Sadly I never had a chance to record steam over Stainmore, so with a flavour of what it may have been like, click on the sound icon for a memorable recording of BR Standard 4, 75014 with 7 coaches on the climb to Slochd on the Highland Main Line 12/10/1997. It starts on the 1:60 approaching Culloden station then over the easy grade of Culloden Viaduct (No such luxury at Belah!) then back onto the 1:60, despite the rubbish coal Bert Hitchin has her feathering shortly afterwards. I very much doubt many runs on the Stainmore line were done in this fashion, over 25 minutes almost continuously at Full and 45%! And the Western Region didn't think the Standard 4's would be a match for a Manor!

All the B&W photographs of Belah were taken on 25/05/2007.Please click on an image for a larger version. Many thanks to the current owners of Barras station for permission to take the shots of the Station and for the warm welcome I recieved, it was an hour very pleasantly spent. Obviously it is private property so to any other visitors please ask first.
Belah is the most amazing place even today, the buttresses of the viaduct are like Roman remains and the Signal Box is such a poignant sight, i'm sure while I was standing transfixed on the hillside I could hear a Standard 4 toiling up the 1:59 from Kirkby Stephen!
Visit http://www.cumbria-railways.co.uk/stainmore_railway_company_photos.html for more information, also have a look at the dedication of the volunteers from http://www.kirkbystepheneast.co.uk/
Stainmore Summit, sadly like so many rural railways is nothing but sheep and juggernauts and Bowes station is gradually collapsing in on itself, a tragic end to such an inspiring railway.

Page two covers Kirkby Stephen to Tebay and to Penrith, also some shots on the Middleton branch.
Page three is a general railway view of Darlington, including some of the steam sheds as well as stations.
Some of the shots included do not strictly relate to The Stainmore route, particularly at Tebay and Darlington but are included as they cover the railways of the area and I am sure they will be of interest.