“Northern Excursions”

Presenter: Roger Hepworth

Roger Hepworth, a well-known local photographer, provided the entertainment for another well attended meeting in June.  The initial phase of the show displayed extensive coverage of latter-day 1950’s steam activity around Ossett (his home town) and both of the stations in nearby Wakefield.  Hence much was seen of typical motive power from Eastern and Midland regions all intermingled with shots of early diesels and DMU’s.  Detailed visits to Ardsley shed and Bradford further expanded the scene in and around West Yorkshire.   On going extensive coverage of happenings in and around Central and City stations in Leeds illustrated the prevailing density of railway activity around the city.  Travelling beyond local territories, action along the LNWR lines to Manchester and a visitation to York in 1958 broadened the scope of the presentation.

Interest south of York yielded photographs along the now closed ECML lines to Selby and a large number of illustrations taken of the area adjacent to Heck signal box aptly pictured the variety of daily main line life in this countryside location.

An interlude of material radiating North from York took members to Newcastle and Gateshead via Northallerton and Darlington alongside an extended easterly journey looking at interests around Middlesborough, Thornaby, Saltburn and Tyne Dock where images of the Tyneside overhead electric industrial shunting locomotives were taken.

The closing element to the programme was to be a trip to the Yorkshire coast aiming for the seaside resorts of Scarborough and Whitby.  Pictures of the long gone Butlins’ station at Filey and the now closed tracks between Malton and Pickering were significant features.

Thanks go to Roger for a splendid reminder of times past from in and around our West Riding Branch region.