Internship Opportunity: Settle Carlisle Railway Trust Researcher
Organisation: Settle Carlisle Railway Trust
The Settle Carlisle Railway Trust are centrally involved in promoting, and enhancing passenger experience on, one of the UK’s most spectacular and historically significant railways: the Settle Carlisle Line (built between 1870 and 1875). The Trust are looking to appoint one or more UG or PG students to undertake placements that will contribute to its ongoing research into the history of the line’s construction and into the legacy of projects that have aimed to exploit the potentials of the Settle region for heritage tourism.
This is an ideal internship for those interested in modern British History, industrial archaeology and/or tourism studies.
Three paid research projects available – please apply separately
1. Life in the Navvy Camps
The railway from Settle to Carlisle was built between 1870 and 1875. Thousands of navvies (slang from the ‘navigators’ who built the canal network) built the railway, living in navvy camps along the line.
In 2008 an archaeological survey was undertaken by Channel 4’s Time Team at one site near Garsdale in Cumbria. The survey unearthed interesting facts about life in the navvy camp based on the archaeology.
The Settle Carlisle Railway Trust is interested to pursue further research on the basis of this report. Specifically, we are interested to use the findings of the report to initiate a wider investigation of what life was like for the thousands of people who worked in this wild location.
Key sources:
Naomi Brennan, ‘Working on the Railway: The Risehill Tunnel Navvy Camp, Cumbria’, Industrial Archaeology Review, 37:2 (2015), 99–110. *NB: This report quotes a variety of sources including local newspapers and public health reports. The 1871 census is an important further source of information.
2. The Little Salkeld, Cumbria, Navvy Camp
Limited research has been carried out on the various navy camps built along the Settle Carlisle railway. The most famous, and most researched, site is at Ribblehead. The smaller site at Little Salkeld, near Langwathby in Cumbria would make an interesting study. The Settle Carlisle Railway Trust is interested to pursue further research into this camp site. Specifically, we are curious to answer the following questions: Who worked there? Where did they come from? Where did they go when the railway was built? What can we learn about life in the camp?
Key sources:
1871 census; local church and parish records; contemporary newspaper accounts; court records; public health records; school records.
3. The Ribblesdale Project: what happened next?
In 1986 the Department of Geography at Lancaster published a report on the tourist potential of the Settle area by developing industrial heritage assets in particular railways and quarries. The report made a number of recommendations. The Settle Carlisle Railway Trust is interested in conducting research into the legacy of this report. Specifically, we are curious to what has actually happened or not happened as a consequence of the report. As we look back over 30 years, what can we learn with the benefit of hindsight?
Key sources:
Feasibility Study by John Wakeford and John Whitelegg of Lancaster University, Sept 1986.
How to apply: Please send a CV and cover letter stating which project you wish to apply for to fassplacements@lancaster.ac.uk
Applications close on 6th January 2019. Rate of pay £8.78 per hour (including holiday pay) – each project is funded for 60 hours in total, paid monthly upon submission of weekly timesheets.
**This internship opportunity is exclusively available to current UG/PG students studying within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Lancaster University**