At about 1pm on Wednesday 20th February 1935, a significant landslide occurred in the vicinity of Bridge 83 (an aqueduct carrying a small stream that drains part of the western flank of Wold Fell, near Dent Head). The landslide completely blocked both the 'up' and 'down' lines for two weeks and necessitated single-line operations for a further six weeks or so.
The slip destabilised the cutting and seriously damaged both the aqueduct and the adjacent sections of retaining wall. To reduce the risk of further damage and facilitate the clearance and repair works, the stream had to be temporarily diverted. The repairs involved the temporary removal of the wrought-iron span and the partial dismantling (and subsequent rebuilding) of the supporting piers and adjacent sections of the retaining wall. The incident was widely reported in the media and the following accounts are especially interesting / informative:
Sheffield Independent - Thursday 21 February 1935
LANDSLIDE BLOCKS LINE
L.M.S. Scots Express Escape
TRACK TO BE CLOSED FOR FEAR OF FRESH FALLS
60-FOOT CLIFF CLOSING IN ON PERMANENT WAY
Express trains were diverted yesterday following a landslide on the L.M.S. main line at Dent, 15 miles from Settle in the West Riding.
Flooding is believed to have caused a steel aqueduct to collapse, and the sides of the embankment caved in on the line.
The famous Thames-Clyde up express to London had a narrow escape. The express left Carlisle shortly after noon, running a few minutes late. Had it been running to time it is probable that it might have been involved with great loss of life.
The line though the cutting may not be put into service for a few days, as flood water from the moors, following almost persistent rainfall during the last fortnight, has burst through the aqueduct which carries the surface water across the line, and swamped a 60-foot cliff, with the result that the entire mass is moving forward.
The cliff has already moved several feet, and with such pressure that the stone buttress of the aqueduct crumbled. Anxiety continues, as the embankment has burst through an eight-foot retaining wall on one side and bulged it on the other.
Workmen toiled through the night in the glare of acetylene flares clearing the line and dismantling the aqueduct to minimise the danger of further subsidence.
The Thames - Clyde express was scheduled to pass the landslide zone about the time the fall occurred.
FRANTIC WARNING
It had only reached Hawes Junction, however, a few miles from where the landslide occurred when a flash message was sent out from the Skipton control area to stop all traffic on up and down lines shortly after one o'clock.The express was turned back to Carlisle, fifty miles away, and from there resumed its run to London via Shap and the Ingleton branch line, passing Skipton three hours late.
The morning Leeds to Carlisle Flier had passed Dent ninety minutes before the accident occurred.
The engineering department had had men watching this wild stretch of line near the Aisgill summit during the storm of the past few days, one of the railway officials concerned said, last night.
It was feared that something might happen, and when the landslide occurred, watchers were ready to give immediate warning.
BREAKDOWN GANG
A breakdown gang from Hellifield was despatched to the spot, but owing to the possibility of further subsidence they did not start work immediately. Alter some hours waiting, however, they started clearing operations which are likely to occupy some two or three days.To-day a shuttle service will be worked between Carlisle and Kirkby Stephen, and it is possible that on the Southern side of Aisgill summit, trains will run as far as Ribblehead station.
Known as Shale Cutting, the scene of the landslide is at a spot where the railway cuts through Wold fell, just south of Dent.
LINE UNDER WATER
The sides of the embankment are of soft shale and a moorland stream is carried over the line which, since Friday, has been in flood.During the night the streams were torrents, and during the day rain fell almost unceasingly.
There will probably be about 500 tons of material to move when work is commenced, as the rest of the shale will fall as soon as operations commence.
The trains, most of them expresses from Hellifield to Scotland, were diverted by way of Ingleton and Carnforth.
Local trains were run north to Ribblehead and from Carlisle to Garsdale, better known as Hawes Junction.
Passengers were than conveyed by motor car to and from these points.
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 21 February 1935
LANDSLIDE IN YORKSHIRE
L.M.S. Line Blocked for Several Days
EXPRESS TRAINS DIVERTED
Widespread Floods After Gales
SIXTY-MILE an hour gales and heavy rain have caused widespread floods and disorganised shipping.
The main L.M.S. line from Leeds to Carlisle and Scotland will be blocked for a few days because of a landslide yesterday near Dent. After a ganger gave the alarm trains were stopped. Work continued through the night on the repair of broken masonry supporting an aqueduct, but there is anxiety about further subsidence on the line.
...
ALL-NIGHT WORK ON LINE
Anxiety About Further Subsidence
From Our Correspondent
SKIPTON. WednesdayThe main railway line from Leeds to Carlisle will remain blocked for a few days between Ribblehead and Garsdale stations, in consequence of a serious landslide this morning at Dent Shale cutting, through which the railway passes shortly after Blea Moor tunnel on the way North.
A ganger named Akridge was passing along the line when he noticed that one side of the cutting had partially collapsed, together with the masonry supporting the aqueduct which carries surplus water drained from the moorlands across the line into the River Dee. Both the up and down lines were blocked, and realising that disaster would overtake any oncoming train colliding with this mass of stone and earth, he hurried to Dent Railway Station - a mile or so away - and gave the alarm. Thus he averted any danger to traffic.
Trains were immediately stopped. A ballast train, with a gang of workmen, was rushed to the place from Skipton. Examination revealed serious fissures in the stonework of the aqueduct caused by the rush of water from the adjacent gathering grounds. One of the first tasks was to divert, higher up the fell side, the water flowing through the aqueduct.
Cliff Moving Forward
Rain has fallen almost persistently for nearly a fortnight in this, one of the bleakest and most mountainous sections of the London Midland and Scottish system, and for several days the aqueduct had been carrying much more than its normal supply of water. The flood waters from the moors burst through the fissures and had swamped a 60ft cliff, which rises on each side of a massive stone pillar, supporting one end of the aqueduct.Serious subsidence occurred in the cliff, the entire mass moving forward several feet from a point practically at the summit, and the movement of earth had pushed forward the stone buttresses of the aqueduct, and carried the wrought-iron section which crosses the line entirely out of position. Such was the pressure that the stone buttress of the aqueduct at the other side had crumbled, and many tons of masonry had fallen down the steep embankment and on the permanent way.
The chief engineer of the Northern Division of the London Midland and Scottish Railway (Mr. Cotton, Manchester), and assistants visited the place with officials from the control at Skipton.
It is understood that anxiety exists as to the possibility of further subsidence as the bulk of the embankment at this point, which has already burst an eight-foot retaining wall on the one side and bulged it on the other side of the aqueduct, seems likely still further to threaten a blockage of the up line.
Arrangements were made to begin work at once on the repair of the aqueduct, and, to minimise the danger of further subsidence, large gangs of workmen worked through the night with acetylene flares.
The task of dismantling the pillars supporting the aqueduct carries with it a serious risk because the masonry has crumbled at a point 30 feet above the line. To work from the aqueduct level is not possible, and it is thought likely that all insecure blocks of masonry will have to be dislodged by men working from safe positions with ropes.
The effect upon the rail traffic has been to limit local trains from the north to Garsdale station, and from the south to Ribblehead station. Taxis were used to take passengers between the two stations. Southbound express trains are being diverted at Carlisle and are travelling by way of Tebay and Sedbergh to join the Morecambe line at Clapham and the main line at Settle Junction a few miles further south. Northbound trains are also taking this route.
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 22 February 1935
As reported in The Yorkshire Post yesterday, a landslide occurred on Wednesday near Dent, between Ribblehead and Garsdale stations, and the main L M S. line from Leeds to Carlisle and Scotland will be blocked for a few days. Express trains are being diverted by way of Tebay, Clapham and Settle junction. Motor cars are being used to cover the gap caused in the local train service.
"What earth has fallen is not the trouble." said an official yesterday. "It is what might fall following the workings of water after the heavy rain which recently fell there. We cannot possibly send a train through until we are certain of the safety the cutting. The vibration a train might prove too much for earth resistance."
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 01 March 1935
LANDSLIDE TASK FOR ENGINEERS
Damaged Section of L.M.S. Line
Railway engineers and gangs of workmen, who are repairing the extensive damage caused by a landslide a week ago in Shale Cutting, between Blea Moor tunnel and Dent station, where the Settle-Carlisle line of the L.M.S. railway cuts through Wold Fell, have found difficulty because of the weather. Repairs will cost thousands pounds.
Efforts are being made to effect a single line working at the point on Tuesday. The down-line, to Carlisle, will be used through the section, for the up-line is nearer the embankment. Special arrangements are being made to provide for the passage of the Scottish expresses and other traffic through the section without delaying their journeys.
The plan will leave the engineers room to carry on with their work on the embankment, and it is not expected that the double line service through the section will come into operation for at least two months.
The chief engineer of the L.M.S. system from Euston visited the cutting yesterday. The task of the engineers is a difficult one. The embankment, which had become waterlogged owing to excessive rain, slipped forward about four feet over a length of about 100 yards. For a few days it continued to slip, and it is estimated that the western pier supporting the aqueduct has moved forward at least six feet. The biggest crack in the embankment is at least 18 feet deep, and large enough to take a horse and cart.
The work is in progress day and night. It is intended to re-grade the embankment and build a retaining wall of sufficient strength and thickness to prevent any further slip.
After the closing of the line, express traffic from London and Scotland was diverted over the old London and North Western line, by way of Ingleton and Tebay, and despite the slightly longer journey, trains are maintaining almost normal times. The local service is still limited to Ribblehead from the South and Garsdale from the North, the intervening points being connected by road services.
Leeds Mercury - Friday 01 March 1935
Day and Night Work After Landslide.
From Our Own Correspondent.
DENT, Thursday.Railway engineers and gangs of workmen who are repairing the extensive damage caused by the landslide a week ago in Shale Cutting, an isolated point between the northern end of Blea Moor tunnel and Dent Station, where the Settle-Carlisle line of the L.M.S. railway cuts through Wold Fell, are experiencing severe weather conditions.
Notwithstanding the heavy rain, piercing winds and at times driving snow, they are pushing on as quickly as possible with the work to enable the line to be reopened for traffic.
It is understood that every endeavour is being directed to inaugurate a single-line working at the point on Tuesday. For this purpose the down-line, to Carlisle, will be used through the section, for the up-line is nearer the embankment where the slip occurred. This line is in the hands of the engineers, who are using it for wagons to remove the material excavated from the embankment.
18ft. CRACK.
The task of the engineers is a difficult one. The embankment, which had become water-logged, had slipped forward about four feet over a length of about 100 yards.For a few days the embankment continued to slip, and it is estimated that the western pier supporting the aqueduct has moved forward at least six feet from its normal position.
The biggest crack in the embankment is at least 18 feet deep, and large enough to accommodate a horse and cart. The engineers and their men are digging away thousands of tons from the embankment, and the work is in progress day and night. The idea, it is understood, is to dig away from the embankment until the seat of the slip has been reached; re-grade the embankment and build a retaining wall of sufficient strength and thickness to prevent any further slip.
The local train service is limited to Ribblehead from the South and Garsdale from the North, the intervening points being connected up with taxis.
Penrith Observer - Tuesday 12 March 1935
RAILWAY LANDSLIDE. Settle-Appleby Line Re-opened. The London, Midland and Scottish main line from Settle to Appleby, which has been closed for about a fortnight owing to a land-slide at Dent, was re-opened for through traffic as from last Wednesday. Workmen from Carlisle and Settle have had a difficult task in their endeavour to consolidate the bank, and it is estimated that over 5,000 tons of material were dug out. Cross-over lines have been put in at either side of the landslip, so that a single line track can be worked. The scene of the landslide has been visited by Sir Josiah Stamp (President of the London, Midland and Scottish Executive).
British Pathé newsreel clip - 25/02/1935
A British Pathé newsreel issued on 25/02/1935 covered the landslip and the digitised segment can be viewed online at:
https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/41760/
The video clip includes a brief commentary, plus some fascinating black & white film footage. The latter shows the site from various angles shortly after the landslip and features workers using pickaxes to dislodge loose rock & earth from the top of the cutting. Some of the dislodged material can be seen rolling-down the slope and bouncing onto the railway tracks. Also worthy of note are the workers' attire and the absence of modern health & safety equipment and associated working practices.