Lancaster railway station

Lancaster
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*
2010/11	1.788 million
2011/12	1.834 million
2012/13	1.850 million
2013/14	1.915 million
2014/15	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 booking office is open throughout the week, closing only in the late evening (ticket machines are also available). A full range of facilities is offered, including a buffet, newsagents, waiting rooms on both sides and lifts between the footbridge and platforms.^[3] The station is therefore fully-accessible for disabled passengers. 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 through 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.^[4]

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

TransPennine Express operate regional express services from Manchester Airport and Preston to Edinburgh and Glasgow via the West Coast Main Line using Class 350 EMUs. These services also use platforms 3 and 4.^[5]

Northern operate local & regional services along the Furness Line to Barrow-in-Furness, to Windermere via Oxenholme and the Windermere Branch Line (since the April 2016 franchise changeover), 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, 156 and 185 (the latter subleased from former operator First TransPennine Express).^[6] Through services use the same platforms as Virgin & TPE trains, whilst those starting & terminating here mostly use platforms 1, 2 & 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		TransPennine Express TransPennine North West		Oxenholme Lake District or Penrith North Lakes
				Terminus
Bare Lane		Northern Barrow to Windermere		Oxenholme Lake District
Preston		Northern Buxton Line		Carnforth
Terminus		Northern Furness Line		Carnforth
Trains reverse		Northern Leeds to Morecambe Line		Bare Lane
				Carnforth
Terminus		Northern 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

• Listed buildings in Lancaster, Lancashire

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lancaster railway station.

• Train times and station information for Lancaster railway station from National Rail
• Lancaster Stations