News

How would you like to spend a few days staying in the station building at Kirkby Stephen West? Not only can you watch all the trains on the Settle-Carlisle line passing your window, but you're in the heart of the upper Eden Valley with fabulous views of the nearby fells. And the bustling market town of Kirkby Stephen is only a view minutes away. Visit http://www.sandctrust.org.uk/BookingOfficeCottage/ for all you need to know. But hurry, it's fully booked well into the summer months already...

Since the end of the Metro special offer on 23rd March, the trains are back to normal, with plenty of seats on most trains. Come walking in the Dales and the Eden Valley, or admire the scenery along the entire Settle-Carlisle route! This is the best time of year, before the trees come into leaf, so you can see far more from the train. There was standing room only on some trains towards the end of the special offer, and FoSCL will be making suggestions to Northern Rail as to how the situation can be improved next winter. Richard FoSCL Chairman

Statesman Rail are pleased to announce that the new series of ITV’s popular series ‘The Dales’ will air in March and in addition to our “Fellsman” steam train being featured on the opening credits of every episode we will have our own feature in episode 2 when the presenter Ade Edmondson rides the footplate of the engine over the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct.

Michael Portillo travelled from Carlisle to Ribblehead, then on to Settle, on Monday 23rd January. 

He is making a radio documentary on the post-Beeching closures.  The S&C is of course a shining example of one that didn't happen.

Tullie House Museum, Carlisle, is offering a special offer of one full price adult admission upon purchase of a full price adult ticket.  Offer valid until 31st March 2012.  

Full details of exhibitions and gallery from the Tullie House web site, including offer voucher to print out.

Carlisle MP John Stevenson has launched the UK's first dedicated iPhone app to act as an on-train guide for passengers. Speaking at an event at Carlisle's Hallmark Hotel, he described the 21st century communication technology behind the app as today's equivalent of what the Victorians achieved when they built the railway network in the 19th Century.

FELLSMAN

Wednesday 6 June then every Wednesday from 4 July - 29 August

Departing From:

Walking - a Social, environmental and economic priority. 

A one day conference to be held on Wednesday 16th November 2011 in the Victoria Hall, Saltaire.  Booking deadline October 31st.

SCENE Members - £10, Non-Members £15,  Non-member joining Scene now - - £25 (conference plus 12 months membership saving £15) Retired non-member joining SCENE now - £20 (conference plus 12 months membership saving £10). All include buffet lunch.

Thieves who stole signalling cable caused major disruption to trains in the Leeds area on Sunday morning 2nd October.  The theft which took place in the Micklefield area meant that no trains departed from Leeds until around 10 am.  This included the 09.00 Leeds-Settle-Carlisle service which was delayed by over an hour. 

As a result the planned FoSCL guided walk in Swaledale was severely disrupted as the knock-on effect caused delays to the connecting Ribblehead-Hawes-Richmond bus.  Apologies to anyone who had to abandon their plans to join this walk.

The closure of Settle Station ticket office is being considered in the McNulty Report on value for money in the rail industry, published in April this year.  As Chairman of the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line, I have written to the Editor of the Craven Herald as follows:

A series of 10 short 'postcard' self guided walks has been published by the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line.  Each postcard describes a short circular walk from one of the stations along the line and is aimed at encouraging visitors to explore the immediate vicinity of the stations.  The walks will take between one and two hours to complete and are up to 3 miles in length.  Most follow established clear footpaths and minor roads but because of stiles etc they are not all suitable for pushchairs or wheelchair users.

One hundred station name signs are up for grabs in an online auction being organised by ImageRail, based at Kirkby Stephen Station.

The signs are aluminium and date from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.  Roughly half are from stations in the north of England and include Armathwaite, St Bees, Millom, Askam, Harrington, Gargrave and other locations in South and West Yorkshire. Others are from stations in the south west of England.  Most bear the scars of life outside on railway platforms, with bumps and scratches all being part of the character.

The latest programme of guided walks for January to June 2013 has been published and leaflets giving full details of all the walks are being distributed to stations, tourist information offices, and other outlets etc. 

The latest edition of Rail magazine has a first class 8-page feature on the Settle-Carlisle Line by well-known journalist Steve Broadbent.  In it he quotes extensively from my predecessor as FoSCL Chairman, Mark Rand, and myself. 

There are also some excellent photos by Andrew Griffiths, our Press Officer.  The front cover features a photo of a Freightliner Class 70 hauling a coal train past Ribblehead station.

FoSCL member Stephen Bainbridge is holding an exhibition of railway and landscape paintings, including several of the Settle-Carlisle line, at the Henshaw Gallery, Crosby Street, Carlisle from 11 June to 2 July.

Entrance is free and all members welcome.

FoSCL has made a major contribution to the saving of the Saturday bus service from Dent station. 

Sunday 22 May saw a group of Northern stakeholders descend on Settle for a very informative day out.  Stakeholder days are organised by Northern as a way of saying thank you to various groups and individuals who make a real difference to the railway and the communities they live in.  FoSCL volunteers led a number of activities including a town trail round Settle, an opportunity to visit the Museum of North Craven Life and a tour of the Settle water tower which is currently being converted into a house by ex FoSCL chairman Mark Rand and his wife Pa

Kirkby Stephen, half way between Settle and Carlisle, is a wonderful place to visit!  Two new developments have transformed the station and the area.

First, Rachel Griffiths, tenant jointly with husband Andrew of Kirkby Stephen West station, has opened a tearoom at the station:

Here she's seen with a selection of the delicious cakes that we can recommend from personal experience! 

Carlisle Station improvements to the waiting area in front of Platforms 5 & 6 are now finished, though still surrounded by barriers.  Today, Tuesday 22nd March, I managed to poke my camera through the gaps between the barriers and take the shots below.  At long last, we have a fitting gateway to England's most scenic railway.  Thank you Network Rail (with a contribution from FoSCL!).