Thursday 22nd July 2021
It’s wonderful to see the ‘Staycation Express’ run by Rail Charter Services back again on the Settle & Carlisle Line for the summer. And even better than last year’s trial, it’s being run by a former Great Western Railway High Speed Train in a very smart green and silver livery.
This year’s timetable began on Monday operating for eight weeks until Thursday 9th September. Last year the service ran from Skipton as far north as Appleby but for 2021 a return journey leaves Skipton at 11:18 and runs all the way through to Carlisle arriving 13:13 stopping at Settle and Appleby with a return time from Carlisle at 15:09. There’s a southbound positioning journey from Appleby (where the train is presumably stabled overnight) down to Skipton in the mornings at 09:40 (arriving at 11:00) returning at 17:18, getting back to Appleby for 18:28.
The journeys are once again slotted around the main timetable operated by Northern between Leeds and Carlisle which continues unchanged together with any freight movements on the line.
Slightly different times apply on Saturdays snd Sundays and no service operates on Fridays giving time for the train to be serviced.
Ticket sales on Rail Charter’s website began when Covid restrictions were still in place so last year’s arrangement of only selling tickets in pairs was the rule at that time but this now seems to have changed and tickets for just one person or any number travelling together are now available.
A single from Skipton to Carlisle is £34 with a return at £59. It’s more expensive than standard ticket prices of £26.40 single or £27.90 for an off-peak day return but they’re worth every penny of the excess.
The train comprises five coaches with a power car at each end. It looks absolutely splendid in its new livery; my travelling companion on Monday, design legend Ray Stenning, gave it his seal of approval so it really must be good.
Ray especially liked the crest logo on the side of each coach.
Inside, the coaches are kitted out in GWR’s luxury style former First Class leather seats throughout the train. Oh, how we miss them.
There’s even a kitchen and buffet car which as well as offering counter service also provides a brunch option in the morning for £15 and afternoon tea for £18 on the return journey. These can be added at the time of booking online.
Brunch and tea are served at set tables with real crockery and glassware.
There was a slight teething problem with the hot water supply on the first trip so only cold drinks could be served. But no-one minded and even cold drinks served from the buffet came in a proper glass – none of your plastic throwaway stuff here.
To add to all this luxury is a huge dose of scenic delight along the entire journey especially the famous Ribblehead Viaduct and the gorgeous valleys along the way.
I was a bit surprised the toilets didn’t seem to have been modified to prevent effluent falling straight on the track if the notice was still relevant – maybe there’s an exemption for heritage charter type trains?
The train had a reasonable number of passengers on board for its inaugural run on Monday, including a tour party who’d also commissioned an open top ‘Queen Mary’ former Southdown PD3 to bring them to Skipton station.
There were still plenty of empty seats though, although this was just as well as a number of bookings had couples not travelling together around a table for four but the RCS team were on hand to sort any such problems out with impressive efficiency and politeness and moved people to empty alternative seats.
I hope custom picks up over the next few weeks and this year’s operation, like last year’s will be a success. I see that for forward bookings tickets for brunch and afternoon tea are already sold out for some dates which is an encouraging sign.
It really is a pleasure to see the leisure market for train travel being encouraged with this initiative thanks to entrepreneurial private enterprise and I’m sure there’s more scope for enterprises like this across the rail network. Train journeys like this one offer a great alternative to what are now somewhat bland uncomfortable coaches on many long distance journeys nowadays.
Travelling along the Settle and Carlisle line – England’s most scenic railway line – is always a delight, but to do so on the luxury of a smooth running, quiet running HST really is a special treat.
The ‘Staycation Express’ is highly recommended.
Roger French
BusAndTrainUser 
Rather surprised you described Ribblehead Viaduct as ‘infamous’, which according to my OED means ‘notoriously bad’ or ‘having a bad reputation’. I would have thought ‘spectacular’ or ‘glorious’ might be more appropriate !
However, I suppose it rather depends on the context as the adjective might well be used to describe Belgravia, Sebastopol and Batty Wife Hole, the shanty towns beneath the viaduct built to house the navvies and the subject of the TV drama ‘Jericho’ a few years ago. Given the choice, I would have chosen to live in Belgravia, which somehow sounds rather more up-market.
LikeLike
Thanks Nigel; have deleted the “in”!
LikeLike
Shame we missed this but you might be able to get on one from Skipton!
Sent from my iPhone
LikeLike
There are fairly extensive sidings at Appleby so the left as you face south so it’s probably stabled there although you’d still have the logistical problem of refueling the class 43 locomotives.Those sidings have a way, although perhaps the points have been taken out of use,onto the Warcop Line.Some public footpaths cross the Warcop line within Appleby and it was completely overgrown when I walked over it about 3 years ago so thick with thorn trees that it wouldn’t be possible to walk along it although I think that bits are clear further south and the OS map shows a station at Warcop.
LikeLike
There are fairly extensive sidings at Appleby on the left as you face south so it’s probably stabled there although you’d still have the logistical problem of refueling the class 43 locomotives.Those sidings have a way, although perhaps the points have been taken out of use,onto the Warcop Line.Some public footpaths cross the Warcop line within Appleby and it was completely overgrown when I walked over it about 3 years ago so thick with thorn trees that it wouldn’t be possible to walk along it although I think that bits are clear further south and the OS map shows a station at Warcop.
LikeLike
Checking the Real Times Trains website the HST runs ECS to and from Carlisle for stabling purposes except on a Saturday night when it is stabled in Appleby North East Sidings.
LikeLike
It was my late father who was tasked with closing the line in the 1980s. In reality, he tried his best to keep it open along with many others. He’d have been very happy to see this back and I’m sure been up there for a ride.
LikeLike
It would be seemly if one of the designated HST powercars was named “Ron Cotton” . . . we all owe him a huge “thanks” for not doing what he was told to do!! The other one could be named “James Towler”, who, as the Chairman of the North East TUCC, obfuscated the wishes of the British Rail Board and delayed the closure of the S&C until sense prevailed.
And yes . . . there’s always Graham Nuttall and Ruswarp; and the Friends of the Settle and Carlisle Railway . . . maybe one nameplate each side??
Perhaps the operating season could be extended next year, and a naming ceremony organised as part of the publicity??
LikeLiked by 1 person
Infamy infamy they’ve all got it in for me.
The viaduct is famous
LikeLike
I think some of the HST diagrams on LNER and its predecessor TOCs exceeded 1000 miles in a day, so the HST on these trains should only need refuelling once a week (perhaps with a mid-week top-up to avoid embarassment).
LikeLike