Been a while since I last posted here, so hi everyone!
Carlisle has always intriuged me as a rail centre and even today is still the source for a variety of routes:
Newcastle via Hexham
Settle & Carlisle
Cumbrian Coast via Whitehaven
Glasgow via Dumfries
Glasgow via Motherwell
Edinburgh via Carstairs
London via Preston
Of course in its heyday it was even bigger than this and you could get trains to Edinburgh (Via the 'Waverley' route), the Langholme branch and the Silloth Branch. Then take into account its role as a freight centre - the once massive Kingmoor Marshalling Yards and Upperby MPD for stabling loco, stock & DMUs. In the early years there were also sheds at Canal Shed and the Midland sheds at Durranhill. There was also Carlisle Currock (Maryport & Carlisle & G&SW) & London Road (NER)
One mystery I can't solve is the precise location of Port Carlisle Branch Junction (the one for the Waverley & Silloth branches) it must surely have been somewhere beyond the bridge north of the station, but before Kingmoor MPD.
I've fond memories of riding the Newcastle train to Hexham, MK1 coaches over the S&C (and at one time, a failed 108 pulled by a class 31!) and of course Derby 108's over to Whitehaven. I'm sure Glasgow via Kilmarnock was loco & coaches at one stage, later replaced by 156 dmus.
What are your memories of Carlisle and what routes have you been on?