News

Dent Station building, right next to the platform of England's highest mainline station, is up for sale.  Present owner Robin Hughes writes:

"After 11 years of thoroughly enjoyable ownership, I am downsizing at Dent by retaining the Snow Huts and selling the Station which comes on to the Market on 1st June.

Dent Station is a fabulous property and restoring it and owning it as a holiday let over many years has been a great pleasure.We've had many lovely guests over the 11 years.

There will be a full programme of Guided Walks organised by FoSCL this summer.  For the new leaflet, see http://www.foscl.org.uk/guided-walks/current-leaflet

Sunday 20th May marks the first day of the biggest Leeds-Carlisle timetable shakeup in 25 years.  Two extra trains each way on a Sunday bringing the total to six each way, not brilliant but a big step forward from the four each way that we had up until now.  Thanks DfT for specifying this in the franchise and Northern for implementing it on time.

Due to the RMT strike the Guided Walks scheduled for Saturday May 26th to relaunch the FOSCL Guided Walks have been cancelled.

The programme will now relaunch on SUNDAY MAY 27th

The  FREE 10 mile Explorer walk starts at Horton Station at 1016 upon the arrival of the 0859 train from Leeds. It will be a Moderate walk through Arcow, Oxenber Wood and Feizor before traversing Giggleswick Scar and descending into Settle for the 1644 train to Leeds. Fine views all the way with moderate climbs and descents and several stiles.

On Wednesday 9th May there will be a further one day strike on Northern Rail services by the RMT.  Please see https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/strike for details.

Following the confirmation of the new train timetable and the appointment of new Co-ordinators the popular FoSCL GUIDED WALKS will resume from SATURDAY MAY 26th.

FREE Walks with experienced knowledgeable friendly guides will be offered every Saturday and some Sundays to give the opportunity to explore places around the line on foot. Some walks will use bus links to explore places further afield like Hawes and Swaledale.

From 20th May there will be a much changed timetable on the Settle-Carlisle Line, for the first time in nearly 30 years!  There will be one more train in each direction on weekdays and two more on Sundays.  FoSCL influenced these improvements by lobbying the Department for Transport in advance of the current Northern Rail franchise. 

For details see https://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/tickets-times-travel/timetables/settle-to-carlisle-timetable/ 

Now a regular annual event, ride2stride is a festival of walks, talks and music along the fabulous Settle-Carlisle railway line.

It's a week long celebration of the wonderful landscape and culture of the western Dales and Eden Valley.

The festival is made up of lots of events and activities and things will be happening along the length of the line. Walks will be led from stations by experienced walk leaders. Speakers will share their local knowledge and love of the area, and the pubs will be buzzing with music and song.

We were saddened to hear of the death of Sir William, FoSCL's President for many years.  He regularly visited the Settle-Carlisle, not just as FoSCL President but also as Chairman of the Railway Heritage Trust.  It was he who saved the Flying Scotsman.

His local newspaper, the Henley Standard, wrote: 

"Sir William McAlpine, who lived at the Fawley Hill estate with his widow Lady Judith McAlpine, passed away yesterday (Sunday, March 4) following a period of illness.

Records being broken at Ribblehead station where the FoSCL / MyLocalWeather weather station recorded a gust of 61mph at 2205 last evening, 1st March.   The wind direction was 90 degrees - due east.

Also on 1st March was the lowest windchill at -17C

See http://www.mylocalweather.org.uk/ribblehead/ for the latest data.

The present weather station was set up in January 2009.  It's been recording data ever since then. 

SETTLE -.CARLISLE BULLETIN

Thursday 1st March 2018.

The quite dreadful weather conditions ruling over the past few days have finally resulted in services on the Settle- Carlisle Line being suspended until further notice.

With a strong wind now resulting in drifting in the cuttings, the extreme cold creating ( presumably) large icicles in the tunnels and the difficulty experienced by key staff in reaching their place of work, there was no option but to close the railway meantime.

The Transport Secretary delegated the task of replying to Travel Watch North West to one of his Rail ministers.  The response was unsatisfactory, showing little understanding of the needs of WCML passengers and repeating what we'd heard ages ago from Virgin Trains.  

The UK’s biggest, free classic commercial vehicle rally celebrates 20th Anniversary

31ST MARCH – 1ST APRIL 2018

 KIRKBY STEPHEN AND BROUGH, CUMBRIA

Over 250 vintage buses, lorries and commercial vehicles on show. Free admission, free bus rides, Saturday evening road run through the fells, food & drink stalls and vintage funfair.

Steve Broadbent, highly experienced transport writer, has written a superb article in RAIL magazine's issue no 846 on the S&C organisations' aspirations for the future of the Settle-Carlisle Line's services.  In it he concentrates on through services from Leeds to Glasgow via Settle and Carlisle, and direct services to Manchester via Hellifield and Clitheroe.  Our thanks are due to Rail magazine, https://www.railmagazine.com/ for this.

In conjunction with Travel Watch North West, FoSCL has been running a campaign for Virgin Trains to divert trains along the Settle-Carlisle Line from Carlisle to Preston via Hellifield and Clitheroe, when the West Coast Main Line suffers scheduled or unscheduled closures.  High level meetings have been held with Virgin Trains and politicians, but to date there has been little progress.  This is a great pity, as Virgin used regularly to divert over the S&C when scheduled engineering work closed the WCML between Preston and Carlisle.  Trans Pennine Express have always been

The Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company have launched vouchers for local businesses, available to anyone. Read on...

Everybody loves a bargain.  Money-saving coupons have been around for decades and, with the advent of online shopping, it’s now really easy to find discount codes when you’re looking for a cheeky deal.

Rory Stewart MP has tweeted:

"Terrible path to Kirkby Stephen station - particularly for wheel-chairs - looking forward to working with @networkrail @NorthenrailF and @yorkshire_dales to sort it out"

Good news! This is the short path up to the down platform from the main road. People have been complaining about this for years and it's great that it looks as though something will finally be done about it.

At the Railway Heritage Awards in London recently the new waiting shelter on Settle Station was highly commended.

The Times has published a letter from Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust, praising the work of FoSCL and other volunteers in caring for England's most scenic railway.

"Sir, I agree with Christian Wolmar (“Green light for reopening derelict rail lines”, letter, Nov 30, and news, Nov 29) that the government’s rail strategy fails to recognise the efforts of voluntary groups. The best returns will come from supporting existing railways and those who support them.

Santa’s polishing his boots and the elves are getting excited – it’s nearly time for the Christmas Comet excursion to York.

If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, there are still a few places left in standard class.  For passengers travelling from Settle or Skipton, there are cheeky deals to be had, with a group ticket for four people at £100 or a ticket for 2 at £50.00.