Rail Charter Services cancels Settle and Carlisle programme

RAIL Charter Services has suspended its 2022 services on the Settle and Carlisle Line.

The company began running the trips in 2020 using Mk.3 coaching stock and Locomotive Services Limited Class 37s, 20s and 47s, with a special weekend using a Class 40 between Skipton and Appleby.

For 2021, RCS extended the service to Carlisle, using a High Speed Train set.

However, an RC statement said: “Unfortunately, owing to extraordinary difficult trading conditions we have had to take the difficult decision to suspend our Settle-Carlisle tourist rail services in 2022.

“The current economic conditions have created the perfect storm of high costs, while at the same time all the indicators point to constrained demand as people tighten their belts during this unprecedented time of economic uncertainty.”