Marsden Rail 27: Over the Settle and Carlisle (1968)
1h 3min
- General info
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- Synopsis:
From its opening to passenger traffic by the Midland Rly in 1876, the 72-mile Settle-Carlisle line quickly gained a reputation as one of the most scenic and impressive rail routes in the British Isles. Difficulties encountered in its 5-year construction were matched in almost equal measure by the operating difficulties posed by the tortuous nature of the route, which climbed to over 1100 feet above sea level at Ais Gill Summit. The route's scenic attractions were widely promoted, freight traffic from the Midlands and the West Riding to the important rail centre of Carlisle was its lifeblood during the steam era. Film taken between 1963-1967 shows vividly rugged landscape, together with many numerous viaducts and tunnels that gave the line its unique appeal plus views of the line's larger stations at Carlisle, Settle and Appleby, many stations which succumbed to closure in 1970 are shown. These include Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Ribblehead, Dent, Garsdale, Culgaith and Little Salkeld. At Kirkby Stephen, both the town's West and the former North Eastern Rly East stations feature, together with sequences on the long-closed Stainmore Route from Barnard Castle. Early diesel classes such as 'Peaks', Sulzer Type 2s and diesel railcars are shown. It is the sight and sounds of the steam loco in the form of Black 5's, Jubilees, Britannias, 9F's, and the occasional 'Crab', Austerity 2-8-0 and 4F hard at work on passenger and freight at a wide variety of locations between Hellifield and Carlisle that make this a fascinating visual record. Between 1959 and 1968, railway enthusiast and cine-cameraman, Michael Marsden, recorded views and sounds of the changing face of Britain’s rail network. The blending of this film and that of other cameramen with true sounds of the era, and an informative narrative, has resulted in the creation of a superb range of railway programmes. - Studio:
- Marsden Rail
- Genres:
- Children & Family, Documentary, Special Interest