‘TEDDY BEAR’ HELPS WITH TRACK WORK: The Wensleydale Railway renewed a section of track during March with Class 14 No. D9523 employed on these duties for a number of weeks. The ‘Teddy Bear’ is seen with a short train dropping ballast east of Aiskew crossing on a newly laid section on March 22. The infrastructure team conducted a renewal between Aiskew crossing and the road bridge next to the A1 using 16 x 60ft lengths of flat-bottom rail and concrete sleepers replacing worn-out bull-head rail on wood sleepers. The more modern track was recovered from the closed Eggborough Power Station, North Yorkshire two years ago.
NIGEL COCKBURN
THE Swanage Railway’s May 12-14 diesel gala offers an intensive service on all three days over the full 10-mile line between Swanage and the Network Rail boundary at Bridge 4 over the River Frome. This is on the line towards Wareham.
The established three-train service will be in operation with two trains operating over the full line, and a shuttle running between Swanage and Corfe Castle.
The loco line-up, as at mid-April, includes the following visitors: Class 17 ‘Clayton’ No. D8568 (courtesy the Diesel Traction Group/ Severn Valley Railway); Class 40 No. D345 (40145) (Class 40 Preservation Society), and Class 45 ‘Peak’ No. 45108 (Peak Locomotive Co./East Lancashire Railway).