Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

During my stay in Kettlewell, I took the opportunity to visit this splendid railway

The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway (E&BASR) is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, (formed in 1968 and re-opened in 1981).

Embsay railway station, built in 1888, is near Skipton.

Our steam engine today was "Norman"

The route was formerly part of the Midland Railway line that connected Skipton and Ilkley via Addingham. The line was shut down by British Railways in 1965 and was left to rest in disrepair.

The rolling stock on the line consists of 20 ex-industrial locomotives, the oldest of which was built in 1908; three diesel-multiple units; and ten other diesel locomotives

Around 14 years later in 1979 a group of volunteers put forward a plan to reopen the line as a preservation route. This plan went ahead and Embsay railway station was refurbished throughout the second half of the 70's and reopened in 1981

The E&BASR currently runs for a total distance of 4 miles (6 km) from Embsay via Draughton Sidings, Holywell and Stoneacre Loop to Bolton Abbey station

I travelled First Class - luxury

Bolton Abbey railway station finally reopened in 1998. Bolton Abbey village is named after a nearby ruined 12th century priory, belonging to the Dukes of Devonshire - more details of this will be in another posting.

Our driver was a retired Headmaster from a school near Leyburn

The railway has a long-term objective to extend the line in both directions south to the West Yorkshire village of Addingham and north towards the North Yorkshire market town of Skipton (where the E&BSR could one day interchange with services on the Airedale Line)

For more details of this splendid Steam railway see Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway