TRACK LAYOUT AS IN 1975, ELECTRIC AND DIESEL TRACTION
The basic layout of the track in Carlisle Citadel station has not changed for almost one hundred and twenty years following the station developments of c 1880. The most significant change was the removal of some points and five sets of scissor crossings following the complete changeover from steam to diesel power in 1968, then the introduction of electric motive power in 1974.
Below is given a basic track diagram as it was in 1975. It is accurate as far as my (reliable) sources of information go. It is possible that one or more of the single slip points shown are in fact double slip points! Some lines used for holding stock which were outside the station structure have been omitted
In this diagram the station buildings are at the bottom and, following BR conventions, the South is at the left of the diagram. Some years prior to the alterations to the train shed roof in 1956, the platform labelling was changed. In the alterations the three through platforms were made bi - directional. Formerly what is now platform 3 was the only one regularly used bi - directionally. Nevertheless, traditional movement patterns remained for much of the time. Below are given the main usages as in 1963
Platform 1 The main down platform, particularly where locomotive changes are required, but NOT by trains from the former Midland routes.
Platform 2 This single track bay is dedicated to trains for the ex Maryport and Carlisle Railway
Platform 3 The main bi - directional platform.
Platform 4 The main Up platform. Trains heading to the former Midland route, requiring a locomotive change almost always used this platform as did The Royal Scot and The Caledonian, whether stopping or not in the case of the Royal Scot.
Platform 5 A bay platform mainly used by trains from Newcastle and Leeds
Platform 6 As Pl 5 - but this was known as the Newcastle and Carlisle bay.
Platform 7 Now used by local trains for Scotland, but formerly used for ex LMS routes to Glasgow (St Enoch) and Glasgow (Central). It was locally indicated as the 'Caley Bay'. This is a case of 'nominal inertia' in that the Caley had ceased as an entity some 55 yrs earlier!
Platform 8 Now rarely used. Was used by trains for Silloth until line closure in 1964, and for the Waverley route, effectively an ex NBR platform, locally indicated as the 'Silloth Bay'. The Waverley route closed to passenger traffic in 1969. (Sources give conflicting information as to which bay was the NBR Bay. In about 1980, there was a communications box at the end of the bays to the Power box, the press button switches had pencilled notes 'Silloth' and 'Caley'!
ROUTES
To the North in 1975
From the North end of the Citadel station, the layout quickly become plain double track. Eight and a half miles out from Carlisle lies Gretna Junction, just inside the Scottish border. Here there is a turn out to the left (West) taking the former Glasgow and South Western Route (Sou' West)to Glasgow. In steam days St Enoch was the terminus station. The route to Stranraer (the Port Road) followed this line, although the actual route taken to Stranraer has changed twice since steam days, following 'The Beeching Axe'. The main route to the North is the former Caledonian Railway route (The Caley) over Beattock to Glasgow (Central) which now the terminus for both the Caley and the Sou' West routes. At Carstairs there is now the junction for Edinburgh. This route to Edinburgh was electrified much later than the WCML and access now exists for both up and down trains to gain direct directional access to the WCML. In steam days trains which were for Glasgow / Edinburgh usually divided at a small station, Symington, a few miles South of Carstairs, being South of where the roads to Glasgow and Edinburgh divided.
Routes South in 1975
The main line to the South follows a North / South alignment and was originally the Lancaster and Carlisle Rly, later LNWR. From the South end throat of the Citadel a line deviates to the East. This is the former Newcastle and Carlisle Rly route. It is also used for former Midland routes - the Settle - Carlisle. The Midland had running powers over the metals of the North Eastern Rly (which had absorbed the NCR). Less than a mile from the station the Settle - Carlisle deviates from what is now called the Tyne Valley line at Pettril Bridge Junction
LAYOUT IN STEAM DAYS
The diagram given below comes from the study of maps, plans and photographs, and as they all are of different dates, the diagram is not necessarily accurate to any particular point in time, but does give a good impression of the layout over the period.
The track layout at the Citadel station was substantially unchanged from 1880 to the end of steam. The layout was determined by operational necessities and the confined nature of the station in spite it being a major junction Traditional operating procedures applied long after the rationale for such procedures had ended. In reality the operational procedures reflected pre Grouping working conditions and continued right up to the time when the motive power was entirely diesel locomotives. The station was the meeting point eight routes and of no less than seven different railway companies up to 1923, so there was much engine changing involved in most if not all through trains. Each of the seven companies had its own loco shed, as well as its own goods warehouse and marshalling yard. In 1923, regarding locosheds, which are our concern, to the North were Kingmoor (ex Caledonian) and Canal (ex NBR). To the South was Upperby (ex LNWR), to the East were London Rd (ex NER) and Durranhill (ex MR), finally to the South West along the MCR route were the two Currock sheds of the GSWR and MCR. These sheds were providing locomotives for engine exchanges and all seven were providing engines to take out local trains from the bay platforms, usually with another loco being released and due to return to its parent shed for fettling. Shortly after 1923, the M&CR and GSWR sheds were closed, with locos transferred to Upperby and Kingmoor respectively. The London Rd shed was also closed and locos were transferred to the Canal.
The
most noticeable difference between the layout in 1975 and that in steam
days is the provision of scissors crossings in the bay platforms and on
platforms 2 and 5. Also there were numerous slip points at the station throats.
The scissors crossings allowed for incoming locomotives to be released from the bay platforms without recourse to the use of a shunter. The incoming train would come to a halt on or just before the scissors, the locomotive would be uncoupled, move forward, then assuming the adjoining bay road was clear, it could move out of the bay platforms and head for its shed for fettling and, possibly, turning. In some cases the same locomotive would return to the same bay, couple up to its stock and be ready for the return working. The exception to this was with the M&C bay. This being a single road meant that locomotive release occurred either with the help of a station pilot locomotive, or, by the coaching stock leaving behind a fresh locomotive if a quick train turn round had been timetabled.
On the through platforms the situation was different and at times quite complex. As noted above many of the through trains had locomotive changes at Carlisle. The one exception was the Mid - Day Scot. With this train the engine changes were effected at Crewe. However, depending on the actual timetable, many of the other through expresses changed engines.
The scissor crossings on Pl 2 and 5 were were used when trains were split or joined together rather than remarshalled. This particularly applied to express trains using the Midland route. Pre WW2 some trains from Leeds had portions for Waverley and St Enoch. Normally there would be an engine change and the St Enoch portion would depart then the second engine would back on to the Waverley portion which was at the South end of Pl 2. The reverse working would arrive in two parts. I don't know how the join up was effected, however it would be feasible for the second incoming train to use the same platform (usually Pl 5) , uncouple and use the scissor to effect releas, with the station pilot attaching to the rear to bring the two portions together. It would be usual practice for a new engine to be attached to the front of the combined train, and if it were heavy it would probably be double headed with an ex Midland 2P giving assistance.
The nomenclature for the platforms in the above diagram is interesting - where is Platform 4? This odd numbering lasted to the early fifties if dates attached to published photographs are to be trustad, but before the shortening of the station roof. In its earliest days that station had only one through platform - that beside the booking offices and backing on to the main entrance and Court Square. There were four bay platforms and also a short platform on the eastern edge of the bay platforms at the South end of the station. The bays were numbered 1 to 4 (whether as platforms or bay platforms I do not know). The through platform was Pl 5. When the construction of the island platforms was complete in the 1870/80 period, then the main down island platform was numbered 1, the main bi - direction island platform was numbered 2. The bay platform in the island complex did not receive a number but was called the M& C bay (Maryport and Carlisle) as it held only dedicated traffic. At the same time, in the rebuilding, the small platform on the Eastern side of the southern bay platforms disappeared. Presumably, from then on platforms 1 to 4 became Bays 1 to 4, no matter what they had been called previously. And so there was no platform 4. From photographs, the platforms were renumbered in 1951 /1952 to their present labelling. Incidentally, in about 1931 the three main platforms were signalled for bi - directional running. In an operational sense the effect was notional as by and large traffic followed the traditional patterns. However, the North end of the main up platfor (Pl 5 to 1952 - Pl 4 thereafter), was used as a starting point for trains heading North, particularly over the Waverley route - this is probably when Bays 3 & 4 (Pl 7 & 8) were needed for local trains and were unavavilable.
ROUTES IN STEAM DAYS (pre 1964)
To the South
The only significant difference between 1975 and this period lay nearly twenty miles South of Carlisle. At Penrith there were two 'cross country' routes, one of which provided a little passenger traffic for Carlisle. The Eden Valley route was mainly for freight and wended its way across the Pennines to Kirby Stephen, the Durham coalfields and to the Teesside steel makers.This route was mainly used for transporting coke, pig iron and limestone. The other route was the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Rly. This was originally used for the same purposes as the Eden Valley Line leading to the industrial areas of Workington and Whitehaven. However as it meandered through the Northern fells and skirted the Lake District's only lake - named lake (Bassenthwaite Lake), it had scenic potential. Passenger trains from Carlisle headed for Keswick and it was also used as an alternative route to Workington on the Cumbrian coast. One or two trains a day reached Carlisle from this route. As the route was heavily graded and also of a rather light weight build, the locomotive had to be of low axle loading. The line was closed West of Keswick 18 April 1966 and from Keswick to Penrith 6 march 1972.
To the North
In addition to the routes described under 1975, there were two other routes open in steam days. About three quarters of a mile North of the Citadel was Port Carlisle Branch Junction. Port Carlisle was originally a small port on the Solway Firth, built for the coal traffic from the Northumbrian coalfield to Ireland. Its only real claim to fame is that it was operated by a horse drawn Dandy Cart for many years, the Dandy Cart now being part of the National Railway Museum Collection. The curve from the junction was severe, with a speed restriction of 15 mph being enforced. Beyond the curve was a three way division of track, Port Carlisle Junction and Canal Junction. To the left was the Carlisle - Silloth line. Silloth is a small town situated further down the Solway Firth - its dock, when built, superseded the Port Carlisle dock which had proved to be prone to silting. In railway days Silloth was a popular destination for day trippers and even holiday makers from the North - East, who lived in wooden chalets which were strung out along the coat to the South.
Meanwhile, back at the Junction, to the right was the track to Edinburgh, the Waverley route. Between the Waverley route and the Silloth line lay the Canal locoshed. This area was the original terminus of the Carlisle & Newcastle Railways and was used for the transhipment of 'Coals from Newcastle' onto barges on the Carlisle Canal - for onward transport to Port Carlisle for another transhipment.. The Canal locoshed from the Thirties to beyond the end of the Fifties was home to three or four A3 locomotives, always kept in immaculate condition. These were used to haul the various expresses over the Waverley route.
The Silloth branch used DMU's from 1956 through to closure on 6 September 1964. It hosted one or two famous specials in its closing days, including a train hauled by the famous Caley single 123. The Waverley route lasted as a passenger route until 6 January 1969, with full closure the following year.
In steam days there were trains direct to Perth, using two separate routes for part of the journey. Some trains followed the Caley route and deviated at Law Junction, near Carstairs, whereas others proceeded to Motherwell before leaving the WCML. In my service days I used the Perth night train to get to the Royal Air Force camp near Edinburgh, finishing by bus from Larbert - although a friend overslept to Stirling - and so was AWOL for a couple of hours!
| FIRST EDITION | COMPLETED 18 MAY 2001 |