Barrow-in-Furness railway station

Railway station in Cumbria, England

Barrow-in-Furness

General information
Location| Barrow-in-Furness, Westmorland and Furness
England
Coordinates| 54°07′09″N 3°13′34″W﻿ / ﻿54.1191205°N 3.2260261°W﻿ / 54.1191205; -3.2260261
Grid reference| SD199699
Owned by| Network Rail
Managed by| Northern Trains
Platforms| 3
Tracks| 3
Other information
Station code| BIF
Classification| DfT category D
History
Original company| Furness Railway
Pre-grouping| Furness Railway
Post-grouping| London, Midland and Scottish Railway
British Rail (London Midland Region)
Key dates
24 August 1846| Opened as Barrow Pier
29 April 1863| Resited and renamed Barrow Strand
1 June 1882| Resited and renamed Barrow Central
14 November 1957| Renamed Barrow-in-Furness
Passengers
2019/20|  0.687 million
Interchange|  26,596
2020/21|  0.198 million
Interchange|  5,940
2021/22|  0.522 million
Interchange|  20,919
2022/23|  0.540 million
Interchange|  26,332
2023/24|  0.559 million
Interchange|  25,078

Location

Barrow-in-Furness

Location in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria

Show map of the former Borough of Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness

Location in Cumbria, England

Show map of Cumbria

Notes

Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Barrow-in-Furness (formerly Barrow Pier, Barrow Strand and Barrow Central) is a railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line and Furness Line, 85+1⁄2 miles (138 km) south-west of Carlisle and 34+3⁄4 miles (56 km) north-west of Lancaster, in the town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

## History

[edit]

The present station was formerly known as Barrow Central, and at one time it was a terminus for British Rail long-distance or InterCity services. From October 1947 until May 1983 these included sleeper services to and from London Euston. A sleeper service in the London direction only was briefly reintroduced between May 1987 and May 1990.

The original Barrow station of 1846 had been a wooden building at Rabbit Hill, near the site of the present St. George's Square. It was eventually replaced in 1863 by a new brick building close by, which had been designed by the Lancaster architect Edward Paley, and which latterly came to be known as Cambridge Hall. On 1 June 1882, the town's principal station was transferred to its present site below Abbey Road, following the construction of a new loop line. It had to be almost entirely rebuilt in the late 1950s,[1] after World War II, having largely been destroyed by enemy bombing on 7 May 1941.

From 1907 to 1941, the Furness Railway steam locomotive, Coppernob, was preserved in a special glass case outside the station. It was subsequently transferred away for additional security and is now in the National Railway Museum at York.

## Services

[edit]

Northern Trains
Route 6

* v
* t
* e

Cumbrian Coast, Furness
& Windermere lines

|  |  |

|  | Carlisle

|
|
|
|

|  |

|  | Dalston
|  |

|  | Wigton
|  |

|  | Aspatria
|  |

|  | Maryport
|  |

|  | Flimby
|  |

|  | Workington
|  |

|  | Harrington
|  |

|  | Parton
|  |

|  | Whitehaven
|  |

|  | Corkickle
|  |

|  | St Bees
|  |

|  | Nethertown
|  |

|  | Braystones
|  |

|  | Sellafield
|  |

|  | Seascale
|  |

|  | Drigg
|  |

|  | Ravenglass |

|  |

|  | 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
|  |

|  | Chorley
|  |

|  | Bolton
|  |

|  | Deansgate |

|  |

|  | Manchester Oxford Road
|  |

|  | Manchester Piccadilly |

|  |

|  | Manchester Airport |

|  |  |  |  |  |

Braystones & Nethertown
are request stops.

Services to the north are provided on Monday-Saturday by Northern, with services approximately hourly during the day to Whitehaven and Carlisle. One train per day operates to Sellafield specifically for workers at Sellafield nuclear plant (BNFL). Evening trains run only as far as Millom. There are 19 northbound departures each weekday; 15 of these go to Carlisle, three to Millom and one to Sellafield. There are 20 arrivals from the northern part of the line: 15 from Carlisle, three from Millom, one from Maryport and one from Sellafield. Some of these services continue along the Furness Line to Lancaster and Preston.[2]

To the south, there are a mixture of stopping services to Lancaster and a number of through services to Manchester Airport via Manchester Piccadilly. These operate on a broadly hourly frequency, with a few peak extras throughout the week (including Sundays).[3]

An improved Northern service was introduced at the May 2018 timetable change, including evening and Sunday services over the line to Whitehaven and Carlisle. More trains to and from Preston and Manchester Airport are planned to follow when rolling stock becomes available.[4][5]

## Layout

[edit]

Platform 1, which contains the entrance to the station, is used primarily for Northern Rail through trains (from Lancaster/Preston to Carlisle) heading north, and trains heading to/arriving from Preston and Manchester Airport. The platform has a waiting area, the ticket office and information office and toilets, along with the cafe (run by Cafexpress), all of which have been recently renovated. In early 2012, the platform also had pieces of artwork of the local area unveiled by the Mayor of Barrow and the Barrow and Furness MP.

Platform 2 is mainly used for Northern services heading south to Lancaster or Preston, and local trains arriving from Millom/Sellafield. It can also be used by northbound departures.

Platform 3 is a bay platform that can only be used by northbound trains to Millom and Carlisle. It is used several times each day. It was formerly a through line and could be used by southbound trains until the late 1960s. A further platform once existed adjacent to it (as can be seen in the photograph of the station in 1966) but this has now been removed, along with the line serving it.

Between Platforms 2 and 3 is an indoor waiting area, with live departures indicator, a vending machine and speakers. Further up and down the platform are printed timetables; the rest of the buildings contain offices for staff and British Transport Police.

### Depot

[edit]

Barrow-In-Furness Light Maintenance Depot is situated immediately north of the station.[6] In 2023, the depot was upgraded with a new 75-metre service road and steel canopy.[7] Following the upgrade, three carriages can be serviced and fuelled simultaneously, compared to one at a time previously.[8]

## Recent renovations

[edit]

The station has recently been renovated, with replacement of most of the old seating and waiting areas, and replacement of the ageing automatic doors within the station. Electronic information signs have been installed, along with improved CCTV after several incidents on the station. Ramps have been provided for access, and this is continuing with provision of better access to Platforms 2 and 3, which previously would have been accessible only via the very end of the platform. The station restaurant is also being upgraded. [when?]

## In fiction

[edit]

In the Railway Series books by the Rev. W Awdry, and the adapted television series Thomas & Friends, Barrow Central is the mainland terminus for the Fat Controller's North Western Railway, and is connected to the fictional Island of Sodor by a bridge to Vickerstown, or as it is known in the books, Vicarstown.

## Gallery

[edit]

* The original station building, as it appeared between 1882 and 1941.

* The original station building, viewed from the south in the early 1910s. Note the all-over roof.

* The original station building, following World War II Luftwaffe bombing, photographed in 1941.

* The current station building, photographed in October 1966.

* Looking north-west towards Carlisle, photographed in September 1976.

* The station viewed from Abbey Road, photographed in 2010.

* The station's World War I memorial also shows damage from World War II bombing.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Railway Magazine March 1959 pp. 149–157 Dr M J Andrews: The Railways of Barrow
2. ^ GB eNRT May 2023 Edition, Table 107 (Network Rail)
3. ^ GB eNRT May 2023 Edition, Table 100 (Network Rail)
4. ^ Northern Franchise Improvements - DfT Retrieved 25 April 2016
5. ^ CRUG - August News Copeland Rail Users Group; Retrieved 4 August 2017
6. ^ "Route Specifications: London North Western" (PDF). Network Rail. p. 69. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
7. ^ Wilcock, Rich (10 May 2023). "Northern upgrades depot to enable longer trains to run between Cumbria and Manchester". Rail Technology Magazine. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
8. ^ White, Chloe (10 May 2023). "Northern depot upgrades support increased capacity with longer trains operating between Cumbria and Manchester". RailAdvent. Retrieved 11 May 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Cumbria portal

* Media related to Barrow-in-Furness railway station at Wikimedia Commons
*   * Train times and station information for Barrow-in-Furness railway station from National Rail

Preceding station  |  National Rail | Following station

|
|

Terminus |  | Northern Trains
Cumbria–Manchester Airport |  | Roose
|  | Ulverston
Askam |  | Northern Trains
Cumbrian Coast Line |  | Terminus
Terminus |  | Northern Trains
Furness Line |  | Roose
| Historical railways |
Island Road |  | Furness Railway |  | Roose

* v
* t
* e

Districts and wards of the former Borough of Barrow-in-Furness

Main settlements|

* Barrow-in-Furness
* Dalton-in-Furness

Districts|

* Askam
* Biggar
* Foulney Island
* Holbeck
* Ireleth
* Lindal
* Marton
* Newton
* North Scale
* Piel Island
* Port
* Rampside
* Roa Island
* Roanhead
* Salthouse
* Sheep Island
* Vickerstown
* Yarlside

Wards|

* Barrow Island
* Central Barrow
* Dalton North
* Dalton South
* Hawcoat
* Hindpool
* Newbarns
* Ormsgill
* Parkside
* Risedale
* Roose
* Walney North
* Walney South

* Borough of Barrow-in-Furness
* Cumbria
* North West England
* United Kingdom

* v
* t
* e

Railway stations in Cumbria

| Cumbrian Coast Line|

* Carlisle
* Dalston (Cumbria)
* Wigton
* Aspatria
* Maryport
* Flimby
* Workington
* Harrington
* Parton
* Whitehaven
* Corkickle
* St. Bees
* Nethertown
* Braystones
* Sellafield
* Seascale
* Drigg
* Ravenglass
* Bootle
* Silecroft
* Millom
* Green Road
* Foxfield
* Kirkby-in-Furness
* Askam-in-Furness
* Barrow-in-Furness

|

Furness Line|

* Barrow-in-Furness
* Roose
* Dalton
* Ulverston
* Cark and Cartmel
* Kents Bank
* Grange-over-Sands
* Arnside → Lancaster

Glasgow South Western Line|

* Carlisle → Glasgow Central

Settle to Carlisle Line|

* Carlisle
* Armathwaite
* Lazonby and Kirkoswald
* Langwathby
* Appleby
* Kirkby Stephen
* Garsdale
* Dent → Settle

Tyne Valley Line|

* Carlisle
* Wetheral
* Brampton (Cumbria) → Newcastle

West Coast Main Line|

* London Euston → Oxenholme Lake District
* Penrith North Lakes
* Carlisle → Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central

Windermere Branch (Lakes Line)|

* Oxenholme Lake District
* Kendal
* Burneside
* Staveley
* Windermere

Heritage railways

Eden Valley Railway|

* Warcop

Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway|

* Haverthwaite
* Newby Bridge Halt
* Lakeside

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway|

* Ravenglass
* Muncaster Mill
* Miteside Halt
* Murthwaite Halt
* Irton Road
* Eskdale Green
* Fisherground
* Beckfoot
* Dalegarth

South Tynedale Railway|

* Alston → Slaggyford

Stainmore Railway|

* Kirkby Stephen East

* v
* t
* e

Railway stations served by Northern Trains

Stations listed in italics are request stops.

North East England|

| County Durham|

* Allens West
* Billingham
* Bishop Auckland
* Chester-le-Street
* Darlington
* Dinsdale
* Durham
* Eaglescliffe
* Hartlepool
* Heighington
* Horden
* Newton Aycliffe
* North Road
* Seaham
* Seaton Carew
* Shildon
* Stockton

|

Northumberland|

* Acklington
* Alnmouth
* Bardon Mill
* Chathill
* Corbridge
* Cramlington
* Haltwhistle
* Haydon Bridge
* Hexham
* Morpeth
* Pegswood
* Prudhoe
* Riding Mill
* Stocksfield
* Widdrington
* Wylam

Tyne and Wear|

* Blaydon
* Dunston
* Heworth
* Manors
* MetroCentre
* Newcastle
* Sunderland

North Yorkshire[a]|

* Gypsy Lane
* James Cook
* Longbeck
* Marske
* Marton
* Middlesbrough
* Nunthorpe
* Redcar Central
* Redcar East
* Saltburn
* South Bank
* Thornaby

North West England
(and West Midlands)|

| Cumbria|

* Appleby
* Armathwaite
* Arnside
* Askam
* Aspatria
* Barrow-in-Furness
* Bootle
* Brampton
* Braystones
* Burneside
* Cark & Cartmel
* Carlisle
* Corkickle
* Dalston
* Dalton
* Dent
* Drigg
* Flimby
* Foxfield
* Garsdale
* Grange-over-Sands
* Green Road
* Harrington
* Kendal
* Kents Bank
* Kirkby-in-Furness
* Kirkby Stephen
* Langwathby
* Lazonby & Kirkoswald
* Maryport
* Millom
* Nethertown
* Oxenholme Lake District
* Parton
* Ravenglass
* Roose
* St Bees
* Seascale
* Sellafield
* Silecroft
* Staveley
* Ulverston
* Wetheral
* Whitehaven
* Wigton
* Windermere
* Workington

|

Lancashire|

* Accrington
* Adlington (Lancashire)
* Ansdell and Fairhaven
* Bamber Bridge
* Bare Lane
* Bescar Lane
* Blackburn
* Blackpool North
* Blackpool Pleasure Beach
* Blackpool South
* Brierfield
* Buckshaw Parkway
* Burnley Barracks
* Burnley Central
* Burnley Manchester Road
* Burscough Bridge
* Burscough Junction
* Carnforth
* Cherry Tree
* Chorley
* Church & Oswaldtwistle
* Clitheroe
* Colne
* Croston
* Darwen
* Entwistle
* Euxton Balshaw Lane
* Hapton
* Heysham Port
* Hoscar
* Huncoat
* Kirkham and Wesham
* Lancaster
* Langho
* Layton
* Leyland
* Lostock Hall
* Lytham
* Mill Hill
* Morecambe
* Moss Side
* Nelson
* New Lane
* Ormskirk
* Parbold
* Pleasington
* Poulton-le-Fylde
* Preston
* Ramsgreave and Wilpshire
* Rishton
* Rose Grove
* Rufford
* St Annes-on-the-Sea
* Salwick
* Silverdale
* Squires Gate
* Upholland
* Wennington
* Whalley

Cheshire|

* Adlington (Cheshire)
* Alderley Edge
* Ashley
* Birchwood
* Chelford
* Chester
* Congleton
* Crewe
* Cuddington
* Delamere
* Disley
* Ellesmere Port
* Frodsham
* Glazebrook
* Goostrey
* Greenbank
* Handforth
* Helsby
* Holmes Chapel
* Hough Green
* Ince & Elton
* Knutsford
* Lostock Gralam
* Macclesfield
* Mobberley
* Mouldsworth
* Northwich
* Padgate
* Plumley
* Poynton
* Prestbury
* Runcorn East
* Sandbach
* Sankey for Penketh
* Styal
* Warrington Bank Quay
* Warrington Central
* Warrington West
* Widnes
* Wilmslow

Greater Manchester|

* Altrincham
* Appley Bridge
* Ardwick
* Ashburys
* Ashton-under-Lyne
* Atherton
* Belle Vue
* Blackrod
* Bolton
* Bramhall
* Bredbury
* Brinnington
* Broadbottom
* Bromley Cross
* Bryn
* Burnage
* Castleton
* Chassen Road
* Cheadle Hulme
* Clifton
* Daisy Hill
* Davenport
* Deansgate
* Denton
* East Didsbury
* Eccles
* Fairfield
* Farnworth
* Flixton
* Flowery Field
* Gathurst
* Gatley
* Godley
* Gorton
* Guide Bridge
* Hag Fold
* Hale
* Hall i' th' Wood
* Hattersley
* Hazel Grove
* Heald Green
* Heaton Chapel
* Hindley
* Horwich Parkway
* Humphrey Park
* Hyde Central
* Hyde North
* Ince
* Irlam
* Kearsley
* Levenshulme
* Littleborough
* Lostock
* Manchester Airport
* Manchester Oxford Road
* Manchester Piccadilly
* Manchester Victoria
* Marple
* Mauldeth Road
* Middlewood
* Mills Hill
* Moorside
* Moses Gate
* Mossley
* Moston
* Navigation Road
* Newton for Hyde
* Orrell
* Patricroft
* Pemberton
* Reddish North
* Reddish South
* Rochdale
* Romiley
* Rose Hill Marple
* Ryder Brow
* Salford Central
* Salford Crescent
* Smithy Bridge
* Stalybridge
* Stockport
* Strines
* Swinton (Greater Manchester)
* Trafford Park
* Urmston
* Walkden
* Westhoughton
* Wigan North Western
* Wigan Wallgate
* Woodley
* Woodsmoor

Merseyside|

* Broad Green
* Earlestown
* Eccleston Park
* Edge Hill
* Garswood
* Halewood
* Headbolt Lane
* Hunts Cross
* Huyton
* Lea Green
* Liverpool Lime Street
* Liverpool South Parkway
* Meols Cop
* Mossley Hill
* Newton-le-Willows
* Prescot
* Rainford
* Rainhill
* Roby
* St Helens Central
* St Helens Junction
* Southport
* Thatto Heath
* Wavertree Technology Park
* West Allerton
* Whiston

Staffordshire|

* Kidsgrove
* Longport
* Stoke-on-Trent

Yorkshire and the Humber
(and East Midlands)|

| North Yorkshire[a]|

* Battersby
* Bentham
* Castleton Moor
* Cattal
* Church Fenton
* Clapham
* Commondale
* Cononley
* Danby
* Egton
* Filey
* Gargrave
* Giggleswick
* Glaisdale
* Great Ayton
* Grosmont
* Hammerton
* Harrogate
* Hellifield
* Hensall
* Hornbeam Park
* Horton-in-Ribblesdale
* Hunmanby
* Kildale
* Knaresborough
* Lealholm
* Long Preston
* Pannal
* Poppleton
* Ribblehead
* Ruswarp
* Scarborough
* Seamer
* Selby
* Settle
* Sherburn-in-Elmet
* Skipton
* Sleights
* South Milford
* Starbeck
* Ulleskelf
* Weeton
* Whitby
* Whitley Bridge
* York

|

East Riding
of Yorkshire|

* Arram
* Bempton
* Beverley
* Bridlington
* Broomfleet
* Brough
* Cottingham
* Driffield
* Eastrington
* Ferriby
* Gilberdyke
* Goole
* Hessle
* Howden
* Hull Paragon
* Hutton Cranswick
* Nafferton
* Rawcliffe
* Saltmarshe
* Snaith
* Wressle

West Yorkshire|

* Apperley Bridge
* Baildon
* Batley
* Ben Rhydding
* Berry Brow
* Bingley
* Bradford Forster Square
* Bradford Interchange
* Bramley
* Brighouse
* Brockholes
* Burley-in-Wharfedale
* Burley Park
* Castleford
* Cottingley
* Crossflatts
* Cross Gates
* Deighton
* Denby Dale
* Dewsbury
* East Garforth
* Featherstone
* Fitzwilliam
* Frizinghall
* Garforth
* Glasshoughton
* Guiseley
* Halifax
* Headingley
* Hebden Bridge
* Honley
* Horsforth
* Huddersfield
* Ilkley
* Keighley
* Kirkstall Forge
* Knottingley
* Leeds
* Lockwood
* Low Moor
* Menston
* Micklefield
* Mirfield
* Moorthorpe
* Morley
* Mytholmroyd
* New Pudsey
* Normanton
* Outwood
* Pontefract Baghill
* Pontefract Monkhill
* Pontefract Tanshelf
* Ravensthorpe
* Saltaire
* Sandal and Agbrigg
* Shepley
* Shipley
* South Elmsall
* Sowerby Bridge
* Steeton and Silsden
* Stocksmoor
* Streethouse
* Todmorden
* Wakefield Kirkgate
* Wakefield Westgate
* Walsden
* Woodlesford

South Yorkshire|

* Adwick
* Barnsley
* Bentley
* Bolton-upon-Dearne
* Chapeltown
* Conisbrough
* Darnall
* Darton
* Dodworth
* Doncaster
* Dore & Totley
* Elsecar
* Goldthorpe
* Hatfield & Stainforth
* Kirk Sandall
* Kiveton Bridge
* Kiveton Park
* Meadowhall
* Mexborough
* Penistone
* Rotherham Central
* Sheffield
* Silkstone Common
* Swinton (South Yorkshire)
* Thorne North
* Thorne South
* Thurnscoe
* Wombwell
* Woodhouse

Lincolnshire[b]|

* Althorpe
* Barnetby
* Brigg
* Cleethorpes
* Crowle
* Gainsborough Central
* Gainsborough Lea Road
* Grimsby Town
* Kirton Lindsey
* Lincoln
* Saxilby
* Scunthorpe

Nottinghamshire|

* Nottingham
* Retford
* Shireoaks
* Worksop

Derbyshire|

* Alfreton
* Bamford
* Buxton
* Chapel-en-le-Frith
* Chesterfield
* Chinley
* Dinting
* Dove Holes
* Dronfield
* Edale
* Furness Vale
* Glossop
* Grindleford
* Hadfield
* Hathersage
* Hope
* Ilkeston
* Langley Mill
* New Mills Central
* New Mills Newtown
* Whaley Bridge

Rail transport in the United Kingdom

1. ^ a b Stations in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees are considered part of North East England, while stations in the unitary areas of York and North Yorkshire are considered part of Yorkshire and the Humber.
2. ^ Stations in North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire are considered part of Yorkshire and the Humber, while all other stations are considered part of the East Midlands.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template