Morecambe Promenade railway station
Encyclopedia
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. After twelve weeks break in passenger service for the revision of track work and signalling a new Morecambe Station
was opened on a site closer to the town centre.
It was named Morecambe Station both before and after being named Morecambe Promenade.
).
The Promenade Station was built to cater for a large influx of passenger numbers. To this effect, the station comprised four main platforms and a goods siding. When the station first opened, there was some controversy over the segregation of passengers into 1st and 2nd class waiting rooms. Many passengers disapproved of this and chose to wait instead in the station concourse. The Midland Railway sought to exploit the potential of moving holidaymakers between Morecambe
, Heysham
and Lancaster
and to provide a speedy and efficient service for workers at the then state-of-the-art 1905 port. The station was therefore constructed opposite the old Midland Hotel
, enabling tourists arriving overnight by rail to stay in the hotel before taking the boat to the Isle of Man
and Barrow
from the Stone Jetty. Passengers using the facilities came from Leeds
and Bradford
as well as the West Coast of Scotland.
The Midland Railway also electrified the branch line to Morecambe Promenade on 13 April 1908 and the line remained electrified until 1966 when, in the wake of the rationalisation programme put forward by the Beeching Report, the electrification system
was dismantled. The Report's author, Richard Beeching
- the Chairman of the British Transport Commission
, treated branch lines as irrelevant to the overall operation of intercity rail networks, believing that car owners would drive to and park at mainline stations before taking the train. A mere seven years after the dismantling took place, what is now known as the West Coast Main Line
from Crewe
to Glasgow
was electrified.
Although the Promenade Station managed to survive the Beeching Axe
, by the late 1980s tourism in Morecambe was rapidly declining, which may have led to the decision to close Promenade Station in 1994 and its subsequent replacement with a new station
situated closer to the town centre.
National Railway Heritage Award" in 1999 (Highly Commended) and an "Access for All Design Award" in 1998. A special concert was held at the station on 24 March 2007 to celebrate its 100th anniversary with Lancaster's Mayor, Councillor Janie Kirkman, giving a speech, followed by a concert from Brian Lancaster.
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...
, Lancashire
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...
. It was opened on March 24th 1907 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....
and closed in February 1994. After twelve weeks break in passenger service for the revision of track work and signalling a new Morecambe Station
Morecambe railway station
Morecambe railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Morecambe in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Morecambe Branch Line from to Heysham. The current truncated two-platform station was opened in 1994 to replace the Midland Railway's earlier terminus situated some...
was opened on a site closer to the town centre.
It was named Morecambe Station both before and after being named Morecambe Promenade.
History
Built by the Midland Railway Company as the terminus of the former "little" North Western Railway, Morecambe Promenade Station first opened to passengers in 1907. It served as a replacement for the inadequate Northumberland Street Station (which was ironically situated on the site of the new two-platform Morecambe stationMorecambe railway station
Morecambe railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Morecambe in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Morecambe Branch Line from to Heysham. The current truncated two-platform station was opened in 1994 to replace the Midland Railway's earlier terminus situated some...
).
The Promenade Station was built to cater for a large influx of passenger numbers. To this effect, the station comprised four main platforms and a goods siding. When the station first opened, there was some controversy over the segregation of passengers into 1st and 2nd class waiting rooms. Many passengers disapproved of this and chose to wait instead in the station concourse. The Midland Railway sought to exploit the potential of moving holidaymakers between 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...
, 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...
and Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
and to provide a speedy and efficient service for workers at the then state-of-the-art 1905 port. The station was therefore constructed opposite the old Midland Hotel
North Western Hotel, Morecambe
The North Western Hotel in Morecambe, Lancashire, England, was built in 1847–48. It was designed by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin for the "Little" North Western Railway. Including furnishings, it cost £4,795 . It was a two-storey building containing 40 bedrooms...
, enabling tourists arriving overnight by rail to stay in the hotel before taking the boat to 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...
and Barrow
Barrow Island (England)
Barrow Island is a built up island forming part of the town of Barrow-in-Furness, England. It is counted as one of the Islands of Furness although it has not been a real island since the 1980s when part of the Devonshire Dock was filled in to provide land for the building of Devonshire Dock Hall...
from the Stone Jetty. Passengers using the facilities came from 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...
and Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
as well as the West Coast of Scotland.
The Midland Railway also electrified the branch line to Morecambe Promenade on 13 April 1908 and the line remained electrified until 1966 when, in the wake of the rationalisation programme put forward by the Beeching Report, the electrification system
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
was dismantled. The Report's author, Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
- the Chairman of the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
, treated branch lines as irrelevant to the overall operation of intercity rail networks, believing that car owners would drive to and park at mainline stations before taking the train. A mere seven years after the dismantling took place, what is now known as 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...
from Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
was electrified.
Although the Promenade Station managed to survive the Beeching Axe
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...
, by the late 1980s tourism in Morecambe was rapidly declining, which may have led to the decision to close Promenade Station in 1994 and its subsequent replacement with a new station
Morecambe railway station
Morecambe railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Morecambe in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Morecambe Branch Line from to Heysham. The current truncated two-platform station was opened in 1994 to replace the Midland Railway's earlier terminus situated some...
situated closer to the town centre.
The station today
The station building remains intact and became an entertainment venue in 1997 when the pub-cum-restaurant "The Platform" was opened., as well the Platform Arts Centre and Morecambe Tourist Information Centre which has been based in the station since 1992. The station building has been sympathetically restored to its original Midland Railway condition and has won two design awards - the "Ian AllanIan Allan Publishing
Ian Allan Publishing is a UK publisher, established in 1942, which specialises in transport magazines and books.In 1942 Ian Allan, then working on enquiries on the Southern Railway, published his first book, "ABC of Southern Locomotives"...
National Railway Heritage Award" in 1999 (Highly Commended) and an "Access for All Design Award" in 1998. A special concert was held at the station on 24 March 2007 to celebrate its 100th anniversary with Lancaster's Mayor, Councillor Janie Kirkman, giving a speech, followed by a concert from Brian Lancaster.