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Yorkshire 2022

Page last updated on 19th September 2023

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2022 saw a visit to the wonderful scenery of north Yorkshire, some 27 years since I visited the city of York back in 1995, although I did do a couple of one day trips to Leeds Bradford airport in 2006 firstly to view Austin A60 UYM 371F, followed by a return trip to buy it and bring it home. Having perused public transport options for our visit, it seemed much more practical to hire a car and use that to get about instead. A booking with a car hire operator near Leeds Bradford airport was made and the car was to be a Ford Fiesta or similar. However, what we got turned out to be a newly delivered MG3 with just 291 miles on the clock. On the weekend of our trip there were two vintage one day shows on, plus a two day event in Goathland. So the plan was to visit one of the vintage shows and get to Goathland on the other day.

So off we set, along roads I recalled from 2006 when I test drove the A60 before buying it, around Otley and its surroundings. Our first port of call was the market town of Thirsk, which was the home and workplace of Alfred Wight, a vet better known as James Herriott. Portrayed on TV and film many times over the years, his former surgery is now a museum and visitor centre. A most interesting place to visit, either as a fan of the TV series or just for an insight into past ways of life. Back on the road after this visit we made our way to the village of Arncliffe and the guesthouse we had booked into.

Saturday saw us heading to the Hunton Steam Gathering. Apart from the classic buses which were on view (see this link for a report on that), there was a large gathering of classic cars as well as trucks and tractors, plus various side attractions. A good day out with plenty to see and do, despite the rain. On Sunday we took a shorter drive to the nearby village of Goathland, which is better known as Aidensfield in the TV show Heartbeat. It holds an annual two day event to recall the series, featuring some of the cars and cast members from the programme, and attracts a great turnout of visitors each year. This year's guest visitors were Tricia Penrose and David Lonsdale, who were kept busy during both days meeting fans, signing autographs and having photos taken with the visitors. While we were there we walked around the village and saw many of the buildings used in the show, including the garage, church, pub and railway station, all familiar sights worldwide via the small screen.

All too soon our trip drew to a close and we travelled back from Arncliffe to the airport, stopping off in Malton en route, visiting a small collection of classic cars there which included a 1965 MG Magnette. I didn't dare suggest getting a photo of that alongside the hired MG3, as the only real link between them is the octagonal badge. Nonetheless, its nice to see the MG logo again adorning new cars, even if they are now produced in China. Such is progress I suppose.... After that it was time to return the car and check in for our flight home.

Our hire car for the jaunt around the Yorkshire Moors, a brand new MG3 with less than 300 miles on the clock.

The former home and workplace of Alf Wight (James Herriott) at 23 Kirkgate in Thirsk, now the World of Herriott visitor centre.

Also seen in Thirsk at the market place was this Volvo B8R/MCV B46F owned by Reliance of Sutton-on-the-Forest. It was just two months old when photographed on route 30 from Thirsk to York.

The Hunton event site had been rained on heavily, which caused problems for this traction engine. Here a modern diesel tractor is coming to its rescue to tow it in reverse to its parking space.

During the afternoon a parade of tractors was held around part of the site. The most unusual one I saw was this machine, which is a 1919 American example with Avery badging on one side. And that's all I know about it -- does anyone have more information on it?

The triple arch bridge which carries the Esk Valley railway line over the approach road to the village. This structure is the main reason only single deck buses can be used on the local service.

An evening train at Glaisdale station, running from Middlesbrough to Whitby. Its comprised of a pair of class 158 DMUs, the leading one being 158 861. The line is single track over the 30 mile route, Glasidale having one of the only two passing loops on the entire route.

This Bristol RELL6L was spotted in a roadside field as we drove from Glaisdale to Goathland, looking a bit down at heel, but fully intact. However it had changed hands a few months earlier and is currently taxed, so hopefully it is safe for future generations. Just five more more of this design was built after it, along with four East Lancs bodied ones for Halton Borough Transport, all other post 1974 orders going to either Northern Ireland or New Zealand.

OHN 911E is a 1967 Nuffield tractor that was seen in a few episodes of Heartbeat, usually in the yard of Claude Greengrass's (Bill Maynard) house.

A selection of some of the classic cars seen on the green at Goathland shops, including Volkswagen, Riley, Ford, Austin, MG and Rover amongst others in the front row.

Goathland station on the North Yorkshire Moors railway often featured in Heartbeat, so a visit was made to it before we left the village. Here loco 92134, a British Railways class 9F, waits for departure towards Pickering......

......while in the opposite direction, 80136 is climbing the hill into Goathland. It is one of a fleet of 155 locos of this type built between 1951 and 1956, of which fifteen now are surviving. A similar batch of eighteen were supplied to Northern Ireland in 1947, and one of those is now restored.

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