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- A historical review |
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- A historical review |
The information shown on this page has been compiled by Daniel McIntyre from archive “South Tynedale Travel” railtour literature and from articles in past issues of Tynedalesman.
Introduction During the late 1970’s, the 1980’s and in 1990, the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society organised a number of special charter trains over the British Railways network. Profits made from these special rail excursions went towards the costs of maintaining and operating the narrow gauge, South Tynedale Railway at Alston, in Cumbria and were advertised under the brand name of “South Tynedale Travel”.
Over the above years, the railtours were normally arranged to take people from the North East of England and the Carlisle and Tyne Valley areas to various destinations, which included either Fort William, Mallaig, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh or the western islands of Scotland, or to North and West Yorkshire to visit either the North Yorkshire Moors Railway or the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. There were numerous rail excursions via the scenic Settle and Carlisle Railway to various places, including Ravenglass, for the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway or to Grange-over-Sands or to Carnforth, to visit the Steamtown Railway Museum. The day shopping excursions to London were also very popular in November, each year.
Unfortunately, the ever increasing costs of hiring the trains and running the empty carriages from other railway depots to the Northern England starting points, because of shortage of spare carriages on the British Railway network, caused the rail excursions to become too expense to run and they ceased to run from the early 1990’s.
The rail excursions provided its passengers with an enjoyable day out, although the train could often get delayed en route. Volunteers of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society, mainly from the North East of England, helped to prepare and provide refreshments for the passengers. These usually consisting of hot and cold drinks, freshly made sandwiches, biscuits, canned beer and lager, which were served either from a trolley on the train or from the guard's compartment of the train. Profits from money made from the sale of these items was also used towards maintaining the South Tynedale Railway at Alston or used to fund future rail excursions.
During mid December 2003, during a visit to the South Tynedale Railway at Alston, in order to assist with the operation of the ‘Santa Special’ trains, Daniel McIntyre was handed a carrier bag containing a large amount of archive items, which included past issues of Tynedalesman, several newspaper article cuttings about the South Tynedale Railway, plus several tickets and timing sheets from the many of the past “South Tynedale Travel” rail excursions, which someone anonymously had handed in to Alston Station for the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society to add to the archive collection.
Most of this material has been useful in compiling this page to describe the routes of the many railtours that were operated during the late 1970’s, 1980’s and in early 1990, which now forms another nostalgic part of the history of the Society. It also helps to recall the many happy memories not only for the passengers who travelled on the trains - but also for many South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society volunteers who had assisted with the operation and organisation of the rail excursions! The latter includes - the time taken with publicity of the excursions, i. e. producing the posters and leaflets in advance of each rail excursion; the operation of the trolley service on board each of the trains, selling and serving refreshments to passengers on the trains; arranging to refill the hot water urns at stations en route in order to continue to serve teas and coffees to passengers en route; the staffing of the guard’s van on each train with the refreshment and souvenir stalls; the transport of all of the refreshment and souvenir stock and its associated equipment to and from stations, plus the loading of it onto the train during the journey and unloading it off the train afterwards.
A listing of the railtours operated:-
- 28th December 1979 - to Dundee
- May 1980 - to Rainhill for the “Rocket 150” cavalcade.
- 9th April 1983 - from Sunderland to Keighley.
- Saturday 14th April 1984 - from Sunderland to Settle, Carnforth or Morecambe.
This rail excursion was named the “Pennine Panorama 2” and it also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Heworth, Newcastle, Wylam, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Carlisle, then ran via Armathwaite, Lazonby, Langwathby, Appleby and Kirkby Stephen.
- Saturday 6th October 1984 - from Sunderland to Oban via the West Highland Line.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Heworth, Newcastle, Dunston, Wylam, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- Saturday 10th November 1984 - from Hexham to London, King’s Cross,
including coach tour for visit to Bluebell Railway, in Sussex.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations: Wylam, Dunston, Newcastle, Heworth, Seaburn Sunderland, Seaham, Hartlepool, Billingham, Stockton, Eaglescliffe and Northallerton.
- 23rd March 1985 - via Settle and Carlisle line.
This rail excursion was named the “Pennine Panorama 3”.
- 5th October 1985 - from Sunderland to Balloch Pier,
including coach tours to Inversnaid and Loch Lomond and cruise to Balloch Pier.
This railtour was advertised as the “Land of Lochs” excursion and stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Dunston, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- Saturday 9th November 1985 - from Hexham to King’s Cross.
This rail excursion also stopped at Prudhoe, Dunston, Newcastle, Seaburn, Sunderland, Seaham, Hartlepool, Billingham, Stockton, Eaglescliffe and Northallerton.
- 22nd February 1986 - from Sunderland to Ravenglass or Grange-over-Sands, including Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Dunston, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- 5th April 1986 - from Sunderland to Fort William via West Highland Line, including steam train to Mallaig.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Cramlington and Morpeth.
- May Day Bank Holiday 5th May 1986 - from Eaglescliffe to Stranraer.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- 20th July 1986 - from Newcastle to Carlisle for “Carlisle 150” celebrations at Upperby Depot.
- Sunday 27th July 1986 - from Carlisle to Grosmont or Whitby, including North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
- Saturday 4th October 1986 - from Newcastle to Pitlochry or Aviemore, including Strathspey Railway.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- Saturday 8th November 1986 - from Hexham to London King’s Cross.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Prudhoe, Dunston, Newcastle, Heworth, Sunderland, Seaham, Hartlepool, Billingham, Stockton, Eaglescliffe and Northallerton.
- 28th February 1987 - from Sunderland to Keighley for Keighley and Worth Valley Railway via Settle and Carlisle line.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- Saturday 4th April 1987 - from Sunderland to Inverness, including Kyle of Lochalsh.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Cramlington, Morpeth, Alnmouth and Berwick-upon-Tweed.
- Bank Holiday Monday, 31st August 1987 - Carlisle to Gourock, for a cruise via Kyles of Bute and Loch Fyne to Ardrishaig.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Wetheral, Haltwhistle, Hexham, Prudhoe, Newcastle.
- Saturday 17th October 1987 - from Sunderland to Welshpool, Machynlleth or Tywyn, including coach tour and Welshpool and Llanfair Railway and Talyllyn Railway.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Dunston, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral, Carlisle and Penrith. There were connections by coach for passengers from Durham and Chester-le-Street to Newcastle.
- Saturday 28th November 1987 - from Newcastle to London, King’s Cross.
Only a few bookings were received for this rail excursion, the train having to be cancelled and passengers boarded another stopping train for the journey to London, which originally was going to start from Durham, but South Tynedale Travel negotiated to have it extended to start from Sunderland and to run via Newcastle.
- Saturday 5th March 1988 - from Eaglescliffe to Grange-over-Sands or Ravenglass, including Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
This railtour was advertised as the “Pennine Panorama 6” rail excursion and it also stopped at the following stations:- Stockton, Billingham, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Dunston, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- Saturday 9th April 1988 - from Sunderland to Fort William and Mallaig.
This rail excursion advertised as a “West Highland Scenic Special” also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Dunston, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- Saturday 7th May 1988 - from Sunderland to Inverness via Aberdeen and Highland Line, returning via Aviemore, Perth and Stirling.
This rail excursion was advertised as a “Highland Circular Scenic Land Cruise” it also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Bank Holiday Monday 29th August 1988 - from Middlesbrough to Troon or Ayr, including Isle of Arran cruise on the paddle steamer “Waverley”, between Troon and Brodick.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Stockton, Billingham, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.
- Saturday 8th October 1988 - from Sunderland to Arrochar & Tarbet, with Loch Lomond cruise or scenic coach tour to Loch Fyne and Inveraray.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Saturday 12th November 1988 - from Eaglescliffe via Settle and Carlisle line to Buxton for Peak Rail Centre or a scenic coach tour of the Derbyshire Peak District.
This rail excursion was advertised as the “Pennine Panorama 7” also stopped at the following stations:- Stockton, Billingham, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Saturday 25th February 1989 - from Eaglescliffe to Skipton or Keighley via Settle and Carlisle line, including Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.
This rail excursion was advertised as the “Pennine Panorama 8” it also stopped at the following stations:- Stockton, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Saturday 1st April 1989 - from Middlesbrough to Gourock for cruise to Loch Long, Loch Goil and Kilcreggan.
This rail excursion was advertised as the “See Scotland in the Spring - Rail Excursion and Clyde Cruise” it also stopped at the following stations:- Stockton, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Bank Holiday Monday 28th August 1989 - from Sunderland via Forth & Tay Bridges to Montrose, Stonehaven and Aberdeen, with optional coach tours to Royal Deeside, Glamis Castle or Brechin and the Caledonian Railway.
This rail excursion was advertised as a “Bank Holiday Special - Scenic Scottish Rail Excursion” also stopped at the following stations:- Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Saturday 30th September 1989 - from Middlesbrough to Ribblehead, Morecambe or Carnforth, including entry to Steamtown Railway Museum at Carnforth.
This rail excursion was advertised as the “Ribblehead Explorer II” and was a joint venture with the North East England Branch of “Transport 2000” also stopped at the following stations:- Thornaby, Stockton, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Newcastle, Dunston, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Saturday 10th March 1990 - from Eaglescliffe via Settle and Carlisle line to Buxton for Peak Rail Centre or a scenic coach tour of the Derbyshire Peak District.
This rail excursion was advertised as the “Pennine Panorama 9” it also stopped at the following stations:- Stockton, Billingham, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Seaburn, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Carlisle.
- Saturday 21st April 1990 - from Darlington to Chester, including coach tour to Llangollen for the Llangollen Railway or Vale of Clwyd Scenic Tour.
This rail excursion also stopped at the following stations:- Durham, Chester-le-Street, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Carlisle and Penrith.
For more information about the South Tynedale Railway, please contact:-
SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY
The Railway Station, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3JB.
Tel. 01434 381696. Talking timetable tel. 01434 382828.
Registered Charity No.514939.E-mail addresses - click on links below:-
South Tynedale Railway information - Send e-mail to South Tynedale Railway
STRPS membership information only - Send e-mail to Kathy Aveyard
Tynedalesman information only - Send e-mail to Tynedalesman compilersThis page was last updated on 3rd January 2006.
© South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society 2006.