The LNER Encyclopedia

Just a light-hearted poser for you all.
This is a photo of a "railway" taken by me recently and I wondered how many of you can identify the location and purpose of the line?
Two clues - it is in LNER territory, and an object just visible in the background might give you a hint.
If no-one gets it this week, I'll post a picture with a better clue!

Just a guess, but I would say somewhere on the Waverley route from Carlisle to Edinburgh. The wild moorlands and the "target" tank (used on an army gunnery range) suggest somewhere near Riccarton junction. If not, then it is the line from Riccarton down to Hexham, but this doesn't feel right.
Nice photo, though.

Otterburn ranges?

You got it.

What's the "railway" used for?

At another rough guess....I would say for "moving targets" for gunnery practice. Just a guess. I can think of no other reason, except for the fact that I can see what look like bunkers in the right backgraound.

Yes you have got it, I had hoped that it would have baffled you all for a bit longer!
It is on the Redesdale Training Area, which is part of the Otterburn Ranges, and is indeed used for target practice.
A petrol powered trolley is allowed to run downhill towing a wagon carrying a large sheet of polystyrene which has an electrically heated target built in, and Apache helicopters fire inert heat seeking missiles at it. When the trolley gets to the bottom of the hill a raised centre rail trips a lever which engages the drive gear and the trolley powers back up the hill to where it started.
The total length is about 500 yards.
There are 2 target lines on the ranges, the other one is at Silloans Farm, and is a conventional 2ft gauge railway in the form of a large circle with a short siding leading to a 2 road engine shed. This line is about 3/4 mile long and was re-located here from Ross Sands near Bamburgh in the 1950's. It uses Whickham trolleys powered by VW engines, although there are also a couple of pre-war ones that have JAP V-twin engines.

Ha Ha Ha............busted!!!!!

Now, one from me. This is a genuine inquiry. I have a photo of A7 1180 exiting a tunnel somewhere within the old North Eastern Railway area, and yet I don' t know where it is. It looks familiar and I feel I should know it, but it won't spring to mind. Can anyone help me? It is distinctive so should easily to be identified. Help please? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Malcolm,

Aha! That one is more my part of the world. North Portal of Bramhope Tunnel - on the Leeds Northern Line which originally ran to Thirsk, although the section north of Harrogate has been pulled up.

There's some history here:

http://www.bramhope.org/brtunnel.htm

A relatively early tunnel, there were various problems and fatalities during construction.

Further north, the line also has a picturesque viaduct at Arthington over the Wharfe.

Richard

Richard,

Great. Thanks Dude. Much appreciated. I thought I must know it.

Malcolm