▁ ▁line ▁runs ▁from ▁Al ston ▁in ▁C umb ria , ▁up ▁the ▁South ▁Ty ne ▁Valley , ▁via ▁G ilder dale , ▁Kir kh augh ▁and ▁L int ley , ▁across ▁the ▁South ▁Ty ne , ▁G ilder dale ▁and ▁Wh itle y ▁Vi ad uct s ▁to ▁S lag gy ford ▁in ▁North umber land . ▁ ▁Form er ▁line ▁The ▁narrow ▁gauge ▁railway ▁line ▁is ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁track ▁bed ▁of ▁the ▁southern ▁section ▁former ▁Al ston ▁Line , ▁a ▁standard ▁gauge ▁branch ▁line ▁between ▁H alt wh ist le ▁and ▁Al ston ▁which ▁was ▁closed ▁by ▁British ▁Rail ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁The ▁railway ▁is ▁operated ▁by ▁a ▁char ity , ▁The ▁South ▁T yn ed ale ▁Railway ▁Pres ervation ▁Society , ▁which ▁was ▁registered ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁Pass enger ▁trains ▁operate ▁on ▁the ▁railway ▁from ▁Spring ▁to ▁Aut umn ▁and ▁attract ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁to ▁the ▁district ▁every ▁year . ▁ ▁Information ▁about ▁exact ▁dates ▁are ▁on ▁the ▁railway ' s ▁web ▁site ▁www . s outh - t yn ed ale - ra il way . org . uk ▁Special ▁trains ▁operate ▁including ▁Santa ▁Special ▁trains ▁on ▁certain ▁days ▁in ▁December ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁Although ▁no ▁Santa ▁trains ▁ran ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁as ▁volunte er ▁efforts ▁were ▁put ▁into ▁comple ting ▁the ▁extension ▁to ▁L int ley ▁in ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2