Stainmore Railway Company (Kirkby Stephen East)

Belah isnt the the only missing viaduct, there's one called mouse Gil which was blown up by the army in the 60s, in fact most of the missing viaducts were destroyed by the army, looks like they were having fun in the 60s/70s, mouse Gil interestingly is giving KSE a helping hand in death as some stone from its remains has been re-cut for the water tower tank supporting lintel as the durability and quality of the stone is very high. Which is a nice thing to hear. Unfortunately I don't think any pres line has the power to rebuild viaducts. So I'm thankful that stunning lines with lots of viaducts like the settle-Carlisle survived despite BRs intentions.
Speaking of the army there was a time in the town I live about 40 odd years ago when the royal engineers wanted to build a viaduct (rather than blow one up) over a gorge to connect two roads just for the practice of it, the council denied this generous request for some reason.

 

I can think of a few schemes that the Nat Pres collective are involved with, that would benefit from a nice bunch of chaps coming and building a bridge or two for practice!!!

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Now that I like! A separate group should be formed, called the "Stainmore Viaduct Company", as part of the SRC.

 

Aron 33: that's had me crying laughing, do wish the army would come along & build a few bridges or viaducts etc for some pres lines lol!

Can't believe this threads already onto the 2nd page, seems there's a lot more interest in kse than I originally thought. So then if getting to stainmore summit is out because of all the missing viaducts etc, what are their chances of rebuilding the eden valley route to warcop? Few things about KSE etc that've sprung to mind, sorry in advance for all this folks but need get it written down before I forget!

*Where abouts are they building the shed at kirkby stephen, seems like a reasonable sized site they've got.

*There's old pics i've seen of a signalbox lurking somewhere too but can't picture where it'd go on the current site though.

*Is the warcop route intact far as bridges/tunnels/viaducts & trackbed plus other infastructure able to be reinstated.

*Anybody able to post a route map showing where the warcop route runs etc from kirkby stephen east. Guessing they'll only relay a small section of the tebay formation if there's a road on the old alignment.

 

Large stretches of the old routes ( northwest to Warcop, southwest to newbiggin and of course east) are quite distinct on google map/satellite.

Fine Collection of Gresley coaches it would seem

 

Regarding the route map, if you click on the link on my earlier post #14 you can move the map around using the arrows on the top right corner, or zoom in/out using the +/- buttons (it is already zoomed in as far as possible). Clicking on one of the "year" links gives the contemporary map key.

The website is made up from old Ordnance Survey maps that are now out of copyright, and covers the whole UK.

 

No, but there is a collapsed tunnel and huge stretch of missing embankment through a town on one side and nowt but sheep and streams for miles on the other!

 

After that they could tackle the Somerset & Dorset

 

I found this pic on the Geograph website

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3509025

 

This shows the station & signal box viewed looking west.

http://www.cumbrianrailways.org.uk/PhotoOfTheMonth.php

 

Forgive my language but: holy f**k that's huge! Completely never realised till now just what a big station & associated yards etc kirkby stephen east actually had.

According to stainmore railway co on a post I asked a day or so back they're planning to do the following:

*Re-build an engine/running & restoration shed which IIRC will be reached by the track that's currently being laid on the tebay formation nr the yard.

*Water crane to be erected in the yard, it's currently being overhauled & returned to use at shildon.

*Also apparently both the signalboxes will be rebuilt too. Although not sure whether it'll be from scratch or if they'll try & secure funding to buy an ex NR box that's being removed/demolished.

Then once that's completed apparently it's onto re-laying some more of the trackwork along the route.

 

This website gives a better idea of what would be required to rebuild Belah viaduct.

http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/belah.html

Good luck, lads!

 

For those of us that haven't got facebook, they've got themselves a turntable which is the ex darlington table.

Apparently in really good nick still considering it's been sat covered over for years just outside darlington station. Plus a load of the edging stones from around the pit. Also to note, really good to see network rail & a contractor storey rail for helping the stainmore lads get the turntable out, co-operation between NR & the pres movement seems to be coming on slowly but surely which is brilliant. Here's the facebook link for anyone that's interested:

https://www.facebook.com/KirkbyStephenEast/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

 

Yes I saw this last night. Not sure where it would go as I'm guessing that the original site is now under industrial units?

I visited the railway back in April and had a good chat with the guys. They said that the shed it to go to the western/southern side of the station between the bridge and station. They also mentioned rebuilding the signal boxes and hope to make them an educational feature.

 

Yep that's their current plans, I believe once the shed & yard with water tower/crane is sorted it'll probs be the signalboxes next.

Then finally onto relaying track along the eden valley route & in a few years time their plans are to connect with the eden valley railway at warcop. At present they've got approx maybe 1/3 of a mile of running line laid so more will certainly be welcome. Don't know about long term plans for rolling stock? At current they've got 2 MK1s on loan from scottish pres lines.

 

They also have about 6 lner Teak's on-site as well. So that could make a nice rake. There is the small matter of a missing bridge between the two railway that is the major obstacle.

I would love to see it happen one day but major major funding would need to be found from somewhere.

 

Aye the musgrave viaduct, it was made of steel rather than stone which is a tiny bit easier to replace, although one abutment and all the piers are gone. A monumental task.

 

From my time living part-time in the area, and from more recent viewing on Google Earth, it would seem the main obstacles to connecting the Warcop line and KS are a missing river bridge and a portion of the trackbed has been ploughed up and is now a field. I think there is one other former station between the two, Musgrave, which I assume is in private hands and there are various buildings on the site [not sure if original railway buildings or recent additions]. Commercially this would be the most sensible restoration project in terms of attracting 'normal' tourists as both Appleby and Kirkby Stephen are popular tourist towns and there is potential for a round trip using the S&C as a return route between the two towns.

 

Latest updates from the stainmore groups fbook page show great progress. Seems the water tower that's been built in the yard is almost complete, sure it was only a few months ago they started this project, their stonemason must've worked pretty quick!!!

Not sure if the water column that'll be near the shed has returned from overhaul at shildon or not yet. Didn't actually know the NRM did overhaul/restoration work for outsiders or is this a separate arm of theirs to bring in a few extra quid here & there? IIRC they've overhauled 1 of the cabs off 25313 in the past. Kirkby stephen east aka stainmore railway co are definitely 1 to watch out for in the future along with the eden valley railway. Neither of them are particularly big outfits yet, relatively small minnows compared to the bigger fish out there among pres railways but i've heard both are very enthusiast friendly & making steady progress.

The eden valley group have extended a short distance, although I don't know how far they'll be able to get owing to the dreaded s word. Yes folks i'm talking about 1 of preservations biggest headaches/obstacles SUSTRANS!!!!! They apparently own the trackbed & as usual are after turning it into a cycleway, but so far suprisingly enough similar to some of their other projects have done nowt. But if eden valley get round that obstacle & along with stainmore railway start slowly extending towards 1 another I believe the plan is to re-open the eden valley route as a pres line. Which for scenery alone would be a treat for anyone who visits.

 

You mean slinden rather than shildon? They are repairing the water column.