Askam railway station

Askam is a railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line, which runs between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. The station, situated 6 miles (10 km) north of Barrow-in-Furness, serves the villages of Askam-in-Furness and Ireleth in Cumbria. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

Askam
National Rail
General information
LocationAskam-in-Furness, Borough of Barrow-in-Furness
England
Coordinates54°11′21″N 3°12′16″W
Grid referenceSD215777
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeASK
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original companyFurness Railway
Pre-groupingFurness Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
British Rail (London Midland Region)
Key dates
1 March 1851Opened as Ireleth Gate
1 April 1868Renamed Ireleth
1 January 1875Renamed Askam
Passengers
2017/18Decrease 62,882
2018/19Increase 68,716
2019/20Increase 75,810
2020/21Decrease 24,680
2021/22Increase 51,616
Location
Askam is located in the former Borough of Barrow-in-Furness
Askam
Askam
Askam is located in Cumbria
Askam
Askam
Location in Cumbria, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History

Originally, the station was built here to transport the iron ore being mined in Askam out of the village.

The line

The railway along the Cumbrian coast was completed over many years by numerous small firms, who often would refuse to work together. However, eventually 'Grouping' forced the companies to work together on the railway, instead of constantly competing. Further problems were encountered when the people building the railway ran out of money, and so the proposed Duddon Viaduct, from Askam to Millom, was abandoned. Instead, a different route, going by way of Foxfield, was planned. This saved £37,000.[1]

The plans were drawn up in 1843, and shortly afterwards, sections of the Furness Railway were built. The original section through Askam, coming from Millwood Junction, and going on to Kirkby Slate Warf was part of the original railway line. This was officially opened on 3 June 1846 with the station name being Ireleth Gate.[2] A passenger service then began operating on 24 August of that same year.[3]

The station

Originally, there was a simple stop in Askam. This was abolished in 1859; the later growth of Askam meant that it soon deserved a full sized station. In 1876 the vicar of Askam complained at a shareholders' meeting of the passenger accommodation at Askam:

They had both an up and down platform, but they were simply wooden railings with gravel banks. They were useful platforms, as they were used not only for passengers, but for cattle. On one side of the line, there was some slight covered accommodation, but in bad weather this was so thronged with men smoking and spitting that it was not suitable for ladies. On the other side, there was no covered accommodation, whatever, but the Station Master, like all other officials connected with the railway, was very kind to the public, by allowing them the use of the only room he had for living and cooking in.[4]

(The Furness Railway's managing director responded that there were various plans for the improvement of the station, but nothing could be done until a dispute over the provision of a bridge at the station was resolved.[4])

The station that was built was actually originally designed for Millom, by Paley and Austin. The chalet-style station was opened on 1 April 1868.[5]

Along with the station, sliding sheds were built next to the station. These were to store a banking locomotive, to aid trains with more than 16 wagons with the difficult climb to Lindal summit.[3]

As well as carrying ore, there were dozens of smaller lines to practically every mine, furnace and factory in the area. For example, the Askam brick works had a 2 ft gauge line to transport clay. This line was operational until 1968.[6]

Operational

Opened by the Furness Railway, it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The station then passed 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 Railways.

Facilities

The station is not staffed, but now has a ticket machine in place so intending travellers can buy tickets or a permit to travel before boarding the train.[7] The main building is grade II listed, but is not in railway use.[8] The platforms are linked by means of a barrier level crossing, controlled by a stone Furness Railway signal box on the northbound side.[9] Train running announcements are provided by telephone, information screens and posters. Step-free access is only available to the southbound platform (as the opposite one is reached by a short flight of steps).[10]

Services

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

Askam is one of the few mandatory stops on this section of the line (along with Corkickle, St Bees, Sellafield, Seascale, Ravenglass, Millom and Foxfield) and as a result all trains call here. There is an approximately hourly service in each direction from the station on Monday to Saturdays – southwards to Barrow-in-Furness and northwards to Millom. Most northbound ones run through to and from Whitehaven and Carlisle though one runs only as far as Sellafield. A few southbound trains continue beyond Barrow to Lancaster or to Preston.

A Sunday service was introduced at the May 2018 timetable change – the first for more than forty years.[11]

References

  1. Rails Around the Cumbrian Coast. Dalesman Books. 1988. p. 3.
  2. Quick, Michael (2009) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway & Canal Historical Society. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
  3. A Short History of Ireleth and Askam-in-Furness Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, by Mark Maclean.
  4. "The Furness Railway". Lancaster Gazette. 26 August 1876.
  5. Rails Around the Cumbrian Coast. Dalesman Books. 1988. p. 49.
  6. Rails Around the Cumbrian Coast. Dalesman Books. 1988. p. 53.
  7. "Fares 2019"Cumbrian Coast Rail Users Group news article; Retrieved 8 November 2019
  8. Askam Station Old Cumbria Gazetteer; Retrieved 1 December 2016
  9. Askam Station, looking north Thompson, N geograph.org; Retrieved 1 December 2016
  10. Askam station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 1 December 2016
  11. GB National Rail Timetable May 2019, Table 100

Sources

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Kirkby-in-Furness   Northern Trains
Cumbrian Coast Line
  Barrow-in-Furness
  Historical railways  
Kirkby-in-Furness   Furness Railway   Barrow-in-Furness
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