Many followers of social media may have missed the recent online discussion of railways in Cumbria and while much is informative and considered, some comments are just bizarre.
As a follower of a number of rail-related threads on various social media apps, I am all at once grateful for some of the enthusiasts who post some wonderful stuff on existing or past Cumbrian railways, but also quite disheartened at some of the more ill-informed comments that appear alongside these.
Let’s start with the positive. Maybe not all, but many people still love to see special trains running over local lines.
It makes a change from the ubiquitous diesel multiple units that ply their trade along the Cumbrian Coast Line, to see a fire belching dragon of a historic steam locomotive, or a special hauled by a heritage diesel on the Settle Carlisle line.
Add that these on outbound or inbound trips also use the West Coast Main Line threaded between the Avanti and the TransPennine Express services, they add colour to the day.
Indeed, the interest in all things railway even gets our editor hot under the collar as she provides details of upcoming steam services on the pages of Cumbria Crack.
But this week’s forthcoming steam train piece yesterday on Cumbria Crack did provide fodder for many commentators on certain social media pages.
Talking to a farmer friend the other day, I was told it was the driest February, March and now, into April, many can remember. This means two things: very little green growth and what remains is tinder dry.
The result was a number of lineside fires. Now, while Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service say the cause is under investigation, they happened as steam locomotive Tangmere hauled her special down the coast line.
Most of these fires started on stretches of the line bordering the sea where the driest and least managed vegetation is found.
In days gone by, the railway companies recognised the issues and by careful tendering of the lineside vegetation, managed the risk from passing steam trains.
But, today, with so few steam trains, Network Rail has neither the inclination or the capacity to take these precautions,
So, unless there is rain in the next couple of days, I am sure there will be earnest discussions going on between the company operating this Saturday’s steam excursion down the coast line and Network Rail about having this section diesel hauled.
On an alarming note, were some of the comments: One suggested that they should have cars following the steam trains to put out fires while another totally ignored the steam train and blamed the fires on arson. One poster even suggested that it was the council’s responsibility!
Another rail linked story on Cumbria Crack was the return of the through rail tickets to Keswick. A great idea but one that provides more fodder for the naysayers.
I doubt anyone thinks Keswick still has a rail connection, the line having closed in 1972, so unless you are ‘in the know’ who would think of inputting ‘Keswick’ as a destination on a railway booking app?
So, the fact that there have been only 750 such tickets booked during the five-month trial period last year, is hardly surprising. That didn’t stop some social media commentators saying it was a gigantic Lake District policy failure.
Fortunately, most recognised this small step as a positive one although it did also allow the ‘reopen the line’ brigade, some even going as far as to suggest reopening the line all the way to Workington!) to have another day in the (setting) sun – let’s be honest, it isn’t going to happen.
So, apart from those comments, let’s thank all those who keep the various Cumbrian-related social media sites going (you know who you are so I won’t embarrass you by naming names) with your stories and pictures of yesteryear, and thanks to the editor for letting those who don’t follow rail movements in microscopic detail know when the next lineside fires will take place…..whatever may have caused them.
About Cumbria Cat
Born in Cumberland and, now, back living in Cumberland, having spent most of the past 50 years in some place called Cumbria, this cat has used up all nine lives as well as a few others.
Always happy to curl up on a friendly lap, the preference is for a local lap and not a lap that wants to descend on the county to change it into something it isn’t. After all, you might think Cumbria/Cumberland/Westmorland is a land forged by nature – the glaciers, the rivers, breaking down the volcanic rocks or the sedimentary layers – but, in reality, the Cumbria we know today was forged by generations of local people, farmers, miners, quarriers, and foresters.
This cat is a local moggy, not a Burmese, Ocicat or Persian, and although I have been around the block a few times, whenever I jump, I end up on my feet back in my home county. I am passionate about the area, its people, past, present and future, and those who come to admire what we hold dear, be it lakes and mountains, wild sea shores, vibrant communities or the history as rich and diverse as anywhere in the world.
