#4 - Clay Bank Top and Ingleby Incline
North York Moors National ParkLength: 9.2 mi • Est. 4 h 43 m
This area is steeped in history, connected to the mining industry which once dominated this land.
The first construction of a recognisable railway along this route was in 1858 when The Ingleby Ironstone & Freestone Mining Company built a narrow gauge line to link existing mining operations with the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway at Battersby (known at the time as Ingleby Junction). Because of the difference in height between Battersby and the moorland location of the workings, a steep 1 in 5 (20%) incline was located at Ingleby (hence the name, Ingleby Incline), where trucks would be hauled up the slope to a height of 1,200 feet above sea level using the weight of descending full wagons. The length of the incline was 1,650 yards and the wagons descended at an average speed of 20 mph. It took 3 minutes from top to bottom.
So be prepared for some incline and great views to match!
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