Through the Yorkshire Dales
The Settle & Carlisle railway is England's most scenic rail route, a set of shining silver rails from Leeds to Carlisle through the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It was once the third main line to Scotland, built by the Midland Railway to carry its daytime & sleeper expresses from London to Glasgow & Edinburgh. It was never as fast as the rival east coast & west coast main lines, British Rail steadily ran the line down in the late 1970s and tried to close it in the 1980s. Saved from closure in 1989 after a long and determined campaign, it has since gone from strength to strength and is now a tourist attraction in its own right. This page tells you how to visit & what to see.
A journey on the Settle & Carlisle
The journey begins in Leeds, Britain's fourth largest city. The Leeds-Carlisle trains travel through Shipley, Keighley, Skipton & Hellifield, then join the Settle & Carlisle railway at Settle Junction. Below, we pick up the journey at Settle, a market town on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales where the serious scenery begins. See route map.
Ribblehead station, south of the viaduct. Stop off to see the viaduct, visitor centre & for a beer or lunch at the Station Inn, see the Ribblehead section.
Dent station, looking south from the road up Dent Fell. It's the highest National Rail station in England at 1,150 feet (350m) above sea level and over 4½ miles from Dent village. Get off at Dent for a bracing 9.2 mile 4½ hour walk to Ribblehead. For more about this walk, see the How to Visit section. You can rent Dent station as holiday accommodation, www.dentstation.co.uk.
Garsdale station, a beautiful & remote location known as Hawes Junction until 1932. It was the junction for the branch line to Hawes until that line closed in 1959.
The Hawes Junction accident of 1910 occurred 1½ miles north of Garsdale, caused by a signalman's error made in the very signalbox you see here (on the down platform, left hand side going north). If the story interests you, stop off and perhaps have a beer at the Moorcock in a mile along the road, read more about the Hawes Junction accident here.
Ruswarp the dog: A statue of a dog sits on the up platform (right hand side going north, between the two buildings). It's a remarkable story about a remarkable dog, read about Ruswarp here.
The old turntable: 300 yards north of the station on the left hand side going north, you can just make out the brick-built well of the old turntable, read more about the turntable & its Thomas the Tank Engine connection here.
Route map
How to visit
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If you simply want to ride the Settle & Carlisle line
The simplest option is to take a train from Leeds to Carlisle. You can do this as a day trip from Leeds or a day trip from Carlisle, or as a longer day trip from further afield, even from London.
You can travel at any time of year. The line is at its best in summer, but also beautiful in winter snows.
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If you're travelling between London & Scotland
You can travel between London and Carlisle, Glasgow or Edinburgh via the Settle & Carlisle railway. It's slower and involves a change or two, but it's a scenic alternative to the usual east & west coast routes.
London Kings Cross to Leeds takes 2h15 by LNER Azuma train, Leeds to Carlisle takes 2h40, Carlisle to Glasgow takes 1h15.
Off-Peak & Anytime tickets between London & Carlisle, Glasgow or Edinburgh with route any permitted are valid from Kings Cross via Leeds and the Settle & Carlisle line as well as on the faster & more direct east or west coast main lines. However, it can be cheaper to use Advance fares for such a journey, see the practical information below.
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Which side of the train to sit?
There are great views on both sides. The best views of the Ribblehead Viaduct are from the right hand side of the train going north as the line curves to the right and you can look forward into the curve. However, the best scenic views are between Ribblehead, Dent & Garsdale and these are on the left hand side going north.
To explore the line more thoroughly
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A Settle & Carlisle Day Ranger ticket costs £39.00 (less if you have a railcard) and gives unlimited travel up & down all day on all trains between Leeds/Bradford and all stations to Carlisle. It can be bought at stations on the day or (at unstaffed stations) from the train conductor, but can't be bought online. See www.railrover.org/...settle-and-carlisle-day-ranger for full details, please let me know if that link stops working.
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Stopover in Settle?
Settle is a pleasant market town, a good place for lunch. The Golden Lion pub is the place for a beer or a meal, www.goldenlionsettle.co.uk, they have rooms if you want to stay in Settle overnight, book rooms here. The Golden Lion is on the right shortly before you reach the market square, a few minutes walk from the station. Alternatively, Ye Olde Naked Man cafe is on the market square itself, yeoldenakedmancafe.com. Off-Peak & Anytime fares allow stopovers (as does a Day Ranger, of course). Advance fares don't, unless you buy separate tickets either side of Settle.
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Stopover at Ribblehead? Recommended!
Ribblehead is a remote location in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with little more than a station, a pub, and the famous Ribblehead Viaduct, the largest and most impressive structure on the line. But it's my favourite stopover location and the excellent Station Inn is a great place for lunch, see the Ribblehead section below. You can even stop overnight here, as the Station Inn has accommodation.
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Walk from Dent to Ribblehead, 9.2 miles, 4½ hours?
There are recommended walks from a number of Settle & Carlisle stations, see settle-carlisle.co.uk and look for their page listing walks, you'll find it under Explore & More. One of the line's best walks is from Dent station to Ribblehead station, 9.2 miles, 4½ hours, see the map & walking guide here (please let me know if the links stops working). This takes you up and along Dent Fell with great views over the dales, down under Arten Gil Viaduct, past Dent Head Viaduct and over the top of Blea Moor tunnel, then past the sites of the Jericho and Jerusalem navvy encampments to the famous Ribblehead Viaduct to finish at the excellent Station Inn (www.thestationinnribblehead.com) on the main road at the foot of the approach road to Ribblehead station. The walk can be done in either direction, but in the Dent to Ribblehead direction the gradients work better and you have the viaduct and pub at Ribblehead at the end. The walk involves a mile up the narrow tarmac road onto Dent Fell at the beginning, and a trek up and over the top of Blea Moor tunnel, but other than that it's not particularly difficult.
Practical information
Train times
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Northern runs 8 trains per day in each direction between Leeds & Carlisle (6 on Sundays) most calling at all the local stations between Settle & Carlisle. Trains run all year round except 25, 26 December. Leeds to Carlisle takes 2h40.
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You can check train times between any two stations at any train operator site such as tfw.wales or www.lner.co.uk Booking for British trains usually opens up to 3 months ahead.
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You can download a complete timetable for the Leeds-Settle-Appleby-Carlisle route at settle-carlisle.co.uk.
How much does it cost?
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If you book in advance, no refunds, specified train only
Leeds-Carlisle starts at £13.20 each way.
Advance fares are only good for the specified train, no refunds, limited changes, the price varies depending how far ahead you book & how popular that date, day or time is, just like air fares.
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If you buy a ticket on the day or want to stay flexible
Leeds-Carlisle costs £37.40 Anytime one-way good for any train, £37.10 Off-Peak one-way or £37.20 Off-Peak day return good for any train after 09:00 on Mondays-Fridays, any train at weekends. These are route Appleby fares. You can break your journey (= stop off) with these fares.
The Anytime Day Return is £44.60 but you should never buy this as the Settle & Carlisle Day Ranger is cheaper.
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Settle & Carlisle Day Ranger ticket
This costs £39.00 and gives unlimited travel up & down all day between Leeds/Bradford and all stations to Carlisle. There are no time restrictions, it can be used on any train any time, all day. It's even cheaper if you have a railcard. See www.railrover.org/...settle-and-carlisle-day-ranger...
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets at any train operator site such as tfw.wales and pay the official price with no booking fee.
Select E-ticket to show the ticket on your phone, tablet or laptop. Or collect from ticket machines at Leeds, Carlisle & most major British stations. You'll find train seating plans here. Train operators' own websites such as tfw.wales sell tickets for all routes & all operators at the official prices with no added fees. You can also buy at independent retailer www.thetrainline.com, but like most independent retailers they charge a small booking fee.
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The Settle & Carlisle Day Ranger ticket can only be bought at stations, or (if boarding at an unstaffed station) from the train conductor. It cannot be bought online. You can easily buy it on the day, unlimited availability.
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How to buy tickets between London & Scotland via the Settle & Carlisle
There are Advance fares from London to Carlisle, Glasgow & Edinburgh (or vice versa) routed via the scenic Settle & Carlisle line. But journey planners won't find these unless you tell it that you want to go via Settle.
Here's how to find them using tfw.wales: First run an enquiry from KGX to CAR, GLC or EDB (using these station codes saves time). The results page will initially show the normal direct mainline trains. Ignore these and click CHANGE JOURNEY. Now click More options. Now look for Extra journey requirements and select Go via, entering SET for Settle. Run the enquiry and you should now see journeys from London Kings Cross to Carlisle, Glasgow or Edinburgh with a change at Leeds and (if going to Scotland) Carlisle.
However, these London-Carlisle/Glasgow/Edinburgh Advance fares aren't always available and their price can be relatively high, so it's worth checking if separate tickets would be cheaper: London-Leeds Advance fares start from around £23 and are relatively plentiful. Add a separate Leeds-Carlisle Advance ticket from £13.20 and then a Carlisle-Glasgow or Carlisle-Edinburgh ticket, and you're all set.
Tip: It's worth checking trainsplit.com for split ticket options. For example, two combined Advance tickets Leeds-Hellifield + Hellifield-Glasgow is often cheaper than Leeds to Glasgow on one Advance ticket.
What are the trains like?
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The trains between Leeds & Carlisle are run by Northern using air-conditioned class 158 diesel trains. These are standard class only (no first class) with toilets, luggage racks, bike spaces. A refreshment trolley operates on some services selling tea, coffee, sandwiches and snacks.
A brief history
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In the late 1860s, the powerful Midland Railway decided to build its own main line to Scotland. Its existing main line stretched from London St Pancras to Leicester, Sheffield & Leeds, but the London & North Western Railway had become increasingly obstructive in allowing Midland Railway trains to use the northern end of its west coast route to reach Glasgow. 6,000 navvies were set to work building a new main line through the bleak Yorkshire moors, the last main line in Britain to be built using manual labour.
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The Settle & Carlisle opened to freight in 1875 and passengers in 1876. Fully engineered to main line standards, the 73-mile route from Settle Junction to Carlisle has 14 tunnels and 22 viaducts, including the 440 yard (400m) long Ribblehead Viaduct. The summit of the line is at Ais Gill, 1,169 feet (356 m) above sea level. Built for express trains, gradients don't exceed 1 in 100, but even so, the first 16 miles from Settle to Blea Moor is a steady 1 in 100 climb known to engine crews as the long drag.
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The Settle & Carlisle route to Scotland was never as fast as the rival east coast & west coast main lines, but it carried expresses from London St Pancras to Glasgow & Edinburgh until as late as 1976, including the fabled Thames-Clyde Express from St Pancras to Glasgow. Prior to World War 2, several London-Scotland sleeping-car expresses came this way, too.
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By the late 1970s British Rail had reduced the status of the Settle & Carlisle to that of a local line, and in the early 1980s it was slated for closure. Ron Cotton was the BR manager tasked with closing the line, in the face of a huge public campaign to save it. Ron dutifully started the closure process, whilst restructuring fares, reopening stations, doubling the train service, ramping up marketing & accidentally-on-purpose boosting passenger numbers from 93,000 to 450,000 per year between 1983 and 1986. In 1989 Transport Secretary Paul Channon formally refused BR's closure application, supported by rail minister Michael Portillo. The line was saved. Ron Cotton was hailed a hero, and he's the largely the reason you can enjoy a journey on the Settle & Carlisle line today. The line now carries 1.2 million passengers a year, it's a vital link for local communities and local tourism, freight has returned, it's regularly used by steam charter trains, and it's a diversionary route when main lines are closed for track work, too.
A stopover at Ribblehead
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Ribblehead is a remote location in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. There's only a station, a pub and the viaduct here, but it's a great place for a stopover, here's why...
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Ribblehead station has a small visitor centre & coffee shop, open throughout the middle of the day in summer, see settlecarlisletrust.org.uk for opening times. In the station forecourt is the rusting chimney believed to be from engine No.48, the lead locomotive of the Scotch Express involved in the Hawes Junction accident.
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Walk down the station approach to the main road to find the Ribblehead Station Inn (www.thestationinnribblehead.com), licensed since 1879. It serves excellent beer & pub food, a great place for lunch or dinner. The Station Inn also offers overnight accommodation and has free WiFi, handy as mobile reception is poor around here.
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Walk another 5 minutes to view the famous Ribblehead Viaduct from beneath. It's the largest and most impressive structure on the line. The sites of the old navvy encampments Jerusalem, Jericho, Belgravia, Inkerman & Sebastopol surround the viaduct, housing over 2,000 workmen during the construction of the railway.
The Hawes Junction accident of 1910
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The line's most infamous accident happened in the early morning of Christmas Eve 1910, on a dark and stormy night when a signalman's error wrecked the midnight express from London to Glasgow. The Hawes Junction accident was still used to teach vital safety lessons to British Rail Management Trainees in the late 1980s, myself included. It made a huge impression.
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Hawes Junction is a remote location in a bleak and windswept part of the Yorkshire Dales. Originally the junction for the branch line to Hawes (closed in 1959), it was renamed Garsdale in 1932. At around 05:30 on 24 December 1910 It was still dark and raining hard when a pair of light engines prepared to head north, pulling forward to the advanced starting signal to wait for it to clear. Signalman Alfred Sutton had been on duty for almost 10 hours and it had been a busy night. He'd already dealt with a series of light engine movements and he forgot about these two. He accepted the midnight London St Pancras to Glasgow express from Dent signalbox to the south and offered it in turn to Ais Gill signalbox to the north. Ais Gill accepted the train and Sutton cleared his signals. The light engine crews saw the signal clear, assumed it was for them, and started slowly north at 25 mph. Three minutes later the express roared through non-stop at 60 mph, 16 minutes late, its 8 cars (including two 12-wheel sleeping-cars) drawn by two engines.
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Engine driver George Tempest saw what had happened and came to the signalbox. At first, Sutton refused to believe him and laughed. Hadn't those light engines gone north ages ago? He looked at his train register, no record of any light engines sent forward. He telephoned Ais Gill, had those light engines arrived yet? Had the London-Glasgow express arrived yet? A red glow stained the sky to the north and the awful truth slowly dawned on him. Sutton turned to the day shift signalman, John Simpson, who was already in the box: "Will you go to stationmaster Bunce, and say that I am afraid I've wrecked the Scotch Express..."
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The collision happened a mile and a half north of the station, beyond Moorcock Tunnel and Lunds viaduct, 400 yards beyond Grisedale crossing. The two leading carriages of the express telescoped and caught fire due to their gas lighting. All 12 fatalities occurred in these two 3rd class carriages, immediately ahead of the two electrically-lit sleeping-cars. Rescuers trying to free them were beaten back by the flames. The cellar the nearby Moorcock Inn was used as a temporary morgue, 5 of the 12 were later buried in Hawes churchyard where there is a memorial.
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The Board of Trade inquiry into the accident was held at the Moorcock Inn on Boxing Day, in the small snug around the corner from the bar, according to the landlord. The accident lead to widespread introduction of track circuits and the wider use of reminder appliances (simple wooden collars that can be placed over a signal lever) to prevent similar mistakes happening again. The signalbox where Sutton made the fatal error is still in use, on the platform at Garsdale station, on the left hand side of the train when heading north. Sutton and Bunce were neighbours, living at numbers 7 & 8 of the 16 railway cottages next to the station.
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Many authors have described the accident, but nothing compares to reading Major Pringle's official report, clear, concise, detailed and eminently readable, including testimony in witnesses' own words. I had put certain aspects down to dramatic licence, including the 'glow' in the sky towards Ais Gill and Sutton's famous words, but they are in the official report. Signalman Sutton became a booking clerk in Leeds, probably at Armsley Canal Road Station though I have only circumstantial evidence for that. Three years later, Station Master Bunce attended the site of the Ais Gill accident of 1913 - in those days I doubt any counselling was available! More about the Hawes Junction accident.
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The turntable: If you look out of the train a couple of hundred yards north of the station on the left hand side going north, you can just make out the over-grown brick-built well of the old turntable, on which those light engines were turned in 1910 before heading north and which George Tempest had been waiting to use. The turntable originally had a 7-foot wooden palisade around it to stop the wind catching the engines in this exposed location. It was the turntable at Hawes Junction which gave Reverend Awdry the idea for a Thomas the Tank Engine story about James spinning on a turntable. The turntable itself has been removed and is preserved on the Keighley and Worth Valley railway.
Watch the video
The video shows the whole journey from Leeds to Carlisle, partly on regular scheduled trains, partly on a charter train called the Staycation Express.