Brilliant reprise of how this astonishing rail route was built, views of the people who operate it and that common sense prevailed and the route is still with us.
Proud to have worked on the S & C on the P/Way. I'll always remember Derek Soames & Arthur Ashton from Settle Jct with great fondness. In October 1989 British Rail set about the task of waterproofing Ribblehead Viaduct which required closing the line down for several days. For me it was a chance to finally get to work on this famous structure. Six months earlier I had joined the railways, my first position was with the Clitheroe permanent way gang, and I was now coming to the end of my probationary period, and determined not to let myself down. Little did I know that this shift was going to prove to be a tough & memorable one. It was the Sunday afternoon of October 29th and having picked up the gang at Clitheroe it was off to Ribblehead station. On arrival things seemed to be going well, getting out of the crew bus we were required to walk the last stretch to the viaduct, the track had been lifted so there was no shuttle service of any kind! When we reached the site the ballast was being levelled and we were instructed that the crane being propelled by a Class 47 was to bring the 60ft track panels to our location, we would then bar the panels into position and plate them up. By now it was starting to go dark with the rain getting harder and the wind getting stronger. I was instructed to go to Skipton to pick up a driver and guard to relieve the current crew on the Class 47. So it was back over the mostly darkened viaduct, the temporary strip lights on the parapet walls made the trudge back a little easier. Coming with me back to Skipton were the crew off the Class 47. I remember the guard had to catch a train from Skipton back to Healey Mills, telling me to put my foot down and step on it. Always obey the last order!! I can still see his face as he left the crew bus outside the front of Skipton station. His hat was at a funny angle and he seemed to be walking sideways, a bit like Norman Wisdom, his comments to me were very colourful! With the replacement crew on the bus it was now a steady run back to Ribblehead, with the wind getting up and the rain lashing against the windscreen. Not the best of roads to be driving on. Back at Ribblehead I donned my wet weather gear, which was clearly not up to the job demanded of it. The rain gear which was not easy to move in consisted of a heavy long plastic orange coat and a sou'wester hat. Walking down the track from the station to the viaduct I could feel the wind blowing me about, definately rough weather. The strip lights on the parapet walls were visible, highlighting the rain blowing over the walls as it hit the viaduct from the west. It was like looking at a wind tunnel although when I got onto the viaduct I couldn't feel any wind or rain. Now I've heard the tales on the Settle & Carlisle about a man falling off the viaduct only for the wind to blow him back on the other side, and of the turntable at Garsdale when the wind got hold of an engine which was being turned, the spinning locomotive only being stopped by the shovelling ballast into the turntable pit. I was now beginning to wonder whether there was any truth in these stories as this was a damn rough night. Continuing through the wind & rain the distant orange glow of the brake van on the back of the ballast train came into view. To anyone who has ever seen a brake van and thought they were basic and uninviting, well trust me this one was a very welcome sight. The gale force wind assisted me in climbing on board the brake van. Opening the door I was greeted by the lads who had got the stove going and were keeping warm between sharing shifts of dropping the ballast. The biggest surprise however was to be greeted by a dog curled up in front of the stove keeping warm. A quick cup of tea, and then it was out onto the back of the ballast wagon to drop some stone. Somehow the parapet of the viaduct had minimised the full force of the wind & rain but climbing up onto the ballast wagon brought me into the full fury of this stormy night. The wind and rain was really lashing at my face as I rode up and down the track turning the wheel on the hoppers to let the ballast out, the ploughs on the brake van were used to level the ballast. The job was running late and by the time we got back to Ribblehead station it was 00.30 on the Monday morning, three hours behind schedule. The Ribblehead gang were based in the then decrepit Ribblehead station and the last I saw of that dog was when one of the Ribblehead gang lads put it in the station building and locked the door behind it and said "We'll see it tomorrow morning and find its owners." I still don't know to this day what happened to that dog so if any of the then Ribblehead gang reading this or anyone else who knows then please let me know! As for me I passed my six months probationary period with flying colours - I earned my stripes that night, and have worked on the railways for nearly 18 years, now working on the former Midland Railway at Chinley. I feel honoured and privileged to have been able to spend five years of my career working on the Settle & Carlisle line.
Hope every passenger travelling over the S&C appreciates the people that built it, and we that fought to keep it. Best route in the country. Ex Railwayman .
