Toggle navigation
News
Latest
Queries
Articles
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Contributors
Maps
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Maps
More
Queries
Articles
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Contributors
Maps
The Stainmore line
Definitely one of my favourites. A splendid romantic ruin with miniscule chances of re-opening.
Ken Strachan
![Here is that very sad sight, a former junction station, now completely disconnected. However, the trackbed is walkable in parts, there are restored locomotives and wagons on site; and although this view is hardly pristine, the site is at least tidier than it was a few years ago. The 0-2-2 Astra class seen to the left is mercifully no longer our transport.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 10/05/2009]](/images/26000/26334.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![Don't walk, paraglide: an intrepid Railway Rambler considers his options on 23 May 2010, having arrived 39 years too late to walk across the deck of the Tees viaduct. The bridge was built by Thomas Bouch (of Tay Bridge notoriety), at a cost of £25,119. [See image 31910]<br><br>[Ken Strachan 23/05/2010]](/images/31000/31904.jpg "Barnard Castle")
![..and here, [see image 31904] is why you shouldn't get too close to the edge. Notice the impressive skew stonework under the arch. This is the South pier of the former viaduct, looking West from the adjacent (steep) footpath from Barnard Castle in May 2010.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 23/05/2010]](/images/31000/31910.jpg "Barnard Castle")
![A happy group of Railway Ramblers enjoying a shaded section of the SDLUR approaching the site of Tees viaduct in May 2010 [see image 31904]. View East; the Middleton-in-Teesdale branch merged on the left near this point.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 23/05/2010]](/images/50000/50480.jpg "Barnard Castle")
![Looking North across the remains of Lands Viaduct (also named after the River Gaunless) during a Railway Ramblers excursion in May 2010. The trackbed of the former Haggerleases branch can be seen passing from left to right. The grassed area to the right used to house colliery sidings.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 23/05/2010]](/images/55000/55394.jpg "Lands Viaduct")
![EWS liveried 47785 enjoying the sunshine on the short, but perfectly formed, revival of the Stainmore line in May 2014 [see image 40361].<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/47000/47617.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![Not every day you see the original SDLUR '<I>plum, mandarin, and raspberry</I>' coach livery. Peckett no. 2084 [see image 44743] makes an enthusiastic departure from the recently lengthened platforms at Kirkby Stephens 'other' station.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/47000/47625.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![This chap seems to be quite happy driving a steam engine on the Stainmore line [see image 47625]. Wouldn't you be?<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/47000/47767.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![<I>'Would suit enthusiast'...</I> seems to best describe the condition of 37674 at the Stainmore Railway headquarters, Kirkby Stephen East, in May 2014.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/48000/48718.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![All right, I confess. I have never seen expansion loops in cab gauge lines before. A very sensible detail [see image 47767].<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/48000/48791.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![Hard to believe that this location once throbbed to the sound of steam engines hauling iron ore. The Stainmore trackbed looking towards Darlington in May 2014, just beyond the end of the Two Viaducts Trail from Kirkby Stephen.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/49000/49555.jpg "Hartley Quarry")
![Looking towards Darlington in May 2014 under an accommodation bridge on the Two Viaducts Trial, about half a mile from Kirkby Stephen East.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/50000/50066.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![The buildings at Hartley Quarry, seen (just) from Merrygill viaduct in May 2014 [see image 47760].<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/51000/51025.jpg "Hartley Quarry")
![A panoramic view of Kirkby Stephen East, taken from the former goods yard during a Branch Line Society visit in May 2014 [see image 47625].<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/51000/51192.jpg "Kirkby Stephen East")
![This unusually shaped abutment surely belongs in the 'Railway Modeller's Prototype for Everything' department. It is on the Stainmore line, adjacent to Hartley Quarry [see image 49555 for an image a few yards further on]. <br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/51000/51273.jpg "Hartley Quarry")
![Looking back towards Kirkby Stephen over Podgill viaduct on 17 May 2014. [Ref query 7915]<br><br>[Ken Strachan 17/05/2014]](/images/51000/51400.jpg "Podgill Viaduct")
![This junction North of North Road station was the first access (geographically) to the Stainmore line on leaving Darlington. Our exploration, from a strategically parked car, went: cold (tarmac footpath) to warm (earth with wooden sleepers) to BINGO! Rails under the fence! View looks South East.<br><br>[Ken Strachan 05/08/2017]](/images/60000/60565.jpg "Hopetown Junction")
