Manchester-Clitheroe services...why never beyond?

[507020]

The WR doesn't really provide a public transport service and isn't ever likely to.

If that requirement needs to be fulfilled, a bus service is the way to do it.

I have never suggested that the full length Wensleydale Railway should provide a public transport service from Garsdale to Northallerton. The best solution would be the reinstatement of a single track branch line from Garsdale to Hawes served by the extension of Manchester - Clithetoe services via Hellifield, with a parallel cycleway along the route if possible. From Hawes station, there could be bus connections further into the dales and perhaps the tourist attraction of the heritage Wensleydale Railway could also be extended to Hawes, but this is not a necessity.

 

[Ken H]

I do believe that the branch only ever being single track may be the reason for this, but it is still extremely unfortunate. A path will be an asset for leisure use, but people from Hawes, Settle and Hellifield will now not be able to reach Clitheroe, Blackburn or Bolton or commute to Manchester without a 6 mile cycle as was originally intended.

Is this not adequate for Hawes - garsdale connections??

https://www.dalesbus.org/uploads/1/1/3/9/113919127/lwb_garsdale.pdf

(Link is to hawes - Garsdale bus timetable)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I have never suggested that the full length Wensleydale Railway should provide a public transport service from Garsdale to Northallerton. The best solution would be the reinstatement of a single track branch line from Garsdale to Hawes served by the extension of Manchester - Clithetoe services via Hellifield, with a parallel cycleway along the route if possible. From Hawes station, there could be bus connections further into the dales and perhaps the tourist attraction of the heritage Wensleydale Railway could also be extended to Hawes, but this is not a necessity.

I'm just not convinced this would represent good value for money. A properly integrated bus service between Garsdale and Hawes would deliver most of the benefit, and could be extended further down the dale if appropriate too, e.g. to Leyburn.

 

[zwk500]

I have never suggested that the full length Wensleydale Railway should provide a public transport service from Garsdale to Northallerton. The best solution would be the reinstatement of a single track branch line from Garsdale to Hawes served by the extension of Manchester - Clithetoe services via Hellifield, with a parallel cycleway along the route if possible.

The problem with this solution is then that you need to run services off the main S&C to terminate at Hawes. Even the most favourable of political climates would struggle to justify a new junction (plus resignalling), new line, new station and new subsidy for the service.

From Hawes station, there could be bus connections further into the dales and perhaps the tourist attraction of the heritage Wensleydale Railway could also be extended to Hawes, but this is not a necessity.

Why not just run a Kendal-Sedbergh-Garsdale Station-Hawes and beyond bus?

 

[S&CLER]

The problem with this solution is then that you need to run services off the main S&C to terminate at Hawes. Even the most favourable of political climates would struggle to justify a new junction (plus resignalling), new line, new station and new subsidy for the service.

Why not just run a Kendal-Sedbergh-Garsdale Station-Hawes and beyond bus?

Amen to that. Bus connections from Oxenholme to Sedbergh and points east are very poor. On Saturdays only you can catch the 12:38 from Oxenholme station and have 2 hrs 24 mins in Sedbergh, before the 15:22 SO bus returns (it starts from Dent village at 15:05). There used to be a more frequent Kendal-Kirkby Stephen service via Sedbergh and Ravenstonedale, which was all in Cumbria and so presumably easier to subsidise than a service crossing a county boundary, but the council ceased subsidising that a few years ago. I remember being able to do walks around Causey Spout and leave Sedbergh around 17:00 on that service, on which I was usually the only passenger. At the back of my mind is a recollection that there was a problem with a weak bridge on the Garsdale route that would have prevented any bus bigger than a minibus using it. I recall that our walking club coach, a 51-seater, had to take the route via Ingleton and Ribblehead when we wanted to go to Hawes and was not allowed to go via Garsdale. I can't say if this bridge has been strengthened. A Kendal-Northallerton bus would be a nice idea but would require a large subsidy, especially in winter.

 

[RT4038]

Why not just run a Kendal-Sedbergh-Garsdale Station-Hawes and beyond bus?

Presumably because it would require a large subsidy, the funding for which is not seen as a priority.

 

[zwk500]

Presumably because it would require a large subsidy, the funding for which is not seen as a priority.

The subsidy would surely be smaller than that required to build and operate a Hawes Branch and further buses.

 

[yoyothehobo]

The subsidy would surely be smaller than that required to build and operate a Hawes Branch and further buses.

By about 1000x..

 

[Bletchleyite]

The subsidy would surely be smaller than that required to build and operate a Hawes Branch and further buses.

This arises because bus and rail subsidy are dealt with separately in the UK, which results in huge inequity, with massive sums poured into uneconomic rail routes used primarily for tourism yet villages losing their "lifeline" bus for the want of a far smaller sum.