Staff and councillors receive assurances on future of Yorkshire Dales cheese factoryHarrogate volunteer becomes Wensleydale Railway’s first female train driverA Harrogate woman who has volunteered at Wensleydale Railway for eight years has become its first ever female train driver.
Sue Threadgold first trained as a crossing keeper and then as a train guard.
She started her driver training last year and is now qualified to drive the railway’s class 142 and class 143 diesel multiple unit passenger trains, commonly known as Pacer trains.
She said:
“My goal when I joined was to become a train driver, so I am really happy to have fulfilled my ambition and I thank everyone at the railway who has helped me achieve this!”
Sue at the controls of a diesel Pacer train.
The 22-mile-long Wensleydale Railway is a volunteer-led enterprise running heritage diesel services for 22 miles between Scruton and Leyburn via Leeming Bar, Bedale and Finghall Lane. It is also working to extend services from Leyburn to Redmire.
The railway also holds seasonal events, such as Haunted Rail this Halloween on Saturday, October 28 and the special Bonfire Express service from Leyburn to Bedale for the Bedale Bonfire and Fireworks Display on Saturday, November 4.
Sue added:
“I would encourage more people to get involved in their local heritage railway. There are a wide variety of volunteer roles available, to suit all interests and abilities. It’s really rewarding to be part of a great team, helping to keep our history and heritage alive for the public to enjoy!”
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Kirkby Malzeard’s bells could ring again for Queen’s jubileeThe bells of St Andrew’s in Kirkby Malzeard, which have been silent for several years, could ring again this year to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
Jonathan Couchman of Two Dales Bell Ringers, which is an informal group that encourages and promotes bell ringing in Wensleydale and Swaledale, said:
“St Andrew’s church has six beautiful bells but nobody to ring them so in liaison with the church, we would like to mark the jubilee by establishing a bell band there.”
Last year, the Wensleydale ringers held a course of short, interactive online presentations on bell ringing, which resulted in nine new recruits.
The activity does not require great strength and children as young as 10 are able to participate.
This spring, a second course is planned, with hands-on training in local towers, including St Andrew’s, and other church towers in Askrigg, Aysgarth, Grinton and Richmond.
Training will be interspersed with online presentations. Times and dates of sessions will be arranged in agreement with participants and the aim is to hold the first session in late February.
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“We invite everyone to join us, from those who have simply wondered about how the bells are rung through to those interested in whether bell ringing is for them.
“It is a team activity that keeps your brain active and your body agile. Some do it for the community of friends, some do it to contribute to church life, some to keep the glorious sound of bells alive, and some do it for the pure pleasure and feeling of wellbeing it brings.”
For more than 500 years church bells have resounded across Wensleydale and Swaledale, but for the first time since World War II, they fell silent because of social distancing requirements and covid lockdowns, which put bell ringing on hold.
Anybody wanting to find out more and how to participate, can email David Scrutton at wensleydaleringers@gmail.com.