Historic Structures

Historic Structures

The Settle-Carlisle Railway boasts hundreds of railway-related historic structures, perhaps more than any other railway line in the UK. However, the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line (FoSCL) only has direct responsibility for managing and maintaining two of these structures:

Armathwaite Station Signalbox

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Photo: Armathwaite Station Signal Box

Armathwaite Station Signalbox closed for rail operations on the 15th of January 1983. It has since been fully restored to its Midland Railway appearance and it is now open to the public on a regular basis. Read more.

Settle Station Signal Box

Photo: Settle Station Signal Box

Settle Station Signal Box closed for rail operations on the 13th of May 1984 and it has since been fully restored. It is now run as a small working museum dedicated to mechanical-era railway signalling on the Settle-Carlisle Railway and it is open to the public on a regular basis. Read more.

Should you be interested in another fine and very well restored Midland Railway signal box, see St Albans South.  There is also a list of other restored signal boxes on their web site - see:
http://www.tlr.ltd.uk/sigbox/links/Visitboxes.eb

The Signalling Record Society has set up a project to capture on film the equipment and operation of signal boxes that have been listed by English Heritage.  A 90-minute video of Blea Moor signal box has been made and is now at the editing stage. See their web site for further information: 

www.s-r-s.org.uk/farsap

The Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust (one of FoSCL's sister organisations in the Settle-Carlisle Railway Partnership - see https://settlecarlisletrust.org.uk/ and http://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/ respectively) has direct responsibility for managing and maintaining four of the other railway-related historic structures, namely:

  • Horton-in-Ribblesdale main station building
  • Kirkby Stephen main station building
  • Ribblehead main station building
  • Ribblehead Station Master's house

The rest of the railway-related historic structures are owned, managed and (where appropriate) maintained by one or more of the following:

  • Network Rail (the owner and operator of the UK's National Rail Network)
  • Northern Rail (the company responsible for operating the scheduled passenger service on the line)
  • Private individuals / organisations

For additional information about all of the historic structures between Hellifield and Carlisle, visit the Settle-Carlisle Railway Conservation Area (SCRCA) section.