The Yorkshire Society at Wensleydale Railway for Yorkshire Day ‘Prequel’ on 31st July 2016
The Yorkshire Society held a special ‘prequel’ for its annual Yorkshire Day commemorations with a trip through the Yorkshire Dales on the Wensleydale Railway on Sunday 31st July.
Two-dozen members of the Yorkshire Society enjoyed a sunny Sunday trip on the heritage railway with lunch on board in a pre-Yorkshire day excursion to recognize the Wensleydale Railway’s importance as part of Yorkshire’s tourism and heritage sector.
“After presenting the Wensleydale Railway with the Yorkshire Society’s annual Award for Tourism Business of the Year we very keen to experience the journey through the magnificent Yorkshire Dales. We were able celebrate Yorkshire Day a day early on board where Society members and their guests enjoyed some wonderful Yorkshire scenery and an excellent lunch served by the friendly volunteers”, commented Keith Madeley, ‘Mr. Yorkshire’ chairman of the Yorkshire Society.
The Yorkshire Society heralds the annual 1st August Yorkshire Day in a different town or city each year. In 2016 the official Yorkshire Day declaration takes place in Halifax and the Wensleydale Railway ‘Prequel’ event was arranged to recognize the Railway for its efforts to promote Yorkshire through its unique location running through the Yorkshire Dales and Herriot Country.
Keith Madeley, at the tender age of 16 joined British Rail in Bradford and on gaining a promotion went to work in the South East and became Britain’s youngest Station Master at the age of 21, an achievement which Keith is still immensely proud of today.
“Railways are in Keith’s blood and we were delighted to be able to welcome the Yorkshire Society for this special event on board. Each guest table included a Yorkshire Rose and the train was decorated with Yorkshire flags and bunting to mark the occasion”, added Nigel Park, general manager of the Wensleydale Railway.
The Wensleydale Railway is one of the longest heritage railway routes in the country and operates a daily service in the main season between Leeming Bar and Redmire with Wednesday and Saturdays for the Northallerton-Leeming Bar section. The Railway is considering an extension of the line from Redmire to Aysgarth Falls, a return to the centre of Northallerton, and a general upgrade of the line, stations and trains.
