Private Charter

On 22 June 2012, following a month’s worth of rain (more than 100mm) falling upon the Yorkshire Dales in just two days, massive flooding struck the area around Settle Junction, with the River Ribble bursting its banks to totally engulf adjacent low-lying fields and roads. Although, at no time, did the Settle & Carlisle and Carnforth lines appear to have been particularly threatened, much rainwater drawing off the surrounding fells soon over-taxed the railway’s own drainage channels.

Here, at Langcliffe - between Settle and Helwith Bridge – although partly obscured by the train on the down line, excess water escaping from culverts formed its own channel between the rails of the up line itself.

During a temporary respite to further precipitation that was to follow and keeping a wary eye on the state of the permanent way, Driver Mick Kelly looks out from the footplate of No 46115 “Scots Guardsman”, as it heads north with a 7-coach private party West Coast Railway Company special from Scarborough to Carlisle and return. The loco hit a couple of patches of greasy rail in the locality, the first being under the trees between Settle Jct and the station and then later, in the cutting shortly beyond this spot, just before Stainforth Tunnel.