Visit 29/07/2006.
Taking a diversion on the way home from our holiday, we ventured down a back lane to find Wolds Way Lavender, at Wintringham near Malton, just off the A64.
The Lavender farm here opened to the public in 2003 and in 2005 a 7 1/4" gauge railway opened on the site. Don't be fooled by the presence of a passenger train, the primary purpose of the railway is to carry Lavender and wood to the distillery and remove the waste product of the distilling process. To this end there are at least four wagons on site, all built on site with wooden bodies, some removable for tipping and transport off the railway. An excellent video of the line in use during the brief (three week) harvest period is shown in the distillery, which also gives an insight into how the Lavender oil is produced.
Passenger rides are available for a pound in two smart open coaches, hauled by the resident Roanoke 0-4-0 petrol hydraulic locomotive, works no. 0502019, built in 2005. According to a display on the wall of the distillery a Bagnal outline 0-4-0ST is under construction for use here. |
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The distillery building from the outside, note the truck to the right of the picture. 567x425 |
A closer view of the 4 wheel truck, built on-site. 567x425 |
A look at the inside of the truck, showing the framing. 567x425 |
At the other end of the building we find the 0-4-0 perol locomotive and coaches. 567x425 |
The locomotive was built new for the line by Roanoke in 2005. 567x425 |
Two of the lavender carring bogie wagons. The wooden bodies are removable. 567x425 |
A look at the neat 4 seat coaches in the distillery building. 567x425 |
A detail shot of one of the coach bogies. 567x425 |
A view of the distillery equipment, used during the harvest to produce Lavender oils. 567x425 |
An overall view of the outside of the distillery, the passenger platform was not in use during our visit. 567x425 |
A look along the line in the opposite direction, the line is currently a few hundred yards long. 567x425 |
At the far end you there is a Lavender loading hopper. 567x425 |
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