Garsdale Station

The plan by Network Rail is to replace England's signal boxes with a total of 14 centralised control centres. This will save money but not I suspect in the long run lives. At the moment there are 5,600 front line staff operating signals, that is a lot of signal boxes.  It was therefore a surprise to see the Garsdale signal box covered in scaffolding so perhaps the grand plan is not happening for a while.

 All seemed quiet on the station and the buildings looked in pristine condition.  Their refurbishment using the designs of 1876 gained MFG Construction the National Railway Heritage Craft Skills Award in 2009.

On this day there were contractors busy working on the line itself on this exposed track.  In past times when there was a turntable here it was protected by walls of sleepers so the locomotives would not be spun by strong winds.  Oh look the signal is up

for a freight train which for safety reasons passed the workers at a very slow speed, ideal for the photographer.  The Settle to Carlisle line not only carries passengers but a massive amount of freight and this only happens today because people fought to keep the line open when it was in danger of closure. The short term view of the original decision shown to be wrong. 

Just seen to the left of this photograph is a statue of a border collie called Ruswarp (pronounced Russup) which both commemorates the dog and its owner Graham Nuttall, who was a founder member of the Settle-Carlisle line pressure group. Ruswarp, as he was a paying passenger of the line, signed the original petition against closure along with his human owner, but with his paw print.  Graham went missing in January 1990 while walking in the Welsh mountains never to return,  his body was discovered 11 weeks later with Ruswarp still beside him having survived the winter weather but so weak he had to be carried off the mountain.  The 14 year old dog attended his owners funeral but passed away soon after.  Garsdale was a favourite place so the Friends of Settle-Carlisle Line placed the statue here to symbolise the successful campaign to save the line for future generations and also to the memory of Graham Nuttall and his faithful dog.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - a journey through the alphabet

  

Lets Zigzag

Smardale, Cumbria

Here is the letter Z in limestone gently zigzagging up the hill  or for our purposes zigzagging down also a good way for humans to come down a steep hill.   Now what else can I find, oh yes

Hodbarrow Point, Cumbria

a natural zigzag around a rock-pool.

Woodbridge Station, Suffolk

An ornate zigzagging awning on Woodbridge station, a pleasant place to wait for a train because one can watch the yachts bobbing about on the water to pass the time, a couple of these people are doing that very thing.  Getting dizzy with all this zigzagging perhaps I'll move to the zany

 A wall walking sheep.   The grass is always greener on the other side. 

Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria

And lastly a zany clown, at least I think that is what it is supposed to be.  The stall in front of the obelisk is doing a plant swap although there seemed to be more chatting than swapping.  The clown may have had something to do with the candy floss stall hidden at the back. I can never resist candy floss.  Phew that is the tricky letter Z over for another round of ABC.   

An entry to ABC Wednesday where the end of the alphabet has been reached. 

Are you in for the next round? 

Hadlow Road

Hadlow Road station opened in 1866.  The line closed in 1962 and is now the track of the Wirral Way cycle and  footpath. The station building is restored to its 1950s state as a typical village station and acts as a visitors centre. Tickets anyone?

Mary is the hostess of the midweek meme Windows...and doors too