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Episode details

Radio Cumbria,16 May 2026,26 mins

The secrets of driving the Settle-Carlisle Line

Secret Cumbria

Available for over a year

Andrew Carter grabs a cab ride on the highest mainline in England. The 73 mile line was opened in 1876 by the Midland Railway and includes the spectacular Ribblehead Viaduct. This wonder of Victorian engineering was the last line largely constructed by hand, and if this wasn’t challenging enough, it faced its stiffest test when threatened with closure in the 80s. Against the odds the line survived to celebrate its 150th anniversary, and today it's more popular than ever with passengers and train crews.

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