End of Paddy Waddell’s Railway

I’ve written about Paddy Waddell’s Railway before, the railway that never was. A grand plan devised in the 1870s to link the ironstone mines at Glaisdale with the North East Railway at Skelton. Embankments were built and cuttings excavated and just one bridge was constructed here at Rake House near Lealholm just before the line was supposed to have bridged the River Esk. The damp cuttings of the bridge have been transformed into a wildlife pond. But no rails were ever laid. Rake House itself was a 17th-century inn where the Irish navvies would spend their evenings. It is now a private residence.

Posted

19th June 2018

Lealholm, North York Moors

Fhithich

Tags:

bridge, Paddy Wardell, railway

Comments

7 responses to “End of Paddy Waddell’s Railway”

Ken

24th March 2022

Hi I am trying to locate the position of the Paddy Waddell’s end of line memorial stone but without any success.
I would be most grateful if you are able to help with a grid reference for this stone,I have looked on the internet but only found a photo of the stone but no information on it’s position.

Thanks for any help
Ken Canham

Reply
1. Phil Saunders
  
  24th June 2022
  
  Hi Ken
  Did you manage to find the memorial if so I would also be grateful for the exact position.
  It’s very hard to find on line. Thanks Phil
  Philsaunders25@gmail.com
  
  Reply
2. Sam
  
  29th June 2023
  
  Hi. Hope this helps. I was there today.
  https://explore.osmaps.com/pin?lat=54.44827808133246&lon=-0.8020118262477354&zoom=15.99881322287994
  
  Reply
  1. Fhithich
    
    29th June 2023
    
    Thanks
    
    Reply
Fhithich

24th March 2022

Ken, I can’t honestly remember a memorial. Is this the one http://www.hidden-teesside.co.uk/2017/10/04/end-of-paddy-waddells-railway-glaisdale/?

Even with that my recollection is a bit vague. From that photo it looks as through there is a pond in the background. Which could be the private pond made out of the old cutting.

I’ve updated my map extract in the main post. If you zoom in you can see the pond.

Hope this helps.

Reply
Paul Harrison

28th September 2022

Hi, the ‘end of the line’ memorial sits next to the pond at Rake Farm. I used to live at Rake Farm ( I sold it in 2018) and I installed the memorial in 2014, just after completing the building of the wild life pond. Hope this helps…. Paul Harrison

Reply
1. Fhithich
  
  28th September 2022
  
  Thanks for that info, Paul.
  
  Reply