North Yorks Moors

War Weekend 17 October 2009

A beautiful autumn day (at least until mid-afternoon) showed the NYMR to its best advantage, and with little wind for most of the day the exhaust rose very high indeed. I travelled up north with the intention of just filming the trains and did not intend to visit the stations to see any war re-enactments. However, an unexpected urgency on arrival at Darnholm (maybe it was the sudden slope at the bridge) triggered a hastily arranged visit to Goathland Station which was under military guard with the car park closed. Parking some way away inside the village and running to the station, followed by a breakneck return to Darnholm for the first train was not exactly a good start to the day!

I bumped into Gareth Davies, a Canon-man turned Sony like myself, who was filming at Thomason Foss and later for the second week on the trot I met John Marriot, the renowned GCR wit and raconteur, who has been laid up for several months with a bad back. I also met newly-weds John and Margaret Bithel at Spring Wood, John confiding that they had first become engaged in 1958!

At Green End we were surprised to see the arrival of a shooting party complete with guns and spaniels who were having their first outing of the season. They bagged a couple while they were in view (no....not linesiders!) but to my secret glee many more flew clear. Several linesiders bravely walked the line between guns and quarry without any concerns whatsoever - or were they just stupid!!!

You Tube 10mins

Locomotives in action: Schools class 30926 Repton at Darnholm and banking Standard 4 76079 at Green End; S&DJR 7F 53809 at Spring Wood with the goods and Thomason Foss with a passenger train; A4 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley at Darnholm and Green End; Q6 63395 at Spring Wood and Thomason Foss with the goods.

Autumn Gala 27 September 2008

Brian Burrows and I travelled up to the wilds of North Yorkshire with high expectations for good weather and some exciting steam action with 71000 "Duke of Gloucester" and Black 5 45231 leading a heavyweight cast. For once our hopes were not disappointed; with one exception the sun shone brightly on all our shots and we witnessed some spirited climbs of the 1-in-49 between Grossmont and Goathland. In such rare conditions it is impossible to avoid the inevitable adverse human intervention: a family in a clapped out Bedford mobile home chose to park on the hallowed ground next to Moorgates Bridge, presumably to avoid fees from one of the many campsites in the area, and ruined all shots from a vast swathe of the line. It's a shame that some inconsiderate people can't enjoy their pleasures without ruining everyone else's.

Early in the day we met Peter and Ben Boggis who were enjoying the sunshine at Darnholm where vast crowds populated the hillside like Zulus in the epynonymous film. I drooled over Peter's new Sony FX7 HD camcorder as did several others. I am beginning to get a complex about the growing number of HD camcorders around the lineside while mine looks increasingly archaic; and yet I will not allow myself to buy one.

Many thanks to all involved in a magnificent Gala.

A rare site: 71000 Duke of Gloucester working hard on a preserved line as she rounds the curve at Darnholm. (2.3mB)

60007 Sir Nigel Gresley commences the climb through the Esk Valley in bright sunshine. (2.3mB)

Freight engines Q6 63395 and Super D 49395 pull the 13:30 through Green End. Typically only one of them seems to be working with any degree of conviction. (2.5mB)

We kept our fingers crossed for a tender-to-tender combination (rather than the traditional nose-to-nose) as visiting Black 5 45231 and Standard 4MT 75029 pull the 14:30 through Green End at a fair 'rate of knots'. Hard to believe as it is, it was here that I was mistaken for Clive Hanley, who was busy catching his first view of Tornado in steam at the GCR. I have still to come to terms with this traumatic incident and have not shown my face in public since. Many thanks for the loan of the brown paper bag, Brian. (2.7mB)

A gentle walk down to Spring Wood to see the Duke in action once more. In order to get to this location we had to climb a fence that has been shoddily repaired after Brian inadvertently broke it last year. Deja vu then as a loud crack was heard as Brian crested the summit!

Later, as we waited at Spring Wood a large group of photographers approached rapidly. Yes, it could only be Graham's Gang rushing around the line in typical fashion, never at rest for more than a few moments.

The going away shot here is particularly important, so there was little sympathy for the benighted photographer who ran out of film after the approach run and was left holding his head as the train glinted in the distance on its way to Green End. (3.2mB)

Viewed from the same location, local Black 5 45212 hauls the 16:05 freight towards Green End. (2.5mB)

LNER Festival 5 April 2008

With three A4s to film things looked promising as I left the Midlands in bright sunshine in the excellent company of Brian Burrows. However, the writing was on the wall when we were welcomed onto the Moors with a heavy squall of sleet and temperatures barely above freezing. This set the tone for the whole day and eventually resulted in an early return to Leicester. Well wouldn't you?

Arriving at a shivering Goathland station to find the the booking office and the gents closed we were informed that they would be opening....well that's good then.... any idea when? No.... ok which way were the locos facing? All facing Pickering up the grade from Grosmont....some consolation then (or so we thought). We walked to Darnholm in a driving, bitterly cold wind and stood patiently bearing the brunt of a series of squalls before the arrival of the first train. It was here that we met those "Big Issue" salesmen Chris and Paul who had once again spent the night in the open - are these guys winding me up? Do I look that naive?

Amazingly some blue sky appeared, as did the sun....and then, joy of joys, a whistle! In beautiful light the exhaust came into view behind the bridge.... and a gleaming tender appeared through the arches. Sh*t!! Just like every visit I've ever made to the Severn Valley Railway....tender first, and not just one but two locos. This was to be our only shot in sunshine.

60009 "Union of South Africa" works through Darnholm. (2.0mB). And so to the real business of the day and by now we were shivering in the near freezing conditions. Yet another unpleasant squall had finished and we were buffeted by a fierce, cold north wind as no.9 appeared. Cameras facing north into the wind was not ideal.

Rail Rage? As the train passes out of frame you may notice an orange clad figure emerging from the bridge on the right. A charming individual, he had bravely threatened to stay put, hi-viz and all, in full view of a large gallery consisting almost entirely of depressed masochists. All requests (I don't recall any polite ones) for him to move were met with the classic Yorkshire response "I've paid my money (you haven't) and I'm entitled to stand here if I choose!" and much colourful language besides. Whether it was self-preservation or good grace which eventually led to him hiding himself we will never know....but thanks all the same...and thanks for the entertainment as well.

60019 "Bittern" at Goatland, passing K1 62005. (5.0mB) After the doubtful pleasure of watching Q6 63395 working through Darnholm in a near blizzard we rushed to Goathland station and after a short drying out session in the crowded booking office (now open as promised) we marched to the road bridge just in time to miss the arrival of Bittern. At least the rain moderated to a slight drizzle for these shots.

60007 "Sir Nigel Gresley" passes Moorgates with the "Moorlander" dining train. (2.2mB). The squall, which threatened in the distance, did not materialise, although the sun, which had been shining a minute or so before, disappeared on cue. We met Matt Allen at this location who was taking the whole experience in a sanguine philosophical manner. He was considerate enough to tell us that his wife had become sunburnt on the beach at Robin Hood's Bay the day before. Thanks Matt, that made us feel a lot better about life! NB Those who do not know Matt will not realise that he usually brings his wife to the NYMR for a holiday to coincide with the Gala and then leaves her to her own devices while he grices; this would be suicide for most marriages, but apparently she does not mind this. Worse still she is also very pretty!

Following this run-past a mile long walk to the next location promised a decent shot. As the train approached in bright sunshine with it's exhaust showing above an interposing building I heard Brian mutter the fatal words, "this is excellent, this will be my submission to the Heritage Railway magazine". Well that was it. Just before the train came into view the sun departed and, wouldn't you know it, the loco was 62005 tender first! The mile long walk back is not a memory I will treasure.

Q6 63395 works hard through Darnholm with the morning freight. (1.9mB). We Shivered uncontrollably as a heavy squall threw its content mercilessly into the faces just before 63395 arrived. As the wind and snow eased off slightly I pulled the camera out of the bag at the last moment much against my better judgement. Unfortunately the clip does not do justice to the foul conditions.

Footnote: driving back into Leicestershire we were greeted with bright sunshine. In the distance evil looking clouds threatened to submerge us in a major downpour. However all the way back to my house the sun continued to shine, but literally just as I stopped the car on my drive, large hail stones began to fall. Yes, all the time the dark clouds were positioned over my house! It was at that moment I realised that like the lorry driver in the "Hitch Hikers' Guide to the Galaxy" I am a rain God! So bow down and worship you heathen and bow your heads, otherwise I may visit a railway near you!

Autumn Steam Gala 29 September 2007

I travelled up to the Moors in the company of Clive Hanley and Brian Burrows. Later, we were joined by Matt Allen who was on holiday in Yorkshire. I still can't quite believe this, but he was allowed out for the whole day by his wife (remember he was on holiday)! During the course of the day we also briefly met Graham and Gordon and Henry and Dee It is significant that while we use to refer to prospective meetings of this lovely bunch of railway 'nutters' as "Graham's Gang" we now refer to them as "Dee & Co"! (sorry Henry!). Cliff Jones has a comprehensive set of pictures on his website.

The weather started dull, but brightened up during the day; the sunny spells turned our efforts into a lottery with shots either made or ruined by the appearance or disappearance of the sun at a critical time; familiar stuff then.

Mr Blobby attacks Clive: an enjoyable day, however, nearly turned into disaster when we were accosted in the Esk Valley by a belligerent cottager (who bore more than a passing resemblance to Mr Blobby) when we stood awaiting the train in front of one of the railway cottages. Anxious to placate the locals, we agreed to move to the end of the lane. As we did so Clive (who does not like to be pushed around, especially by a Yorkshireman) politely made one or two valid points on the realities of living next to a tourist attraction and the incongruity of living next to a railway when you don't actually like trains, when the man suddenly raised his fist and seemed intent on taking a swing at the surprised photographer. Fortunately Clive removed himself from the swing zone just in time and the obnoxious yokel stomped off mouthing obscentities.

7F 53809 and newly restored Q6 63395 climb through Darnholm with the 10:35 ex Grosmont (2.0mB)

30926 "Repton" impresses the gallery with a stirring performance through Green End (3.3mB)

Super D 0-8-0 no.49395 makes steady progress past Moorgates with the 9:20 goods. (4.3mB)

61994 "The Great Marquess" makes its first appearance of the day working the teak set through Darnholm in impressive fashion. (2.2mB)

30926 "Repton" climbs away from the Esk Valley in beautiful sunshine. (4.1mB)

A rare double-header comprising newly restored Q6 63395 and Super D 49395 pulls impressively away from Grosmont. (2.2mB)

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