• Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Settle Carlisle 150 anniversary

Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

C

ChilliSauce

On Moderation
Joined
28 Oct 2025
Messages
328
44 years since the Nottingham - Glasgow services were diverted away from the Settle & Carlisle .. And the run down trying for closure was started ... Including a BR Civil Engineer from Preston stating Ribblehead had gone beyond repair ..
 
M

Minnietheminx

Member
Joined
31 Aug 2021
Messages
59
Location
Barnsley
Minnietheminx said:
It's the Settle-Carlisle line's 150th anniversary this weekend and there are plans for Friday (https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/26050082.settle-carlisle-railway-celebrates-150-years-service/). Given that the forecast is for nice weather, what are the chances that Northern will short-form everything on the timetable?
Click to expand...
Apologies for those using screen readers, unfortunately I can't post much of the article text, as the news & star has a quota of articles a reader can view each month and it seems to reset at a random date each month.

It's great to see celebrations from the direct support organisations (friends, the development company and the railway trust), as well as Northern. I hope all goes well as it's a much-loved (for obvious reasons) line and the service has improved substantially compared to the late 80s and early 90s when I was a student. Back then, it was often easier to catch the hourly train over to Preston and then up to Carlisle. Now, the opposite tends to be the case: quite a few passengers travelling end-to-end are going on to Scotland.

It's a pity that Northern's ageing fleet - and inevitable lack of reliability - results in regular short-forming (across the region, not just this line). I'd love to discuss this week's events, whether or not the regular services are disrupted or otherwise hobbled by knackered infrastructure.
 
S

sh24

Established Member
Joined
28 Sep 2023
Messages
1,478
Location
London
I had a weekend out on the S&C 18 months ago, with my previous trips circa 1991. Was amazed and pleased to see how busy the trains were and how well kept the stations looked. A great story of rejuvenation.
 
WesternLancer

WesternLancer

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Apr 2019
Messages
15,011
sh24 said:
I had a weekend out on the S&C 18 months ago, with my previous trips circa 1991. Was amazed and pleased to see how busy the trains were and how well kept the stations looked. A great story of rejuvenation.
Click to expand...
That is very true - esp after such a long gap in time between visits.
Tho I'd swap the 158 for the class 47 and Mk1 compartment rake I travelled the line on c1990 :D
 
_toommm_

_toommm_

Established Member
Joined
8 Jul 2017
Messages
6,292
Location
South West London
Minnietheminx said:
Apologies for those using screen readers, unfortunately I can't post much of the article text, as the news & star has a quota of articles a reader can view each month and it seems to reset at a random date each month.

It's great to see celebrations from the direct support organisations (friends, the development company and the railway trust), as well as Northern. I hope all goes well as it's a much-loved (for obvious reasons) line and the service has improved substantially compared to the late 80s and early 90s when I was a student. Back then, it was often easier to catch the hourly train over to Preston and then up to Carlisle. Now, the opposite tends to be the case: quite a few passengers travelling end-to-end are going on to Scotland.

It's a pity that Northern's ageing fleet - and inevitable lack of reliability - results in regular short-forming (across the region, not just this line). I'd love to discuss this week's events, whether or not the regular services are disrupted or otherwise hobbled by knackered infrastructure.
Click to expand...

Quoted below:

A railway line is marking a major milestone.


The iconic Settle-Carlisle railway is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a Victorian Railway Day in Settle, filled with family-friendly activities, history talks, and immersive heritage experiences.
The event, taking place on Friday, May 1, marks 150 years since the first passenger train departed Settle Station for Carlisle in 1876, following months of freight operations and weather-related delays.

Celebrations will begin at 10am with a short talk on the history of the line in the grounds of the old Water Tower behind Settle Station.
At 10.30am, Alex Hornby, commercial director for Northern Trains, will officially launch the Ride2Stride festival at Settle Station before guided walks set off toward Horton in Ribblesdale.
Visitors can enjoy tours of the refurbished signal box, where they can pull the levers, ring the bells, and operate the semaphore signals—just as railway workers did 150 years ago.
A second history talk will take place at 1pm, exploring the top 10 “must-know” facts about the line.
100 schoolchildren from Lazonby, Kirkoswald, Settle, and Giggleswick will take part in the festivities, dressing in period costume to sing railway folk songs and watch a play about the construction of the Ribblehead Viaduct, performed by the Settle Graveyard Project.
Birthday cake will be served in the station building, alongside commemorative merchandise including a limited-edition enamel pin badge and the new Settle-Carlisle Railway Passport.
The passport, designed by commercial manager Anna Jackson, takes inspiration from the Camino de Santiago’s ‘Credencial’ and offers a hands-on way to record memories, complete challenges, and collect station rubbings along the route.
A plaque at each station highlights something locally relevant, with the full collection forming a poster that captures the spirit and history of the entire line.
Passports will be available for purchase at the event and from station shops in Settle and Appleby, the Ribblehead Tearoom and Visitor Centre, and online.
Cycling fans can join in the fun as a group from Settle Wheelers cycles the length of the route, starting from Carlisle at 8am and aiming to arrive in Settle around 5pm after visiting every station along the line.
Click to expand...
 
30907

30907

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Sep 2012
Messages
21,932
Location
Airedale
Minnietheminx said:
It's the Settle-Carlisle line's 150th anniversary this weekend and there are plans for Friday (https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/26050082.settle-carlisle-railway-celebrates-150-years-service/). Given that the forecast is for nice weather, what are the chances that Northern will short-form everything on the timetable?
Click to expand...
The 1518 LDS was 2 cars whereas it was 4 on Tuesday - certainly overkill on the return working, and I doubt it was a problem beyond Skipton outward.
 
johnr57

johnr57

Member
Joined
29 Mar 2013
Messages
270
I’ve heard that there are tickets from Northern at £1.50. I can’t find anything on the northern website about these. Anyone know of the validity, how to purchase etc ?

Many thanks

John
 
M

Minnietheminx

Member
Joined
31 Aug 2021
Messages
59
Location
Barnsley
Lemmy99uk said:
That’s interesting.

How many is “quite a few” and where do the statistics come from?
Click to expand...
No stats, just personal observation. I regularly travel end-to-end from Leeds to Carlisle (and vice-versa). I hear a variety of (mainly West) Scottish accents on my journeys and often see some of the passengers waiting on platforms 1 or 3 at Carlisle for northbound onward travel (there may well be others going towards platform 7 but as I'm heading to platforms 1 or 2, I can't confirm that).
 
W

Western Lord

Member
Joined
17 Mar 2014
Messages
1,058
Interesting to speculate on what the situation would be today if the Midland had been able to abandon the Bill to build the S & C as it wished to do after the LNWR dropped its objections to the Midland having traffic rights on the Ingleton route. Would we today be travelling from Leeds to Carlisle via Ingleton and Low Gill, possibly with the Skipton -Low Gill section electrified (TransPennine Express Class 397s from Leeds to Glasgow)?
 
dk1

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
19,818
Location
East Anglia
Thoroughly enjoy using the route as much now on class 805s & 158s as I did back in the day behind 47s & mk1/2s. The conductors and the S&CR volunteers do a cracking job & the scenery never fails to impress.
 
HBP

HBP

Member
Joined
5 Jan 2020
Messages
104
Location
Harrogate
johnr57 said:
I’ve heard that there are tickets from Northern at £1.50. I can’t find anything on the northern website about these. Anyone know of the validity, how to purchase etc ?

Many thanks

John
Click to expand...

A Northern Rail news email this morning included the following:

Celebrating 150 years on the Settle–Carlisle line
To celebrate 150 years of passenger services on this legendary route, we’re rolling out £1.50 tickets. Book from 15 May for journeys between Leeds, Settle and Carlisle, valid from 22 May to 17 July.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
pokemonsuper9

pokemonsuper9

Established Member
Joined
20 Dec 2022
Messages
4,592
Location
Greater Manchester
158754 has been named "Settle & Carlisle 150" and received interior banners (similar to the other two branded 158s for Railway 200 and the Northumberland line) about the Settle & Carlisle line.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top