Settle - Carlisle railway line
History
The line was built between 1869 and 1876, at the height of 19th century rail expansion. It was born out of inter-company
rivalry, and is a superb example of Victorian engineering achievement, running through hostile but beautiful terrain. It
is no ordinary 'mountain railway' - it doesn't wind slowly around the hills, but cuts boldly through them. The engineers
skillfully exploited the terrain using cuttings and tunnels, and skirting the sides of hills, to achieve a high speed line
with no curves less that 1km radius, and no gradient more than 1 in 100.
I first became aware of the line when we walked the Pennine Way in 1970. We
sat eating our lunch at Cam End, an ancient junction of Roman roads several miles to the east, and saw the vast span of
Ribblehead Viaduct in the distance. Then in the early 1980s, when British Rail misguidedly tried to close the line, I joined
the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line to help save it. The closure
battle was long and controversial. It produced over 32,000 objections, the largest public reaction to any rail closure proposal
ever. I spoke at one of the closure hearings in Carlisle, having of course travelled there via the line. Eventually, in
1989 the line was reprieved. Paradoxically, its usage had already dramatically increased under the talented influence of
its local management.
Since then, much of the infrastructure has been upgraded, and new services introduced. As well as much expanded passenger
traffic (local commuters as well as tourists) the line is heavily used by goods traffic. Southbound the main flow is imported
coal from the Ayrshire ports to the Yorkshire power stations, and northbound there is a strong reverse flow of gypsum from
the gas desulphurisation plants at the power stations to plasterboard works near the north of the line. The line also acts
as a diversionary route on the regular occasions when the heavily used main line over Shap Fell is closed for maintenance.
Not surprisingly too, it is popular for rail excursions hauled by steam or heritage diesel locomotives. See a brief
history of the line .
If you have never visited the line, then you should do so. It is an experience not to be missed. And don't just ride
from end to end. Alight at stations along the route to enjoy the surrounding countryside. Or walk from one station to another
- walks between two points can be much more satisfying than the same distance walked in a circle back to where you started,
and you can usually see more along the way. Some of the line's structures look even more spectacular when viewed from the
landscape than when viewed from the train (see pictures below). During the summer, the Friends
of the Settle-Carlisle Line organise guided walks
from the stations to places of interest.
In July 2007, the Friends also arranged for 2200 members of the public to walk across Ribblehead Viaduct, before the
line re-opened after engineering work. Some pictures from this event are included below. A similar event a couple of years
later was also heavily subscribed. Both these events were by-products of the major refurbishment of the track and structures
over recent years.
See also my talk on the Settle-Carlisle line , the story of my Ribblehead
Viaduct sweater , Carlisle to Settle by rail (in snow), and Carlisle
to Settle on foot.
The Settle-Carlisle line is just one example of where short sighted considerations closed (or in this case nearly closed)
a railway with great potential. There are many other lines that were closed, but need re-opening in order to provide a more
effective rail network. Many lines have been opened in the last few decades, often performing far in excess of their predicted
passenger numbers. Many more need to be opened: lines that form a 'missing link', lines needed to increase capacity on strategic
routes, lines that can provide diversionary routes when a line is closed for engineering work or any other reason. These
are just a few of the ways that the UK's rail network needs developing to meet modern needs and future challenges. Sadly,
the 'powers that be' cannot always be relied on to do the right thing, which is why campaigning organisations like RailFuture
exist to help promote the development of rail as part of a sustainable transport service.
Copyright © 2005 - 2010 John Harrison
Pictures
See all pictures together , or click on each to enlarge.
Pictures Copyright © 2004 - 2007 John Harrison.
