To mark the 25th anniversary of the saving of the Settle-Carlisle Railway Line, a special train will run on the scenic route in the spring.

It will operate on Friday, April 11 – exactly 25 years since the announcement was made that the railway was to be saved from the threat of closure that had loomed since the early 1980s.

It was the culmination of a long fight by campaigners.

The Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company and the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line are working together to mark the important anniversary.

The development company, set up in 1992, is committed to promoting the Settle-Carlisle railway and encouraging economic development along the line while the Friends, originally formed to fight the proposed closure, supports the railway with an army of volunteers who provide on-train guides, lead guided walks, distribute promotional leaflets and care for the stations and their gardens.

The focus of the joint celebrations will be the special train, which will be supplied and crewed by Direct Rail Services.

Three of the company’s iconic Class 37 locomotives will haul up to nine of its recently refurbished Mark 2 vehicles.

It will leave Leeds station at about 10am, calling at Shipley, Skipton, Settle and Appleby.

The arrival time at Carlisle station will be 1pm.

Passengers will have time to enjoy lunch in the city before the train leaves for the return leg of its journey at around 2.20pm, arriving back in Leeds at 5pm.

Exact timings and itinerary are still subject to final confirmation.

Members of the public are invited to join this special celebration train journey.

A limited number of tickets are available at £50 each from shop. scrdc.co.uk/anniversary. html