SETTLE-CARLISLE RAILWAY Garsdale Station 1876-2016 Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August 2016 Statue of Ruswarp, Garsdale - Pete Shaw © Carlisle-Leeds train at Garsdale - Pete Shaw © le St da at s io r n a G • • A YEARS y Order your n r n sa 2017 Settle-Carlisle Calendar iver See last page for details Anniversary Programme Diverted Glasgow-Penzance train at Garsdale - Pete Shaw © 1986- 2009 Network Rail invest heavily to upgrade 1989 FoSCL and local volunteers refurbish and waiting and toilet facilities for passengers improve passenger facilities at Garsdale at Garsdale station. A life-size statue of station. Meanwhile the national campaign collie dog Ruswarp (pronounced Russup) is against BR’s closure proposal grows - and funded by public subscription and unveiled reaches Parliament. on the platform opposite the signal box by Olive Clark and Ron Cotton. Ruswarp was the constant companion of the late Graham Nuttall, a founder member of FoSCL and ‘Garsdale station was their favourite place’. Ruswarp’s pawprint had been accepted in 1988 as a valid signature on the Parliamentary Petition to oppose closure of the line, because he was a regular fare-paying passenger. 2014 Northallerton: WR passenger services GARSDALE STATION extend eastwards to the boundary of Northallerton when a station halt is built at Northallerton West. Garsdale is a remote country station on the Settle- Garsdale is in Cumbria - but also within the 2014 Hawes: The former weighbridge hut in Carlisle railway line, which connects the Northern Yorkshire Dales National Park for planning and Hawes station yard, once used as the coal Powerhouse city of Leeds with the Border City of conservation matters. The station used to be merchant’s office, is restored by volunteers Carlisle 113 miles away. The railway – and therefore known as Hawes Junction because of its former from the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the station – is high up on the hillside, above the connection with the Wensleydale railway and the then leased to the Wensleydale Railway A684 road which links the A1(M) with the M6 small market town of Hawes. A local minibus (the David Mitchell, Transport Minister visits Garsdale, 1988 - Pete Shaw © Trust (a registered charity) for events such as motorway. Little White Bus) now runs between Garsdale occasional open days. station and Hawes, 6 miles away. 2016 The 30th Anniversary of the re-opening on Timeline 1988 Transport Minister David Mitchell MP makes television headlines when he formally opens July 14, 1986, of Garsdale and seven other 1869 First sod cut for the Settle-Carlisle, the 1907 The highest water troughs in the world are a new information room at Garsdale station small stations for regular passenger trains. Midland Railway’s express through route to built ½ mile from Garsdale station, enabling - whilst the Settle-Carlisle line is still under This summer is also the 30th Anniversary of Scotland. express trains to scoop up water without threat of closure. the first local minibus service between the station and Hawes. The present minibus 1875 The Settle-Carlisle railway opens for freight stopping. 1989 The government refuses consent for British service, run by the Little White Bus based in trains. 1910 ‘The Wreck of the Scotch Express’ railway Rail to close the Settle-Carlise – the line is the Upper Wensleydale Community Office accident, near Garsdale on Christmas Eve, saved! 1876 Most Settle-Carlisle stations open on May in Hawes, provides a mix of scheduled and 1, the first day of passenger trains. The was the catalyst for significant improvements 1990 Wensleydale Railway Association is founded in rail safety systems nationally. bookable services year-round between town foundation stone for Mount Zion chapel to investigate reinstatement of passenger and station; to book, phone 01969 667400 in near Garsdale station is laid the same day. 1927 Thousands of people travel to Leyburn on services. office hours. However Garsdale station opening is not special trains to see the Total Solar Eclipse 2003 Wensleydale Railway plc signs a 99 year until August, probably August 4 as the on June 29. 2016 The week-end of August 6 and 7 has been lease with Network Rail for the surviving 22 chosen to mark the 140th Anniversary of the Inspector’s Report authorising it is dated WWII A German plane drops its load of bombs mile track and brings passenger trains back August 3. Opening of Garsdale station in 1876. Please near Dandrymire Viaduct at Garsdale Head. to Wensleydale between Leeming Bar and see the programme of events in the centre of 1878 The six mile Branch line between Garsdale 1970 Garsdale and all other stations between Leyburn (12 miles). this leaflet and join us! and Hawes is completed, establishing a 40 Settle and Carlisle are closed, except Settle 2004 Wensleydale Railway re-opens Bedale and mile rail connection through Wensleydale and Appleby. Finghall stations and extends passenger between the Settle-Carlisle railway and the services westwards from Leyburn to the East Coast main line at Northallerton. 1981 The Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line Association (FoSCLA, now FoSCL) is current railhead at Redmire. 1900 Garsdale station turntable spins round formed. 2007 Regular summer steam trains return to the in a gale with a steam locomotive on it, 1983 British Rail (BR) propose closure of Wensleydale Railway (WR). Initial discussions reputedly ‘for several hours’, providing the about restoration of the track west to basis for a story in Rev W. Awdry’s book the Settle-Carlisle and the associated Blackburn-Hellifield line. Aysgarth begin (since taken forward by WR’s Troublesome Engines. The turntable has Extension Development Committee). The 1986 Garsdale and seven other small stations on since been moved to Keighley and Worth long-term goal is full reinstatement of the 40 the Settle-Carlisle line re-open for stopping Valley Railway and restored to working mile line from Northallerton to Garsdale. order there. The old turntable pit can still passenger trains. The first minibus service is be seen from trains, beside the track just introduced for passengers between Garsdale 6233 Duchess of Sutherland at Garsdale - north west of Garsdale station (on the station and Hawes. Garsdale is an unstaffed station so passengers Pete Shaw © valley side of the train). boarding here buy their tickets on the train. PROGRAMME OF ANNIVERSARY EVENTS PROGRAMME OF MOUNT ZION CHAPEL ANNIVERSARY EVENTS Saturday, 6 August Saturday, 6 August & Sunday, 7 August TALK: VICTORIAN GARSDALE THE BOOK OF BRIDGES & HAWES THE BOOK OF BRIDGES “In autumn 2015 I was delighted to be invited Time: 11.45 am FREE entry * Time: 12.45 pm - 2.00 pm to Hawes to view the detailed structural Venue: Dales Countryside Museum Venue: Dales Countryside Museum design manual held in the museum. This Immediately after the talks, on both days, shows the railway structures on the closed line Talk by Dr Christine Hallas, author of between Garsdale and Hawes. The Wensleydale Railway there will be a rare opportunity to view the After many years of working on bridge Midland Railway’s book of original Dandrymire Viaduct & Mount Zion Chapel - Pete Shaw © NB Time suits No 156 bus to Hawes from coloured engineering drawings for the projects, using both old and new drawings, it Leyburn; also trains to Garsdale and Little White is always a privilege to be able to carefully turn bridges on the Hawes branch (Garsdale The foundation stone for the chapel was Bus to Hawes (NB book Little White Bus in to Hawes). This six mile line - which opened the pages of manuals which contain original laid on May 1, 1876 – the day on which advance for return to station) in 1878 and closed in 1959 - was built by plans. These plans give full confirmation that Woodiwiss and Benton, railway contractors the Victorians were highly skilled structural the first passenger train ran on the Settle- Sunday, 7 August who built some sections of the Settle-Carlisle engineers, capable of producing work of Carlisle line. fine architectural quality. Additionally the railway. The congregation invites everyone to join TALK: RAILS IN THE DALES standards of draughtsmanship and finish Time: 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm them on August 6 and 7 for two of the events Also the title of the speaker’s next book, due make the manual a most important historical OPEN HOUR AT THE in their annual programme. For more details, for publication in April 2017 Venue: document.” WEIGHBRIDGE HUT see www.garsdale.info/MZC.html, or phone Time: 11.45 am FREE entry * Tony Freschini, British Rail Project Resident Andy 01969 326 080. This is the small yellow and green wooden Engineer, Ribblehead Viaduct (1988-1992) Venue: Dales Countryside Museum building in the station yard car park and Saturday, 6 August Talk by David Joy, author of opposite the museum, formerly used by the Guide to the Wensleydale Railway and coal merchant. AN APPEAL TO MARK THE TH WALK: HAWES VIA BURTERSETT former Editor, The Dalesman 140 ANNIVERSARY Thursdays, 28 July & 11 August TO GAYLE CHAPEL FOR TEA NB Time suits No 830 buses to Hawes from The Book of Bridges. The individual sheets Time: 1.15 pm Ingleton and Richmond and No 856 bus to of drawings are in good condition. However THE JERICHO EXPERIENCE Meet at: Hawes Cemetery Hawes from Northallerton, Bedale, Leyburn, the book containing them – which is more Aysgarth and Bainbridge and trains to Garsdale The opportunity for a history-packed visit to than two feet high and a yard wide! - is now Website: www.garsdale.info/MZC.html (NB book Little White Bus in advance to and fragile and in need of skilled professional the famous Ribblehead Viaduct, as featured A three mile circular guided walk from from Hawes ) restoration to safeguard the drawings inside.