Wensleydale Railway is a volunteer-led railway offering a great Yorkshire Dales day out. Children travel for £1.00! We operate heritage diesel trains between Scruton & Leyburn. Enjoy spectacular scenery, special events, visit restored historic station museums and learn about 1900s railway life with guided tours by our living history interpreters.

A Brief History

Our railway first opened in 1848 and was built in stages by different railway companies. It originally ran for 40 miles from Northallerton the east to Garsdale railway station on the Settle-Carlisle line. The line closed to passengers in 1954 and freight traffic from Redmire ceased in 1982.

Our history of becoming the 2nd longest standard gauge heritage railway in the UK began when The Wensleydale Railway Association (WRA) was formed in 1990. WRA formed a separate operating company in 2000, the Wensleydale Railway plc (WRC).

We reopened as a 22-mile heritage railway in 2003 and today the railway is operated by the PLC and supported by The Wensleydale Railway Association (Trust), a registered charity.

Hidden Gems and Interesting Facts

Scruton Station is just 10 minutes to the east of Leeming Bar. It is an award-winning, restored building set in the early 1900s. Enjoy a free tour with our costumed living history interpreters and learn about rural railway life at the turn of the 20th century. Why not take a short stroll into the ‘Thankful’ Village’ of Scruton (it is one of very few English villages that lost no men in the First World War) and enjoy lunch or a pint in the local pub (open Wednesdays onwards at 12:00).

Leeming Bar Station is a National Lottery-funded, restored station building museum where you can learn about rural railway life in the 1920s. Enjoy a free tour with our costumed living history interpreters! You can then board a train west to Bedale, Finghall Lane and Leyburn or head east to Scruton, on selected days.

Bedale Station is located in picturesque Georgian Yorkshire town with a historic market square, interesting shops and local pubs. The town is just off the A1 and our station is walking distance from ample car-parking in the town. Be sure to grab a drink, sandwich and cake in our station tearoom!

Finghall Lane Station is a wonderfully preserved example of a small rural station that was featured in the “All Creatures Great and Small” and “The Yorkshire Vet” television series, based on the popular James Herriot books. If you are staying at the nearby campsite, why not use the train to explore Bedale and Leeming Bar or Leyburn? The station is a request stop - to board please signal the driver as the train approaches the platform. On your return, please inform the guard that you wish to get off.

Leyburn is an attractive Yorkshire market town, on the outskirts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is a popular destination for hikers and dog walkers. Why not take a short walk to ‘The Shawl’ - an escarpment that offers spectacular panoramic views of Wensleydale. Legend has it that Mary Queen of Scots dropped her shawl here, whilst fleeing captivity in nearby Bolton Castle! The town has lots of independent shops, cafes and pubs and it holds a traditional outdoor market in the town square every Friday. Our station tearoom is renowned for its excellent homemade cakes and friendly service so make sure that you start or finish your train journey with a visit!

What We Offer Our Visitors:

We offer day rover tickets for all-day travel on any service from any station on the day. Single tickets between stations are also available. Children aged 3-15 travel for only £1 on all our normal scheduled services.

We offer arrange of food & drink events throughout the year, including afternoon teas, fish & chips, gin trains and curry nights. We also have an annual model railway show, an Industrial Diesel Weekend and Diesel Gala.

We have award-winning restored station museums set in the 1900s that are staffed by volunteers in period costume. These living history interpreters will bring history to life for you!

Every Christmas we host THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Rides! We are the longest established official Polar Express operator in Yorkshire and have provided these services since 2019. Accept no substitutes and make sure that you us for the best Family Christmas Experience in Yorkshire!

Why Choose Us for Your Next Day Out in Yorkshire:

We offer you and your family a great value day out in the Yorkshire Dales. Enjoy spectacular scenery, special events trains, visit restored historic station museums and learn more about 1900s railway life whilst enjoying free guided tours with our living history interpreters.

Children aged 3-15 travel for only £1 and you could also save 50% off your travel, and 10% discount at our station shops and cafes, if you join our charitable trust before you travel! Memberships starts from just £22 for an adult, £30 for joint membership or £36 for a family with up to 4 children. More information here: https://wensleydale-railway.co.uk/membership/

Activities, Tours, Exhibits & Events:

We offer a variety of activities for visitors, including a Model Railway show, Industrial Diesel Weekend, Diesel Gala and Driver Experience Days. Regular on-train events include afternoon teas, fish & chips, gin tasting and curry nights.

Family Friendly Activities & Activities For Kids

Kids love a train ride and children aged 3-15 travel for only £1.00 on our normal scheduled trains!

Rain or shine, we’re an all-weather attraction and have free Explorer Passports and Activity Booklets to keep the young ones entertained too! Pick up our free Explorer Passport to see what there is to do at each station and which time period the station is set in. Collect all the stamps and complete your passport by visiting every station! There are activities for all ages, and they’re included within your ticket price.

Accreditation and Awards:

We have won a number of awards for our National Lottery Heritage funded station restoration projects and volunteer activities. Our operating company is supported by a registered charity, The Wensleydale Railway Association (Trust).

Opening Hours

We are open from 0900 to 1700 on running days. Please visit our website for the most up-to-date running day information: https://wensleydale-railway.co.uk/running-days/

Our operating season begins during the February half-term holiday and then runs from March to October, followed by THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Rides from November to December.

Seasonal Experiences

We offer various seasonal activities experiences during the year, ending with THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Christmas rides. Please visit our website for more information.

Group Sizes Catered For:

We welcome all group sizes. We can accommodate pre-booked groups of 15 or more guests on our heritage diesel train services and offer a group discount off our standard ticket price. You may also charter a coach or even a complete train for your special event. Please call us to discuss your requirements. More information here: https://wensleydale-railway.co.uk/group-visits/

Pricing Information:

An adult, all line day rover ticket costs £25 and allows all-day travel on any service from any station on the day. Single tickets between stations are also available. Children aged 3-15 travel for only £1 on all our normal scheduled services. Pre-booked groups of 15 or more guests receive a discount on our standard ticket price.

Facilities:

We have parking available at Leeming Bar and Bedale stations and very limited spaces at Leyburn Station. We have station cafes at Leeming Bar, Bedale and Leyburn. Our Leyburn station tearoom and gift shop is a must-visit! Mandy’s homemade cakes are a real treat, and you can pick up some great gifts from the volunteer run shop!

Accessibility and Disabled Facilities:

If you have specific accessibility requirements, please contact us prior to your visit. Telephone 01677 425805 or email admin@wensleydalerailway.com.