The Wensleydale Railway is making special arrangements for Saturday, 5th September, when the Yorkshire stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men’s Cycle Race finishes in Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

The railway will operate a special park-and-ride train service to transport cycling fans to Leyburn for the finish of the race in Leyburn market place.

Many local roads will be closed, and many others will have heavy traffic, so the Wensleydale Railway’s special service will provide spectators and cyclists a stress-free alternative way to travel to Leyburn.

Passengers can park elsewhere to avoid the congestion in Leyburn, and travel by train directly to and from the race finish line.

There will be five trains between Leeming Bar, Bedale, and Leyburn.

To allow spectators to enjoy the post-race celebrations in Leyburn without feeling rushed, the last train of the day will not depart from Leyburn until 6.30 pm for the return journey to Bedale and Leeming Bar.

Wensleydale Railway has also entered a partnership with the Little White Bus community transport service to provide a shuttle bus service for train passengers between Leyburn Station and the marketplace in Leyburn.

The service will be free, but donations to support the community bus service will be greatly appreciated.

The Little White Bus normally provides scheduled bus services for the residents and visitors to Upper Wensleydale and Swaledale in North Yorkshire.

In addition to providing transport, the railway will have a presence at the race finish line.

Next Wednesday, the Wensleydale Railway is repeating its popular Teddy Bear’s Picnic, first held in May, and the weekend before the cycle race, Saturday, 29th August, and Sunday, 30th August, the railway is holding an industrial diesel weekend.

“If you’re heading to the race – with or without a bike – why not let our trains take the strain! Leave the car behind, sit back and enjoy a relaxing scenic train journey with us. With 5 trains to choose from, you have plenty of time to spend the day in and around Leyburn before enjoying the race finish!”

“Families can take advantage of our kids for a quid travel offer, which allows children aged 3-15 to travel for only £1 on our trains with a full-paying adult. We have also added an additional train to our scheduled services, and dedicated bike carrying capacity will also be available for customers travelling by bike. It’s free to bring your bike onboard our trains, with a valid travel ticket. Please speak to the train guard, and they will ensure that your bike is correctly loaded into our separate storage coach.”

Nick Keegan, Marketing and Fundraising Manager, Wensleydale Railway