Trainspotting

Europe » United Kingdom » England » North Yorkshire » North York Moors
November 27th 2021

Published: December 5th 2021

Edit Blog Post

John Miranda

St James' Parish Church, Lealholm

Railways have been much in discussion in the last few weeks. TFB was due to announce the fate of his much vaunted HS2 project. The high speed rail link was part of his plans to "level up" the north and the south of England. The red wall gang waited patiently for the confirmed delivery of the election "promise". It turned out it wasn't really a promise after all. The decision was to bring disappointment to many and anger for others. The northern leg to link to Leeds had been scrapped. The upgrade to connect the Leeds - Bradford - Manchester had similarly been shelved. It is ironic then that I start this blog in proper railway territory, where the early pioneers brought their expertise to play in creating a new mode of transport to serve both their industries and passengers. The railway network was by definition more of a national vision back then, not just a catchy election ploy. I am in Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors. We will come back to Grosmont later.

I started my day in Egton. Egton is synonymous in the area with Egton Show. The Egton Horse & Agricultural Show to give it the

Egton

full title. The village might only have a population of 450, but the Show is much bigger and bears no correlation to the size of the immediate population. As far back as I can remember and we are talking a long time now, Egton was the Show to go to. One of the biggest in the in the area and for the size of the village, possibly one of the biggest in the country. We went as kids and when I worked for a local financial institution, it was a regular in the calendar for the account opening targets and local PR.

There isn't a great deal to see in Egton. The local shop? There isn't one in centre of village, The old fridge on the crossroads comes close. Free range eggs - but not today, it was empty. The pub scene is opposite. The Witching Post was serving morning coffee and cakes from 10 am. The Wheatsheaf has featured in the Michelin Pub Guide 2015, 2016 and 2017, so it looks like it is a must visit if you are after pub food. I am not sure what has happened with pub food and Michelin stars since 2017,

Shephers Hall, Lealholm

but let's face it the last couple of years have been a bit of a train wreck anyway. There is a local walk called the Gosthland Gallon. The 7 mile walk from Goathland to Egton via various pubs finishes at The Wheatsheaf. However, please read the website - make sure you arrive before 5 pm - cluttering up when the Michelin fans are arriving for a feed is not in the rules.

Egton should not be confused by Egton Bridge in the Valley below. Egton is on the rail line and the station below bears it's name. The reality is - it is in Egton Bridge. The bridge crosses the River Esk. The stepping stones are your alternative. The Horseshoe Hotel used to be a regular on our moorland pub crawls - I stress that the Other Half was always driving. It is years since I have frequented the place, but I am sure the new owners have it all under control. A Farm Shop has sprung up by road near entrance. Egton Bridge is famous. Really famous. In the circles of the gooseberry, the village is world famous. It is basically the World Championship of the Gooseberry. The

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Grosmont Station

Egton Bridge Old Gooseberry Society dates back to 1800. In 1861, a total of 168 registered shows were listed. In modern era, the number stands at 7. The Show was traditionally was held in the modern era at the Horseshoe Hotel in to the 1960s, but the centre of the action is now St Heddas School. A "Championship Berry" is basically the size of a golf ball. There no gooseberry folk or other tourists around today. All was quiet. I headed back towards Grosmont.

Grosmont started existence as just the Priory in the 1200s. As with all other religious settlements, Henry VIII put paid to it with the Dissolution of the Monasteries. No trace exists today. The trigger for the development of the village was the railway. The railway was pushed through from Whitby to Pickering in the 1830s and up until at least the 1850s, the village was known by the snappy title of Tunnel. The current line west towards Castleton wasn't completed until 1865, which linked Whitby with Teesside. The railway brought industry. Iron ore was discovered and the mines brought employment. At first, demand from the furnaces on Teesside and other parts of the North East

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Grosmont Station

was high. Profits were good and the settlement expanded. Funds were raised for construction of St Matthew's Church. The discovery of iron ore seems closer to Teesside dented the activity, but a local Grosmont Ironworks was opened in 1865. At one point, there were 3 blast furnaces in operation employing 500 people. Things were looking good - so good that St Matthew's was rebuilt and enlarged in 1875. The works continued until 1891. A glance around the village today and it seems inconceivable that this was once such a hive of industrial activity. The Ironworks were complemented by the opening of a brickworks, which operated until 1957. The village population peaked at 1600 in 1880. Today, there are probably no more than 300 residents.

I wandered off along the railway tracks towards the Engine Sheds and the Tunnel from which the village derived its original name. There are 2 tunnels under the ridge - the original known as the Horse Tunnel and the later 1840s one built adjacent. The Horse Tunnel is 110 metres long and so known, because the early trains were horse drawn. It was designed and built by railway pioneer, George Stephenson and is acknowledged as

Lealholm

one of the older tunnels in the world. The tunnel dates from 1835. At the far end, the area opens up to reveal the Grosmont Engine Sheds. The Whitby - Pickering line ceased to be part of the national network in the mid 1960s after the Beeching Report. However, it was reincarnated as the North Yorkshire Moors Railway by a team of enthusiasts and volunteers in 1973. During the summer months, the Sheds are open to the public and house the rolling stock of the heritage line. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has gone from strength to strength in recent years and operates packed services throughout the summer months. The Santa Special also operates every weekend in December and the volunteer engineers were busy making sure that the engines were in tip top condition ahead of the first weekend. The other big earner for the NYMR is the chance to be involved in the movie business. The film business has a requirement for heritage railways and especially one that has the good fortune to ply a route surrounded by dramatic scenery. The line and its Stations have featured in such as Harry Potter, Dads Army and Downton Abbey. The

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Grosmont Station

Tom Cruise Mission Impossible 7 has recently filmed and in the last couple of months, Harrison Ford has been spotted wandering in the village on the location of the latest Indiana Jones film. I walked back to the village and took some photographs of the Railway Station. The original was designed by GT Andrew's in 1846. He had a copious body of work including the Railway Station at York. Today, the hub is preserved as a little piece of British Rail 1952.

I drove off through Glaisdale towards my final destination of Lealholm. The narrow roads were empty save for a few out driving their classic sports cars on a bright winter day. It would not be a smart move to bring such vehicles out here when snow was forecast. The railway line to Teesside passes through the village, but the industrial feel of Grosmont is not present. There were few people about although annoyingly a couple with an irritating couple of dogs had already secured the bench on which I planned to eat my lunch. Vera casually ignored the barking pair, as we walked past. The Board Inn was not open until 4 pm. The quoits pitch was

St James' Parish Church, Lealholm

covered for the winter on the green. I crossed over the Stepping Stones to the Methodist Chapel on other side of the River Esk. A Norfolk Terrier hitched a lift in my arms. One of more interesting buildings in the village is the 1873 Shepherds Hall. The Loyal Order of the Ancient Shepherds Friendly Society was a society formed to alleviate distress and hardship for families faced with bereavement. It still exists as an organisation today, though this building is now a tearoom in the summer months. John Castillo was known as the Bard of the Dales. He used to live in a cottage on the adjacent corner. A spectacular display of poppies draped from the grounds of the local St James the Greater Parish Church down towards the War Memorial.

I headed up the hill past the school towards Lealholmside - a row of houses overlooking the valley. It was here in 1979 that the quiet of the Esk Valley was shattered when a US Air Force Phantom jet crashed across the fields and disintegrated in a fireball. The plane was on a low level reconnaissance training mission on Friday 27 April, when an engine stalled. The pilot

Lealholm

Stepping Stones over the River Esk

and navigator stayed with the plane rather than eject. Pilot, Donald Lee Shuyler and Navigator Thomas Wheeler died. It is believed that they guided the stricken plane away from the local school just down the hill. A small plaque on a granite boulder marks the disaster. I headed back into the village for my football fix. The local Lealholm Tigers were entertaining New Marske in the North Riding Football League. The last time I had seen New Marske, they were celebrating cup glory at the end of last season in front of hundreds. Today, it was somewhat different. The season has been a struggle to date and this was no different. They were 1-0 down soon after kick off and despite dominating possession, they were undone at the back all too easily. The game finished 4-1 to Lealholm. Vera studied the play from our position on a bench by the pavilion. The majority of the head count crowd of 33 plus 3 dogs went home happy. Lealholm stayed top of the league.

Aappendix 1

North Riding Football League Division 1 (East)

Lealholm 4 New Marske 1

Venue: Lealhom Sports Field, Lealholm, Whitby, North Yorkshire. YO21 2AQ