IT IS WITH REGRET THAT THE ORGANISERS OF THIS FESTIVAL HAVE INFORMED US THAT THE EVENT WILL NOT GO AHEAD DUE TO POOR TICKET SALES. OUR BEST WISHES TO PETER CHAPMAN AND THE TEAM - WE THOUGHT THA IT WAS A MARVELLOUS IDEA. ED SEPT 10TH, 2015
The inaugural Revolving Words Festival of Railway Literature, 23rd-25th Oct 2015, is a delightful innovation that is part of the 25th birthday celebrations of the Wensleydale Railway Association and in support of the Wensleydale Railway.
Given the enormous role that railways have played in our history, plus the sense of pleasure that trains give to so many, this festival is a welcome addition to the literary scene.
When? Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th October 2015
Where? Bedale, North Yorkshire
Bedale Station (Friday evening)Who? Liars' League (Leeds);Tanya Jackson (author of British Rail: The Nation’s Railway); Christian Wolmar (author & RAIL columnist); Malcolm Pryce; Chris Lloyd (Deputy Editor of The Northern Echo and speaker on “Rockliffe and The Railways” pictured right); Professor Charles Oppenheim (Emeritus Professor of Information Science at Loughborough University, the chair of debates); Kevin Roberston (Director of Publishing Ian Allan); Andrew Mitchell;
Website? Revolving Words
You might like to visit the Wensleydale Railway Association website as well.
Twitter?@revolvingwords
Facebook?
Friday 23rd October 2015
7.30-9pm
Readings from Railway Literature
organised and presented by Liar’s League (Leeds), on board a special train stabled at Bedale station. Sponsored by Wills Bros
Saturday 24th October 2015
10am-10.45
Scottish railway scene – George O’Hara (Clyard Novella Ltd)
11am-11.45
Too Much Information! – Tanya Jackson (author of British Rail: The Nation’s Railway)
12.30-1.30
Rail Privatisation – panel discussion chaired by Spencer Stokes (BBC Look North)
Christian Wolmar (Rail columnist) & Richard McClean (MD, Grand Central)
2pm-2.45
Rail enthusiasts in the Media – Murray Brown (Chair, Deltic Preservation Society)
3pm-3.45
The Case of the ‘Hail Mary’ Celeste - Malcolm Pryce (author)
Evening
Murder Mystery train to Bolton Castle – Chuffing Theatre Company
Sunday 25th October 2015
10.15-11.45
Researching railways in print & through archives
Karen Baker (NRM), Chris Heather (TNA) & Bob Elllis (WRA)
12.30-13.30
Future of Railway Publishing – panel discussion chaired by Prof Charles Oppenheim
Kevin Robertson (Ian Allan), Tony Miles (Modern Railways), & Ian Furness (wnxx.com)
2.00-2.45pm
Rockliffe and the Railways – Chris Lloyd (Northern Echo)
3.00-4.00pm
Belles and Whistles: Five Journeys Through Time on Britain's Trains
Andrew Martin (novelist and railway fanatic)
6pm
Celebration Choral Evensong – Bedale Parish Church
Children’s activities Saturday (8-12yrs)
Chris Vine - Peter’s Railway
Cleveland Model Railway Club - Railway Modelling demonstrations
Meg Harper – Murder Mystery Train drama workshop 2.30-4pm (20 places)
Children’s activities Sunday (8-12yrs)
Chris Vine - Peter’s Railway
Cleveland Model Railway Club - Railway Modelling demonstrations
Meg Harper – storytelling 3pm-4pm (30 places)
Bookshop
Festival Books provided by
The railway in Wensleydale is a remarkable survivor. Having lost its passenger services in 1954, and almost half its route mileage by the early 1960s, the line survived until 1992 by carrying limestone to the smelters on Teesside. When that traffic finished, the Ministry of Defence decided to use the line for the occasional transport of military vehicles and this traffic kept the line alive long enough for the Wensleydale Railway Association (formed in 1990) to build support and eventually form a company to take a 100 year lease on the 22 miles of line from Northallerton to Redmire.
The line reopened to passenger traffic from Leeming Bar to Leyburn in 2003, and the following year the section to Redmire was also opened. In November 2014, a station was opened at Northallerton West which gives us a first, temporary, presence in the county town. Thus, the line now serves Northallerton West, Leeming Bar, Bedale , Finghall Lane, Leyburn and Redmire, a distance of 22 miles. An intermediate station at Scruton is in the process of restoration although services will not be able to call there until a length of modern full height platform is built to augment the current original low height platform which cannot be used.
In the longer term, we intend to rebuild the line west of Redmire to Castle Bolton, Aysgarth, Hawes and eventually to Garsdale on the famous Settle to Carlisle Railway.
The railway is run largely by volunteers, supported by a very small number of paid staff, and you can help by becoming a member of the Wensleydale Railway Association (Application form on the WRA pages) or the Wensleydale Railway Trust (Wensleydale Railway Trust).
text courtesy of Wensleydale Railway Trust website
If you are involved in this festival you can update or change details via the organisers page . Authors can list here.