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England's highest main-line railway station hangs on to life by a thread: deserted and unmanned since it was officially closed in 1970. Dent, situated high in the hills of Yorkshire wakes up on six summer weekends each year, when a special charter train unloads walkers, sightseers and people who simply want to catch a train from the highest station to its platforms.

But even this limited existence may soon be brought to an enD. Dent station is situated on the Settel to Carlisle railway line, said to be the most scenic in the country. But no amount of scenic beauty can save the line from the British Rail's cash problems.

This year, for the sake of economy, the express train which used to pass through Dent station have been put to another route.

It is now an open secret that British Rail sees no future for this railway line. Most of its trains disappeared some time ago. Bridge, built on a grand scale a century ago, is failing down. It is not alone. Half a dozen railway routes in the North of England are facing a similar threat. The problem is a worn out system and an almost total lack of cash to repair it. Bridges and tunnels are showing their ages. The wooden supports for the tracks are rotting and engines and coaches are getting old.

On major lines between large cities, the problem is not too baD. These lines still make a profit and cash can be found to maintain them. But on the country branch line, the story is different. As track wears out, it is not replaceD. Instead, speed limits are introduced, making the journey longer than necessary and discouraging customers.

If a bridge is dangerous, there is often only one thing for British Rail to do: go out and find money from another source. This is exactly what it did a few months ago when a bridge at Bridling station was threatening to fall down. Repairs were estimated at 200,000 pounds just for one bridge and British Rail was delighted, and rather surprised when two local councils offered half that amount between them.

The most urgent problem for many country railway lines is that.