From September 15 to 23 the Wensleydale Railway is operating a trial passenger service from its present terminus at Leeming Bar to a temporary platform at Springfield Lane on the edge of Northallerton. At Leeming Bar, it connects with the regular service of four round trips a day to Redmire, where the present track ends.
The trial is being operated with Parry People Mover No 999 900, which can carry 20 seated and 30 standing passengers. Once its duties in North Yorkshire are complete, the lightweight two-axle vehicle is due to return to the Stourbridge Town branch for a trial passenger service supported by West Midlands PTE.
Wensleydale Railway plc is unusual in operating under a full set of operating licences from ORR on a branch line leased from Network Rail that still carries occasional freight for the Ministry of Defence. If the trial leads to the construction of a permanent station in Northallerton, the regular passenger operation will be extended from 16 to 22miles.
Although the Springfield Lane platform is close to the East Coast Main Line, it is almost 1mile on foot to Northallerton station. Wensleydale Railway may seek powers to create a new terminus closer to the station and the town.
