SETTLE LINE page 1

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Click here for a Panorama view of Garsdale 1967.

The Settle & Carlisle line is one of the seven wonders of Northern England. A railway born after seven years hard labour on the 1st May 1876.There was no expense spared on the 72 mile route with its many tunnels, viaducts and stations.

Although it was the last major railway to be built in England by the Midland, it was their direct route to Scotland. With its sweeping curves running was allowed up to 100 m.p.h. The line starts at Settle Junction while the line to Carnforth & Lancaster branches away to the west. You need full pressure of steam to climb the continuous gradient of 1 in 100 to Bleamoor Tunnel, this is known as the Long Drag.

The line escaped the Beeching axe in the 1960s, and survived until B.R proposed closure on the 14th May 1984. Over 200.500 people and a dog protested with a vivid campaign. B.R even had secret talks to privatize the line. The Labour Party  opposition joined the protest. The media seized the opportunity to follow the story which ended the 10th April 1989 when the line was saved by people power which resulted in a Tory Government U turn.

Click on the Settle Junction to start tour, including Panorama pictures.

Or you can click on any red dots for locations. Most stations have Panorama links, You can follow them to the next station.

You can press F11 for full view, F11 to return to normal view

The line was completely run down with only four passenger trains per day. Freight had been  removed altogether. Although Steam charters returned in 1978 and they was a big following during the 1980s, this did not put the revenue directly into the line. So new pressure groups were formed to improve the service and the infrastructure.

The next blow was the B.R network privatization, would the line survive, and who would want a franchise. My pictures tell the story of a line which was not allowed  to die.