Last updated at 11:20, Friday, 05 September 2008

HIGH, narrow and handsome – that’s the South Tynedale Railway.

• South Tynedale Railway Watch a video clip....

This summer marked the 25th anniversary of the little passenger train which runs a token two miles along the old Haltwhistle to Alston line.

The historic route was chopped in May 1976, when the Hexham Courant recorded: “...there were wreaths hanging at many of the stations, a skull and crossbones flag was flying from a farmhouse and local resident Nellie Walton said: ‘The valley is finished without the train. It was everything to us and, without it, the valley is doomed.’”

But those prophets of calamity reckoned without the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society, who set the Alston to Kirkhaugh route rolling within seven years, despite having to re-lay the track.

The STRPS now reigns over a proper little Island of Sodor, with three steam locomotives, three diesel locomotives, one battery electric loco, six chattering carriages, one brake van and thirty of those naughty wagons.

Tynedale’s “Thomas” is Thomas Edmonson, a German Henschel tank engine who took STRPS volunteers three years to transform from rusting hulk to gleaming glory.

The new-look “Thomas” started to earn his living again two years ago, resplendent in olive, black and red livery with his name engraved on shiny brass plates along his sides.

Thomas Edmondson joined the STRPS’s other steam engines Helen-Kathryn and Naklo, pulling passenger trains on the 30 minute journey from Alston to Kirkhaugh and back.

The season for the South Tynedale Railway lasts until Thursday, October 30, with a break in November before frequent “Santa Special” trains in December.

Spooky Hallowe’en runs are also planned on the last weekend in October.

In this silver anniversary year for the STRPS, they are hoping to be on the downhill stretch towards their next big project – completing another 2¼ miles of track to link Alston with Slaggyford.

An appeal has been launched to raise £400,000 for the costs of track materials, viaduct work and the renovation of Slaggyford Station building and platform. Keen railway buffs can help raise the cash by sponsoring sections of track or naming their own sleeper.

For timetable and ticket price details, ring (01434) 382828, log on to www.strps.org.uk or pick up a STRPS leaflet.

First published at 11:16, Friday, 05 September 2008
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk