Appleby has a superbly restored water tower and crane which is regularly used to replenish southbound steam trains. Northbound, there is more of a problem: Hellifield, where there is a water supply both sides, is a long way from Carlisle and there is a need for watering at Appleby northbound. So what to do? Often, a water tanker arrives by road and parks at the north end of the car park. A long hose can reach to the tender of the locomotive, the train stops for up to half an hour, passengers stretch their legs and buy souvenirs in the FoSCL shop. Everybody is happy except the tanker driver when he tries to get out of the car park. We watched on 29th May when Britannia stopped northbound and the driver had the utmost difficulty, due to parked cars and the barriers round the nearly completed new waiting shelter. Steps will need to be taken to improve water tanker access or we may find that northbound steam trains no longer stop at Appleby.
