Stainmore Summit facts for kids
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Stainmore Summit is the highest point on a special railway line in Northern England. This line was called the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway, but many people knew it as the Stainmore Railway. It crossed the Pennines, a range of hills that runs through the middle of England.
The summit is located on Stainmore itself, between the old railway stations of Barras and Bowes. This railway line was the highest in England at 1,370 ft (418 m) above sea level. It stayed the highest until it closed down in 1962. A famous cast-iron sign used to mark this important spot. This sign is now kept safe at the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum.
Geographers, who study the Earth's features, often call this area the Stainmore Gap. It's a natural opening or pass through the hills.
What Was the Stainmore Railway?
The Stainmore Railway was an important line that connected different parts of England. It helped transport goods and people across the challenging Pennine hills. Building a railway at such a high point was a big achievement for engineers at the time.
A High Railway Line
Even though there wasn't a station right at Stainmore Summit, trains sometimes stopped there. They would pause to let family members of the railway workers get on or off. This helped the workers' families travel to and from their homes on the summit. The railway company even had several small houses, called cottages, built at the very top of the summit for its workers.
