The Last Years of Carlisle Steam: A Pictorial Journey

By Howard Routledge

Mention the name Carlisle to any steam enthusiast of a certain age and they will probably conjure up an image of bygone days when Stanier and Gresley pacifics rubbed shoulders alongside each other within Citadel station whilst waiting to relieve incoming titled trains such as the Royal Scot and the Waverley. Such scenes, in addition to steam locomotives threading their way across a network of goods lines, and the city’s three surviving motive power depots, were all subjects captured on film by a number of young enthusiasts who lived in Carlisle during the final years of steam. It is the work of those cameramen, aided by others who visited the area, that will offer the reader an insight as to the variety that still prevailed at Carlisle during that time. Looking slightly further afield, images are also included which feature locomotives working hard on those steeply graded lines that radiated from the city towards summits with names to capture the enthusiast’s imagination, such as Shap, Beattock, Whitrope, and Ais Gill. This book, which illustrates in depth one of the country’s major steam centres, contains more than two-hundred photographs, presented in both color and black and white, the majority of which have not been published previously.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Oct 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781526773593

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

THE CITADEL

Fowler 2P 40651 acts as a pilot to Royal Scot Class 46145 The Duke of Wellington’s Regt. (West Riding) as they depart Carlisle Citadel station with an up Thames-Clyde Express in August 1956. The original station opened to traffic in 1847 and was later to receive substantial alterations, completed in 1881, which included the fitting of full width Tudor style glazed end screens, as pictured. At the time this photograph was taken, the glass roof was becoming unsafe and the end screens were also in a poor state of repair which resulted in work commencing in 1957 to replace and drastically reduce the area of the covered roof. A.J. Clarke/Colour Rail

Stanier Princess Coronation Class 46229 Duchess of Hamilton makes a vigorous start from Citadel station with the up Royal Scot – first stop, London Euston. Compared to the previous photograph, this image shows to good effect how much of the station roof was removed during the 1957/58 renovation work. Also of note are the new platform canopies being erected as work progresses on the new end screen. Paul Irving

At first sight, it appears that the Caledonian express is awaiting departure from Carlisle to continue on its journey from Glasgow to London Euston; but it is apparent that the train pictured is actually northbound and is most probably not the Caledonian. The Caledonian train ran on weekdays only, but the train set was employed on a Saturday service between London and Glasgow, and that is what I believe is depicted here. This theory is supported by the lack of a tail lamp on the coach, as well as a loosely hanging hose, both clues that a locomotive change is taking place. It would appear that Camden based 46100 Royal Scot has brought the train north from Euston, and after being uncoupled, it is seen running light through the station towards Upperby shed. The Caledonian was usually allocated to a Coronation Pacific. Paul