Pigeon Post

This is the crossing at Ainderby Steeple, the building on the left is the old Ainderby Station. From here you see the unused part of the Wensleydale Heritage Railway towards Leeming Bar. The track behind me goes to Northallerton. One day they hope to use it again.

Passenger services were withdrawn in 1954 but continued as a freight line for a while. It was an important line during WW2 military used as a supply line servicing Catterick Garrison and local RAF airfields like at Leeming. It also allowed alternative routes between the mainlines.

I only noticed the pigeon when I checked my images. It reminded me that my grandfather had been trained during WW2 to look after the pigeon lofts in Norfolk. Maybe if modern technology fails pigeons will be popular again?

Note: Although this was called Aindeby Station it is on the edge of the Morton-on-Swale village. When the line was developed in Victorian times Ainderby no doubt had more clout than Morton or may have had the more important residents. It definitely has the bigger church.