SCRCA site 253381: Dent Station

SCRCA Location Introduction

At 1,150 feet above sea level, Dent is the highest mainline station in England. It is also one of the most remote. (The only sizeable settlement in Dentdale is Dent village, which is four and a half miles from the station via the shortest road route.)

When the Settle & Carlisle Railway was being planned, the Midland Railway Company's management were not certain that a station in Dentdale could be justified. By June 1874, two possible locations were being considered: Dent Head (near the south end of the upper dale) and Arten Gill (mid-way along it). On 2nd August 1875 (when the first goods train travelled along the full length of the line), the matter had still not been resolved. On 30th November 1875, the construction committee finally decided that a station should be provided beside the Coal Road (near the north end of the upper dale, where it curves sharply westwards).

The station opened for goods traffic on 6th August 1877 and it handled 3,225 passengers during 1878 (the first full year of passenger operations).

The station closed for goods traffic on 1st October 1964 and for passenger traffic on 4th May 1970. It reopened again (for passenger traffic only) on 29th September 1986.

The station is unstaffed, but there is a waiting room and electronic passenger information display on each platform.

The former booking office is now owned by the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line (FoSCL) and it operates as a holiday let. (For further information, see https://www.foscl.org.uk/.)

Photo-montage for Dent Station

Key details from the Location Record

Location Type
Railway Station
Location Variant
Station Status - Open (Served by passenger trains)
Assessment status
Assessed
Current Use(s)
Railway ops, Residential
Shown on a land plan?
Yes 
Construction / installation period
2: MR construction phase (1869 to 31st Dec 1876)
Distance from London St.Pancras
253 miles and 32 chains
Position relative to running lines
Both sides
Visibility
This location IS visible from nearby publicly accessible land.
Accessibility (ease of access)
Easy
Protection Category
Site within Conservation Area
Geographic Location
  View this location on mapping. or on aerial imagery.

Further Reading (Snippets)

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Errors and omissions
Reasonable efforts are being made to ensure the accuracy of the information obtained and uploaded as part of the SCRCA Project. However, it is possible that a few errors will have crept-in. If you notice any such errors, we would be grateful if you would bring them to our attention using the SCRCA Project Contact Form. The Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line and the members of the SCRCA Project Team do NOT guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this database. If you intend to use and / or act upon any of this information, you are advised to verify its accuracy BEFORE doing so.