Registered Charity No 702724
Copyright (C) 2010 SCRT. All Rights Reserved
Caring for Historic Railway Buildings along the Line
The Settle and Carlisle
Railway Trust
Railway Trust
Registered Charity No 702724
Ribblehead
Ribblehead Station
The Trust’s first major solo undertaking was the restoration of the station building at Ribblehead. Although Railtrack had renewed the roof of the building in 1997, the rest of the structure required major work to bring it back into use.
The task of restoring and refurbishing the building involved the creation
of a Visitor Centre in the former Booking Office and Booking Hall, and
a small shop in the former Porters’ Room. The former Ladies’ Waiting
Room and Gents’ Toilet block, together with new floorspace created in
the roof void above, provided accommodation for the caretakers’ flat.
of a Visitor Centre in the former Booking Office and Booking Hall, and
a small shop in the former Porters’ Room. The former Ladies’ Waiting
Room and Gents’ Toilet block, together with new floorspace created in
the roof void above, provided accommodation for the caretakers’ flat.
Plans had been drawn up by the Trust in 1994 to completely refurbish
the building and convert it into a Visitor Centre with resident caretakers’ accommodation. The Trust completed the acquisition of the building on
a 125 year lease in September 1999, and work commenced on site later that month.
the building and convert it into a Visitor Centre with resident caretakers’ accommodation. The Trust completed the acquisition of the building on
a 125 year lease in September 1999, and work commenced on site later that month.
The waiting ‘shed’ at the front of the building would be retained for the use
of rail passengers.
of rail passengers.
Work on the building was completed in six months and the Visitor Centre opened its doors in June 2000. The restored building was formally opened by Steve Macare, Chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, at an event to mark the occasion on 14th October 2000.
The Ribblehead Project was made possible through a number of grants, including those from the European Union Regional Development Fund, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, English Heritage, the Railway Heritage Trust and Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line.
The building won the Trust a prestigious Ian Allan Railway Heritage Award in 2000.
The restored station in use
The passengers waiting room
Ribblehead Station
The Trust's work at Ribblehead includes several projects.
Please use the buttons here to jump to the areas that interest you.
Please use the buttons here to jump to the areas that interest you.
The Visitor Centre
The Trust’s aim was to preserve and restore the station building at Ribblehead as near as possible to its original condition. However, as with any building preservation scheme the initial restoration is only part of the story. Finding an alternative use for a building that has outlived its original purpose can be just as challenging. The idea of a Visitor Centre, housing a display tracing the history and development of the line in the Ribblehead area, was decided on.
Part of the new display at the Visitor Centre
The new display reflects the history of
the line in the context of the Ribblehead environment. There is a room tracing the history of the building and restoration of the viaduct, a room focusing on the station building and all its varied uses throughout its history, and finally a
room dedicated to the building of tunnels.
the line in the context of the Ribblehead environment. There is a room tracing the history of the building and restoration of the viaduct, a room focusing on the station building and all its varied uses throughout its history, and finally a
room dedicated to the building of tunnels.
The Trust is always on the look-out for new items to display that relate to the Line and in particular the Ribblehead area.
The Stationmaster's House
An old view of the Stationmaster's House
The stationmaster’s house at Ribblehead became redundant in 1967 when the station became an unstaffed halt. The building
was subsequently sold and became a private house. In 1985
the building changed hands and became a base for outdoor activities for pupils of a school in Lytham, Lancashire.
was subsequently sold and became a private house. In 1985
the building changed hands and became a base for outdoor activities for pupils of a school in Lytham, Lancashire.
From the outset, after it had acquired Ribblehead station building in 1999,
the Trust took an interest in the stationmaster’s house. The potential to enhance the
Ribblehead site in terms of improving the environment of the station area as a whole was recognised.
The Trust approached the schools with a proposal to purchase the house and a price was agreed.
the Trust took an interest in the stationmaster’s house. The potential to enhance the
Ribblehead site in terms of improving the environment of the station area as a whole was recognised.
The Trust approached the schools with a proposal to purchase the house and a price was agreed.
A development plan was drawn up which looked at a variety of options for use of the building. The initial preferred option was for holiday lettings, comprising two separate units which could be let individually or together as one larger unit, with an additional educational use for meetings and seminars.
An application was submitted to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority in 2005 for Planning Permission for change of use, which was duly granted.
The purchase was successfully completed in July 2006. A joint committee was formed between the Trust and FoSCL to draw up more detailed plans for the project. These were to include not just the building itself, but also the adjoining land, including the approach road.
Detailed plans and drawings were prepared and costed. As it became evident that the costs of the original scheme, for two holiday lets, were too high, the plans were revised to allow for one large let instead. However, the cost of this work was still considered excessive and, with problems in obtaining the necessary grants, the scheme was further revised.
This time the emphasis was to be placed on the heritage aspect of the building and the plans focussed on the restoration of the building to as near its original condition as practicable. This was in recognition of the fact that there were only two remaining stationmaster’s houses on the line, at Crosby Garrett and Cotehill, that were close to their original layout, including the adjoining walled yard area. All other such houses along the line had been altered over the years.
The current proposal for the Stationmaster’s House at Ribblehead
includes the restoration of the yard, and of other architectural features
such as windows, doors, decorative bargeboards, ridge tiles and guttering.
includes the restoration of the yard, and of other architectural features
such as windows, doors, decorative bargeboards, ridge tiles and guttering.
The present caretakers’ accommodation will then be transferred from its existing location in the station building to the Stationmaster’s House, thus restoring its use to something akin to its original purpose. Much of the extra space freed up in the station building can then be utilised for an expanded and improved Visitor Centre.
The Stationmaster's House as it is today
Untreated damp and leaks had
left the house in poor repair
left the house in poor repair
The images on this website are courtesy of the SCRT, Tony Freschini, Martin Firth and Andrew & Rachel Griffiths of ImageRail, Copyright (C) 2010
The centre illustrates for visitors the history of the site from its beginning to the present day - and includes fascinating insights into the construction and repair of the line, its viaducts and tunnels.