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Railways of the Yorkshire Dales by Michael Blakemore Soft Cover
Railways of the Yorkshire Dales by Michael Blakemore
Soft Cover
72 pages
Copyright 2001
CONTENTS
Introduction 5
Wharfedale 6
Nidderdale 19
The Masham Branch 36
Ribblesdale, Dentdale and Garsdale 41
Swaledale 54
Wensleydale 59
INTRODUCTION
Mention `Yorkshire' and the word `Dales' often springs immediately to mind to accompany it - the two seem to go together. Yet it would be wrong to think of the Yorkshire Dales as a single entity; they are more a family of constituent members, some large, some small and little-known, each with its own identity and geographical character. The Dales embrace a wide area lying between the Pennines and the Vale of York; on the eastern slopes of the Pennines rise the rivers which form the dales as they make their way, joining others, ultimately to the sea. To the south west Wharfedale stretches away from the industrial towns and cities of the West Riding and is in considerable contrast to the more northerly and easterly dales of the Wensley and the Swale where the scenery is less rugged, more agricultural.
Whilst large parts of the smaller dales have been undisturbed by the coming of railways, most of the larger dales were opened up to rail travel either by terminating branch lines or by cross-country routes connected to other lines at either end. Not all the Dales railways were meandering byways, for on both the western and eastern fringes of the area important main lines forged routes to the north and south. On the west that most renowned of main lines, the Midland Railway's Settle Carlisle route, was built in the boldest of gestures to form an integral part of its line from London to Carlisle. Over to the east the Leeds Northern line from Leeds to Northallerton, via Harrogate and Ripon, carried a Pullman service to Scotland and the important expresses between Liverpool and Newcastle.
One of the longest Dales branches connected them at Northallerton and Hawes Junction, though serving no large population centres along the way. Others served towns of some size and importance such as Richmond and Ilkley or market towns like Pateley Bridge and Masham. Local people were taken to work, to market, to fairs and holidays, to war, while increasingly in later years visitors were brought into the Dales to explore what HRH The Prince of Wales has described as "one of the most treasured landscapes in Britain".
As with so many secondary railways, those of the Yorkshire Dales have not fared too well with the passing of time. The Grassington branch passenger service ceased in 1930, the Wensleydale and Pateley Bridge branches followed during the 1950s and the sweeping cuts of the 1960s further took their toll, including the main line through Ripon.
But all is not gloom, by any means. The Settle-Carlisle line, for so much of the 1980s neglected and threatened with closure, was reprieved and is now enjoying a revival in fortunes, with recent refurbishment of track having been undertaken; its cheery stations and increased traffic are the positive indications of how a railway can be turned round. Another encouraging development during the 1990s was the electrification of the routes from Leeds and Bradford to Skipton and Ilkley; new trains are being introduced and the frequent services appear to be well patronised. And there may be more to come; across in Wensleydale campaigners are endeavouring to restore train services on a line which survived to carry freight for another 40 years after its closure to passengers.
The full story of the Yorkshire Dales railways has been told expertly and in detail elsewhere. This book seeks only to provide a pictorial survey of the railway scene in this favourite part of the White Rose county - past and recent. My thanks are particularly due to David Beeken, John Edgington and Gavin Morrison for their help with photographs and to all those others - sometimes unknown - whose cameras recorded the views we now offer.
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