Kirkby Stephen Easter Rally

**cessna152towser** · 31st March 13, 11:28 AM

Some of our friends from Glasgow with whom we crew Glasgow City Council's vintage buses at special events over the summer own their own vintage buses and were rallying them at the weekend at Kirkby Stephen in the north of England so a wee tartan invasion across the border was called for, braving the unseasonally cold weather.

At the Grand Prix in Brough we met one of our Glasgow friends, driving his 1980 Bedford YRQ with coachwork by Plaxton. This bus was originally owned by West Coast Motors of Campbeltown Argyll.

I thought our North American members would appreciate this pic of a 1960 Mack B61 6x4 100 ton tractor unit.

The day's activities involved riding on classic buses to visit two heritage railways and various displays of vintage lorries, vans etc, scattered around the towns of Brough, Kirkby Stephen and Warcop. We rode on this lovely 1961 Ford Thames to the Eden Valley Railway at Warcop.

Awaiting us at Warcop was a class 205 diesel electric train, just like the one on McClef's railway in Wales.

We found comfortable seats - but the view on the other side was better!
More to follow shortly

**cessna152towser** · 31st March 13, 11:44 AM

After our train ride we rode on this 1946 Leyland Tiger into Kirkby Stephen.

There has been a market in Kirkby Stephen since medieval times and the town has many interesting old buildings.

We had lunch in Kirkby Stephen and inspected a display of vans and small lorries before boarding another bus......

....and here we are in the train shed at the Stainmore Railway where we met a Glasgow friend who took this photo.

We took a ride on a steam hauled train, hauled by a wee pug engine.

The North Eastern 910 was built in 1875 and has been well preserved.

Sadly the same can't be said of British Railways' second last steam engine, 92219, completed at the start of 1960, only used for around five years then abandoned to years of dereliction. They have their work cut out to restore this one.

All too soon it was time to head for home.

**piperchris** · 31st March 13, 01:16 PM

You Brits are so wonderful about historic preservation and restoration! I wish I could say the same thing about the "throwaway" United States! Cheers Mate!

**Grizzly** · 1st April 13, 02:26 AM

Thanks for taking us on the journey Alex. Looks as though it was a grand day out.

**Chas** · 1st April 13, 03:00 AM

Oh, memories, memories! So many of those vehicles looked so familiar. I remember the Bedford TJ well. I used to drive one in the RAF. Then one day we wake up and realise that we haven't seen them in years and wonder where they have gone.

Thanks, Alex.

Chas

**JonathanB** · 1st April 13, 04:16 AM

A 73 bus going to Victoria in the first pic! O gosh. The 73 was the almost only way by public to get from Stoke Newington (where I lived) to King's Cross or central London. The hours I've spent sitting on them (and it seemed even more hours standing at the bus stop waiting for them). (The Routemaster double decker, as in the first pic, was replaced by the dreaded bendy bus but since I've moved south of the river, the 73 is now a pay-as-you-enter-one-operative bus. Incidentally, folk get all nostalgic about the Routemaster, but the seats were not comfortable.)

**sydnie7** · 1st April 13, 08:54 AM

Some spiffy-looking wheels in there, Alex! Thanks for the pix.

**Nile** · 1st April 13, 09:28 AM

Thanks for sharing that with us Alex! I really appreciate the pictures. Looks like the both of you had a good time.
Nile

**mookien** · 1st April 13, 09:38 AM

Alex: What a splendid array of vintage vehicles! Thank you for posting the photographs. That looks like a lot of fun. My favorites are the Mack B61 and that 1946 Leyland Tiger. Did you get to drive any of them?

Stainmore? Isn't that where Eric (Bloodaxe) Haraldsson, and his son and brother were ambushed and murdered? Is it the same Stainmore (south of Carlisle)?

John

**cessna152towser** · 1st April 13, 10:00 AM

Did you get to drive any of them?

Stainmore? Isn't that where Eric (Bloodaxe) Haraldsson, and his son and brother were ambushed and murdered? Is it the same Stainmore (south of Carlisle)?

No, I had a day off from driving. None of the Glasgow City Council owned buses which I drive took part in the event.
Yes indeed that is the same Stainmore where Eric (Bloodaxe) was murdered. Brough and Kirkby Stephen are situated only a few miles to the west of Stainmore.