News

Network Rail has suspended West Coast Railways from operating anywhere on the national rail network following a serious SPAD (signal passed at danger) event earlier this year.

Carlisle Citadel Station has been recognised as one of national historical importance in a new book 'The English railway station'.  Author Stephen Parissien says that "Union stations, unifying different railway companies’ lines in one terminus, were common in America and Germany but not in England. Sir William Tite’s magnificent Citadel Station at Carlisle of 1847-8 is a rare example, originally intended for seven railway companies.

FoSCL has recently launched its Prospectus for the next franchise and beyond.  We are currently putting our plans to the short listed bidders.  It won't happen tomorrow, but we expect that bit by bit we'll get most of the improvements in rail services and rolling stock that we would like to see.

FoSCL is supporting calls to re-open the Waverley Line in full from Edinburgh to Carlisle.  The support was given by chairman Richard Morris when he addressed the AGM of the Campaign for Borders Rail.  A report in the Cumberland News 21 November gives the story.  Also in the article is news of the formation of the Settle Carlisle Association - a new body co-ordinating activities of the Friends, the Development Company and the S&C Trust.

For late night shopping, going to the cinema or a meal in Carlisle, or a connection from other destinations, an additional late evening service will run from Carlisle to Kirkby Stephen on the following Thursdays up to Christmas.

Thursday evenings from Carlisle to Kirkby Stephen stopping at all stations - 20th, 27th November; 4th, 11th, 18th December.

Carlisle (dep) 20.57, Armathwaite 21.11, Lazonby 21.18, Langwathby 21.24, Appleby 21.39, Kirkby Stephen (arr) 21.54

The 2015 AGM will be held in the Victoria Hall, Settle on Saturday 18th April.

Nominations for the committee officers (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) and committee members - suitably prposed and seconded - should be received on or before Monday 7th January 2015 by:

Paul Kampen - FoSCL Secretary

74 Springfield Road, Baildon,

Shipley, West Yorkshire

BD17 5LX

email: [email protected]

Nomination forms are available on request.

£8.50 flat fare day return ticket available for Dales Railcard holders

Can be accompanied by up to four children for a flat fare of £4.25 each

Available:

2 November to 28 November 2014

27 December 2014 to 13 February 2015

23 February to 28 March 2015

Not available on trains timed to depart before 0815 Mondays-Fridays but no restrictions at weekends or bank holidays

Celebrating 25 Years of Saving the Settle-Carlisle Railway.

Northern Dalesman bus link 2014

Photo: John Carey

FoSCL are supporting the Northern Dalesman bus link every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday until October 19th 2014. The bus connects with 0900 Sunday train from Leeds (0850 on Bank Holiday Mondays) at Ribblehead Station and goes to Snaizeholme Lane End (for the Red Squirrel Trail); Hawes; Buttertubs Pass; Keld (mornings only); Muker; Gunnerside; Reeth (for Arkengarthdale) and Richmond.

Stop at Kirkby Stephen Station on Saturday 10th May between 10am and 4pm to meet and buy the work of some local artists and crafters.  Items include wonderful S&C and local photography and the finest pencil drawings available as prints and cards, up-cycled furniture and even some railway collectables.

As part of the 25th anniversary celebrations FoSCL and Friends of DalesRail walk leaders have arranged a series of linear walks between April and October starting in Settle and finishing in Carlisle.  The walks will mainly follow the route described by Vivienne Crow in her 2012 book 'Settle to Carlisle Way' published by Rucksack readers.

On Sunday 13th April a Northern Rail sponsored, FoSCL organised, special charity train (with net proceeds being donated to the Railway Children and a charity of FoSCL's choosing) will run along the DalesRail route from Blackpool to Carlisle. During a 2 hour stop in Carlisle Colin Speakman, founder secretary of the Yorkshire Dales Society and chairman of the Dales Way Association will give a presentation on "The saving of the Settle & Carlisle Line" in the Hallmark Hotel, adjacent to Carlisle Station. 

In November 2013, the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust published three leaflets in a series  entitled "Ribblehead Triangle Walks". Leaflet no. 3: "Ribblehead Viaduct and the Navvies" offers a self-guided short (one or two-mile) walk around the area to the north-east of Ribblehead Viaduct to explore the remains of the navvy settlements and the various work-sites associated with the contruction of the Settle-Carlisle Railway in this area. The leaflet includes:

The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) produces a series of geographically-themed walks around the UK called ‘Discovering Britain’. The aim is to encourage people to explore Britain’s diverse landscapes. All these walks are available in written or audio versions on a website. They are free, self-guided and hopefully fun.

FELLSMAN

Every Wednesday from 11 June to 27 August 2014

Departing From:

Lancaster:  07.05/20.40

Preston: 08.05/19.50

Blackburn: 08.30/19.10

Clitheroe: 09.00/18.45

Long Preston: (near Settle) 10.50/17.50

As seen on BBC’s ‘Great British Railway Journeys’ - ITV’s ‘The Dales’ & the new BBC programme to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the saving of the line to be broadcast in April

An obituary for Margaret was published in the November edition of the Settle-Carlisle Journal.  Unfortunately limited space meant that David Ward's full tribute had to be truncated.  Accordingly we are publishing the full text here:

Margaret Ritchie 1945 – 2013

The untimely passing of Margaret Ritchie takes from the Settle & Carlisle scene one of its longest-serving but largely unknown dedicated supporters.

Fourteen of the North of England's rarest and best preserved signal boxes have been given Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture Media and Sport as a result of the final phase of a joint English Heritage and Network Rail project to safeguard the nation's railway heritage. The listings come as Network Rail decommissions many mechanical signal boxes to consolidate signalling into 12 regional centres.

As part of the 3 Peaks Project to enhance the visitor experience to this part of the Dales, the National Park has produced an innovative app for iphones etc (shortly available for android phones).

The app contains OS maps of the 3 peaks area, details of the 3 Peaks challenge route plus many other walks in the area.  It also has details of points of interest, - geological, archaeological and wildlife related.  There is information on travel, places to eat, drink and sleep etc and other tourist related topics.

The long running and ever popular radio show Gardeners' Question Time had an unusual venue when it was recorded on a specially chartered train that ran over the S&C last week.  One hundred keen gardeners joined the panel of gardening experts and chairman Eric Robson as the train made the 72 mile journey from Carlisle to Settle, stopping at various stations and talking to some of the volunteers who look after the station gardens.

Patrick McLoughlin, Secretary of State for Transport, travelled on the Settle-Carlisle line last week.  He met the new Managing Director of Northern Rail, Alex Hynes, at Settle, then travelled on a scheduled Northern service to Ribblehead where he had a meeting with representatives of the Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company and the Settle-Carlisle Railway Trust.  He was able to see at first hand the restored Stationmaster's House at Ribblehead and the Visitor Centre.