Aspatria railway station
Encyclopedia
Aspatria Railway Station serves the town of Aspatria
in Cumbria
, England. The railway station
is a request stop
on part of the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line
32 kilometres (20 mi) south west of Carlisle
. The station is operated by Northern Rail
who provide all passenger train services.
in 1841 (although the line through to Carlisle wasn't completed until 1845), the station was once the junction for a long-defunct branch line to Mealsgate
. Passenger trains on this route began in 1866 but ceased in September 1930 and complete closure followed in 1952.
The station became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
during the Grouping
of 1923, and then passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways
on nationalisation in 1948.
When Sectorisation
was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways
until the Privatisation of British Rail
ways.
The station signal box
was the last surviving example built by the Maryport & Carlisle company prior to its closure and demolition in 1998.
with some trains going onwards to Barrow-in-Furness
. On Sundays three trains a day go Carlisle and Whitehaven.
Aspatria
Aspatria is a small town and civil parish in Cumbria, England, and lies half way between Maryport and Wigton, on the A596. Historically within Cumberland, it is about away from the coast. It is approximately seven miles from the northern boundary of the Lake District, and located to the south east...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England. The railway station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
is a request stop
Request stop
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop describes a stopping point at which trains or buses stop only on an as-need or request basis; that is, only if there are passengers to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, infrequently used stopping points can be served efficiently.Trains save...
on part of the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line
Cumbrian Coast Line
The Cumbrian Coast Line is a rail route in North West England, running from Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness via Workington and Whitehaven. The line forms part of Network Rail route NW 4033, which continues via Ulverston and Grange-over-Sands to Carnforth, where it connects with the West Coast Main...
32 kilometres (20 mi) south west of Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
. The station is operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
who provide all passenger train services.
History
Opened by the Maryport and Carlisle RailwayMaryport and Carlisle Railway
The Maryport & Carlisle Railway was a small but highly profitable railway formed in 1836 to connect the town of Maryport to the county town of Carlisle and to allow the output of collieries inland of Maryport to be more cheaply transported to Maryport for oward movement by sea. Its headquarters...
in 1841 (although the line through to Carlisle wasn't completed until 1845), the station was once the junction for a long-defunct branch line to Mealsgate
Mealsgate
-Location:Mealsgate is situated on the old Roman Road between Carlisle and the Roman fort of Derventio at Papcastle . This road is now known as the A595.-Railway Connection:...
. Passenger trains on this route began in 1866 but ceased in September 1930 and complete closure followed in 1952.
The station became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
during the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923, and then passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways
London Midland Region of British Railways
The London Midland Region was one of the six regions created on the formation of the nationalised British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway lines in England and Wales. The region was managed first from buildings adjacent to Euston Station and later from Stanier...
on nationalisation in 1948.
When Sectorisation
British Rail brand names
British Rail was the brand image of the nationalised railway owner and operator in Great Britain, the British Railways Board, used from 1965 until its breakup and sell-off from 1993 onwards....
was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways
Regional Railways
Regional Railways was one of the three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982 that existed until 1996, 3 years after privatisation. The sector was originally called Provincial....
until the Privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
ways.
The station signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was the last surviving example built by the Maryport & Carlisle company prior to its closure and demolition in 1998.
Service
There is generally an hourly service northbound to Carlisle and southbound to WhitehavenWhitehaven railway station
Whitehaven Railway Station serves the town of Whitehaven in Cumbria, England. The railway station is a stop on the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line south west of Carlisle....
with some trains going onwards to Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness railway station
Barrow-in-Furness railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England. It is located on the Furness Line to Lancaster and the Cumbrian Coast Line to Workington and Carlisle...
. On Sundays three trains a day go Carlisle and Whitehaven.