Branchline Weekend - Embasy and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway - 3rd May 2014

So the last day of our mini break before we return home suitable disappointed following an abject performance against Accrington Stanley no doubt. But before that we still have a morning of joy before setting off to Stanley Park.

So what would Beverley like to do this morning, a spot of shopping, a wander around the Market, or maybe a nice cup of coffee down by the river sitting in the sun? I know what the Embasy & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway are having a Branchline Weekend, the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is having a Railway Children Weekend and heavens only knows what the East Lancs Railway is putting on this early Spring Bank Holiday.

So it ws off to the Embasy & Bolton Abbey a few miles the other side of Skipton. I 've never come across a Branchline event, mind you I've never come across any of the weekend specials (apart from the Diesel Gala the other day). The idea is that the Railway runs a timetable which resembles a Branchline, so that should be five trains each way between early morning and mid evening, with a pick up goods, that would be enjoyable then wouldn't it!

Well actually in this case it meant 15 trains from Embasy to Bolton Abbey and 15 the other way, plus a further 14 trains running down to Low Bridge Loop (no station there) all between 10:00 and 17:15, that's a lot of train movements. The trains were to be made up of a Parcels service, a Pick-up Goods, Passenger service and a Vintage Service (that's made up,of carriages that are more than 100 years old and comprises of Great Eastern Railway numbers 14 and 37,Great North of Scotland Railway No 34 and Lancashire & Yorkshire No 1 and a very impressive rake it was to!)

The trains in service were as follows:

12322 - Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway A-Class (No 1300), built in 1896 running in LMS colours.

Beatrice - Hunslet 16" saddle tank, recently restored to service following a long overhaul. Formerly worked in collieries.

68005 - 'Norman' whilst in BR colours it spent all it's life in the collieries. It was built by RSH.
Having got home it appears I never saw this engine!

20 - Hudswell Clarke side tank locomotive which worked at Samuel Fox & Co Ltd. sorry don't know who or what they were!

Class 31 D.5600 - in BR Green Livery, a last minute stand in form 31119 which needs an engine rebuild.

The first train departure from Embasy was the 10:00 Goods, whilst stimustainsly the D5600 departed from Bolton Abbey with the Parcels service, we missed both arriving in time to see the Parcels departing into the sidings.

But next up was the 10:30 Passenger service for Bolton Abbey hauled by 12322, which we joined for the enjoyable trip to Bolton Abbey, we had good views towards Embasy Crag, at which point Beverley revealed her true wish for the morning and it wasn't travelling on the 10:00 to Bolton Abbey but a brisk walk up Embasy Crag, which if truth be told I would have quite fancied, problem was we did not know Embasy Crag existed until we went to the Branchline Weekend! Neither could we walk to Bolton Abbey as we did not have time and I had the wrong shoes on.

Anyway back to the 10:30, on route we passed the 10:30 Goods from Bolton Abbey, made up of fifteen assorted wagons and very impressive to. I've never seen a train run like this before and it makes an interesting addition to the timetable.

With trains basically ruining every 15 minutes there was a lot of comings and goings as trains arrived, ran round loops, took on water etc so that left little time to look around the station in case I missed something. Eventually we squeezed in coffee and some very scrumptious cakes (the mini-break has been good for cakes).

Unfortunately there was not as many punters at the event as I would have expected but with all the other events taking place locally I'm not surprised, in addition to the railway ones above, there's Skipton point to point, a Canal Boat parade, not sure how that works, just to mention two.

There were a number of grandparents with their grandchildren, two little boys found the noise of the steam and whistle too much to bare and burst out crying, and when grand mum suggested lunch ( at 11:40) he brightened up and said 'Burger King'! I think Grandma had tea and cake in mind from the station buffet.

Then there was the seventeen year old station sheep dog.

Soon it was time to leave, so we boarded the 12:30 Passenger Service hauled by the D.5600 to return to Embasy, this service took on a prototypical service in that it was held up at the loop waiting for the passing 12:30 Vintage service and tee then waited outside Embasy for a good 15 minutes whilst heavens knows what was going on, but I expect it looked good with various trains moving backwards and forwards, we arrived a good 30 minutes late and the rest of the days timetable must have been in ruins.

It was a lovely way to spend the morning, the weather was kind, sunny and quite warm, although not conducive to taking photos as the sun was in the wrong place or should that be the trains or more precisely I was in the wrong place! 

For £15 each unlimited travel, varied stock, lots of movements this was money well spent, better value than the Football the same afternoon, but then that's not comparing apples with apples is it.

The one thing I do regret is that I should have based myself at Embasy as there was more action there and you also benefited from the footbridge, lesson learnt maybe?

And then it was off to Accrington