Two North Craven men have released previously unseen pictures of the construction of the Settle to Carlisle railway line. More than 30 rare Victorian images taken between 1869 and 1876 have been recreated onto CD-ROM, and will be an invaluable source of information to the general public as well as to history and rail enthusiasts. It also includes an account of the opening of the line from the "Craven Pioneer", dated May 1 1876. 

The material has been collated, edited, and produced by NVM Digital, run by High Bentham man Dave Mulligan. His friend Jim Redfern, of Long Preston, contributed much of the text and pictures. Mr. Redfern said a chance encounter through the internet led to a collaboration between NVM Digital and a Norfolk-based specialist in Victorian Stereo photographs. It has allowed pictures of primitive steam-driven machines to be displayed on screen for the first time, as well as pictures of some of the workforce. The work to bring the CD-ROM together amounts to about 1000 hours, but Mr.Redfern says it fulfils a long-held ambition.

"We have a strong conviction to bring forward scarce historical material into the public domain," he explained. "Our view is that original material relating to the origins of the line should be made much more readily available to the benefit of researchers and the Settle-Carlisle railway historians alike."

Included on the CD are details of the construction work and accounts of early travel over the line, together with up-to-date photographs of the major viaducts.