Seascale railway station

Seascale is a railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line, which runs between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. The station, situated 33+14 miles (54 km) north-west of Barrow-in-Furness, serves the village of Seascale in Cumbria. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

Seascale
National Rail
General information
LocationSeascale, Copeland
England
Coordinates54°23′47″N 3°29′07″W / 54.3962884°N 3.4851711°W / 54.3962884; -3.4851711
Grid referenceNY036011
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeSSC
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original companyWhitehaven and Furness Junction Railway
Pre-groupingFurness Railway
Post-groupingLondon Midland and Scottish Railway
British Rail (London Midland Region)
Key dates
19 July 1849Opened as Seascale for Gosforth
1866Renamed Seascale for Gosforth and Wastwater
1955Renamed Seascale
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 36,618
2019/20Increase 46,602
2020/21Decrease 14,106
2021/22Increase 37,728
2022/23Increase 43,038
Location
Seascale is located in the former Borough of Copeland
Seascale
Seascale
Location in Copeland, Cumbria
Seascale is located in Cumbria
Seascale
Seascale
Location in Cumbria, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History edit

The station was opened on 19 July 1849 as Seascale for Gosforth when the Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway opened the line between Whitehaven Newtown and Ravenglass.[a]

Originally the station had one platform on the inland side of a passing loop in the otherwise single track railway, there was a single siding with a crane and a small building.[3]

The station was renamed in 1866 to Seascale for Gosforth and Wastwater, although there are instances of the older, shorter, name being used in some publications.[1] By 1899 the line had been doubled and the station had two main platforms and a bay, the station building was larger, there was a goods yard to the south east able to accommodate most types of goods including live stock and was equipped with a three-ton crane.[4][5]

At least one camping coach was positioned here by the London Midland Region from 1955 to 1971, from 1964 to 1969 there were two, including two Pullman type coaches in 1967 only.[6] The station was renamed in 1955 to Seascale.[1]

Facilities edit

There are train shelters, passenger information displays and seating on each side but the station is not staffed (though it is one of the few mandatory stops on the route); a ticket machine has now been installed by Northern to allow passengers to buy before boarding the train.[7] Access to the platforms is step-free on both sides, but the low platforms make the station unsuitable for mobility-impaired users without assistance (a Harrington Hump has been installed here to improve accessibility[8]).

The views are of St Bees Head and across the Solway Firth towards southern Scotland (to the north),[9] Seascale village (to the east and south) and the Isle of Man (to the west).

Services edit

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

Since the May 2018 timetable change, a basic hourly service (with some shorter intervals) runs through the day until mid-evening.[10] A Sunday service also now operates (seven northbound, nine southbound) - the first time such a service has run since May 1976.

Notes edit

  1. ^ There is some confusion over the actual date of opening the station, Quick (2022) reports that it is likely the formal opening was on the 18 July and that regular passenger trains began on 19 July, this is supported by local newspapers, the one cited giving a full account on page 4 and a summary with details of times and fares on page 1.[1][2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Quick, Michael (2022) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (PDF). version 5.04. Railway & Canal Historical Society. pp. 404 & 523. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Opening of the Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway". Cumberland Pacquet, and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser. 24 July 1849. pp. 1 & 4.
  3. ^ "Seascale station on OS Six-inch map Cumberland LXXVIII (includes: Gosforth; Irton.)". National Library of Scotland. 1867. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Seascale station on OS 25 inch map Cumberland LXXVIII.13 (Drigg and Carleton)". National Library of Scotland. 1899. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  5. ^ The Railway Clearing House (1970) [1904]. The Railway Clearing House Handbook of Railway Stations 1904 (1970 D&C Reprint ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles Reprints. p. 480. ISBN 0-7153-5120-6.
  6. ^ McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. pp. 50 & 89. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
  7. ^ Seascale station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 2 December 2016
  8. ^ "Places to Visit - Seascale" Cumbrian Coast Line website; Retrieved 14 November 2016
  9. ^ "The Shore At Seascale" Towill, JTM; Geograph.org; Retrieved 28 January 2020
  10. ^ Table 100 National Rail timetable, December 2019

External links edit

Preceding station   National Rail Following station
Sellafield   Northern Trains
Cumbrian Coast line
  Drigg
  Historical railways  
Sellafield   Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway   Drigg