Ulverston railway station

Coordinates: 54°11′30″N 3°05′53″W / 54.1917155°N 3.0979329°W / 54.1917155; -3.0979329
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Ulverston
National Rail
General information
LocationUlverston, South Lakeland
England
Coordinates54°11′30″N 3°05′53″W / 54.1917155°N 3.0979329°W / 54.1917155; -3.0979329
Grid referenceSD284778
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2[a]
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeULV
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Original companyUlverstone and Lancaster Railway
Pre-groupingFurness Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
British Rail (London Midland Region)
Key dates
1 September 1857Opened
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 0.280 million
2019/20Increase 0.323 million
2020/21Decrease 90,684
2021/22Increase 0.268 million
2022/23Decrease 0.257 million
Listed Building – Grade II
FeatureOriginal Furness Railway station buildings
Designated24 June 1974
Reference no.1270170[1]
Location
Ulverston is located in the former South Lakeland district
Ulverston
Ulverston
Location in South Lakeland, Cumbria
Ulverston is located in Cumbria
Ulverston
Ulverston
Location in Cumbria, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Ulverston is a railway station on the Furness Line, which runs between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster. The station, situated 9+12 miles (15 km) north-east of Barrow-in-Furness, serves the market town of Ulverston in Cumbria. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

History[edit]

The Furness Railway's line from Barrow-in-Furness and Dalton was the first railway to serve the town, being completed on 7 June 1854.[2] Three years later the Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway opened the line southwards to Carnforth via Arnside and built a new through station on the current site, which opened on 1 September 1857,[3] leaving the old FR terminus to be used as a goods depot. The Furness Railway then took over the Ulverstone and Lancaster company in 1862.

The current buildings are architecturally noteworthy and date from 1873, when they were rebuilt as befitting one of the main stations of the Furness Railway. The clock tower and glass awnings and supporting decorative ironwork, now extensively restored and repainted, are particularly fine. The passenger waiting room retains many period features.

The unusual platform layout (where the northbound line has a face on both sides) is a legacy of the station's former role as the interchange for the branch line to Lakeside, which diverged from the main line at Plumpton Junction a few miles to the south before heading north-eastwards through Greenodd and Haverthwaite, to its terminus at Lakeside on the southern shore of Windermere. The island platform allowed easy cross-platform interchange for those passengers travelling from the south changing onto the connecting service to Lakeside whilst those wishing to exit the station could do so by alighting on the opposite side platform. Today only platforms one and three are used.

The branch opened on 1 June 1869,[4] and was well-patronised from the outset in the summer months by tourists, who could make a convenient transfer to the Windermere steamboats at Lakeside. The line was much quieter in winter though and year-round services ended in the autumn of 1938 – passenger trains thereafter running only during the summer. This continued until 6 September 1965,[5] when the line fell victim to the Beeching Axe.

The line's northern end was subsequently reopened on 2 May 1973,[6] as the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. However, the remainder was lifted in the early 1970s, and the trackbed used for improvements to the A590 road (over which passengers must continue their journey if heading to Lakeside today).

Facilities[edit]

The station is fully staffed throughout the week (except in the late evening); the booking office and waiting room is located in the main building on platform 1 and a ticket machine is also available in this building.[7]

In 2007 new digital information screens were installed allowing passengers to see the status and timing of their train. Help points and an automated PA system are also provided. The platforms are linked by a subway, but there is no step-free access to either platform.[7]

Services[edit]

Northern Trains
Route 6
Cumbrian Coast, Furness
and Windermere Lines
Carlisle Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Dalston Parking
Wigton Parking Bicycle facilities
Aspatria Parking Bicycle facilities
Maryport Parking Bicycle facilities
Flimby
Workington Parking
Harrington Parking
Parton Parking
Whitehaven Parking Bicycle facilities
Corkickle
St Bees Parking
Nethertown Parking
Braystones
Sellafield Parking
Seascale Parking Bicycle facilities
Drigg
Ravenglass for Eskdale Heritage railway
Bootle Bicycle facilities
Silecroft
Millom Parking Bicycle facilities
Green Road Parking
Foxfield
Kirkby-in-Furness Bicycle facilities
Askam Parking
Barrow-in-Furness Parking Handicapped/disabled access
Roose
Dalton Bicycle facilities
Ulverston Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Cark & Cartmel Parking
Kents Bank
Grange-over-Sands Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Arnside Bicycle facilities
Silverdale Bicycle facilities
Carnforth Parking
Windermere Parking
Staveley Bicycle facilities
Burneside Bicycle facilities
Kendal Parking Bicycle facilities
Oxenholme Lake District Parking Handicapped/disabled access
Lancaster Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Preston Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Wigan North Western Parking Handicapped/disabled access
Manchester Oxford Road
Manchester Piccadilly Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access Manchester Metrolink
Mauldeth Road Parking
Burnage Bicycle facilities
East Didsbury Parking Manchester Metrolink
Gatley Parking Bicycle facilities Handicapped/disabled access
Heald Green Bicycle facilities
Manchester Airport Handicapped/disabled access Manchester Metrolink Airport interchange

There is normally one train per hour in each direction to Barrow and Lancaster on Monday to Saturday daytimes (with some peak period extras) [8]). A few through trains each day beyond Barrow to Carlisle via Whitehaven and one to Millom (connections for Cumbrian Coast stations are available at Barrow at other times). Southbound, a number of services continue through to Preston and Manchester Airport via Manchester Piccadilly. A similar service operates on Sundays, with trains to Carlisle now running (since the summer 2018 timetable change – the first time such trains have operated since 1976).

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Platforms are numbered 1 and 3.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Historic England. "Ulverston Railway Station (Grade II) (1270170)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  2. ^ History of the Furness Railway Accessed 2008-08-29
  3. ^ Butt 1995, p. 237.
  4. ^ Butt 1995, p. 109.
  5. ^ Butt 1995, p. 252.
  6. ^ Butt 1995, p. 115.
  7. ^ a b Ulverston Station Information National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 25 November 2016
  8. ^ GB eNRT May 2023 Edition, Table 100

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Barrow-in-Furness   Northern Trains
Cumbria–Manchester Airport
  Cark and Cartmel
Dalton     Grange-over-Sands
Dalton   Northern Trains
Furness Line
  Cark and Cartmel
  Historical railways  
Greenodd   Furness Railway
Ulverston to Lakeside Line
  Terminus