To all members of Cumbria County Council. "This project is a no brainer". It needs to be added to the Local Transport Plan, and given your FULL unequivocal endorsement. It's a question of political will, once this is seen funding comes from elsewhere. Keswick needs it's railway back for future prosperity. We are now "World Heritage Status", and as such the numbers of people travelling here are only going to grow exponentially. I'm a bondholder and have been a supporter since the start in 1995. Transport should be a combination of road and a modern rail service,working together.
Good luck. I remember when it still ran and have been following the fortunes of the reinstatement group. It would reduce the road traffic and would provide a very helpful link for locals and tourists.
By 1998, Swanage District Council had evidence suggesting that reinstatement of the Corfe Castle - Swanage Railway had given a welcome reduction of traffic through Corfe Castle. Also, rather than detracting from the appeal of these places, it had actually enhanced it. The charter train industry is popular; special charter trains often carry over three hundred passengers, with an average spend per passenger in excess of £30, thereby benefitting local businesses considerably. The scenery of the former Penrith-Keswick line is spectacular, and a trip over this route would enhance the appeal of the Lake District to anyone wanting a day out by train, over a highly scenic railway line, in the same way as the historic Settle-Carlisle line has done for many years. Also worth mentioning is that busses seldom cater for bicycles, prams, and wheelchairs, whereas trains seldom experience such difficulty; yet another advantage to those visiting the area from outside. There might also be other advantages such as using heritage (period) busses, in a similar manner to what's done in Oakhampton, Devon, to connect with these services and open up opportunities to explore attractions such as the high wire at Whinlatter Pass, and visits to places not synonymous with the Lake District, but nearby and providing a wonderful day out, e.g. Maryport, with its attractive harbour, Roman remains, boat trips during high summer, and coastal footpaths. Finally, I think the lack of a railway line at Keswick is bad publicity for overseas tourists. In a town this size, so well known and popular, missing out on this vital aspect of public transport gives a bad impression over how we do things in Britain!
My late aunt, who lived in Keswick was a shareholder and I inherited her share . I look forward to hearing of progress. I remember travelling on the line when I went to visit my aunt, On one of the journey's the DMU stopped near a farm for the farmer's wife to climb aboard, heading for Penrith.
Just watched this again. How far has this proposal progressed? What COVID has taught us is that remote working is the new normal provided that people still have good access when they need it. Please let me know how I can help. Thanks
I currently have the pleasure of working with Cedric. I hear his enthusiasm for this project, I see the benefits and I also hear the negativity that he faces, not from the public, who would be the end users, but from those who could, with a little more than electioneering foresight, facilitate this build. As Cedric rightly says, building a railway ain't difficult, it is, after all, what we do. It just requires a bit of goodwill and political balls. The rest of us will do the work.
If it was a road, there would be compulsory purchase of properties, the same could happen for this. It would take many cars off the roads and bring tourists into an area by rail which is now unavailable right now.
This should happen as soon as possible, this was a crazy closure, typical of the times when the motor car was king and railways were just not "the in thing". I've been to Keswick many times and the railway would make a big difference to the place.
2:53 ??"effectively kill their business" ??--------Are these guys taxi drivers or comedians? As a recent U.S. tourist trying to figure a way to get to Keswick I looked high and low for a taxi and could find one nowhere. A local lady finally helped us find the train to Penrith then a bus into Keswick. Perhaps a course in marketing would be of assistance to UK taxi drivers!
One of the most important potential reopenings, and nowhere near as costly or expensive as the Waverley line to the Scottish Borders. It has my 100% support. Disappointing that the local authority is so negative though. Come on guys! Wake up!
There was a bid under the govts resoring your railways initiative, submitted to the Dft in 2020. Supported by all four local MP's and CKP Railways. It didn't receive backing from the DfT. This was due to the lack of political backing from the CCC (Cumbria County Council). Now that has been abolished. And we have two new unitary authorities running things. And they have come out in support of the railway reinstatement. This is the kind of backing the DfT need to see before they'll grant powers to build a new railway.
Much of the trackbed has been rebuilt over with housing, if you can reroute some of it then that would work, to get traffic off the road, the fares need to be comparable to buses, which themselves are expensive for short journeys. Its a great plan if done correctly though
I am that guessing most of the councilors are members of the golf club that the railway goes through. The old Waverly route is surely all the proof they need that it is worth while.
What you need to do is form a preservation society as a first step. The next step is to gain control of a section of line. Ask the advice of the Wensleydale Railway. It is extremely difficult to reinstate a railway as a modern line, but as a heritage line, you've got a chance.
Penrith to Cockermouth should never have closed. I travelled on the last section Penrith to Keswick in 1972, the year it closed. It was lacking foresight then and the folly has more and more grown obvious with this line and other rail links to the Lake District closed, apart from the run down Windermere branch, forcing more and more visitors to this most popular of the English national parks to drive, clogging every road in the summer. Perhaps some of Boris's road building money could be reallocated.
I don't know if you are aware,but the keswick country house hotel was originally built by the CKPR company that built the railway in 1864. There has always been a physical link to the hotel. A first class passenger corridor comes into it straight off the platform.
The railway should never have been closed. Logically the heart of the Lake District as in Keswick should be connected to the national railway network. Cumbria County Council need to wake up to reality we need an alternative to the congested roads.
Absolutely necessary. The Lake District is a focal Point for the whole UK. We visit the lakes every year and aplaude Mr. Martindale for his perseverance on this. This will change the local economy no doubt. Please do not desist
In the region of 230,000 to 320,000 per year, and could rise to 480,000. This was back in 2006. So you can imagine the volume now. ! The newly reinstated borders railway doubled its passenger numbers very soon after it started running.
Yes, but you don't understand. Some of you are saying it will reduce traffic on the roads! Well that's not going to work because the last thing those that run the system want is to reduce road traffic. These people were put in place to decimate the public transport system and their ideals are still hard at work in private clubs. Do your research please....
The line closed because no one used it. If it reopened I would give it a couple of years before novelty wore off and it would be unused again. We have survived 50 years without it so it shows there is no need for it. I went on the train to Keswick in 1972 and the train was full, which is normal for a last day train. Before that it was barely used. Even more poeple now have cars than in 1972 so a train would be a waste of money.
And here speaks a bloke with his head so far up his backside that he is unable to understand the world is inevitably going to have to change due to climate change concerns therefore leading to his beloved cars days being inevitably numbered. Good luck with your approx 30 min long wait in order to charge your electric car up which you are going to be forced to use from 2030 and that’s assuming it actually works, there isn’t and electric strike, and you can get right on the charge pump and not have to wait behind others. 😂
Your reply started so well and then you spouted a load of tosh about electric cars. Stick to your reasoned argument about the railway but do some more reading up on electric, perhaps even try one but wear rubber gloves so you don't get electrocuted!!
Absolutely no need for a railway. A66 runs fine. Plenty of buses and taxi's. If I do go to Keswick I go in the car because once there I want to travel around. Just a bunch of anoraks wanting to play trains.
The project is a joke. There is no congestion. You can get to Keswick by bus or taxi no problems. Its just a load of nostalgic train spotters wanting to play trains with our money. Suppose I took the train to Keswick, how do I get about once there ? You need a car to explore the Keswick area so a train is completely useless.
Typical view of the motoring gang who think they have the right to drive anywhere and damn the consequences. All the Lake District towns and villages are full of cars taking all the space and spewing out their fumes everywhere. Cars are a major contributor to air pollution and climate change, It seems the message is slow to to get through, just as tobacco and drink driving took a while to sink in. The Lake District National Park should be for climbers, ramblers and cyclists with public transport getting people there from the towns and cities in the north of England. Coronavirus may offer a short term reprieve for the motor car but unless we switch to more sustainable transport soon there is no way that government set climate change targets will be met.
@@philipashbourn1538 Well said! The Victorians left us a brilliant UK wide railway network with many branch lines to all corners of the UK that were decimated by sheer shortsightedness with regards to the future. Today our roads are clogged with cars and HGVs causing climate change pollution on a massive scale. Freight needs to be moved UK wide by trains with HGVs only used to deliver the final mile, this would increase safety, reduce pollution, and reduce wear and tear on expensive to maintain road networks. Electric cars are not the answer either because unless we go nuclear with our power stations which is the only viable clean energy source in order to meet expected power demands on the national grid but brings problems of its own with regards to disposal of nuclear waste we will only be redirecting pollution to a different source outlet and that’s before we even start getting into the debate with regards to the length of time we are going to waste waiting for the things to charge up! Railways if properly designed and run are much more efficient and when it comes to environmental concerns, and the distribution of people and goods. They always were and always will be. It’s got nothing to do with anoraks wanting to play trains like the clueless OP of this particular thread is trying to claim. I love cars btw but we have to all be realistic as a responsible society and realise their day has come and is now going.
@ Nigel Wright. Try getting off your backside and walking and cycling a bit more pal. You never know it might improve your health massively. Don’t forget places like Keswick and the Lake District are ideal places to enjoy by using those means of getting about, people like you just need to put in the effort and stop being so dam lazy.
I went to Threlkeld one day and walked the line into Keswick. I got the bus back and there were 3 people on the bus ! If they cant fill a bus they will never fill a train. And that was high season. Cedric has been at it 25 years and cant make any headway, maybe time to give up because neither us have 25 more years to work with.
To Nigel, in high season, most hikers would also walk back to Threlkeld. If it was raining, the bus would have been full. But, now that they’ve reopened the Big Tunnel, especially to cyclists, I think the chance of the railway line being reopened has now gone. It’s now quicker to cycle from Keswick to Therlkeld (station) than to use the bus.
Well done Cedric. Come on Cumbria County Council, get your act together.
To all members of Cumbria County Council. "This project is a no brainer". It needs to be added to the Local Transport Plan, and given your FULL unequivocal endorsement. It's a question of political will, once this is seen funding comes from elsewhere.
Keswick needs it's railway back for future prosperity. We are now "World Heritage Status", and as such the numbers of people travelling here are only going to grow exponentially. I'm a bondholder and have been a supporter since the start in 1995. Transport should be a combination of road and a modern rail service,working together.
Good luck. I remember when it still ran and have been following the fortunes of the reinstatement group. It would reduce the road traffic and would provide a very helpful link for locals and tourists.
By 1998, Swanage District Council had evidence suggesting that reinstatement of the Corfe Castle - Swanage Railway had given a welcome reduction of traffic through Corfe Castle. Also, rather than detracting from the appeal of these places, it had actually enhanced it. The charter train industry is popular; special charter trains often carry over three hundred passengers, with an average spend per passenger in excess of £30, thereby benefitting local businesses considerably. The scenery of the former Penrith-Keswick line is spectacular, and a trip over this route would enhance the appeal of the Lake District to anyone wanting a day out by train, over a highly scenic railway line, in the same way as the historic Settle-Carlisle line has done for many years. Also worth mentioning is that busses seldom cater for bicycles, prams, and wheelchairs, whereas trains seldom experience such difficulty; yet another advantage to those visiting the area from outside. There might also be other advantages such as using heritage (period) busses, in a similar manner to what's done in Oakhampton, Devon, to connect with these services and open up opportunities to explore attractions such as the high wire at Whinlatter Pass, and visits to places not synonymous with the Lake District, but nearby and providing a wonderful day out, e.g. Maryport, with its attractive harbour, Roman remains, boat trips during high summer, and coastal footpaths. Finally, I think the lack of a railway line at Keswick is bad publicity for overseas tourists. In a town this size, so well known and popular, missing out on this vital aspect of public transport gives a bad impression over how we do things in Britain!
Go for it! It’ll be a winner! Run the occasional heritage train, steam & DMU’s - great for commuters, community and tourists.
Well said Cedric!!!! You put the price value into perspective Easily return that cost!!!!!!! All the very best on Your plans.
My late aunt, who lived in Keswick was a shareholder and I inherited her share . I look forward to hearing of progress. I remember travelling on the line when I went to visit my aunt, On one of the journey's the DMU stopped near a farm for the farmer's wife to climb aboard, heading for Penrith.
Just watched this again. How far has this proposal progressed? What COVID has taught us is that remote working is the new normal provided that people still have good access when they need it. Please let me know how I can help. Thanks
Absolutely wonderful idea. I hope it happens and if it does I want to be on the 1st train.
I currently have the pleasure of working with Cedric. I hear his enthusiasm for this project, I see the benefits and I also hear the negativity that he faces, not from the public, who would be the end users, but from those who could, with a little more than electioneering foresight, facilitate this build. As Cedric rightly says, building a railway ain't difficult, it is, after all, what we do. It just requires a bit of goodwill and political balls. The rest of us will do the work.
I wrote to his e-mail address but he has not read it yet, old e-mail address I guess
I would appreciate your help, thanks in advance
Can you please help me find Cedric Martindale's number please
@@Nm-ri4pw force9 instead of f9
Good luck! Would love to see it happen
If it was a road, there would be compulsory purchase of properties, the same could happen for this. It would take many cars off the roads and bring tourists into an area by rail which is now unavailable right now.
This should happen as soon as possible, this was a crazy closure, typical of the times when the motor car was king and railways were just not "the in thing". I've been to Keswick many times and the railway would make a big difference to the place.
2:53 ??"effectively kill their business" ??--------Are these guys taxi drivers or comedians? As a recent U.S. tourist trying to figure a way to get to Keswick I looked high and low for a taxi and could find one nowhere. A local lady finally helped us find the train to Penrith then a bus into Keswick. Perhaps a course in marketing would be of assistance to UK taxi drivers!
It would do quite the opposite,in fact it would effectively enhance their business.
One of the most important potential reopenings, and nowhere near as costly or expensive as the Waverley line to the Scottish Borders. It has my 100% support. Disappointing that the local authority is so negative though. Come on guys! Wake up!
Where are we now with this plan it needs to go ahead the station in Keswick can be used the tunnels are there and bridges ?
There was a bid under the govts resoring your railways initiative, submitted to the Dft in 2020. Supported by all four local MP's and CKP Railways. It didn't receive backing from the DfT. This was due to the lack of political backing from the CCC (Cumbria County Council). Now that has been abolished.
And we have two new unitary authorities running things. And they have come out in support of the railway reinstatement. This is the kind of backing the DfT need to see before they'll grant powers to build a new railway.
Much of the trackbed has been rebuilt over with housing, if you can reroute some of it then that would work, to get traffic off the road, the fares need to be comparable to buses, which themselves are expensive for short journeys. Its a great plan if done correctly though
I am that guessing most of the councilors are members of the golf club that the railway goes through. The old Waverly route is surely all the proof they need that it is worth while.
Would love this to happen. What the current situation?Eden district council still refusing to budge?
What you need to do is form a preservation society as a first step. The next step is to gain control of a section of line. Ask the advice of the Wensleydale Railway. It is extremely difficult to reinstate a railway as a modern line, but as a heritage line, you've got a chance.
He doesnt want a heritage railway. It would be a modern railway running mostly modern stock.
The footprint of the double decker bus is the same as a lorry and carries 40 people, that's quite a few.
3 years on and the old council finger trouble prevails.
I Thought That Woman @ 2:10 & Thumbnail Was Olive from On The Buses.
Penrith to Cockermouth should never have closed. I travelled on the last section Penrith to Keswick in 1972, the year it closed. It was lacking foresight then and the folly has more and more grown obvious with this line and other rail links to the Lake District closed, apart from the run down Windermere branch, forcing more and more visitors to this most popular of the English national parks to drive, clogging every road in the summer. Perhaps some of Boris's road building money could be reallocated.
The only way to justify it would be to join up to the West Coast at Workington so it runs from East to West with Keswick in the middle.
Best of luck. I'm sure the hotel would not mind a station been incorporated into it as it would bring in extra business
I don't know if you are aware,but the keswick country house hotel was originally built by the CKPR company that built the railway in 1864. There has always been a physical link to the hotel. A first class passenger corridor comes into it straight off the platform.
£50m is nothing.
Man City could pay for that easily !
Oh Yes,That Would Be By Selling Just 1 Cleaning Lady.
The railway should never have been closed. Logically the heart of the Lake District as in Keswick should be connected to the national railway network. Cumbria County Council need to wake up to reality we need an alternative to the congested roads.
Absolutely necessary. The Lake District is a focal
Point for the whole UK. We visit the lakes every year and aplaude Mr. Martindale for his perseverance on this. This will change the local economy no doubt. Please do not desist
Presenter: 'An expensive project...'
Seems an uninformed comment compared to other projects. What are expected rider numbers?
In the region of 230,000 to 320,000 per year, and could rise to 480,000.
This was back in 2006. So you can imagine the volume now. ! The newly reinstated borders railway doubled its passenger numbers very soon after it started running.
Yes, but you don't understand. Some of you are saying it will reduce traffic on the roads! Well that's not going to work because the last thing those that run the system want is to reduce road traffic. These people were put in place to decimate the public transport system and their ideals are still hard at work in private clubs. Do your research please....
Like anything else unfortunately. If it was elsewhere, it would happen. They don't care
The line closed because no one used it. If it reopened I would give it a couple of years before novelty wore off and it would be unused again. We have survived 50 years without it so it shows there is no need for it. I went on the train to Keswick in 1972 and the train was full, which is normal for a last day train. Before that it was barely used. Even more poeple now have cars than in 1972 so a train would be a waste of money.
And here speaks a bloke with his head so far up his backside that he is unable to understand the world is inevitably going to have to change due to climate change concerns therefore leading to his beloved cars days being inevitably numbered. Good luck with your approx 30 min long wait in order to charge your electric car up which you are going to be forced to use from 2030 and that’s assuming it actually works, there isn’t and electric strike, and you can get right on the charge pump and not have to wait behind others. 😂
Your reply started so well and then you spouted a load of tosh about electric cars. Stick to your reasoned argument about the railway but do some more reading up on electric, perhaps even try one but wear rubber gloves so you don't get electrocuted!!
great idea. but this country won’t build anything so vote them out.
Absolutely no need for a railway. A66 runs fine. Plenty of buses and taxi's. If I do go to Keswick I go in the car because once there I want to travel around. Just a bunch of anoraks wanting to play trains.
Its been shut 50 years, so obviously no need for it. The A66 is hardly gridlocked so line not needed. Just a bunch of anoraks wanting to play trains.
The project is a joke. There is no congestion. You can get to Keswick by bus or taxi no problems. Its just a load of nostalgic train spotters wanting to play trains with our money. Suppose I took the train to Keswick, how do I get about once there ? You need a car to explore the Keswick area so a train is completely useless.
Typical view of the motoring gang who think they have the right to drive anywhere and damn the consequences. All the Lake District towns and villages are full of cars taking all the space and spewing out their fumes everywhere.
Cars are a major contributor to air pollution and climate change, It seems the message is slow to to get through, just as tobacco and drink driving took a while to sink in. The Lake District National Park should be for climbers, ramblers and cyclists with public transport getting people there from the towns and cities in the north of England. Coronavirus may offer a short term reprieve for the motor car but unless we switch to more sustainable transport soon there is no way that government set climate change targets will be met.
@@philipashbourn1538 Well said! The Victorians left us a brilliant UK wide railway network with many branch lines to all corners of the UK that were decimated by sheer shortsightedness with regards to the future. Today our roads are clogged with cars and HGVs causing climate change pollution on a massive scale. Freight needs to be moved UK wide by trains with HGVs only used to deliver the final mile, this would increase safety, reduce pollution, and reduce wear and tear on expensive to maintain road networks. Electric cars are not the answer either because unless we go nuclear with our power stations which is the only viable clean energy source in order to meet expected power demands on the national grid but brings problems of its own with regards to disposal of nuclear waste we will only be redirecting pollution to a different source outlet and that’s before we even start getting into the debate with regards to the length of time we are going to waste waiting for the things to charge up! Railways if properly designed and run are much more efficient and when it comes to environmental concerns, and the distribution of people and goods. They always were and always will be. It’s got nothing to do with anoraks wanting to play trains like the clueless OP of this particular thread is trying to claim. I love cars btw but we have to all be realistic as a responsible society and realise their day has come and is now going.
@ Nigel Wright. Try getting off your backside and walking and cycling a bit more pal. You never know it might improve your health massively. Don’t forget places like Keswick and the Lake District are ideal places to enjoy by using those means of getting about, people like you just need to put in the effort and stop being so dam lazy.
I went to Threlkeld one day and walked the line into Keswick. I got the bus back and there were 3 people on the bus ! If they cant fill a bus they will never fill a train. And that was high season.
Cedric has been at it 25 years and cant make any headway, maybe time to give up because neither us have 25 more years to work with.
To Nigel, in high season, most hikers would also walk back to Threlkeld. If it was raining, the bus would have been full.
But, now that they’ve reopened the Big Tunnel, especially to cyclists, I think the chance of the railway line being reopened has now gone.
It’s now quicker to cycle from Keswick to Therlkeld (station) than to use the bus.