Diverted trains to use historic line

The Settle-Carlisle line will be used by Avanti West Coast in January

A historic railway route will be used by a train line for the first time in more than a decade.

Avanti West Coast said its West Coast Main Line (WMCL) services would use the 73-mile (117km) Settle to Carlisle line when the line was blocked between Preston and Carlisle during the first two weeks of 2026.

The closure is to enable the replacement of Clifton Bridge, which takes the railway over the M6 near Penrith, Cumbria.

The Settle to Carlisle line, which crosses the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines via the Ribblehead viaduct, offers miles of picturesque views from train windows.

The route is usually only used by Northern trains operating between Leeds and Carlisle, but there have been long-standing calls from railway enthusiasts for the line to be used during the disruption.

Capacity constraints and crew training requirements are among the reasons why this does not normally happen.

Timetables for the services will be published in early October.

The Settle to Carlisle line crosses the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines via the Ribblehead viaduct

The line is not electrified, so the operator will use its bi-mode Evero trains, which can run on electric or diesel power.

Andy Mellors, managing director at Avanti West Coast, said using the line was "all about giving our passengers the best experience" during the engineering work.

"We know through industry research that during planned disruption customers prefer to stay on trains and avoid lengthy replacement bus journeys where possible," he said.

Passengers travelling to Scotland from London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester will be advised to go via the East Coast Main Line using other operators.

Rail replacement buses will be deployed for those travelling to and from Lancaster, Oxenholme and Penrith.

Network Rail is investing £60m to replace Clifton Bridge.

The 60-year-old structure has weight restrictions which mean it can only carry one train at a time, which can cause delays.

The new bridge will allow freight and passenger trains to pass over the motorway without limits.