Wigton railway station

Coordinates: 54°49′45″N 3°09′52″W / 54.8290950°N 3.1643538°W / 54.8290950; -3.1643538
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Wigton
National Rail
General information
LocationWigton, Cumberland
England
Coordinates54°49′45″N 3°09′52″W / 54.8290950°N 3.1643538°W / 54.8290950; -3.1643538
Grid referenceNY252488
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeWGT
ClassificationDfT category F1
History
Original companyMaryport and Carlisle Railway
Pre-groupingMaryport and Carlisle Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
British Rail (London Midland Region)
Key dates
10 May 1843Opened
Passengers
2018/19Increase 49,568
2019/20Increase 67,076
2020/21Decrease 24,662
2021/22Increase 64,820
2022/23Decrease 63,254
Location
Wigton is located in the former Allerdale Borough
Wigton
Wigton
Location in Allerdale, Cumbria
Wigton is located in Cumbria
Wigton
Wigton
Location in Cumbria, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Wigton railway station is a railway station serving the market town of Wigton in Cumbria, England. It is on the Cumbrian Coast Line, which runs between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

History[edit]

The station was opened by the Maryport and Carlisle Railway on 10 May 1843, following the completion of the route from Carlisle.[1] It would act as a temporary terminus until the opening of the line heading south-west towards Aspatria in 1845.

It subsequently become the junction station for the eastern end of the loop to Mealsgate from 1878. This portion of the route did not prove profitable, and the single daily return passenger service was withdrawn by the Maryport and Carlisle Railway in 1921.[2]

Goods facilities at the station were withdrawn by British Rail in October 1970. A private siding for the nearby plastics factory remains in place, but this has been disused for a number of years. The station's signal box is still operational, and acts as a fringe to Carlisle PSB.

In December 2018, the Victorian-era footbridge connecting the platforms was deemed unsafe by Network Rail, and access to it was prohibited. The bridge was removed in March 2019 for repairs, and reinstalled in July 2019.[3][4]

Facilities[edit]

Wigton is one of the mandatory stops on this part of the Cumbrian Coast Line, along with Maryport and Workington. As with most other stations on the line, it is unstaffed, and has been so since 1969. The two side platforms here are slightly offset and linked by a footbridge. A ticket machine is now in service to allow intending travellers to buy before boarding.[5] There are waiting shelters on both platforms, but the surviving station buildings are no longer in railway use. Step-free access is available to each platform, whilst train running information is provided by display screens, telephone and timetable posters.

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

Following the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, with some trains continuing to Lancaster. During the evening, the station is served by an hourly service between Carlisle and Whitehaven. All services are operated by Northern Trains.[6]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

In May 2018, Northern introduced a Sunday service between Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness, the first Sunday service to operate south of Whitehaven for over 40 years.[7][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Quick, Michael E. (2009). Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 457. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
  2. ^ Cumbria Railways - The Bolton Loop www.cumbria-railways.co.uk; Retrieved 2013-10-17
  3. ^ Major, Melissa (8 April 2019). "Wigton railway bridge removed for repair". News and Star. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  4. ^ Major, Melissa (7 July 2019). "Footbridge hoisted into place". News and Star. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  5. ^ Wigton station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 8 November 2019
  6. ^ "Train times: Carlisle to Preston and Manchester via Cumbrian Coast and Windermere to Manchester Airport" (PDF). Northern Trains. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Cumbria's west coast rail services reinstated after 40 years". BBC News. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  8. ^ Baldwin, Beth. "Long-awaited train service connecting Barrow and Millom returns after 40 years". Whitehaven News. Retrieved 2 June 2021.

External links[edit]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Dalston (Cumbria)   Northern Trains
Cumbrian Coast Line
  Aspatria
  Historical railways  
Curthwaite   Maryport and Carlisle Railway   Brookfield