| I was originally planning to include the shots of LMS Jubilee Class No. 5690 'Leander' in the same gallery as the K&WVR 2009 Summer Steam Gala, since it was on duty handling the steam charters from Keighley to Settle Junction (and over Ribblehead Viaduct to Blea Moor) during the weekend of the event, but since I ended up taking so many pictures of Settle Station, Hellifield, numerous main line diesel passenger and freight services (I make no apologies for including the DMUs, 'Sheds' and Freds' here, I don't get many chances to photograph them these days!) and the Viaduct itself, it seemed more logical to place them all together in their very own gallery instead.
After spending the 26th at the K&WVR, we decided to spend most of Saturday trying to catch Leander and its accompanying West Coast Railway Company Class 37 (37516) at various points along the route from Keighley to Settle Junction. The evening service was to go beyond Settle and cross over the famous and very impressive Ribblehead Viaduct to Blea Moor, and that was where we decided to head to, to see it arrive there around 8pm. Images in this gallery feature both Settle and Hellifield Stations (the charters were not going into Settle Station, but I'd never been there before, or surprisingly considering I've been a railway enthusiast all of my life, had I ever been on the Settle and Carlisle line before), so that was included here as well. The Ribblehead Viaduct is a Grade II listed monument, and monument is the right word for it too, built between 1870 and 1874, it is over 104 feet high and 440 yards long and has some 24 arches in all. Set in an impressive moorland location, and surrounded by some very large hills that seems to have their own weather systems (and also block most of the sunlight at crucial moments at that time of year), it beggars belief that a previous UK government could have even considered closing it in the 1980s. My only complaint about this location was the sheer volume of midges trying to eat us, I thought that sort of thing only happened in the north of Scotland! 
The evening charter over the viaduct was a sell out, and Leander looked very impressive as it crossed the viaduct, I just wish the Sun which had been shining so brightly just an hour previously, had still been there to illuminate the scene as it made its arrival. |
north of Gargrave en-route to Hellifield 1024x736 IMGP0444.jpg |
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WCRC growler leading the journey back to Keighley 1024x788 IMGP0446.jpg |
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Leander takes a breather at hellifield 1024x713 IMGP0457.jpg |
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Settle Station Signal Box 1024x730 IMGP0466.jpg |
Settle Station, very popular with hikers 1024x684 IMGP0467.jpg |
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The sign says it all! 1024x736 IMGP0474.jpg |
Wall plaque at Settle Station 1024x828 IMGP0475.jpg |
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Leaner approaches Settle Junction 1024x769 IMGP0479.jpg |
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Blue plaques at Hellifield Station 1024x751 IMGP0489.jpg |
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EWS 'Shed' approaches Hellifield 1024x770 IMGP0497.jpg |
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Leander steams through Long Preston 1024x753 IMGP0501.jpg |
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Ribblehead Station 1024x702 IMGP0511.jpg |
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Ribblehead Viaduct 1024x684 IMGP0515.jpg |
A 'Fred' passes through Ribbleahead Station 1024x741 IMGP0519.jpg |
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The view north from Ribblehead Station 1024x693 IMGP0526.jpg |
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The view south from Ribblehead Station 1024x702 IMGP0527.jpg |
Datestone showing 1875, the date it was opened 1024x725 IMGP0528.jpg |
Ian Allen likes it too! 1024x712 IMGP0530.jpg |
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Leander crosses the Ribblehead Viaduct 1024x715 IMGP0541.jpg |
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