Chasing ‘Tugs’

Chris Gee describes the best spots to photograph Class 60s at work on the picturesque Rylstone branch near Skipton, North Yorkshire.

THE freight-only line between Skipton and Tarmac’s Swinden Quarry, more commonly known as the Rylstone branch, runs through an especially scenic part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park – which makes it great for railway photography throughout the seasons, and even more so since Class 60 ‘Tugs’ returned as the principal motive power in spring 2024. Weekdays are the best days to visit, as weekend workings are infrequent and less predictable. The most reliable trains for daylight photography are 6D25/08.50 Rylstone to Hull Dairycoates; 6D37/12.27 Rylstone to Leeds Hunslet; 6D50/10.24 Hull Dairycoates to Rylstone; and 6D31/18.20 Rylstone to Hull Dairycoates. Most other trains operate during the hours of darkness, even in the summer months, although for early risers the 6D89/04.05 Leeds Hunslet to Rylstone or 6D90/05.50 Leeds Hunslet to Rylstone…

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The Railway (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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