In a boost to tourism in the Yorkshire Dales, over 1,000 people have travelled on the Yorkshire Dales Explorer train service that started in June this year.
The service runs twice a day on Saturdays and started on 8th June.
Running between Rochdale and Ribblehead, it allows time for hikers and ramblers to meet up and share tips before they get out to explore the iconic national park.
En route, the Yorkshire Dales Explorer calls at 18 stations including Manchester Victoria, Salford Crescent, Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe, Hellifield and Settle.
Of the more than 1,000 passengers who have travelled north of Clitheroe on the service since it started, almost a quarter (24%) have taken part in guided walks run by groups like Lancashire Rail Ramblers.
For passengers who want to use the train to travel further afield, coach trips from Ribblehead to Swaledale and Wensleydale have been organised by Lancashire Rail Ramblers.
Adult return tickets from Manchester Victoria to Ribblehead cost £25 with railcard discounts available.
The journey takes about two hours with impressive scenery along the route, enabling ramblers and nature lovers to enjoy an affordable day out in the Dales.
Trains depart from Rochdale at 7.52 am and 2.52 pm, and return services depart from Ribblehead at 11.08 am and 6.05 pm.
At Ribblehead, the famous Ribblehead Viaduct is just a short walk from the station, or travellers can catch another train north to visit other Dales destinations such as Garsdale and Dent.
“The service has been quite popular. Some passengers just come for the ride, as it’s such a scenic route. Others come for a walk and we’ve had a few cyclists as well.
“There have been groups of walkers from Manchester who had never travelled to the Yorkshire Dales by train before. Historically, they went to the Peak District because they couldn’t access the Dales on a direct service.
“But this gives them the chance to travel there without using their car, meet like-minded people and explore the Dales.
“There’s a different atmosphere on board because everyone is going for an enjoyable day out. People talk to each other and the regulars get to know each other.”
Craig Ward, Lancashire Rail Ramblers chairman
“We welcome this new service, which appears to be already proving popular.
“The national park is there for everyone to enjoy, an amazing green space in which to relax or to exercise, and the benefits to mental and physical health of doing so is proven.
“We also know the service has been enjoyed by residents of the national park travelling the other way. We sincerely hope the service continues and look forward to welcoming everyone off the train and into this iconic landscape.”
Lizzie Bushby, deputy chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and member champion for recreation management,
Responses
The line should have never been closed and should have reopened fully at the same time as the S&C back in 1984 and all that is stopping the trains from continuing from Clitheroe and reversing at Hellifield to make connections north and south is a limit of shunt sign!!!, even the timetabling works out as a train coming from Clitheroe to Hellifield has time to arrive travel south and use the crossover just below the signal box and travel back to the opposite platform and board passengers then depart over the junction back onto the Blackburn line.
What is nearest from selby
They terminated and cancelled mine at Clitheroe, de-trained over a hundred passengers and left them with no alternative transport back to Manchester. No information, no help. Never again.
You could have walked the 10.1/2 miles to Hellifield, its quicker than catching the three trains needed.
This is great news! It’s taking far too long to re-establish permanent services on the Clitheroe to Hellifield line. This is a valuable local rail line that has lots of potential for travelling to the Dales. We should be pushing for reopening more local railway lines, particularly in the north, where towns and cities can easily be connected.
This could be many more as it’s quick to walk between Clitheroe and Hellifield (11 miles) than catch the train via Leeds, and all Northern Rail needs to run the service is 1 extra DMU and a limit of shunt sign at Hellifield, and there is a potential ridership of 5 million passengers, this would be the easiest and cheapest railway line reopening in the UK