

• Peckett 0‑4‑0ST “Lytham St Annes” – another industrial saddle tank used on event days.
  (Both referenced in the site’s locomotive listings and event history.)

Diesel

• Yorkshire Engine Co. “Stanton 50” – diesel locomotive used on non‑steam running days since 2014.

Under Restoration / Future Flagship

• LNER J21 No. 65033 (1889)

  • Being restored under a Heritage Lottery Fund project.

  • Will become the flagship locomotive at Kirkby Stephen East once complete.

Carriages & Wagons

• A collection of Victorian and vintage carriages and wagons, including:

  • NER Clerestory Coach No. 818 (1902) – beautifully restored and relaunched into service in May 2024.

These vehicles represent the types used on the Stainmore route between 1900 and 1945.

3. Museum, Interpretation & Visitor Experience

What Visitors Can Explore

• The restored 1861 station, with:

  • Booking hall

  • Waiting rooms

  • Period signage

  • Train‑shed roof (partly original)

• A small museum covering:

  • The Stainmore Line

  • Local communities

  • Railway life from Victorian times to the 1950s

• The glamorous 1930s buffet car (open on running days).

• Workshops and maintenance shed tours (subject to volunteer availability).

Opening Times

• Saturdays & Sundays, Easter → December

• 10am–4pm

• Free admission

• Train rides operate only on special event days (charges apply).

4. Events & Activities

The Stainmore Railway Company runs a lively programme:

Annual & Seasonal Events

• Easter Rally – classic vehicles and railway displays

• 1940s Weekend – period re‑enactments and themed activities

• Model Railway Show – at least 10 layouts and multiple traders (e.g., June 2026 event)

Train Operations

• Steam and diesel running days throughout the summer

• Photographic charters

• Bespoke private events (subject to volunteer availability)

Volunteer Activities

• Working parties on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and weekends

• Volunteers maintain locomotives, restore rolling stock, and staff events

5. The Demonstration Line & Future Plans

Current Running Line

• Approximately ⅓ mile (0.54 km) of reinstated track on the former Eden Valley Railway formation.

• Allows short steam/diesel rides during events.

Long‑Term Vision

• To extend the line eastwards to reconnect with the Eden Valley Railway at Warcop, recreating a significant portion of the historic Stainmore route.

6. Practical Visitor Summary

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My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

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'TRAINSPOTS' Good trainspotting and photographic locations  Barnetby Station, North Lincolnshire  *  Carlisle Station  *  Clapham Junction Station, London  *  Colton Junction, south of York  * Coventry *  Crewe Station  *  Doncaster Station, South Yorkshire  * Grantham * Hellifield station - Carlisle to Settle line * Lancaster station  * Leicester station * Newcastle Station  *  Northallerton Station  *  Nuneaton Station  * Peterborough *  Sheffield Station  *  Stratford Station, East London * Tamworth * Warrington Bank Quay station * Wigan North Western - WCML *  York Station

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INDEX of My IMAGES OF PRESERVED STEAM LOCOMOTIVES