St Bees railway station
St Bees  |
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| View towards Whitehaven | |
| Location | |
| Place | St Bees |
| Local authority | Copeland |
| Coordinates | 54°29′35″N 3°35′28″W / 54.493°N 3.591°WCoordinates: 54°29′35″N 3°35′28″W / 54.493°N 3.591°W |
| Operations | |
| Station code | SBS |
| Managed by | Northern Rail |
| Number of platforms | 2 |
| Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail Enquiries |
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| Annual rail passenger usage | |
| 2004/05 * | 27,646 |
| 2005/06 * | 31,222 |
| 2006/07 * | 33,578 |
| 2007/08 * | 38,542 |
| 2008/09 * | 34,950 |
| 2009/10 * | 45,986 |
| History | |
| Original company | Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Furness Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| 21 July 1849 | Station opened |
| National Rail - UK railway stations | |
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| * Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at St Bees from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year. | |
St Bees Railway Station serves the village of St Bees in Cumbria, England. St Bees is one of the few mandatory stops on this section of the line (along with Askham, Sellafield, Ravenglass & Millom) and as a result all trains call here.
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[edit] History
The Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway was authorised in 1847 for a line which would link the town of Whitehaven with the Furness Railway at Broughton-in-Furness.[1] It was opened in stages, and the first section, that between Whitehaven and Ravenglass opened on 1 June 1849;[2] St Bees station opened on 21 July 1849.[3]
[edit] Description
The railway station is a stop on part of the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line 70 kilometres (43 mi) south-west of Carlisle. It is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services. The station has a 24 lever signal box, which was opened in 1891 to meet the heavy traffic demands of that time. The level crossing is controlled by the signalman. It is the location of the only passing loop on the otherwise single track section between Whitehaven and Sellafield and trains are often scheduled to pass here[4].
To the east of the "up" platform is the site of the goods yard which was heavily used for the stone traffic from the sandstone quarries at St Bees in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. It also handled the traffic from Walker's scone flour works and pickle factory, and the luggage traffic at term ends for St Bees School.[5]. This is now a public car park which is subsidised for free public use by the Parish Council[6].
The station is situated only 200 yards from the centre of the village, and there are three pubs within easy walking distance; one, the Albert, formerly being noted for having warning of the approaching trains rung through from the signalbox in the evening. The station buildings are intact. The down platform waiting room is a private residence, whilst the up platform ticket office, waiting room and station master's house are now a restaurant.
St Bees is famous for the rocky St. Bees Head, the starting point of the Coast to Coast Walk that runs from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. Many walkers use the station to get transport to or from the starting/finishing point. Other attractions include St Bees Priory a former Benedictine monastery now used as the parish church[7]
[edit] The coming of the railway
In 1848 Canon Richard Parkinson, Vicar of St Bees and Principal of the Theological College wrote in his diary: "November 8th., 1848. The Railway-whistle heard for the first time in this quiet valley. Its peace is gone!" Later, on 12 February 1849 he records, "Ash Wednesday. Good congregation. The first train of coal wagons on this day (dies cinerum)" [Latin for Day of Ashes] "went on the railway to Braystones".[8]
[edit] Services
On Monday to Saturdays there is a roughly hourly service (ten trains each way) northbound to Carlisle and southbound to Barrow-in-Furness.
There is no evening or Sunday service.
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Double headed goods at St Bees 2009
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St Bees station from the north
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St Bees signal box
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St Bees station, "down" platform
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
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| Northern Rail
Mondays-Saturdays only
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[edit] References
- ^ Rush, Robert W. (1973). The Furness Railway 1843-1923. The Oakwood Library of Railway History. Lingfield: Oakwood Press. pp. 33–34. OL35.
- ^ Rush 1973, p. 34
- ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 202. ISBN 1 85260 508 1. R508.
- ^ Northern Rail timetable, Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness, 11/12/2011-13/5/2012
- ^ "100 Years of St Bees", Douglas Sim. 1995, ISBN 0952699001
- ^ Report of the St Bees PC Chairman 2010-2011, published as an insert in the "St Bees News".
- ^ "St Bees Village Website priory home page and subsequent pages". St Bees village website. http://www.stbees.org.uk/churches/priory/index.htm. Retrieved 27/12/2011.
- ^ Canon Richard Parkinson DD. "In Defence of Keeping a Diary". St Bees Cumbria web site. http://www.stbees.org.uk/publications/college/diary.htm. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
