CLIMBING SHAP

We follow the former NER route westwards and soon join the ex LNWR West Coast Main Line at Tebay. LMS 6959 is seen here 'on shed'.

 

Towards the end of steam, 8F 48276 was photographed at Tebay in October 1967.

Also in 1967, a view of Tebay loco shed with 75026 (photo by the Late Les Flint).

In Tebay village, Ribble 809 calls on a local service.

We now begin the ascent of Shap. A 'Black 5' is being assisted in the rear, passing Greenholme.

Coasting down the bank is 2-6-0 No. 43015, on a PW train in April 1965.

An unusual pairing of a class 56 and 90022 on the sleepers near Shap.

Two more scenes of trains descending from Shap summit in 1967.

Meanwhile, back in 1937, LMS 6133 tackles the gradient to Shap summit.

Leaving the railway behind, for now, we find ourselves in Shap village, with Ribble 1150 on service.

At Shap Wells, we find the Shap Wells Hotel and the Blea Beck.

A few miles to the north is the village of Great Strickland, where Taylor's Coaches had their depot.

To the northwest is Tirril, just a hamlet, but it does have a pub! The Queens Head was brewing its own beer when visited in 2001.I don't think it brews these days, but the pub is still well and truly open.

And so to the Cumbrian town of Penrith. Here's the railway station in LNWR days.

Along with Avanti West Coast, Penrith is today served by Transpennine.

Ribble Motor Services was once the main bus operator.

A Volvo/Plaxton coach of Titterington of Blencowe picks up in Penrith.

Penrith's most famous feature is its castle.

One of the town's other attractions was its steam museum, now sadly closed.

The pub nearby, the Museum Inn, is also now just a memory.

Luckily, there are plenty of other pubs. The Wolfe is one of them.

Another hostelry that seems to have shut, the Lowther Arms.

The Gloucester Arms is still in business. See here in 2011, it's since changed its name to become the Dockray Hall.

The Board & Elbow is a good place to sink a few pints.

Close to the station is the Agricultural, seen here in 2001 as a Jennings pub. It's now a free house.

We can stay the night at the Station Hotel.

We'll be heading further north in the next post. Follow the route here.