Date: July 5th
Category: Lost Railways | Pennine History | Northern England
High on the hills and deep in the dales, railways once climbed the backbone of England with breathtaking ambition.
They weren’t fast. They weren’t always safe. But they were spectacular.
These were the Pennine railways — vital links over moors and under crags, winding through sheep-speckled silence and mill-town smoke alike.
Today, most are gone. But their routes remain etched into the landscape, ready for ramblers, history-hunters, and train dreamers alike.
This is a love letter to the wildest, windiest, most wonderful lines that ever crossed the Pennines — and how you can still trace them today.
🛤️ 1. The Stainmore Line (Barnard Castle to Kirkby Stephen)
Once the highest standard-gauge railway in England, the Stainmore line crested the Pennines with panoramic views, heavy freight, and a fair dose of snowdrift drama.
- Opened: 1861
- Closed: 1962 (Beeching precursor)
- Famous for: Stainmore Summit — at 1,370 ft, it was often snowbound and isolated
- Explore today: The Stainmore Railway Company is restoring part of the line at Kirkby Stephen East. Nearby, disused bridges and embankments remain accessible on foot.
🎒 Top walk: Park at Bowes and follow the old trackbed west — wildflowers, viaduct remains, and moorland skylarks await.
🌫️ 2. The Copy Pit Line (Burnley to Hebden Bridge)
Though still active for freight and occasional services, this line feels like something from a ghost story — shrouded in mist and railway folklore.
- Opened: 1849
- Status: Partially operational
- Famous for: Moorland crossings, deep cuttings, and one of the bleakest climates on the network
- Explore: Walk from Todmorden up to Portsmouth (Lancs) to spot old sidings and stone mileposts
📖 Guild favourite: Legend says a lost signalman still walks the line with a green lamp on foggy nights…
🧱 3. The Lancashire & Yorkshire Line (Rishworth Branch)
A classic Pennine stub, this short-lived line was ambitious, expensive, and ultimately underused — but the engineering remains magnificent.
- Opened: 1881
- Closed: 1958
- Famous for: Enormous stone embankments, bridges, and cuttings
- Explore: The Rishworth branch line path is walkable from Sowerby Bridge — with several dramatic remnants still visible
👣 Look out for: Tunnel mouths near Triangle and the stone bridge at Ripponden.
🌉 4. The Hellifield–Clitheroe Line
Once a key east–west link, this scenic line was used by excursion trains, troop movements, and holiday specials to Blackpool.
- Closed to passengers: 1962
- Now: Only partly used for freight
- Famous for: Bridges over brooks, winding curves, and views of Pendle Hill
- Explore: Start in Hellifield and walk the trackbed west — the remains are overgrown but still traceable
🌲 Fun fact: Sections of this route are now a haven for bats and rare ferns.
🗺️ Why These Lines Mattered
These weren’t just scenic routes — they were:
- Lifelines for coal, cloth, and communities
- Symbols of northern resilience and Victorian ambition
- Victims of car culture and centralisation
- Now: Living ghosts, ready to be walked, documented, and maybe reborn
🧳 “You can’t really get lost on a railway walk. The line always knew where it was going.”
🎒 Walking the Wild Lines: Guild Tips
- 📷 Bring a Victorian OS Map (or use the National Library of Scotland’s map viewer)
- ☁️ Check the weather — Pennine skies change by the minute
- 🧤 Pack layers, waterproofs, and cake
- 📚 Download our Railway Rambler’s Logbook to record wildlife, remains, and rumours
📚 Want to Know More?
- Lost Railways of the Pennines by Gordon Suggitt
- Walking Britain’s Lost Railways by Anthony Lambert
- Rails Over the Hill by A. J. Haigh
- National Library of Scotland Maps
💬 Have You Walked a Wild Line? Share It: #PennineRails
Tag your windswept photos, railway ruins, or summit teacakes with #PennineRails and @TimeTravellersGuild — we’ll feature our favourites in this Sunday’s Rambles & Remnants photo gallery.
