One of BR's most remarkable surviving anachronisms was the 2-mile long, privately owned Easingwold Railway in North Yorkshire. It branched off the ECML at Alne and terminated in Easingwold's attractive market place. This delightfully bucolic 1956 scene could have been witnessed at virtually any time since the railway opened in 1887. It would close to passengers in November 1948 and to all traffic in December 1957.

Latterly, ex-North Eastern Railway 'J72' or (as here) 'J71' 0-6-0 Tanks were the motive power hired from BR. 68253 was built at Darlington in May 1890 as NER No. 239 and was withdrawn in Sept. 1957.

© Stephen Barrett Archive-SA Collection