The Lost Railways of Yorkshire: The Little Railway that Couldn't - The Malton and Driffield Railway 

I volunteer at the Yorkshire Wolds Railway, thank you for making this and featuring us

New subscriber. Lovely nostalgic bit of mind food. I'm a bit homesick for my East Yorkshire, and given all the doom and gloom going on in the world, this was a wonderfully 'British', romantic tonic. I've walked several sections of that line. I've been to Wharram Percy many times. I once went as a young teen with my folks and we found Burdale, I've been back since with my Mrs, and we started at the Single line entrance and trudged through the woods, stopping to peer into the foreboding black abyss of the Smoke vents dotted along the top. Till we came out at the other end. What a thrill that was. I've been interested in the Old disused railways around Driffield and East Yorkshire all my life. I find it strangely haunting and forlorn. It's quite a tangible feeling, in the True definition of the Word 'Nostalgia', it fills me with equal parts a warm, romanticised glow, and a melancholic sense of loss. Despite how those that try and destroy our beautiful little isle, they can never take away my memories, and videos like yours, which I couldn't have discovered at a better time, serve to add to the richness of my memories. So as a proud East Yorkshireman, with a profound love of our history. Incidentally, my Grandad was a Steam Traction engine driver, who once told me of him nearly losing it on the hill into Sledmere. 😬. My Stepdad was a Hull man, and also into the history of the railways. So your channel is a great find, I can't thank you enough for your time, energy and passion. I'm in the process of moving back to Hull in the next couple of Months. I'd love to hit you up, and have a really good chin wag with you, about some fascinating tidbits, over a couple of beers. 🙏🏻👍🏻😊

Another enjoyable video. I read up on this railway after coming across a photo of a level crossing in Driffield whilst stationed at RAF Driffield in the early 90’s. Easier to trace the line via Google Earth these days. Notable users of the line were Queen Victoria and George VI alighting at Sledmere and Fimber when visiting the Sykes Estate. Apparently they shunted the Royal trains into a siding and removed a section of line to prevent other trains from crashing into it. Things had moved on when the late Queen visited the Sykes estate, choosing to fly into RAF Driffield. Incidentally whilst reading’Strong Foundations’ a history of RAF Driffield , it mentions a narrow gauge railway constructed from Driffield to move materials to the aerodrome whilst under construction.

Hello and greetings from Kingston upon Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Just watched your excellent video showing the Fimber railway line, and I must say is a delight to visit and travel on. It will be great to see the line connect with Wet Wang again. I am 68 now and left school in 1970, age 15. I got a job with British Rail as a Junior railman ( lad porter) in the railway goods yard next to Kingston street in Hull. My job was to put on / take off wagon labels. I was already a railway enthusiast and when the shunters found out I liked trains the engine driver said to me, would I like to drive the yard pilot which was a class 08 shunter. I said yes please and the driver showed me what to do and I drove the locomotive up to Albert Drapers scrap yard and we parked the locomotive near by and went to look in the yard as Albert Draper had a Black five locomotive in there, 5305.( BR 453O5) Anyway we had a look at the locomotive and then we went back to the yard. Happy days indeed. Love your videos I shall be watching again, 👍

Another great video. If people can read a copy of Warwick Burton's book they can probably see how optimistic the plan was. But what a fabulous ride it would have been from Malton to Driffield in that rolling countryside!

Whenever I happen across a channel with 'history nerd' in the title I know I'm amongst friends! Great film thank you.

Jim these films are the best things to come out of Hull since the Housemartins split up . Real quality productions, such a pleasure to watch thank you .

Thank you for this excellent video. My late friend, Warwick, wrote the book on the Malton and Driffield Railway. We enjoyed many cycle rides visiting places on the line. His book is very good, and I'm glad it was published before he passed away. I'm sure he would enjoy your video.

Just the gift of Wetwang station is a fantastic reason for this line to be remembered! Superb and genuinely interesting video.

Very interesting. Why were we never told this at school... I. E. Malet lambert school... Great video. Thanks again. Glen.... 👍👍👍👍🏆🏆🏆

That was one of your best videos so far. The Wolds are indeed a special place, with a beauty all their own, but it has to be admitted that putting a line through such a sparsely populated area was never likely to be a money-spinner. As for Burdale Tunnel I don't think that can ever be re-opened, but it would be good to see the Yorkshire Wolds Railway push on eastwards and get to Wetwang. Good luck to them.

Thanks indeed for an 'accidental' trip down memory lane. As a kid I used to live in Malton (Norton). I loved watching the steam trains on that particular line (also placing pennies on the line to flatten them). The line was at the back of our house on Parliament Ave. We then moved to a cottage on Scarborough Rd, next to the railway bridge. Thanks for the memories.

Now this is the one I been waiting for knowing a few member off the group they making fast progest at the wright there going they be at driffield running train to the station in notime 😅

Every day's a school day with the great videos this man presents.

Great presentation and history,thank you.

Fantastic video again HHN. I love seeing the revival. Those volunteers at the Yorkshire Wolds Railway are amazing people. One day that project will be as big as the north Yorkshire Moors railway!

Great stuff. A really interesting story. As part of a book I'm writing on a notorious 19th century agitator, John De Morgan, I have written a chapter about his early childhood on the Burdale Tunnel navvy encampment in the 1850s. So it was good to see the area and the tunnel brought to life so vividly. De Morgan's father, James Morgan, was an on-site engineer and the family lived next door to the 'missionary' Ishmael Fish. It was a lot less violent than the bigger 'colonies' and there were more children than single navvies, with almost all the accommodation family-based with lodgers. [Rob Allen]

Superb eyebrow work at the end there, as well.

Brilliant video, as usual. I think that the achievement the YWR have made, and whatever achievement they do make, is remarkable. Most preserved railways at least start off with a railway. The YWR had almost nothing.

Thank you Sir 🤛

The last part was heartwarming HN, to see the revival of an unloved and undernourished railway. Well done....

Excellent video as always. One very interesting fact to outline the absolute idiocy behind the construction of this line is the fact that it was promoted as a through route for coal traffic between Newcastle and Hull. The phrase coals to Newcastle comes to mind. It just outlines the self serving interest that Hudson had in his own profits that he would effectively promote a railway which would take away trade from his own Newcastle and Berwick Railway....Newcastle also being a major port to benefit Hull! Money talks!

I don't expect you to make a video about it, but the North Lindsay Light Railway is most interesting. I visited a few places, on the line - Whitton, Winteringham Haven etc. having lived in Scunthorpe for a bit.

Excellent presentation. The walking around Burdale is exceptional, and I think you caught some of the beauty of the local area. As a local lad growing up around Driffield it's great to get some good local history.

Just found your channel and watched a couple of videos. Very good. I subscribe to Martin Zero's channel, so I'm going there to watch the tunnel video now. I love the village name "Wetwang". So close to "Wet Wank". I would love to live there to have that on my letterhead! I guess you don't need people like me subscribing to your channel, but I gave you a like anyway.

You're really selling me the Yorkshire Wolds - it's now on my wish list to go and have a really good look at the Wolds.

what a fantastic and educational vid thnaks for sharing

superb loved it

You've made my miserable day in Thailand bearable. Thank you!

Brilliant video, one of my favourite branch lines. We've just come across your channel and love it.

Excellent video !!

Really pleased to find this channel and this video about my neck of the woods.

Your voice and style were made for presenting history! Love watching your programmes all the way in Melbourne, Australia (although born in the U.K.).

The tunnel at Burdale was apparently bored in sections as there is at least one partially subsided construction shaft in the wood above the tunnel. There are also two major roof falls between the air-shafts on the Grimston side. The tunnel is also a bat hibernicula. So it is never going to be re-opened. The tunnel has some dodgy geology to cause those major roof falls or they are failed construction shafts.

This is an excellent documentary - really engaging presenter, well-researched and interesting content and some great camera work and editing. Many congratulations, @HullHistoryNerd. Happy to subscribe and discover your other videos.

Lovely area of scenic beauty. Played rugby against Driffield. Great blokes pity it wasn't lambing season. We might have stood a chance then

This really was very good. I got choked up contemplating the lines eventual demise. You really have managed to have my entire family hooked. Your channel is growing and the work you are doing is fantastic. Thank you so much. I would be happy wearing a t-shirt donned with HULL HISTORY NERD. You are a gentlemen and a hero.

thank you so much this hull lad in lancashire loves these videos so much

Drove past these tracks to work for a while ,such a lovely area. Great vid as always 👍

I enjoyed this video so much I watched it twice this area of the world is a particular favourite of mine features a lot on my RU-vid channel including my love of this fascinating story of the little railway that did also watch Martin Zero episode about the tunnel a very scary story 😮❤

I came across that silo and associated buildings about thirty years ago whilst out that way on my bike. It wasn't as badly overgrown then. There was a lot still in situ-a lot of metal machinery, for example.

Great Episode as always, another destination on the list when I am in the Wetwang area, I can fly a plane, I am sure I can drive a train 😆...an excuse to go for some fish and chips too.

Brilliant, The history of this line perfectly explained. Wolds Railway is fab, great to see the line been recreated in a small way

Many thanks again. Great work

this is brilliant - currently doing a tiny little series on driff and this is awesome for it :)

Another excellent history lesson, keep em coming Jim.

Very informative video of a railway close to where I live. I have been into the tunnel as a kid as far as the collapse. I would not venture in now as it’s so unstable. Be good to see the wolds railway thrive and get longer. 👍

Totally superb video !!!!!

Another cracking film. Thanks Jim.

As always: Thank you for a very informative upload, focusing on an area previously unknown to me. Appetite-whetter! The stillness of the summer atmosphere is palpable. Insects buzzing around rosebay willowherb. Quite melancholic, in a good, remembrance/memories in the making way. All the best to you and yours, HHN, from mine and me. Rab 🍻😎💚

Brilliant. Very enjoyable , well presented, well researched. Thank you very much for posting...

Excellent! A very enjoyable video about an area I love.

Great Work Mate.. All The Best...

Excellent again HHN . Keep it up 👍

Another informative and excellently put together video 😉👌👍👍👍...

Excellent. Keep up the good work

great video, i'm also a big fan of martin zero and pat dickinson..

Great drone shots

Great Video

Wow what great video I'm still learning alot I have been fimber Holt I'm still trying to find that tunnel

Hi jamie while you were at fimber did you see the old pictures of king george Vl + queen mother on the royal train stopping there to stay at sledmere house in 1948.

addicted

Apologies, but for years I thought the best thing out of Hull was the John Sullivan Way, I have to say the the Hull History Nerb is fantastic, pity most of the MSM is of no comparison to the presentation and background information. Love the series, getting to love the area (York based so Hudson & Leeman are important).

Hi there...great little series this. I live at Dunford Bridge, at the eastern mouth of the Woodhead tunnels, I'd really like to see a good history of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire railway (what became the Woodhead Line, now sadly defunct but very walkable, part of the trans pennine trail.

5:25 That picture reminds me of the Shed 17 video where Thomas The Tank Engine was genetically modified from a boy to a train! 🤪

Navvies certainly know how to knock’em back

there is one that you may be interested in its the york to tadcaster the line that never was

❤❤❤❤

I'm having to use closed captions and I thought youd like to know that google inteprets the way you say stone work as "stern work". Proper hull accent!

Excellent story of this ill conceived railway. Below is a link to a wonderful film of the Wharram Percy quarry in operation, Titled "the Chalk Getters". ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dyXtfjlAigY.html

Another well researched video, thanks. Im going to watch Martins video now, I love his work but dont think I watched that video. Ive just done a video about a railway bridge near me, no where near as good as yours but I used the mapping website to get my route details : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-N6QHFxb1stE.html

Liverpool to Manchester was the FIRST passenger railway in the WORLD.! NOT JUST ENGLAND OR BRITAIN.!

I think, HHN, that those navies were clearly drunk on The Holy Spirit Edit: Three cheers for Bob T Drone

you got a large section of you info completely wrong george stephenson did invent the railway & it wasnt manchester the first passenger service it was actually made between darlington & stockton i came from darlington & the only thing that coulnt be agreed on was where the locomotion number one journey started from was it darlington or stockton if you loook into it more the rocket was featured on the old £5 notes with its 15 coaches passing over skerne bridge that is still there to this day

This is spoilt by the lousy music

Nothing has changed think Crossrail HS2 Dot.com and now the Covid Office Space Disaster followed by HGV Driver disaster etc etc We still have difficulty with Cause and Effect…..