- 5 hours ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00I'm Paul but most people call me Piglet. Steam trains are my world and I help run
00:10one of Britain's most popular heritage lines, the North Yorkshire Moes Railway.
00:19Stretching 24 glorious miles from the traditional market town of Pickering,
00:26heading over the North York Moes and on to the coastal town of Whitby.
00:34North Yorkshire, what's not to like? It's breathtaking. I'm proud to be part of a
00:41thousand strong team working hard to keep this 200 year old tradition alive.
00:46That's what's brought me back all these years, it's just one big family.
00:51Together we're facing the challenges of taking steam into its third century.
00:56It takes passion. Everything that we do I'm really proud of. Skill. When you're
01:02ready Tom, do you move? And as a charity, some serious funds to keep the wheels
01:09turning on this heritage line. Five pounds, six pounds. But when you look out over this.
01:18It's beautiful. It's absolutely stunning. And get to make people this happy. There's not
01:24a better sight than that pulling out the station. There's nothing else I'd rather do. That's my
01:31kind of day in the office. Today I attempt to bring a 60 ton steam engine 300 miles across land and sea
01:39from the Isle of Wight. It's going to be ultimate stage to perform. The North York Moors reveals hidden
01:46secrets of railway history. These conjure up wonderful things these places. And everything is on the line
01:54as the gala approaches. It's just spinning plates, not enough sticks.
02:09So far this series I've travelled 18 miles along our heritage railway. Through some of the most picturesque
02:15and dramatic parts of the North York Moors National Park.
02:21I live in a dream. Between Pickering, Levisham, Goatland and Gromont.
02:33Today I'm starting at the most northern point of the railway in the historic Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby.
02:41And I'll be firing Repton, a 1930s engine that's a reliable member of our fleet, along with volunteer driver Stuart.
02:49Right, I'm just going to put a couple of lumps on. We're right away. Right, right away driver.
03:01And we're off.
03:05The port here at Whitby is one of the very reasons our railway exists.
03:10It was the need to transport goods like coal and timber to inland towns and to bring produce to the ships in the port
03:17that led to the opening of a single track railway in 1835, designed and built by railway pioneer George Stevenson.
03:28It makes Whitby a pretty significant place for us at the railway, but it's important for me too.
03:35Right, we're leaving Whitby. It's a real special place for me, Whitby. I was born here. This is my hometown.
03:40So it's really nice to fire a steam engine out of the station, all the way up to Gromont.
03:49Almost 200 years after that first line opened, quite a few things have changed.
03:54But we do our best to keep the history and heritage alive, to keep our loyal customers coming back time and time again.
04:01We are a bit old-fashioned, you know, in terms of enjoying this sort of thing, but it's...
04:07We just...
04:08It makes us happy, doesn't it?
04:09It makes us happy, we enjoy it.
04:11There's steam passing the window. It's got beautiful scenery.
04:14The distant sound of the steam local working hard if you're going up a hill or...
04:19The whole balance of the carriage, it's fantastic.
04:22Today, we're travelling on what is now a mainline section of track from Whitby, six miles inland to Gromont.
04:34Starting here, right alongside Whitby Harbour, with all of its boats and plenty of tourists,
04:40we'll head away from the famous ruined abbey.
04:43With the harbour behind us, we'll pass under the majestic Larpul Viaduct, travelling alongside the river-esque for most of our route.
04:53Heading through the village of Sleights, we'll pass over nine bridges and navigate plenty of tight curves
04:59as we cross and re-cross the river on our approach to Gromont.
05:07It's lovely to be on Repton today, one of my favourite engines.
05:11It's not a too bad bit of line from a fireman's point of view.
05:15It's not too difficult, it's relatively flat, but there's a lot of things we've got to look out for.
05:21Different signals, lots of crossings.
05:24But yeah, it's a beautiful day for it as well.
05:30It's a privilege to be helping driver Stuart power the engine along the line today.
05:34But if I'm honest, I'm thinking about one thing, our steam gala.
05:38It's the final hurrah of our summer season and the biggest event in our calendar.
05:44And we rely heavily on it to raise valuable funds.
05:48We've got a lot of stuff going on.
05:50We've got a lot of engines coming.
05:51I'm really looking forward to seeing the Isle of Wight engine come.
05:54But in between that, we've got to get this train to Gromont.
05:58For us, the annual steam gala is like our World Cup final.
06:03It takes months of planning and it's vital we put on the best show we can
06:07to attract as many visitors as possible.
06:09And one way we do that is to bring guest engines from all over the country to run on our line.
06:15So this year, I set the team the task of bringing a 60 tonne steam engine up to North Yorkshire
06:26from the Isle of Wight steam railway.
06:28Travelling by road and sea, the logistics are tricky to say the least.
06:32Hey mate, you're all put in the back there mate.
06:42And we've made it.
06:43That's a good start.
06:44We've made it here.
06:46Most steam engines aren't allowed to travel on the national rail network anymore.
06:50So the only way I can get one from the Isle of Wight over on the ferry and up here to North York Moors
06:56is on the back of a low loader.
06:58With specialist driver Chris and Stuart in a support vehicle.
07:05But at 25 metres long and with nine pairs of wheels, driving the low loader is no easy task.
07:11The first stage to get the engine onto the trailer is to build a special section of track on a carefully angled slope.
07:18You're negating as much risk as possible of anything going wrong basically.
07:21Five minutes now setting it up can save you two hours of messing around because you've tried to rush.
07:25Just makes life easier.
07:27Once the track is all squared up and steady, the 60 tonne engine is winched slowly up the track and into position on the low loader.
07:36Now with a combined weight of 110 tonnes, it's just the start of many logistical challenges ahead.
07:44The first is the small matter of the seven miles of water between the Isle of Wight and the mainland.
07:53As Steam Buff and Heritage Railway boss Mark knows all too well.
07:57The biggest logistical challenge is just getting an engine on and off the Isle of Wight.
08:01It's got to go on a particular ferry route, it's got to go on a particular vessel, it's got to go at a particular time of the tide.
08:07To comply with the ferry regulations, the combined height of the lorry and the engine can't be over 16 feet.
08:16And these experts know all the tricks of the trade to make sure they're following the rules to the letter.
08:25Just kick the bottom in a little bit, it's leaning out.
08:28OK.
08:29A little bit more.
08:30Is that 16?
08:31Yeah.
08:32Come down to the chimney?
08:34So about here?
08:35I get it.
08:36There we go.
08:37Happy days, we're good at that?
08:38Yeah.
08:39There we go.
08:40Planning and executing this type of mammoth transportation costs serious cash.
08:45But I'm banking on this little engine bringing in the fans.
08:50Part of its appeal is the story it tells.
08:53When steam was replaced by diesel and electric in the 60s, most steam engines were sold for scrap and left to rust.
09:01Many, like 41313, ended up at a steam graveyard in Barrie Island in South Wales.
09:08It was only thanks to steam enthusiasts that some of the engines, including this one, were rescued and restored.
09:17And now, for Mark, seeing her set off on a big journey to Yorkshire is a proud moment.
09:26It's the equivalent of your child going somewhere like, I don't know, the Royal Albert Hall or the Tower Ballrooms in Blackpool or Wembley
09:36to perform to a huge audience.
09:38And do you know what? The North Yorkshire Moors, it's probably the most beautiful scenery of a steam railway in Britain.
09:45So she's going to the ultimate stage to perform.
09:48Now she's safe and secure, it's down to Chris to start his challenging route to Yorkshire and make it to the ferry on time.
09:57If he can navigate the Isle of Wight's country roads, that is.
10:01When you're looking at the trees that are in front of us, they're down at 13 and a half, 14 foot, some of these trees.
10:09Some of them are even lower.
10:10It's just one of those things.
10:11It's someone who's got a...
10:13You're always battling with, unfortunately.
10:15Luckily, driver Chris's experience, ably backed by Stuart's support in the truck behind,
10:21means the first part of the journey is going well.
10:24Keep that line, mate, you're all good.
10:29Looking good at the minute, mate.
10:31We should be in plenty of time for a ferry now.
10:33So, yeah, it's all gone quite well.
10:39With the narrow roads navigated safely, getting onto the ferry is the next hurdle.
10:44And whilst the team has got the height of weight correct...
10:49Right, you want to stop there, mate, you're going to ground down.
10:52Tide's a bit too high.
10:55Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn't always play ball.
10:58If the tide is too high, getting on and off can be impossible.
11:02So the team has to adjust the trailer to avoid damaging the ferry infrastructure.
11:06Keep going.
11:08Oh, yeah, it's a minute, mate.
11:12We should be all right now, mate.
11:15With the engine safely loaded onto the ferry, Chris can take a moment to enjoy the ride.
11:21Oh, definitely a steam fan, yeah.
11:23I mean, I'm a fan of anything mechanical, whether it's steam, diesel.
11:27Yeah, anything that can move and you can get interested in and look at,
11:31I enjoy all that sort of stuff.
11:33They're certainly steam engines, it's a living, breathing thing.
11:35Before it's time to get back on the road.
11:39And we will creep our way off.
11:44You're all OK at the back at the minute, mate.
11:47You clear the last post on the concrete post on the right-hand side.
11:51Safely back on land...
11:52And we're rolling.
11:54..now begins a 300-mile journey up to North Yorkshire.
11:59And for Chris, it's a chance to return to where he grew up.
12:03I remember going to the railway with my dad when I was a kid.
12:06I don't get back here as often as I should because I'm always working.
12:09So, yeah, it is quite nice to come back to the area.
12:12And trucks and trains is an ideal job for me, really.
12:17Even though 41313 is in Chris's capable hands, I won't relax until it's here.
12:23So, I'm actually not going to be here when the Ivet arrives, unfortunately.
12:29But, you know, I'm sort of keeping my fingers crossed it turns up.
12:32It's got a long journey, you know, pretty much the full length of the country.
12:35It literally lands just in time for the gala.
12:38So, there's not a lot of, you know, fudge factor in it, so to speak, if it goes wrong.
12:43So, I've got everything crossed.
12:45We'll be reed.
12:46But, we'll be right back.
12:47Thank you, cos.
12:58In the heart of the North Yorke moors, the summer season is coming to an end.
13:04But for us at the railway, the most exciting weekend of our year is approaching.
13:09and right now a very special guest is about to arrive after a 300 mile journey
13:16on the back of a low loader from the Isle of Wight engine 41313 is almost here
13:25an engine fitter bungle and track engineer Martin are waiting excitedly to greet her
13:30it's always good to see one arrive and always better when it's back on the rails
13:34I'm glad I'm not reversing all 110 tons of engine and lorry
13:39I hope we have a minute mate keep it performing
13:44keep coming mate but it looks like Chris and Stuart have it all well under control
13:51okay mates that'll do you there
13:55how we doing Martin long time no see yeah it's not too bad good to see you back again
14:00all right we'll get this lined up and get it off
14:10happy with the progress that's a successfully completed job that's what we like no issues
14:16it's a nice sense of achievement getting here and these guys will enjoy it i'll be back in a
14:20few weeks to pick it up and take it back
14:22i can't wait to see our visitors reactions to the guest engines we've got lined up for them
14:32at the gala this weekend and while preparations are happening at every station already normal service
14:39continues
14:40so today i'm firing a 91 year old steam engine from the yorkshire coastal town of whitby to the heart of
14:48our railway in grosmont
14:52this part of the world does hold a very special if bittersweet place in my heart
14:56i met my great grandmother sarah jane walker at whitby hospital she held me just after i was born
15:04and then sadly passed away shortly afterwards
15:07i only recently found out she worked at the booking office at york railway station
15:12and her father samuel walker was a railway police officer
15:16so i think it's safe to say i was destined for a life on the railway
15:24well mornings like this it's a privilege to be involved in the railway because this is what it's
15:28all about teamwork on the foot plate beautiful scenery nice engine oh it's rattling a little bit
15:34i mean sort of all timing out but other than that it's the perfect way to spend the day
15:39the thing about the landscape here is is how open it is and beauty of it and you can you can see for miles
15:49the landscape is keep on changing it's brilliant it's breathtaking
15:56keep an eye out we're off now this section of the line it's a really tight curve round here
16:06as we leave whitby behind us the first highlight of the route is the majestic larpool viaduct with
16:12its 12 soaring piers and 13 arches this 36 meter high piece of railway history was built using an
16:20incredible five million bricks and the middle piers were designed on a twist so as not to affect the
16:28natural flow of the river esk we're just going under larpool vine up to the moment heading out towards
16:38it must have been amazing to watch the steam engines go across that back in the day
16:42there's a footpath over at the cinder trail so you can walk that beautiful part of the railway
16:54the cinder track that passes over the viaduct is one of the many trails that follow the routes of
16:59disused railway lines across north yorkshire they all make a lovely day out but the one closest to my heart
17:08is a bit further along the line from here and it's known as the rail trail
17:13all right all right all right all right chris you all right yeah good to see you
17:17the rail trail is a three-mile ramble between goathland and gromont that's littered with railway history
17:24it runs across the hills and valleys close to our line following the route of the original
17:29horse-drawn line which eventually closed because of the demands of steam travel
17:34it's a really lovely walk and it's popular with train buffs who want to get unique shots of passing
17:41trains today chris a volunteer in our station group and archive team who's passionate about local history
17:50he's walking the trail with dave a volunteer signaller and professional photographer who's
17:55keen to add to the railway's historic records i can photograph things that have been left behind
18:02from the railway years ago chris will know the dates he will also know where these spots are he's
18:08got more in-depth knowledge of the history than me the trail begins just above goathland station
18:15well this is the start of the rail trail okay three miles to gromo from here right so you're gonna
18:23see a lot of history on this line plenty of places for me to take pictures a few minutes into the walk
18:30there are some clues to the railway's past and the original horse-drawn line which ran here
18:39here you'll see two bricks with holes in they were what the rope went through the days of horses
18:47before steam locos came yes they just pulled the coaches up these holes in the wall are evidence of a
18:53real feat of early engineering an ingenious rope and pulley system that hauled carriages of the steep
18:59moorland incline and this would have been the point where the incline started we can feel it going
19:06down you can you can feel it going down yeah back then the carriages were pulled by horses so while
19:12the horses rested in the stables the carriages were coupled to a mile-long rope that ran up the steep hill
19:18anchored by heavy stones at the top with huge water-filled tanks acting as counterweights
19:24going on the path passes the old incline cottage once home to the men who perform this task this is
19:31where the guy that was responsible for dealing with the service down here would live when it was horses
19:38you'd have had stables here from the bottom of the steep incline the trail drops into bec all now a quiet
19:48hamlet but once a popular station on the original route it's also now a favorite stopping off point
19:56for hikers right so here we all are at the virtual inn and i believe uh it's a pub with a sweet shop in
20:09the middle yeah well that's right it does have a sweet shop yeah that's yeah well that's quite unusual
20:14plus a mannequin on the phone in the in the phone box i'll get some shots and we can pop in can't we
20:19be great let's do that known as the smallest pub in yorkshire the inn was built from two cottages in 1860.
20:31it owes its existence to the railway when miners and families moved to the area they needed a shop
20:50and the pub and they got both in the same place it's lovely to see all the old sweets from years ago
20:58ah my favorites licorice torpedoes you know i tried to get some the other day and i couldn't get them
21:03oh this is great i'll just grab a shot actually of the yeah i would yeah
21:14landlady glennis runs the inn and the shop with her husband neil it's lovely to see your old sweet shop
21:21with all this this reminds me of my childhood how many years have you been in here then
21:25four four oh i'm counting all right it's right yeah oh it's it's lovely is it all right if i take
21:32a picture of you while you're stood there i think so i was right yeah
21:41thanks a lot bye-bye
21:46leaving the inn behind the path follows the old track bed towards what was once beck hall station
21:52it's now little more than a clearing in the trees station closed in 1865 it was kept open for freight
21:59but then in about 1908 there was an idea to run sunday tourist specials from whitby so they ran these
22:08just for a short period first of all put an end to it they were never restarted and the line basically
22:14fell into disuse walking this trail today it's hard to imagine a busy railway line running through this
22:21tranquil part of the moors but the evidence is still there if you know where to look i like following
22:28where railways used to be years ago and then taking pictures of all the little plaques and
22:32parts that were left behind when it was all dismantled one of the things that i always find
22:38exciting is who traveled along this railway charles dickens has been right past here these conjure up
22:45wonderful things these places but not all the memories held here are good ones just beyond the
22:52station on a freezing february in 1864 when early steam engines were still using the old rope and
22:59pulley system tragedy struck here the train came from york came down the incline and unfortunately the
23:08rope broke due to lack of maintenance there was five coaches and the first class was the first coach
23:16it survived to here then it hit this bend right and came off and and was littered in that field just
23:24just there yeah and unfortunately there were two commercial travelers from whitney they were killed
23:29right along with the brakesman shortly after that fatal accident the railway line was re-routed to the
23:36line we still use today it's safe to say that without history buffs like chris these stories might get
23:42lost in the mists of time this is a unique line the rail trail itself is unique and we have to preserve
23:51everything that's along its way just ahead stand the esk valley cottages built in the 1850s for the
23:59workers at the nearby ironstone mine and their pretty exteriors are a real treat for photographers
24:07i love all the different colors i've seen this picture so many times in railway magazines yeah
24:13and to get a shot with one of the steam engines coming past to be great they are iconic as far as
24:18this railway is concerned and right on cue the telltale sound of an engine approaching you've got one coming
24:30get the camera out quick and then i can get them from just here chance you'll get
24:35what a fantastic sound looks great the steam carries across the countryside that does look good
24:54ah what a fantastic sight i haven't actually been here to take that shot before so it's great to see it
25:00there are a few photos of the old line so every one dave takes adds to its story
25:09been brilliant today um i love my photography especially the railways and the buildings
25:15but it's made it 10 times better with chris coming along thank you very much for that i've really
25:20enjoyed it that's my pleasure thank you
25:23the trail continues down into growmont where of course you can hop on a train and get back to where
25:31you started for us the rail trail is more than just a ramble through the moors it's a way of keeping
25:38yorkshire's railway past alive
25:49i'm steaming across yorkshire on the footplate of one of the workhorses of our heritage railway
25:56i've left whitby behind me and i'm now passing some of the most beautiful scenery navigating tight curves
26:02and traveling over the bridges as we cross and re-cross the river esk
26:10absolutely stunning morning beautiful absolutely beautiful
26:19the engines just live and breathe and if you cut them they bleed steam and there's such a lovely machine
26:26you've not been on a steam train you thought i could really recommend it
26:34this section of line is littered with crossings farm crossings so you've got to keep an eye out all the
26:40time it's all just about controlling making sure that i've got enough steam at the right time for when
26:47the driver needs it don't want too much because that's a waste of energy but at the same time we need
26:53enough to be able to haul the train probably won't need to put any more coal on now until we get into
26:58grove on but we'll see we'll make that judgment when we get a little bit nearer
27:04it might be hard work up here at the front but for our passengers it's all about enjoying the ride
27:10and reveling in the unique combination of the living machine and the yorkshire landscape it gets you
27:16yeah it's this engine the heartbeat the chop chop chop it's like music isn't it when you're going along
27:26this track there will be so many different engine sounds and so many different um speeds that we go at
27:37now as we approach the robot now the hub of the railway and in the engineering
27:43we're looking forward that's going to be a hive activity at the gala there's going to be engines
27:47everywhere it's going to be super busy some water in the boiler again although we've been preparing
27:55for the gala for months now less than 24 hours before kickoff everything starts coming together
28:01well that's the plan
28:06so today every workshop every platform and every volunteer is busy with last-minute jobs before the
28:12big event begins volunteer peter is giving engine eric tracy a final gloss there is always a lot to do
28:21at gala weekend more often than not it's last minute in this case this locomotive we'll have a fire in this
28:31afternoon it's to be hope this varnish will dry off quickly enough breakfast come on but before the crowds
28:39arrive and the engines take center stage bungle has a very important job to do for a few unexpected
28:46stars who are stealing the show
28:50so it's gala weekend while most people are coming to see the trains i dare say that uh a select few
28:55will be coming to see the kitties we've been a petting they're doing really well about 18 weeks old
29:00now they're the priority i think they're in charge of us to be honest they ask who the boss is and i think
29:04it's definitely these you're doing really well aren't you our furry friends ash clinker and titch
29:11are part of a long-standing tradition if you look back at old railway photos right back in british
29:17railway's days they always have cats on shed and it's just it's another bit of keeping heritage alive
29:25she's now going around everyone else's bowl making sure nothing goes to waste here
29:30while the kittens get ready for their big moment nick our head of mechanical engineering is
29:35mastermining the shunting of the engines so they're in the right order to go out on the tracks for the
29:41gala and this involves a shunting locomotive doing a lot of pushing and pulling so if we don't have
29:48things in the right order for tomorrow the duty fitter will have to do loads of shunting and then
29:52everything will be late we're never short of jobs the gala is the railway's biggest event of the year
29:59we go all out to make a splash and every engine every platform every carriage has to be prepped
30:05and ready before the first whistle blows it's our main event it's our ethical final is the gala
30:11it's just spinning plates not enough sticks it's a massive undertaking even the shunt on the sheds are big
30:19it's going to take all day today shunting this year we've got an incredible lineup of guest engines from all
30:25over the country joining our home fleet with more than a dozen in steam for the weekend
30:31including 41313 safely arrived from the isle of wight
30:38257 squadron another rockstar engine built in 1948
30:42and my pride and joy my very own little steam tram Lucy which will be driving up and down the tracks
30:50near Levesham the team is also prepping the steam crane this is one steam powered piece of railway
30:59history that's not an engine this impressive piece of kit is strong enough to lift 45 tons
31:08i have no doubt that visitors will be in awe when they see it in action
31:12charlie you got a minute charlie is our steam crane driver this crane's got a fire in it then yeah so
31:20tomorrow we'll put the legs out and then we'll set up are we picking that boiler up yeah are we getting
31:26on boys all right yes so this one was in bitch yesterday as you know so then all this cleaning we'll
31:34we'll get it back out for the gala hopefully but there's no wasted effort that's much appreciated
31:39there's a lot to do and we couldn't do any of it without our thousand strong army of volunteers
31:45another unseen job getting all the wood ready yeah yeah we'll burn some this weekend
31:51yeah hello charlie good morning so these chaps have been breaking the wood up for an hour bless them
31:57we can't run the shed without volunteers and they can't volunteer without paid staff it's
32:01it's a bit of a synergy um and then they get paid in lots of tea
32:08it's not just the engines in the sheds where preparations are taking place every station along
32:15the line is being readied polishing name boards cleaning up and setting up the bar everyone's
32:21adding those finishing touches that make the gala weekend special
32:27back in the sheds it's less about polish and more about graft to make sure the engines are in top
32:33condition we give them an mot or wash out as we call it and it means they'll perform at their best
32:40for the gala it gets rid of all the impurities out of the water and out of the boiler itself but over
32:44its 28 day cycle it creates sludge and lime scale much like your kettle at home um just on a larger scale
32:51the team needs to access the boiler's internal spaces with a hose and doing the especially mucky work on
32:57this engine is sam when i was growing up uh we we always went to goflin to watch the watch the
33:04trains go past it wasn't until 2021 when i when i finally started volunteering straight out of college
33:12it's a tough and dirty job but it's vital to ensure the engines are fit to run the smoke box in a sense
33:18is in claiming mucky area because that's where all the smoke and the suck comes through from the firebox and
33:23sutton water when it sticks together it becomes a horrendous paste and it just gets everywhere it's
33:28awful i don't i do feel for sam a little bit once the hosing is done chris needs to see if sam's
33:34cleaning skills are up to scratch which means peering right into the beating heart of the engine itself
33:39the kit we use for the inspection is very old school it is a cotton rag with wire around it and
33:46it's soaked in soaked in paraffin and we use the mirror to go get into all the various places and see
33:51around the corners and so if i have a look in this one i'll be able to see right down to the corner
34:02which i can and it is clear there's nothing nothing there in there
34:06yeah sam's done all right he's not too bad i might keep him for another day maybe
34:12with the boiler now clean and ready for its next steam up it's almost showtime in the sheds
34:18and it's the vantage point on the sheds viewing platform that will give the visitors a front row seat
34:24on gala this will be rammed and it'll probably open from about half past five in the morning
34:29with people getting atmospheric shots of engines being lit up and the prep that goes on but you really
34:36get a sense of an engine being lit from here and how it's coming to life almost when the steam is raised
34:42it's your chimney level it's what we look forward to all year but we just have to keep everything
34:49crossed we've done enough to bring in the crowns and make this gala a success
34:54i'm steaming across the north york mose on the footplate of a 1930s engine
35:11i'm almost at the end of my journey from the coastal town of whitby to gromont the beating
35:17heart of our railway and it's been a glorious ride i do like the ride on repton from a fireman's point
35:24of view it's really really nice it's a good traffic engine everything's in the right place everything
35:30just works it's easy to operate and now we've shut the regulator the pressure will come back up
35:37which means i can grab the opportunity put some water in the boiler
35:40so much more interesting so much more fun than going on a modern train even though it's slow
35:56it's scenic and it's lovely and i think um you you can stand on the platform and look at these
36:03beasts coming in gently it's lovely the steam belching out it's good fun
36:08just this last section of track to navigate and we'll be at the platform it's on the curve
36:15slight hill going in but the driver will have to really focus on
36:19trying to get it into the station without too much slipping
36:24there we are falling into gromont platform
36:26so i've just got off repton here at gromont and this is like the calm before the storm as you can
36:39see there's not many people around but at the weekend when we get this gala up and running it's
36:44going to be an absolute hive of activity excited people engines everywhere you know it's going to be
36:49a real real showcase event for us so i'm just making sure that you know we've got everything in place
36:54before this big event and fingers crossed everything goes all right
37:02it's gala day months of preparation all culminating into one big celebration of steam heritage
37:10and our chance to put on a show yeah there's a great press conference so i'm all clear between two
37:18and three you are now clear platform's turn three i'll take back block out device nine two then
37:23signal number and it all starts here in gromont it's always busy working in gromont signal box but
37:30on a gala day we have almost twice as many trains as normal so it's going to be a very busy day
37:35and guest locomotive 78019 gets the honor of launching the celebrations
37:45this is the first train of the day this is what kicks the gala off all the way to pickering
37:50and so yeah it's going to be a great day it takes every bit of teamwork every volunteer
37:56every lump of coal gates are open so we're ready to go aren't we we are
38:05but when that first whistle blows and the trains roll out through the moors it's pure magic
38:20and with that first engine on its way the gala can really get going in style
38:35we've only just opened but already the platforms are buzzing with steam enthusiasts
38:44and i'm chuffed to see the island white engine is delighting the crowds
38:50you come to a railway when there's about 10 locomotives running
38:54at one time it's just mind-boggling it's like being in a chocolate factory
38:58there's so much choice but the good thing is you don't get indigestion this this place is quite
39:06special because there's different landscapes as you go through and they've got a good ride
39:10to the liquor waiters um having arrived behind the mighty liquor here today yeah it's just a great day
39:19with the engines steaming their way through the yorkshire countryside packed with happy visitors
39:25back at the gromont engine sheds crowds are gathering to watch the steam crane in action
39:32we're just putting the jib up so we can do our demonstration when you're ready tom jib up
39:38so we're going to demonstrate to the public what the crane can do
39:42so we're nowhere near its capacity because it can lift 45 ton but people will get a good idea on what
39:47can do and why we use it the steam crane was designed as a breakdown crane for lifting derailed
39:53locomotives and it's now essential for railway maintenance and operation there's not many working
39:59cranes left steam cranes thank you the crane is looked after mostly by charlie and he's rightly proud
40:07of this unique piece of railway heritage it was built in 1926 which makes it 99 years of age
40:14we bought it in 1979 and since then we've maintained it in the state it's in it's in full working order
40:21we think this is more exciting than the steam trains crane days are good days we like crane days
40:26it's even attracted people from the other side of the world we're from the gold coast in australia
40:31we've extended our trip just to come and see the gala what we're watching at the moment is a steam
40:35crane operating which is something fairly rare i've never seen another one it's brilliant to see
40:40great good to see it in motion doing what it was designed to do fantastic
40:49with the gala in full swing every platform and every station is full of steam engines with people
40:55from all over the world here to take in the best in steam heritage and it looks like our three kittens
41:02titch clinker and ash are delighting the crowds too hi little cat all right oh it's tiny the bird one
41:10here oh yeah sunny spot and with the sun shining and happy faces all round it's always a good chance to
41:22get a bit of customer feedback what's your favorite engine that we've got here then you've got a name
41:35or is it a number the partial to a black five yeah i've got to say i certainly agree on the black five
41:42brilliant engine while bungle charms the visitors at grosmont i'm up at levisham with lucy
41:48lucy is my own little engine she's an 1890s steam tram that i've spent years restoring i love bringing
41:57her out for the gala to give visitors a mile-long ride at levisham and i couple her with a traditional
42:03brake van which was designed to supplement a train's braking force right if you all want to get on the
42:08brake man we're going to do a lap around the station climb on mind the gap as you get on it's not the
42:13fastest train in the world and you'll end up back where you started but apart from that it's a good
42:18ride right we have a green driver we can go right hold on everyone usually i'd be up at the front on the
42:25foot plate but today i'm the brake vanguard keeping a close eye on everything and crucially operating the
42:32manual handbrake
42:41make it go a bit easier lucy might be too small to haul the big passenger trains but she's perfect for
42:46giving the visitors a rare chance to ride in a brake van and get up close to the foot plate beautiful day
42:52for it so something i've wanted to do all my life yeah yeah yeah there's only the brake of the engine at
42:59the moment so it does bounce around a bit more than a normal passenger train it's all part of the
43:04experience flashing white light green crossing clear hold on tight
43:17i think we're back levisham
43:20there we are thank you very much it's all right yep no worries glad you enjoyed it
43:28for most visitors it's their first time in a brake van and it's lovely to see how much they enjoy it
43:34i've always wanted to experience a brake van ride and today i've done it and it's been well worth the
43:39visit absolutely it was really really good i've got right at the front i could see the the man
43:45shoving the coal and everything was great pretty much on time everything's working i don't like
43:50saying too much touch a bit of wood but uh yeah it's going all right i'm quite pleased there's plenty
43:55of people about so i'm happy happy little piglet down the line at goflin station it's not just the
44:02visitors enjoying themselves there are plenty of our hard-working volunteers soaking up the atmosphere too
44:08it's handy today because we changed over at two o'clock i can do some photography in the afternoon
44:14i'm part of the lineside conservation team uh normally i do dry stone walling today i'm out
44:20taking photographs and videos of the trains on the steam steam gala if all these smiling faces are
44:26anything to go by the gala is a success there's been so many haven't there it's just wonderful to see so
44:33many engines it's very nice to see it so well patronized works with people that make it really
44:40because i mean you just didn't have the people coming in you have the money coming in it makes
44:46me proud to hear such positive feedback it makes all the hard work worthwhile
44:54but all good things must come to an end and with the gala over for another year
44:58i think we can all feel pretty chuffed
45:08for me i know gala weekend has been a success when i get to sit down with a drink
45:14and we're better than one of our village locals
45:19it's run by some of our staff and volunteers including bungle and it's a tribute to railway
45:25heritage and local folk traditions
45:39cheers cheers it's been quite a season on it yeah challenging at times
45:45challenging yes but definitely worth it and after the past few days i'm certainly ready for more
45:56next year's season 30 for me is it yeah oh yeah it's quite a while it's i turn 30. do you yeah
46:03yeah you've started the year i was born i know i feel old but i've enjoyed it keeps you on your toes
46:10this place our line oh well cheers well we've got there we made it yeah thank you to the hands
46:15yeah to deck season now yeah no i'm looking forward to it
46:32so
46:43so
46:45so
46:47you
Be the first to comment