Leeds-Settle-Carlisle and the national rail network
This is the website of the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line (FoSCL), one of several organisations supporting the Settle-Carlisle section of the main line from Leeds to Carlisle. This is not a heritage railway, but part of the national rail network with its passenger trains operated by Northern Rail. We do NOT run steam trains, but steam charters frequently travel along the line, see www.uksteam.info for details.
Together with our partner organisations, we support the railway line that runs from Settle Junction in the south to Carlisle in the north, a total of 72 miles (115 km) in length. The Settle-Carlisle partnership has adopted all ten stations between Settle and Carlisle, tends the station gardens and carries out minor maintenance work. Three of the stations are leased from Network Rail and have a variety of uses intended to encourage people to visit the area. For more information on the wide range of activities we undertake to promote and develop the Settle-Carlisle Line, see About Us.
News Items
End to Strikes - what next?
News from Northern Rail's Regional Community Manager:
I am writing to let you know that RMT has agreed to suspend its strike action and recommence talks about the future role of the conductor. This follows positive discussions between RMT and Northern - brokered by ACAS Chair, Sir Brendan Barber. This is really good news for customers and businesses across the North.
Appleby Review of 2018
Appleby is half-way between Settle and Carlisle. We think it deserves more prominence so here is a diary of events in 2018. Thank you Mike Summers for this contribution.
Strikes set to continue
The RMT has announced that Northern Rail conductors will strike on every Saturday in January. This is likely to mean no Saturday trains at all on the Settle-Carlisle Line and very few replacement buses.
According to the Northern Rail web site, https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/strike , Northern has called on RMT to suspend its damaging strike action and accept an independent ACAS inquiry.
Passenger numbers recover well
The latest figures from the ORR (Office for Road and Rail) for station footfall, that's the number of people getting on and off trains at a particular station, show that the Settle-Carlisle Line passenger numbers have recovered very well after the line was closed at the northern end for over a year by the Eden Brows landslide. The chart shows a time series from 2005-06 to 2017-18 for Armathwaite which as the nearest station to the landslide was particularly badly affected.
Leeds trains now at Carlisle platform 5
All change! We've been swapped. Leeds trains now depart from Platform 5 at Carlisle and Newcastle trains from Platform 6. Why? According to Virgin station staff it's because passengers from Newcastle had a habit of piling off the train and getting perilously close to the WCML tracks at Platform 4. So, are Yorkshire folk better behaved than Geordies? More likely that with the advent of a half-hourly Carlisle-Newcastle service (yes, half-hourly, what would we give for a regular two-hourly service?!), they'll regularly have two trains at the same platfor
The inventor of the rail ticket
Thomas Edmondson, the inventor of the old style cardboard rail ticket that many people will still remember, is commemorated by this short video https://youtu.be/U8nQZZGblj4 . Thanks to LuneTube for this, http://lunetube.co.uk/ .
Campaigns and Promotions
The Hellifield Clitheroe line: We have a long-running campaign to reinstate regular passenger services to Manchester along the existing railway line between Hellifield and Clitheroe. The infrastructure is there, it just requires the will to run passenger trains along it! Read more.
Improvements to the passenger service: the new timetable in May 2018 was the biggest change in 25 years. There are a few more services and on balance we think it's a step forward. It could still be improved and we have an ongoing campaign to achieve this. Read more.
Diary Dates
Forthcoming events from the FoSCL diary:
- Sat 23 Feb, 2019 : Settle circular: Explorer walk
- Sat 2 Mar, 2019 : Grisedale & Hell Gill: Full Day walk
- Sat 2 Mar, 2019 : Stainmore Viaducts & Kaber: Railway walk
- Sat 9 Mar, 2019 : Cotterdale: Full Day walk
- Sat 9 Mar, 2019 : Dent to Horton: Full Day walk
- Sat 16 Mar, 2019 : Kirkby Stephen circular via Smardale: Railway themed walk
- Sat 16 Mar, 2019 : Ribblehead to Horton: Explorer walk
- Sat 23 Mar, 2019 : Dent to Sedbergh via Dalesway: Full Day walk
- Sat 23 Mar, 2019 : Wainwright's Pennine Journey & Dales High Way: Full Day walk
- Thu 28 Mar, 2019 : Thursday Special - Ribblehead circular: Railway themed walk
The Settle-Carlisle Railway Conservation Area (SCRCA)
A small group of volunteers is creating an illustrated guide to the key railway-related structures and sites within the Settle-Carlisle Railway Conservation Area (SCRCA). To find-out more - or to 'virtually explore' this unique and fascinating area - visit https://scrca.foscl.org.uk/
