Lancaster railway station

Lancaster National Rail
Location
Place Lancaster
Local authority City of Lancaster
Coordinates 54°02′53″N 2°48′25″W / 54.048°N 2.807°W / 54.048; -2.807Coordinates: 54°02′53″N 2°48′25″W / 54.048°N 2.807°W / 54.048; -2.807
Grid reference SD472617
Operations
Station code LAN
Managed by Virgin Trains
Number of platforms 5
DfT category B
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2004/05  1.270 million
2005/06 Increase 1.317 million
2006/07 Increase 1.396 million
2007/08 Increase 1.498 million
2008/09 Increase 1.559 million
2009/10 Increase 1.656 million
2010/11 Increase 1.788 million
2011/12 Increase 1.834 million
2012/13 Increase 1.850 million
2013/14 Increase 1.915 million
2014/15 Increase 2.004 million
History
Original company Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
Pre-grouping London and North Western Railway
Post-grouping London, Midland and Scottish Railway
22 September 1846 Opened as Lancaster Castle[1]
1902 Remodelled
5 May 1969 Renamed Lancaster[1]
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Lancaster from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Lancaster railway station (formerly known as Lancaster Castle railway station) is a railway station that serves the city of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. It is one of the principal stations on the West Coast Main Line.

History

The 1852 extension includes a relief carving of the coat of arms of Lancaster.

Originally known as 'Lancaster Castle Station' in order to distinguish it from the first Lancaster Station (1840–1849), Lancaster station was officially opened on 21 September 1846. The first public service ran into the station on 17 December the same year. The station was built as the southern terminus of the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway after the initial planned route for the line - which would have followed the Lancaster Canal and crossing the River Lune from Ladies Walk to Skerton - was changed in favour of a cheaper route west of the city.

The station was remodelled in 1900-1906 when additional lines and platforms were added and further station buildings constructed.[2] The new buildings were styled mock-Elizabethan with the intention of mirroring the battlements of the nearby Lancaster Castle. Platforms 5 and 6 (on the east side of the station) were electrified in 1908 to serve the now-closed Midland Railway route to Morecambe and Heysham. This line closed in January 1966 and the overhead line equipment was removed.

The track layout in the station area was rationalised in 1973 when control of the signalling was transferred to the new Preston Power Signal Box. This included the removal of the track from Platform 6, although this platform had seen no regular use for some time prior to this. The West Coast Main Line through Lancaster was electrified in 1974, and regular electric passenger services recommenced at the station 7 May 1974.

Description

The main building constructed in 1846 by William Tite was situated on the west side of the line in Tudor Revival style using roughly squared sandstone rubble. This two-storey building was extended southwards in 1852 in similar style although this section terminated in a tower of three storeys. A new entrance was constructed in 1900 on the eastern side of the line at footbridge level; this is nearer the town and houses the remaining ticket office.[2]

The entrance through the original building remains open. This opens onto Platform 3 which is mostly used by northbound services. Two bay platforms to the north of this are used by terminating trains off the various branches to Heysham Port, Barrow-in-Furness and Leeds.

Two lines without platforms separate these three platforms from the remainder of the station; these are used by non-stop passenger services and freight trains. Beyond is Platform 4, which is the principal one used by southbound trains. This is an island platform with a second face, Platform 5, which can be used by southbound trains or by terminating services. All platforms are signalled for arrivals and departures in either direction. Opposite Platform 5 are the remains of Platform 6 which has no track and has been out of use for many years.

Services

A Virgin service to London, arriving at platform 4

Lancaster is served by several train operators.

Virgin Trains operate express trains from London Euston to Glasgow Central using Pendolino trains, and from London Euston to Glasgow and Edinburgh via Birmingham New Street using Virgin Super Voyager or Virgin Pendolino trains. Early morning or late evening services to/from Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central or Carlisle or Lancaster start or terminate at Birmingham New Street and peak services to and from London terminate and start at Lancaster or Carlisle. A few services to/from Crewe also terminate/start at Lancaster. These services normally use platforms 3 and 4.[3]

A First TransPennine Express Class 350, at platform 4, waiting to travel south

First TransPennine Express operate regional express services from Manchester Airport and Preston to Barrow-in-Furness via the Furness Line and Windermere via the Windermere Branch Line using Class 185 diesel multiple units (DMUs), and from Manchester Airport to Edinburgh and Glasgow via the West Coast Main Line using Class 350 EMUs. These services also use platforms 3 and 4.[4]

Northern Rail operate local services, along the Furness Line to Barrow-in-Furness, the Morecambe Branch Line to Morecambe and Heysham and the Leeds to Morecambe Line to Skipton and Leeds. They also operate a single weekday service to/from Buxton and Hazel Grove. These services are operated using DMUs of Classes 142, 150, 153 and 156, and normally use platforms 1, 2 and 5.[5]

Morecambe, Lancaster
& Heysham Port

Legend
 West Coast Main Line north
Bare Lane
Morecambe
Heysham Port
 Lancaster
 West Coast Main Line south
Preceding station National Rail Following station
Preston   Virgin Trains
West Coast Main Line		   Oxenholme Lake District or
Penrith North Lakes or
Terminus
Preston or
Terminus		   First TransPennine Express
TransPennine North West		   Oxenholme Lake District or
Penrith North Lakes
    Carnforth
Bare Lane   First TransPennine Express
Barrow to Windermere		   Oxenholme Lake District
Preston   Northern Rail
Buxton Line		   Carnforth
Terminus   Northern Rail
Furness Line		   Carnforth
Trains
reverse		   Northern Rail
Leeds to Morecambe Line		   Bare Lane
    Carnforth
Terminus   Northern Rail
Morecambe Branch Line		   Bare Lane
Historical railways
Terminus   Furness Railway   Hest Bank
Galgate   London and North Western Railway
Lancaster and Carlisle Railway		   Hest Bank
Disused railways
Terminus   Midland Railway
"Little" North Western Railway		   Lancaster Green Ayre
Terminus   London and North Western Railway
Glasson Dock Branch Line		   Ashton Hall

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199. p. 138
  2. 1 2 "Railway Station Building, Lancaster". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
  3. ↑ GB eNRT December 2015 Edition, Table 65 (Network Rail)
  4. ↑ GB eNRT December 2015 Edition, Table 82 (Network Rail)
  5. ↑ GB eNRT December 2015 Edition, Tables 42, 82 and 98 (Network Rail)

External links

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