Reference sources - 2: Operating the line

Note: This page lists sources that only relate only to operating the line. Additional relevant material is also listed in the 'General Reference' section.

Online resources

High-resolution map of the Midland Railway's System in 1922: A copy of this, scanned by the Midland Railway Society from the Midland Railway Company's Annual Report and Accounts for 1922, can be downloaded from:

https://www.midlandrailway.org.uk/maps/system-map.html.
A comprehensive overview of subject of railway distance markers (mileposts) is available online in "Section 26: Distance Markers" of the "Railway Signs and Signals of Great Britain" website, see:

https://www.railsigns.uk/sect28page1.html
The Derby Signalling website is dedicated to the history of mechanical railway signalling in the Derby area, including the signalling practices of - and equipment manufactured and used by – the Midland Railway Company - see:

http://www.derby-signalling.org.uk/
The National Railway Museum and the Midland Railway Study Centre have developed a timetable finding aid for the Midland Railway Company (and its constituent companies). This takes the form of a comprehensive listing of the printed timetables currently available for public viewing by visiting the Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby, the National Railway Museum in York, and the National Archives in Kew. The timetable finding aid covers the period 1848 to 1922 and takes the form of a 36-page (2.1Mb) pdf document. For further information - and to download the document - see:

https://www.midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk/timetables/
In 2016, Historic England published a fascinating introduction to railway goods sheds entitled "The Railway Goods Shed and Warehouse in England" (written by John Minnis with Simon Hickman). The front cover features a photograph of the goods shed at Lanwgwathby. This 140-page publication can be downloaded in pdf format (14.2Mb) from Historic England's website via the following link:

https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/railway-goods-shed-and-warehouse-in-england/the-railway-goods-shed-and-warehouse/

Printed publications

Hundreds of books and articles about the Settle-Carlisle Railway have been published over the decades. The following have been identified as being particularly useful as they contain significant quantities of original, well-researched material (i.e. text, plans, historic photographs, etc). Many of the books listed below are out of print, although they do occassionally appear on the second-hand market. Some of those that are still in print may be available from FoSCL's online shop: for a list of the titles currently in stock, see:

https://shop.foscl.org.uk/books.html

Books

Cumbrian Railways Association, The: “The Midland’s Settle & Carlisle Distance Diagrams”, The Cumbrian Railways Association (1992).
Fawcett, Dick: "Ganger, Guard and Signalman: Working Memories of the Settle and Carlisle", Bradford Barton (1981).
Hall, Stanley: "BR signalling handbook", Ian Allan Ltd (1992).
Mitchell, W.R: “Life on the Settle-Carlisle Railway: anecdotes collected from railwaymen and their families”, Dalesman (1984).
Mitchell, W.R: “Men of the Settle-Carlisle - railwaymen talk to W.R. Mitchell”, Dalesman (1985).
Mitchell, W R & Fox, Peter: “Locomotives seen on the Settle-Carlisle”, Castleberg (1992).
Swift, John: “British Railways Layout Plans of the 1950s - Volume 12: Carlisle to Leeds and associated branches and joint lines”, Signalling Record Society Publications (1999)

The National Archive collection at Kew

This repository holds an enormous quanity of primary source material relating to the management and operation of the railway betwen Hellifield and Carlisle, including Parliamentary records, plans, drawings and railway company minutes (including those for Board meetings and the various Committees such as Accident, Audit, Chairman's, Finance, Law, Locomotive, Miscellaneous, Parliamentary, Stores, Traffic and Way & Works). Unfortunately, very few of the relevant records are available for viewing online. A comprehensive and methodical search of the online catalogue will be an essential starting point for any specific enquiry, but the following extracts from the catalogue will provide an good indication of the breadth and depth of the available material:

Reference: RAIL 491 - Midland Railway Company: Records

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12679

Reference: RAIL 1015 - London, Midland and Scottish Railway Collection

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C13188

Reference: RAIL 421 - London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company: Miscellaneous Books and Records

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12609

Reference: RAIL 432 - London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company: Passenger and Goods Train Notices

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12620

Reference: RAIL 426 - London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company: Staff Records

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12614

For further information about the National Archive Collection and / or to search the online catalogue, see:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Series Links

The list of potentially useful / interesting reference sources is now far too long for a single page, so it has been split into five separate pages - one for each of the following sections:

The links above will enable you to jump directly to the relevant section.

Settle Carlisle Railway Conservation Area (SCRCA)