The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express
Saturday 30th January 2021 - Cancelled due to Covid.
*Update - Sadly having published this in hope at the beginning of 2021, we soon entered another national lockdown and tours including this have been cancelled up to end of February as it stands. We hope that we can get these back up and running soon enough, in the meantime keep safe and well.
Welcome to 2021 and one of the first main line steam hauled train of 2021 starts the year off with a winter scenic day out from the north-west to the Cumbria Fells. Travelling outwards over the West Coast Main Line via Shap to Carlisle, time will be available to explore this historic border city. In the afternoon, we head southwards again, but via the highly scenic Settle & Carlisle line. This will be even more special if there is snow about to enhance the breath taking scenery of the Pennines.
The train will be hauled by a locomotive from the Carnforth steam pool. This special train will depart from Manchester Victoria at about 07:00 stopping to collect passengers at Bolton and Preston. We enjoy a fast run along the West Coast Main Line (WCML) to Carnforth where we stop for our locomotive to take on water. We climb the first severe gradient up to Grayrigg and then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge, gaining speed for the ascent to Shap. This well-known section of the WCML has a gradient of 1 in 75 and, in the former days of steam locomotives, banking engines from Tebay were used to assist trains. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells we descend to Penrith, and then head for Carlisle. We stay in the Border City for over two hours, providing ample time to visit the castle, cathedral, museum and shops, or just to relax in one of the many fine coffee shops, restaurants or bars.
We leave Carlisle and begin to climb as soon as we join the Settle & Carlisle Line, one of the best known and best loved stretches of railway line in Britain. We stop at Appleby, for our steam locomotive to take on water. The route then climbs through Kirkby Stephen towards the highest railway summit in England at Ais Gill, 1,169 feet above sea level. We pass over tall viaducts, including the famous one at Ribblehead, and through tunnels. There are magnificent views across the Fells and to the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.
We should have a fast run out of the hills through to Settle before we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. We continue through Hellifield and Clitheroe to Blackburn, where we stop to set down passengers. We then head for Bamber Bridge and join the WCML at Farington Junction and make our way towards Bolton, where we stop to set down passengers. Shortly after 19:00, we arrive at our final destination of Manchester Victoria, and the end of a truly marvellous day.
Steam Hauled by one of these available locomotives;
35018 British India Line [SR Merchant Navy Class]
45699 Galatea [LMS Jubilee Class]
46115 Scots Guardsman [LMS Royal Scot Class]
| Station | Outward | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester Victoria | 07:00 | 19:08 |
| Bolton | 07:45 | 18:42 |
| Preston | 08:15 | 18:40* |
| Blackburn | ------- | 17:54 |
| Carlisle | 11:30 | 14:15 |
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