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MP wants direct trains from Carnforth to London

1:14pm Wednesday 13th July 2011 in Carnforth news

The Government has been urged to allow trains to stop at the Lancashire railway station made famous by Brief Encounter.

Tory David Morris said Carnforth Station should be included on the West Coast mainline route to boost the local economy.

The historic station was made famous in the 1945 romantic classic starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard.

Its mainline platforms were closed and removed in 1970 prior to electrification of the West Coast Main Line and the station gradually fell into disrepair.

But the local community pulled together to restore it and the Brief Encounter Refreshment Room and Visitor Centre was opened in 2003.

In a short Commons debate, Mr Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) said stations like Carnforth could be added to the main line if high speed rail was brought to northern England.

He promised that local residents would not become a "begging bowl" for public money.

"We will raise our own funds for our project - that is unheard of but we can do this," he said.

"We've already rebuilt the station from a shell and we can relay the platforms."

Junior transport minister Norman Baker said it was vital to consider whether a stop at Carnforth would work "operationally and commercially".

Comments(9)

none says...
11:51pm Wed 13 Jul 11

If the mainline high speed trains stop at backwaters like Carnforth then it ceases to be a high speed link, sorry but if you want metropolitan services then move to a metropolis!

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Ado 16 says...
11:45am Thu 14 Jul 11

If you wanted to make a real difference - put stations back at Galgate and Garstang - especially considering the extra house building that is likely to be going on around North Preston in the future. Money would also be better spent on improving the signalling and track widening at the junction to Heysham to enable extra freight traffic to the docks more efficiently than any half baked bypass idea! Unfortunately our Style over substance MP is too caught up in token ideas as this to do any practical good in the area.

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Pete W. says...
7:12pm Fri 15 Jul 11

Rather than incurring the expense of relaying the platforms and disrupting the schedule of the high speed train why not go for another 1940's solution. Install and modify a 'mail bag catcher', this will be more in keeping with the 'Brief Encounter' theme. The train would then only have to slow to 50 mph to pick up pre-bagged passengers, and travellers alighting at Carnforth could be catered for with a new attraction... a Bouncy Castle, strategically placed opposite the Refreshment Room... "operationally and commercially" this might just be a better option.

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davidharry says...
9:44am Sat 16 Jul 11

What a load of rubbish! If Carnforth is a backwater, what is Oxenholme? Ok so it is the junction for the Lakes Line but Carnforth is the junction for passengers from Barrow, Ulverston, Grange, Arnside, Silverdale etc.

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churchy66 says...
5:31pm Mon 18 Jul 11

Backwater?? Carnforth is not a backwater, I have lived there for 10 years and it is a thriving town - I agree with davidharry what the heck is Oxenholme?? We welcome the main line with bells on

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davidharry says...
10:21am Tue 19 Jul 11

I have to admit that I live in Kendal and use Oxenholme station on numerous occasions. However churchy66 is right, Carnforth is a thriving town and the Visitor Centre and Tea Room at the station attract thousands of visitors a year. I go back to the days when you could get on the train at Windermere and alight at Carnforth and vice versa and also get direct to London from there. It is also interesting to note that the Virgin Pendolino trains that do the Lancaster to London run actually have to come to Carnforth to enable them to return to the Lancaster southbound platform. If the platforms are re instated possibly they could start from Carnforth instead. Pie in the sky maybe, but who knows?

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Stargazeratdawn says...
10:01am Wed 20 Jul 11

I might be missing something here, but, Lancaster is minutes away from Carnforth, why change things? I live in Grange over sands, and have no issue with hopping on a train to connect with the London or Birmingham trains from Lancaster. Why reinvent the wheel. Now, on the other hand, to have a fast service with access at Barrow and Ulverston does seem to make sense. Again.. am I missing the point?

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davidharry says...
12:11pm Wed 20 Jul 11

Hi Stargazeratdawn. You are missing something. It may be fine for you to connect at Lancaster but there is a large group of people especially in Carnforth who would like to be able to go not just to the south but also up to the Lakes and the North without having to go down to Lancaster as well as visitors to the Visitor Centre and the local area. I also understand that Virgin are interested in the idea as well.

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Stargazeratdawn says...
12:52pm Wed 20 Jul 11

Good point 'davidharry'. I hadn't considered heading north !!

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