Stainmore Railway Company

Stainmore Railway Company

Formerly	Stainmore Locomotive Company
Company type	Non-profit organization limited by shares
Founded	29 March 2000
Website	http://www.kirkbystepheneast.co.uk

Stainmore Railway
Eden Valley Railway to Musgrave EVR bridge no.3 EVR bridge no.2 SD&LUR to Smardale EVR bridge no.1 SD&LUR bridge 148 Kirkby Stephen East A685 Stenkrith Bridge SD&LUR to Barras

Stainmore Railway Company is a volunteer run non-profit preservation company formed in 2000 with the aim of restoring Kirkby Stephen East railway station in Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, England. In 1997 a company called Stainmore Properties Ltd. was formed, with the intention to convert KSE into an authentic North Eastern Railway focused heritage centre representing the early 1950s. The Stainmore Railway Company was subsequently formed to restore the site. Since then essential repairs have been made to the roof and station, a number of rooms have been restored and a short section of track has been laid along the formation of the old Eden Valley Railway, with some sidings and yard infrastructure within the station area and surroundings. A quantity of rolling stock that is authentic to the site has since been brought in.

The station was formerly on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway and the company has re-instated approximately a third of a mile of running line on the former Eden Valley Railway formation to allow train running. There is the eventual aim of joining up with the heritage Eden Valley Railway (at Warcop).

August 2011 marked the 150th anniversary of the railway. To commemorate this occasion a series of events were held during 2011, leading up to 'Stainmore 150', a large gala, where Steve Davis, the then-head of the National Railway Museum, drove the first fare-paying passenger train from the station in over 50 years, hauled by ex. Kirkby Stephen locomotive BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0 no. 78019. In 2013 the Stainmore Railway Company began its first operating season, running Peckett and Sons 0-4-0 'F C Tingey' on selected weekends. In 2014 this was joined by Yorkshire Engine Company 'Stanton 50' which operates diesel hauled trains on some weekends when there is no steam service.

In June 2017 it was announced that a joint Heritage Lottery Fund bid between the Stainmore Railway Company and the Locomotive Conservation and Learning Trust, to restore both LNER J21 65033 and an ex. North Eastern Railway stores van, no. 5523, as an interpretation vehicle to travel with the locomotive, had been successful. As part of the joint bid, it was agreed that, once restoration is completed, the locomotive will be based at Kirkby Stephen East and become the project's flagship locomotive. As a result of this, work is currently underway to create a vastly more flexible track layout within the station yard, as well as building a new restoration shed and authentic locomotive watering facilities. Part of the new work means that a short stretch of the former South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway formation across Bridge 149 has been re-instated.

Locomotives

Class	Number (&Name)	Wheels	Image	Status	Notes
Peckett and Sons	No. 2084 FC Tingey	0-4-0ST		Operational	Ex-Courtaulds, North Wales. Donated to the Llangollen Railway, but sold via a scrap merchant to Steamtown Carnforth where it was restored. Came to Kirkby Stephen East in 2000, spent three years at the Caledonian Railway (Brechin), now back at KSE. Currently in South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway livery. Videos on Stainmore and Tring's Trains YouTube Channels.
Hunslet Austerity	No.3825 (68009)	0-6-0ST		Awaiting Overhaul	Delivered to Betteshanger Colliery, Kent in 1954. Sold into preservation at the Great Central Railway in November 1981, sold to North Norfolk Railway 1993. Bought by two Stainmore Railway Company directors in 2004, but then spot-hired. Initial work has begun on an overhaul, but further progress is dependent on the building of the new shed.
NER 901 Class	No. 910	2-4-0		Static Display	Built in 1875 for use on passenger trains between Newcastle and York/Edinburgh. Originally preserved in the old York Railway Museum, it was later displayed at the National Railway Museum and its outpost Shildon Locomotion Museum. Currently on display in the Darlington trainshed at Kirkby Stephen East. On loan from the National Collection.
LNER J21 65033	NER/LNER J21 No 65033	0-6-0		Under overhaul	65033 will arrive at Kirkby Stephen East once her overhaul is completed. Donated to the Locomotive Conservation and Learning Trust from the North Norfolk Railway, the locomotive has not steamed in preservation since the 1980's. 65033 was cosmetically restored by volunteers at Shildon Locomotion Museum to appear in British Railways unlined black for the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Stainmore route in 2011 (Stainmore 150). The locomotive will arrive back at Kirkby Stephen to take residence in the new locomotive shed after her overhaul is completed.
Hibberd Planet DM	Planet DM "Elizabeth"	0-4-0DM		Operational	0-4-0DM "Elizabeth". Hartley quarry locomotive, sold into further industrial use, eventually ending up under the ownership of Harry Needle Railroad company. Sold in 2004 to Stainmore. Now used on rear of passenger steam trains, and at the front on diesel worked services.
Yorkshire Engine Company	Stanton no. 50	0-6-0DE		Operational	0-6-0DE "Stanton No50". Ex stanton steelworks locomotive, the only 'Janus' type locomotive at the works, despite a successful career. Sold into further industrial use. The loco was eventually donated to an abortive preservation scheme. The loco then passed from one railway to another for a number of years, eventually ending up at the Nene Valley Railway where she received a full overhaul to operational condition and fitting of both air and vacuum braking systems. The loco was sold privately and is now based at Stainmore Railway Company and is used on Diesel passenger services (the first out of Kirkby Stephen East since the line was closed to passengers in 1965).
Yorkshire Engine Company	YEC No305	0-4-0DH		Operational	Manufactured by YEC and donated for use at KSE by CorusRail at Workington in 2007. It is in full working order and work is ongoing to restore its bodywork and repaint it.

Rolling stock

Class	Number (&Name)	Wheels	Image	Status	Notes
BR MK1	BR MK1 BSK	bogie coach		Operational	One of two operating BR MK1 coaches at Stainmore Railway Company, used on its own during the "Diamond Jubilee" running day during 2012, now works paired with TSO. Restoration is ongoing, with a certain amount of welding work required around the Guard's doors. Currently being painted into BR lined Maroon.
BR MK1	BR MK1 TSO	bogie coach		Operational	One of two operating BR MK1 coaches at Stainmore Railway Company, arrived on site during 2012/13, works in pair with BSK. Currently being painted into BR lined Maroon.
NER Stores van	NER Stores van 5523	bogie van		Awaiting restoration	Owned by the Locomotive Conservation and Learning Trust (LCLT) and arrived at KSE in 2014. The van built in York in 1902 to diagram H2 was stored a Beamish Museum in Co Durham. Unfortunately it was subjected to an arson attack in the 1980s but it is restorable. 5523 will be externally restored to its original specification and the interior will form the basis of an exhibition about the J21 locomotive 65033 which is owned by the LCLT.
NER full brake	NER full brake 2131	6 wheeled (currently on 4)		Awaiting restoration	6 wheel compartment brake van which is currently undergoing restoration. Largely completed, but again requires completion of the restoration shed before final tasks can be completed.
LMS Box van	LMS Box van	4 wheeled		Fully restored	Now fully restored and painted as the final stage of its restoration. It does not carry a number as it was a box van body that was put onto new bogies.
LMS 'Lowmac'	LMS 'Lowmac'	4 wheeled		Operational for test trains	Sees little use as is still awaiting planking on frame
NER 5 plank	NER 5 plank 'pipe' wagon	4 wheeled		Under restoration	Ex-LNER 5-plank 'pipe' wagon. Restoration work commenced in 2016 on this item.
NER Brake van	NER Brake van	6 wheeled		Operating	NER 6 wheeled brake van. This van was originally going to form the basis of passenger services (with fitting of vacuum brakes). This was suspended with the arrival of a BR MK1 BSK. The brakevan still sees use on track maintenance trains and footplate experience courses.
LNER TTO	LNER TTO 60505	Gresley bogie		98% complete	LNER TTO No 60505. Currently one of 6 Gresley teak coaches at Kirkby Stephen East. It is 98% complete, but cannot be launched into traffic until the shed is completed, where the gangway connections, roof vents, and buffers will be fitted (something which cannot be done in its current cramped accommodation in the former Tebay platform).
LNER BFK	LNER BFK 4163	Gresley bogie		Awaiting restoration	LNER Gresley Brake First Corridor No4163. Will take residence in new shed (once complete) and will eventually be restored. Likely to be 3rd in the queue of Gresley coaches after LNER RB No1852 (also in the Tebay platform).

External links

• Company website
• Celebration of the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Stainmore line in August 2011
• Details of project