StoneRoad2013's photos with the keyword: STR

Standing on the level crossing at the South Tynedale Railway, looking at the replacement overall roof. The back of Platform 2 is a full-length, high fence protecting quite a drop into the car park. {19visits HFF on 21Feb2025} No trains today, sadly, but a warm welcome & good food in Woolys [aka the Crossing Cafe].

Alston Railway Station - damp & cold day, sadly without trains. Shelter under the overall roof ? Warm welcome awaits in the Crossing Cafe ...

Bella at Woolys [aka the Crossing Cafe] Alston. She's just had a few treats !

Bella having an attack of being camera-shy at Woolys [Crossing Cafe at STR, Alston] I think she is probably wary of camera flash, with it bringing back memories from her original rescue ...

Under the new all-over roof at Alston. No.18 aka "Old Rusty" has been sat in Platform 2 as part of running around the passenger train in Platform 1, it will haul the next train to & from Slaggyford in a few minutes. It's normally the station shunter, but due to a problem it is deputising for the rostered steam loco. [Focus could be better, apologies, I think the camera's setting wasn't correct]

The builder's plate on the South Tynedale Railway's No.18 aka "Old Rusty" which is an 0-6-0DM ... Hudswell Clarke of Leeds built it in 1961, works no DM1247.

Hudswell Clarke "Old Rusty" or South Tynedale Railway's No.18 is about to go over the level crossing and then set back onto the train in the other platform.

Dug posing for a picture - I did ask Kim to join in ... basically this was towards the end of their last Sunday running the Crossing Cafe. Very serious face there but as soon as he saw me lower the camera, he grinned from ear to ear ...

A busy Kitchen ...

Looking inside, after a very busy period, there's now a few tables free. We had had the soup - curried vegetable, which was a lovely, warming & very filling meal. Can't quite see into the "Bootneck's Corner" [at the back, on the left] where I've sat, in a comfy armchair, a few times with Ben de-Dog ... Note : the suspended cycle - Not only are Dug & Kim dog-friendly, they also accept cyclists !

Engraved stone block commemorating the official opening of the South Tynedale Railway, on 25th May 1984. This is in the wall of the station building at Alston.

The maker's plate on Barber's cabside. Working the service trains during a very wet spell of weather on Sunday 7th July 2024.

A close-up of some early flowering daffodils in the car park at Alston Station [South Tynedale Railway].

A large patch of early flowering naturalised daffodils in the car park at Alston Station [South Tynedale Railway]. The close-up posted a couple of days ago was from this patch. The group of volunteers that look after this whole area will have plenty of work ahead of them this year.

Crossing Cafe - aka Hickins - is in this end of the Station Building at Alston. This is the upper terminus of the South Tynedale Railway [STR]. Currently [2023] an extremely dog-friendly establishment, that also does a good range of drinks, cakes, snacks and light meals for humans. We are regular, if not frequent, customers.

The area around Alston Station [South Tynedale Railway's upper terminus] is well supplied with picnic tables, and there are more tables & seating under the station canopy. Plus there's the cafe - which is currently known as Hickins' as well as the Crossing Cafe since the outside seating overlooks the level crossing. 2023 - the current menu & standard of service is very good and as it is dog-friendly we go there at least once a month for a meal and drinks.

The formidable wall on the right is supporting the alignment of the South Tynedale Railway [formerly the standard gauge Alston to Haltwhistle branch line] and footpath that now shares the route. . The base of the wall has some extensive and heavy stone blockwork in place as flood defences, [aka "rock armour" - note the large metal "staples" securing the blocks]. The main stream here is the River South Tyne, just behind the camera there is a bend in the South Tyne and the confluence with the River Nent. Their combined flow, plus the bend, when in winter spate was a risk to the stability of the railway's supporting wall, and the sheds further to the right but out of view in this image. Note, the large boulder field by the left bank, dropped in the inside of the curve ...

A late flowering example of Rosebay Willowherb [Epilobium augustifolium], also known as "fireweed" from the frequency with which it colonises burnt and ashy areas, or disturbed ground. Very common on old WW2 bombsites which usually meant both burnt and disturbed ground.