Exciting news!

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After two years of work involved in bidding for money from the EU funded “LEADER” programme, the Yorkshire Wolds Railway has announced the successful awarding of £75,000 which will enable it to start extending from its current base at Fimber near Driffield in East Yorkshire.

Together with funds already raised and donated the project will cost almost £100,000 and will help to reinstate part of the former Malton and Driffield Junction Railway that closed in 1958.

Directors Phil Robson and Richard Dixon have worked on the application since early 2017. Phil said “it has taken a considerable amount of work and time for us to get to this stage, although we were hopeful that the local community nature of our bid would make us worthy recipients of the monies. These funds will allow us to accelerate our plans to lay significantly more track and develop this unique heritage attraction in East Yorkshire”.

In addition to the ground works and stone for the track bed the money will also fund a platform base and equipment. Phil continued “major changes at Fimber Halt should be seen very soon. It’s a very exciting time and we welcome anyone wanting to help this fantastic project in any way.”

The YWR re-opens to the public on Sunday 21 April from 11am – 5pm and will be open every Sunday and bank holiday until the end of September, showing displays and artefacts in a restored coach but also giving cab rides in a full-size locomotive! Entry to the site and displays is free.

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Artistic impression

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Alignment drawing produced by Vernon and Rob

[lady anorak 12]

Looks very exciting seeing the plans

[repton]

Alignment drawing produced by Vernon and Rob

I had assumed the two tracks would join much closer to field1 than that allowing a useful siding or two to be added between the running line and the road towards the far end of field2. It looks like it's almost halfway up the field before they start to converge. Do we really need to have the two tracks running near parallel for such a distance? I'm no expert in rail layout but it seems like a waste of track and field space to me.

Paul

[Rail Rover]

I had assumed the two tracks would join much closer to field1 than that allowing a useful siding or two to be added between the running line and the road towards the far end of field2. It looks like it's almost halfway up the field before they start to converge. Do we really need to have the two tracks running near parallel for such a distance? I'm no expert in rail layout but it seems like a waste of track and field space to me.

Paul

I'd originally assumed the same, Paul however when I've met with Vernon & Ed it is clear that the geometry doesn't allow a shorter double track section.

The siding issue is currently looking like it will actually be irrelevant due to ongoing negotiations, which hopefully will result in much greater benefits overall.