Ribblehead Viaduct to welcome walkers

MEMBERS of the public will have a rare opportunity to walk the length of a world famous Yorkshire Dales viaduct this summer.

Network Rail and the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line have got together to present rail enthusiasts and walkers alike with the unique opportunity - the chance to walk across the world famous Ribblehead Viaduct.

The railway is closed for two weeks in July as part of a five year, £60 million upgrade of the line, and Network Rail has agreed to open the viaduct to the public on Sunday 22 July, the final day of the closure.

Radio presenter Mike Harding will officially open the event, which runs from 10 am until 4 pm. The 24-arch viaduct is a quarter of a mile long, 104 feet high and was completed in 1875 after taking five years to build.

Gary Openshaw, Network Rail's area general manager said: "We would not normally encourage people to walk along a railway line but this is being done in a supervised and safe manner. To emphasise the point, we will have our Railway Crime Education Manager on hand with her 'ghost box' to get the safety message over to kids."

Friends Chairman Mark Rand added: "This is a one-off opportunity for people to be able to walk over the Ribblehead Viaduct - as it is normally busy with trains day and night."

Network Rail has imposed a limit of 2,000 people throughout the day and the Friends will have an army of volunteers to act as guides. They will accompany visitors across the viaduct in parties of 25 people at a time. Network Rail has also said visitors must be over the age of 14 to cross the viaduct.

Even so, event organiser for the Friends, Ruth Evans, says there will be other things to occupy the youngsters: "This special event is going to be a family fun day and we welcome families to come along."

Temporary car parks will be set up at Ribblehead and at nearby Horton-in-Ribblesdale from where free shuttle buses are being provided by train operator Northern. Northern's rail replacement buses will also call at Ribblehead.

As well as the viaduct walk there will be free guided tours of the former shanty towns on the Ribblehead site, guided walks around the nature reserve, the Ribblehead Visitor Centre, exhibitions and attractions in the station area. In addition to its 'ghost box' Network Rail is hoping to have one of its rail incident vehicles on hand which it uses to promote its 'Don't Run the Risk ' level crossing campaign.

Tickets for the event will be time specific and will be allocated to a particular time slot for crossing the viaduct. Visitors will not be allowed access to the viaduct unsupervised.

The tickets are on sale now and cost £15 each. They are available from the Friends website at www.ribbleheadwalk.co.uk

Funds raised by the walk will go towards developing the Ribblehead station site, recently acquired by the Settle - Carlisle Railway Trust.

For further information on the line visit www.settle-carlisle.co.uk