Barrow-in-Furness railway station

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Barrow-in-Furness
Looking along Platform 1 towards the bridge under Abbey Road.
Location
Place	Barrow-in-Furness
Local authority	Barrow-in-Furness
Operations
Station code	BIF
Managed by	TransPennine Express
Platforms in use	3
Live departures and station information from National Rail
Annual Rail Passenger Usage
2004/05 *	0.508 million
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 passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Barrow-in-Furness from Office of Rail Regulation statistics.
UK Railways Portal

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. It is operated by TransPennine Express. Northern Rail also operate services from here.

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. These included sleeper services to and from London Euston until the early 1990s. 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 well-known 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 after World War II, having largely been destroyed by enemy bombing on 7 May 1941. From 1907-1941 the famous 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.

In the Railway Series books by the Rev. W Awdry Barrow Central is the mainland terminus for the Fat Controller's or 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.

[edit] Services

To the north services are provided monday-saturday by Northern Rail, with services approximately hourly during the day to Millom, with about half of services terminating at Millom, the rest continuing via the Cumbrian coast line to Carlisle. One train per day operates to Sellafield specifically for transportation of workers at sellafield nuclear plant.

To the south services are provided by Northern Rail (local services to Lancaster or Preston) or faster services to Manchester Airport, run by First Transpennine Express which do not stop as frequently.

[edit] Layout

Platform 1, which contains the entrance to the station, is used primarily for Northern Rail through trains (from Lancaster/Preston to Carlisle) heading north, or First Transpennine Express services heading to/arriving from Manchester Airport, the platform contains a waiting area, the ticket office and information office and toilets, along with the restaurant, which is currently being refurbished.

Platform 2 is used mainly for Northern Rail services heading south to Lancaster or Preston, or local trains arriving from Millom/Sellafield. It is sometimes used for First Transpennine Express services, but more rarely.

Platform 3 is used solely for north-bound trains, usually to Millom with occasional trains to carlisle. Platforms 2 and 3 contain a shared waiting area and toilets.

[edit] Recent rennovations

The station has recently been rennovated, 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.

[edit] Car parking

Car parking at Barrow is often criticised locally, with rates which can be as much as the train fare itself for short-distance journeys and are significantly more expensive than Borough Council car parks (which are free after 6PM) when used later in the day. Local residents often use the nearby (unused) Qwik Save car park opposite the station, or park on local streets.

[edit] External links

• Train times and station information for Barrow-in-Furness railway station from National Rail

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