An aerial survey of one of Britain’s most spectacular rail routes

Of all of Britain’s Great Railway Journeys surely one of the most dramatic is that across the fells and moors between Settle and Carlisle. A line that nearly succumbed to the threat of closure but that survived against all the odds to fight another day. The immense engineering and construction feat to push the railway through inhospitable terrain has left a legacy that provides the traveller with some of the most dramatic of train window views anywhere. Today the railway is busier than ever, carrying local people as a public service, hill walkers at leisure, and heavy freight tonnages. The route regularly witnesses the return of steam locomotives to its rails as enthusiasts chase the ultimate nostalgic experience of riding “the long drag”. Today supporting organisations have helped restore station buildings and conserved a railway legend.

This brand new programme, using the latest helicopter gyroscopic film techniques, introduces a new dimension for the traveller. Skimming the treetops the viewer is introduced to the S & C from a unique aerial angle allowing the full majesty of the line to be appreciated in a wider geographical context. Time is taken to pause at some of the attractive villages along the route whilst there is no better way to appreciate the full impact of Ribblehead viaduct and others than from the air. A commentary provides information on features along the line in a programme where the railway, rather than the trains, is the real star!

However for those who long for the days of steam a bonus section of additional footage provides that final nostalgic element.