South Tynedale Railway.

I can understand the operational/H&S reasons for what they did; it was the way they approached it that was wrong. Casually announcing it on the Facebook page, as though they hadn't given any thought to it at all. And then mangling the existing cab by inserting an extra section, and slapping on a very ill-proportioned chimney that didn't look right at all. They treated it, essentially, as an expendable item, a working loco to be modified at will to suit operational requirements, rather than as a unique survivor and former museum artefact which deserved to be treated with a little more care and respect.

If they'd made a more authentic T. Green-style full-height cab and chimney--as carried by long-lost sister engine Claro--and kept the originals to allow for easy reinstatement in future, I think the enthusiast community might have been more accepting. As it was, frankly, I think they deserved all the flack they got.

 

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I've been three times.
First time, pre-extension, and pre-butchery Barber on the train, I had a great trip.
Second time, no loco information online, turned up to find a diesel on the train. Disappointed, but wanted a run to Slaggyford which had recently opened, so had a ride anyway.
Third time, no loco information online, turned up to find a heavily modified battery-electric loco on the train. Even more disappointed. Was there with the kids by then, so had a ride. But the drive over the hills from and to Penrith was more interesting than the train ride.
Won't be going back in a hurry. They need to up their game.
When we stay in the lakes, we have other options i.e. Ravenglass or Lakeside*, so there's no need to go to Alston. Which is a shame, because it should be the best of the lot.

*Edit: or Kirkby Stephen, where I went this year. A short ride it may be, but my 6 year old got to blow the whistle and put coal on the fire... can't do that in a battery-electric.

 

Info from the Facebook page, Howard has been withdrawn from this weekends trains.

Sent from my SM-A166B using Tapatalk

 

I may, or may not change my mind about my current level of support for the STR.
I wasn't impressed with the goings on in January this year. I want to discover the outcome of that ---

I think part of the reasons for the battery & diesel locos has been managing fire risk, possibly in conjunction with having enough footplate staff available.
But they should make a point of saying so. [That's one of the advantages of social media, surely ?]

 

Oh well, there goes my trip to Alston, save me a lot of diesel. Thanks for heads up.

 

There's a freight charter on Monday 13.07: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/30742charters/2292514
With HOWARD out, it will be replaced by GREEN DRAGON.

 

Thanks for the information, but I don't think I'm going to drive 120 miles there , and then back, for one loco on freight. Needed to be Saturday along with a bunch of others. The original information suggested steam 4/5 loco's, in the end much less.

 

I do wish people would cut heritage railways some slack at times. When people are spending money and travelling long distances it's important that a visit is value for money but small organisations put on the best show they can with the volunteers and resources available. That might mean running with a diesel or battery loco or a delay in updating a website or social media page. Every heritage line is desperate for support and the STR is no different. Just be kind to the hard working volunteers and think what you can do to help them instead of criticising their efforts

 

The trouble is that failure to provide accurate and timely information about changes to what is on offer (and the reasons for those changes) disappoints some of the people who turn up for a ride. Whether or not they get stroppy at the time, they may advertise their disappointment far and wide as well as deciding not to come back themselves, thereby depriving the railway of future revenue. Keeping such disappointments to a minimum should therefore have a high priority.

 

It has been some time since I visited the STR, and to be honest, there has been a lot of water under that bridge since then. I have a feeling that the guys I got to know up there have all moved on; certainly one of them was working for the Brecon Mountain Railway the last time I spoke to him. I think there was a falling out around the 2000s; as many of the ex-NCB mines' locos appear to have gone to other railways soon after that, if I recall correctly, they had up to around 21 locos at the time. I would need to check with the then-current IRS handbook for confirmation.

I do know that at least three steam locos have left the railway since my last visit (one going back to Germany, one going to a private site near Manchester, and the last one went back to The Toddington Narrow Gauge Railway around the late 1990s, so a lot has changed since then, and I have not really followed the railway since then.

What I do recall is that at one stage they appeared to be going places: volunteers by the dozen, money from the lottery and both local and regional governments, then a falling out, and we arrived at what we have today.

I happen to agree with Vulcan Works regarding the working membership; I have found that most disputes in the past at railways tend to start at the top of the organisation and work themselves downwards to the active volunteers with the inevitable results.

The highlight of that trip was my introduction of sticky toffee pudding, which, when I have it, I always think of the STR.

 

Was up there on Saturday [26th Sept 2026] - the weather was, technically, better than the forecast for Sunday - arriving in time to see the 13:00 arriving back at Alston.
It was quite well loaded, but in contrast the 15:00 was very lightly loaded.
Naklo was the motive power. There seemed to be a fair few people about.
After sampling butties, coffee & cake from Dug & Kim - a very slimmed down operation - I had a quick look at the very interesting "goings on" in the works and a chat about the Alston Arches.

 

We were there on the 20th, and we had an absolutely lovely day.

The drive over from Penrith was also epic, great road-we were lucky to have very favourable weather- gave the car the opportunity to sing the song of its people.....

All the staff we met were very friendly and professional, the loco crew made time to satisfy our 5 & 7 year olds curiosities about 'Green Dragon'.

The station at Alston is very well presented, and the cafe- whilst offering limited options was nice.

There were probably 15, maybe 20 people on the train and the run through the hills in the sun was very pleasant.

Spoke to the train crew who were saying that they are struggling for volunteers, and also that Green Dragon goes out of service in the not too distant future which will only leave them with Naklo for steam services until Barber returns.