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During the construction phase of Catterick Camp 1914-1915 light railway was built by the Royal Engineers between Catterick Bridge and the fledgling camp to permit the movement of building materials. This was replaced by a standard gauge system in late 1915.

During World War I, traffic handled at Catterick Bridge Station rose from a pre-war figure of 6,700 tons to 160,000 tons and an increase in wagon is from 1,100 to 25,000 a year. 75,000 men per year passed through Catterick Camp from 1915 until the end of the war, the majority of which travelled by train.

World War II again saw much activity on the railway, continuing until the demise of National Service in the early 1960s. As troop numbers dwindled, so did the rail service. Coupled to the withdrawal of services on the Richmond branch line all activity ceased by March 1969. The lines of the Catterick Military Railway were lifted between October and December 1970. The railway girder bridge over the River Swale remains in use for pedestrians.

These photos show a traffic island at the centre of the Camp with a statue of a steam train situated directly above the route of the original branch line.  Photos kindly provided by Dave Boyd.