Skip to content

Rail line's Calendar Girls raise cash for charity

Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company The 12 photos illustrating each month of the 2025 calendar. Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company
The group of caterers were inspired by Rylstone and District Women's Institute, who became famous after producing a charity calendar

A group of women who serve refreshments on a scenic rail route have posed for a charity calendar.

The team, which works on the Settle to Carlisle line running through the Pennines, has marked the 20th anniversary of its trolley service with a series of creative poses.

Those who took part said they were inspired by the original Calendar Girls from a Women's Institute near Settle, who famously stripped to raise money for cancer research, leading to a film and stage show.

Ten percent of funds raised from the calendar will go to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service, with the rest used to buy new refreshment trollies.

Nikita Kayleigh Photography An older woman with short light brown hair sitting in front of a basket of fruit and vegetables, including a melon, carrot and butternut squash. A train is in the background. An aubergine and carrot are on the table next to her.Nikita Kayleigh Photography
Preparing for the autumn harvest is Miss September

Susie Payne, operations manager for the Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company, is one of those taking part and is appearing as Miss February.

She told BBC Radio Cumbria some colleagues were keener than others to disrobe for the shoot.

"Some of them are wearing clothes, some of them are wearing absolutely nothing. So it depends on how daring they were to how far they went with it," she said.

Ms Payne said some of the women were braver than they expected to be.

"It's quite funny, because on the actual day, some of them chose to wear certain outfits, certain bits of material to cover bits, but when it actually came to it they were kind of 'do you know what, let's just go for it!'"

Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company Seven women of different ages standing at the train station with their calendars. A sign in the background reads Welcome to Settle-Carlisle Line.Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company
The ladies who took park in the calendar have been selling it on board trains

Ms Payne had a personal reason for choosing the location for her photo, which was shot in front of a steam train being filled with water at Appleby station.

"Appleby is where I started my career, so I'm always drawn back to Appleby," she added.

Nikita Kayleigh Photography A woman with short brown hair holding a bottle of champagne and wearing a pearl necklace sitting down along a train track covered in snow. She is draped in a white fur dress, which shows her legs. Nikita Kayleigh Photography
Bee Reynolds, who posed as Miss January, spoke of her positive experience taking part

Pictured as Miss January is the manager of the Ribblehead Tearoom, Bee Reynolds.

She said taking part had been a positive experience.

"Well, it was very liberating to be perfectly honest, to be with a group that celebrates all ages, all different shapes [and] sizes," she said.

"No airbrushing, no makeup artists, just turn up and this is us."

The calendars are being sold online and trains that run on the line.

Follow BBC Cumbria on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].

More BBC stories about the line
Related internet links