Morecambe Branch Line
Encyclopedia
The Morecambe Branch Line is a railway line in Lancashire
, England
, from Lancaster to Morecambe
and Heysham
where services connect with the ferry service to Douglas
on the Isle of Man
. To reach Heysham, trains must reverse at Morecambe.
Almost all passenger services are currently operated by Northern Rail
. Most services operate as a shuttle between Lancaster and Morecambe, continuing to Heysham only to connect with ferry services. These services primarily use Class 142
, Class 153
or Class 156
diesel multiple unit
s . A few services continue beyond Lancaster to Skipton
and Leeds
(see Leeds-Morecambe Line), and generally use Class 144
or Class 150
units.
The first train each weekday morning is a Transpennine Express service from Barrow
, which diverts from the West Coast Main Line
(WCML) to Windermere
at Hest Bank South Junction
. This service calls at , and , before reversing, calling at Bare Lane again, then rejoining the WCML via Hest Bank North Junction
and continuing onwards to Oxenholme. This is done to provide a token parliamentary service
over the Bare Lane to Hest Bank curve. Prior to the December 2008 timetable change however, the service ran in the late evening and in the opposite direction (Windermere - Lancaster - Morecambe - Barrow). A weekday (and summer Sunday) afternoon train from Morecambe to Leeds is also now scheduled to use the curve.
Although there are two tracks between Bare Lane and Morecambe, they have since 1994 been operated as two independent single tracks, with no connection between them beyond Bare Lane. Only the southernmost track is connected to the Heysham branch.
The line also sees freight traffic, operated by Direct Rail Services
, which serve Heysham nuclear power station.
(LNWR) and "little" North Western Railway (NWR) companies, although most traces of the infrastructure built by the latter have disappeared (the later branch to Heysham Harbour and the Promenade
terminus were both built by the Midland Railway
after it took over the NWR in 1874). The first proposals for a branch from Morecambe to join the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
(L&C) at Hest Bank
had been put forward by the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company (a constituent company of the NWR) back in 1846 but these were soon dropped on cost grounds. The L&C subsequently revived the scheme in 1858, with the intention of using the NWR's harbour facilities (suitably expanded) to export coke & iron ore from the North East (brought in via the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway and the L&C main line). The NWR naturally opposed the plans (as it would lose its monopoly on traffic into the town) but its shaky finances eventually led it to reach an agreement with the L&C that would allow the latter to build its line but not require the associated harbour improvements to be carried out. The three mile branch was duly constructed (including a link to the NWR station at Northumberland Street) and opened in August 1864. The hoped-for mineral traffic did not materialise however and the route remained a modest branch, although the LNWR did have to provide its own station at Poulton Lane because of increasing congestion at Northumberland Street. This was subsequently replaced by a rather more substantial terminus at Euston Road
in 1886 as part of an improvement scheme that also saw the construction of a west-to-south curve from Bare Lane
to join the WCML at Morecambe South Junction (opened in 1888) that permitted through running to without the need for a reversal (and hence gave access for longer distance trains to places such as Manchester
, Liverpool
and London
). The branch was also doubled throughout, apart from the Hest Bank to Bare Lane curve. Despite this, the ex-NWR route continued to carry most of the traffic to and from the town (especially after the Midland route was electrified in 1908 – see below).
The branch did become somewhat more important after the 1923 Grouping, with a London Euston to Heysham boat train service commencing over it in 1928 – this ran to the Promenade station, where it reversed for the final part of its journey to Heysham to meet the Belfast boat. The LNWR station at Euston Road remained much quieter than its Midland neighbour though (although it did come into its own in the summer months) and it was the obvious one to be closed when traffic to the resort began to decline in the 1950s – service trains being diverted to Promenade from 15 September 1958, although it remained in seasonal use until complete closure four years later on 30 September 1962.
The biggest changes to the route though would come much later in the decade, as the Beeching Report
recommended that it should be kept open rather the Midland line to , even though the latter was electrically operated. These alterations came into effect on 3 January 1966 when the Midland route was closed to passengers and a replacement DMU shuttle began operating to and from Lancaster Castle. Trains from Leeds and Skipton
were diverted via Carnforth
, Hest Bank and the original 1864 north curve to reach Morecambe. The only ex-Midland facilities to survive were the terminus at Promenade and the 1904 Heysham branch, which was retained to serve the ferry terminal (although even this lost its passenger trains in October 1975, following the withdrawal of the Belfast sailings earlier that year).
More recent changes have seen services from Leeds diverted to run via Lancaster (with a reversal) rather than directly via Hest Bank and the re-opening of the Heysham branch to passenger traffic in connection with the daily sailing from there to the Isle of Man (both in May 1987). The Promenade terminus has also been replaced by a smaller station located closer to the town centre (in 1994) and the Heysham line reduced to a single track under the supervision of the signal box at Bare Lane.
The Midland Railway route was used for an early trial of electrification – opened between 13 April 1908 and 14 September 1908 using 6600 V AC at 25 Hz. Following rail nationalisation it was again used, in 1953, as a trial site for electrification at 50 Hz, the voltage remaining at 6600 This experiment led to the introduction of the 25 kV, 50 Hz system as standard for new electrification on British Railways. The branch lost its electrification upon closure of the Lancaster line in 1966.
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, from Lancaster to Morecambe
Morecambe
Morecambe is a resort town and civil parish within the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. As of 2001 it has a resident population of 38,917. It faces into Morecambe Bay...
and Heysham
Heysham
Heysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England. Overlooking Morecambe Bay, it is a ferry port with services to the Isle of Man and Ireland. Heysham is the site of two nuclear power stations which are landmarks visible from hills in the surrounding area...
where services connect with the ferry service to Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. To reach Heysham, trains must reverse at Morecambe.
Almost all passenger services are currently operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
. Most services operate as a shuttle between Lancaster and Morecambe, continuing to Heysham only to connect with ferry services. These services primarily use Class 142
British Rail Class 142
The British Rail Class 142 is a class of Pacer diesel multiple units used in the United Kingdom. 96 units were built by BREL in Derby between 1985 and 1987. They were a development of the earlier Class 141 which were introduced in 1984....
, Class 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
or Class 156
British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s . A few services continue beyond Lancaster to Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
and Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
(see Leeds-Morecambe Line), and generally use Class 144
British Rail Class 144
The British Rail Class 144 "Pacer" diesel multiple units were built by BREL Derby from 1986-1987. A total of 23 units were built, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs....
or Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
units.
The first train each weekday morning is a Transpennine Express service from Barrow
Barrow-in-Furness railway station
Barrow-in-Furness railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England. It is located on the Furness Line to Lancaster and the Cumbrian Coast Line to Workington and Carlisle...
, which diverts from the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
(WCML) to Windermere
Windermere railway station
Windermere railway station is the railway station that serves Windermere in Cumbria, England. It is just south of the A591, about 15 min walk or a short bus ride from the lake. The station is located behind a branch of the Booths supermarket chain, which occupies the site of the original station...
at Hest Bank South Junction
Hest Bank South Junction
Hest Bank South Junction is a railway junction in Lancashire where the Morecambe Branch Line joins the former LNWR line in the up direction between Lancaster and Carnforth. It is also known as Morecambe South Junction...
. This service calls at , and , before reversing, calling at Bare Lane again, then rejoining the WCML via Hest Bank North Junction
Hest Bank North Junction
Hest Bank North Junction is a railway junction in Lancashire where the Morecambe Branch Line joins the former LNWR line in the down direction between Lancaster and Carnforth. It is also known as Morecambe North Junction. This line is currently being considered to become a community railway. Hest...
and continuing onwards to Oxenholme. This is done to provide a token parliamentary service
Parliamentary train
A Parliamentary train or Parly is, nowadays, a British English term for a train that operates a Parliamentary service - that is to say a token service to a given station, thus maintaining a legal fiction that either the station or, in some cases, the whole line is open, although in reality the...
over the Bare Lane to Hest Bank curve. Prior to the December 2008 timetable change however, the service ran in the late evening and in the opposite direction (Windermere - Lancaster - Morecambe - Barrow). A weekday (and summer Sunday) afternoon train from Morecambe to Leeds is also now scheduled to use the curve.
Although there are two tracks between Bare Lane and Morecambe, they have since 1994 been operated as two independent single tracks, with no connection between them beyond Bare Lane. Only the southernmost track is connected to the Heysham branch.
The line also sees freight traffic, operated by Direct Rail Services
Direct Rail Services
Direct Rail Services is a freight operating company created by British Nuclear Fuels Limited. The company started rail operations in 1995 using five heavily refurbished Class 20/3 diesel locomotives. Since then it has expanded greatly, and has acquired many more locomotives, most bought...
, which serve Heysham nuclear power station.
History
The current route is a fusion of lines opened by the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(LNWR) and "little" North Western Railway (NWR) companies, although most traces of the infrastructure built by the latter have disappeared (the later branch to Heysham Harbour and the Promenade
Morecambe Promenade railway station
Morecambe Promenade Station was a railway station in Morecambe, Lancashire. It was opened on March 24th 1907 by the Midland Railway and closed in February 1994...
terminus were both built by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
after it took over the NWR in 1874). The first proposals for a branch from Morecambe to join the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
The Lancaster and Carlisle Railway was a British railway company authorised on 6 June 1844 to build a line between Lancaster and Carlisle in North-West England...
(L&C) at Hest Bank
Hest Bank North Junction
Hest Bank North Junction is a railway junction in Lancashire where the Morecambe Branch Line joins the former LNWR line in the down direction between Lancaster and Carnforth. It is also known as Morecambe North Junction. This line is currently being considered to become a community railway. Hest...
had been put forward by the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company (a constituent company of the NWR) back in 1846 but these were soon dropped on cost grounds. The L&C subsequently revived the scheme in 1858, with the intention of using the NWR's harbour facilities (suitably expanded) to export coke & iron ore from the North East (brought in via the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway and the L&C main line). The NWR naturally opposed the plans (as it would lose its monopoly on traffic into the town) but its shaky finances eventually led it to reach an agreement with the L&C that would allow the latter to build its line but not require the associated harbour improvements to be carried out. The three mile branch was duly constructed (including a link to the NWR station at Northumberland Street) and opened in August 1864. The hoped-for mineral traffic did not materialise however and the route remained a modest branch, although the LNWR did have to provide its own station at Poulton Lane because of increasing congestion at Northumberland Street. This was subsequently replaced by a rather more substantial terminus at Euston Road
Morecambe Euston Road railway station
Morecambe Euston Road was the terminus station of the London and North Western Railway's branch line to Morecambe, in Lancashire, England. It closed in 1963, after which all trains to Morecambe used the nearby station.- History :...
in 1886 as part of an improvement scheme that also saw the construction of a west-to-south curve from Bare Lane
Bare Lane railway station
Bare Lane railway station is a railway station that serves the village of Bare, which is a suburb of Morecambe in Lancashire.It is located on the Morecambe Branch Line from Lancaster to Heysham Port....
to join the WCML at Morecambe South Junction (opened in 1888) that permitted through running to without the need for a reversal (and hence gave access for longer distance trains to places such as Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
). The branch was also doubled throughout, apart from the Hest Bank to Bare Lane curve. Despite this, the ex-NWR route continued to carry most of the traffic to and from the town (especially after the Midland route was electrified in 1908 – see below).
The biggest changes to the route though would come much later in the decade, as the Beeching Report
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
recommended that it should be kept open rather the Midland line to , even though the latter was electrically operated. These alterations came into effect on 3 January 1966 when the Midland route was closed to passengers and a replacement DMU shuttle began operating to and from Lancaster Castle. Trains from Leeds and Skipton
Skipton railway station
Skipton railway station serves the town of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England on the Airedale Line. It is operated by Northern Rail and is situated north-west of Leeds....
were diverted via Carnforth
Carnforth railway station
Carnforth railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Carnforth in Lancashire. The building was designed by architect William Tite and was famously used as the location in the 1945 film Brief Encounter. It is now operated by TransPennine Express.-History:Carnforth station was...
, Hest Bank and the original 1864 north curve to reach Morecambe. The only ex-Midland facilities to survive were the terminus at Promenade and the 1904 Heysham branch, which was retained to serve the ferry terminal (although even this lost its passenger trains in October 1975, following the withdrawal of the Belfast sailings earlier that year).
More recent changes have seen services from Leeds diverted to run via Lancaster (with a reversal) rather than directly via Hest Bank and the re-opening of the Heysham branch to passenger traffic in connection with the daily sailing from there to the Isle of Man (both in May 1987). The Promenade terminus has also been replaced by a smaller station located closer to the town centre (in 1994) and the Heysham line reduced to a single track under the supervision of the signal box at Bare Lane.
The Midland Railway route was used for an early trial of electrification – opened between 13 April 1908 and 14 September 1908 using 6600 V AC at 25 Hz. Following rail nationalisation it was again used, in 1953, as a trial site for electrification at 50 Hz, the voltage remaining at 6600 This experiment led to the introduction of the 25 kV, 50 Hz system as standard for new electrification on British Railways. The branch lost its electrification upon closure of the Lancaster line in 1966.