3. Southern Lakes, the CME & some fill-ins-22.06.24

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2024 > 53. A Cumbrian caper-20-22.06.24 > 3. Southern Lakes, the CME & some fill-ins-22.06.24

Following some overnight rain the day dawned much brighter and a little warmer. Breakfast at Tesco this time before heading off through the Southern Lakes. We had planned to capture the steam-hauled section of The Cumbrian Mountain Express but had some logistical problems that prevented us from getting to the spot we wanted to reach. After a pause at the fascinating rail centre at Carnforth, we headed south stopping off for a couple of shots in the Wigan area. The journey back to Northamptonshire was uneventful getting home at around 19.00.

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Images 1-24 of 24 displayed.

Barrow CS, Devonshire Road
The extensive carriage sidings at Barrow-in-Furness look to be a little underutilised in this view taken from the town's Devonshire Road bridge. The new maintenance and servicing facility to the right was opened only last year to accommodate the six-car 195 units that now operate between here and Manchester Airport. The twin tracks to the left that become one lead to and from Park South Junction some five miles to the north. Notice the super twin doll bracket signal that permits entry to Barrow station near to the signal box.
Keywords: Barrow CS Devonshire Road

Park South signal box (Furness, 1883)
The superb Park South Junction signal box is seen catching some morning light. The Furness box dates from 1883 and contains the frame that was taken from Coniston Station box in 1963.
Keywords: Park South signal box Furness 1883

Station drive & frontage, Ulverston station
This is the second attempt that I have had to replicate my 1985 photograph of the station drive leading to Ulverston station. The reason was that in my first attempt, I parked the car on the wrong side of the road, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30061915084/entrance-frontage-ulverston-station Not making the same mistake again I have parked my car on the right adjacent to the first lampost up. When I scan and upload the image from 1985 I will provide a link here that will show my parents' carmine red Triumph Dolomite 1500 (RLJ 767X) rather than my Holborn blue MG4 as seen here.
Keywords: Station drive frontage Ulverston station

Canopy, Ulverston station
Whilst outwardly Ulverston station looks to be in good condition it is not long before one realises that it needs some urgent attention. The condition of the canopies is shocking with much glass missing and plenty of growth that will undoubtedly be weakening the structure. Interestingly, Wikipedia describes the 1873 station thus... 'The clock tower and glass awnings and supporting decorative ironwork, now extensively restored and repainted, are particularly fine.' I can see little evidence of restoration and repainting so I do not know when the entry was written.
Keywords: Canopy Ulverston station

Canopy, Ulverston station
The condition of Ulverston station is a disgrace and, as a Grade II listed property and I am surprised that more pressure has not been brought to bear on Northern and Network rail to put things right. I did find an archived article in the online Westmoreland Gazette stating that work was to start. However, apart from a little scaffolding supporting the roof structure at the eastern end of the down platform, I could see no evidence of this work. I hope that it starts soon as in places the superb station building is in a parlous state.
Keywords: Canopy Ulverston station

156488, NT 07.10 Carlisle-Lancaster (2C42, RT), Grange-over Sands station
The sun always seems to shine when I visit Grange-over-Sands! Today was no exception with 156488 arriving working the 07.10 Carlisle to Lancaster Northern service. Up until the end of April, there were no through trains east of Grange with buses ferrying passengers for a month to avoid a derailment of a six-car Class 195 caused by undermined track on the sea wall. For many in the local community, the closure reinforced the importance of the railway with the roads taking circuitous routes with them often narrow and congested.
Keywords: 156488 07.10 Carlisle-Lancaster 2C42 Grange-over Sands station Northern

156447, NT 10.14 Lancaster-Carlisle (2C51, 6L), Grange-over-Sands sea wall
A rushed photograph that did not quite work as planned! I had intended that the Grange-over-Sands down starter signal should have been in full view above the train. However, as can be seen, the palm to the extreme had other ideas blocking out the semaphore. 156447 has just left Grange station working the 10.14 Lancaster to Carlisle service and is accelerating along the sea wall before passing Kents Bank station and then turning north and slightly inland.
Keywords: 156447 10.14 Lancaster-Carlisle 2C51 Grange-over-Sands sea wall Northern

Down starter, Grange-over-Sands
With Grange-over-Sands signal box switched out the signals remain pulled off. The down starter is no exception and is viewed from the delightful Ornamental Gardens. The vast expanse of Morecambe Bay is seen in the background with the bulk of Heysham power station in the very distance.
Keywords: Down starter Grange-over-Sands

Grange-over-Sands signal box (BR, 1956)
During my last visit to Grange-over-Sands I photographed the BR (LM) box dating from 1956 from within the yard of the car repair business seen in the foreground, see... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/24425912004/grange-over-sands-signal-box However, perhaps as a sign of the times, the yard is now closed off with palisade fencing preventing access. Being a Saturday morning the gates were closed so a gap through the trees from the B5277 road has to suffice.
Keywords: Grange-over-Sands signal box BR 1956

Frontage, Grange-over-Sands station
Grange station, as was known until renamed by the LMS in 1930, is a large building designed and built by the Furness 1864 designed by local architect E. G. Paley. The Grade II listed station is in super condition and is well patronised but I did notice that its passenger numbers have dropped a little in the latest data released. A note to future visitors, there is no free twenty-minute parking or even a drop-off point at the station. Andy and I were forced to park on a nearby road with an hour limit.
Keywords: Frontage, Grange-over-Sands station

195109, NT 10.49 Barrow-in-Furness-Manchester Airport (1Y95, 1L), Arnside station
Under an interesting sky, emphasised by the zoom effect of the lens, 195109 arrives at Arnside station passing the superb Furness 1897 box working the 10.49 Barrow-in-Furness to Manchester Airport Northern service. The train has just crossed five hundred metres long Kent Viaduct (also known as the Arnside Viaduct) just off to the left behind the shrubs.
Keywords: 195109 10.49 Barrow-in-Furness-Manchester Airport 1Y95 Arnside station Northern

34067, outward leg of The Cumbrian Mountain Express, 06.30 London Euston-Carlisle (1Z86, 36L), Sedgwick SD514861
A green locomotive in a green landscape and against the sun; what a photographic disaster! I had identified this spot on the OS map to photograph The Cumbrian Mountain Express charter led by 34067 'Tangmere' but from a footpath on the other side of the line as seen behind the locomotive. However, I misjudged the time it would take us to get here near the village of Sedwick from Arnside given a traffic jam in the village of Milnthorpe and finally the lack of anywhere to park the car on the narrow lanes. With the train, running as usual as 1Z86, having already started its assault of Shap this wrong-side shot had to suffice. Some Photoshop manipulation has helped improve things but it is rather a poor shot.
Keywords: 34067 The Cumbrian Mountain Express 06.30 London Euston-Carlisle 1Z86 Sedgwick SD514861 Tangmere

47746, outward leg of The Cumbrian Mountain Express, 06.30 London Euston-Carlisle (1Z86, 36L), Sedgwick SD514861
Totally backlit 47746 'Chris Fudge 29.7.70-22.6.10' brings up the rear of the 1Z86 06.30 London Euston to Carlisle Cumbrian Mountain Express charter. Whilst the Class 47 was under power and assisting with the assault of Shap it was Bulleid 34067 'Tangmere' doing most of the work at the front. This dark broadside view, taken near Sedgwick near Kendal, is in lieu of what would have been a more successful shot from the fields on the other side of the line.
Keywords: 47746 The Cumbrian Mountain Express 06.30 London Euston-Carlisle 1Z86 Sedgwick SD514861 Chris Fudge 29.7.70-22.6.10

158860, NT 12.32 Morecambe-Leeds (2Y04, RT), Carnforth station
Carnforth remains an interesting mixture of signalling. The fully electrified WCML passes through the station using the most modern multiple-aspect signalling under the control of Preston's PSB. Meanwhile, the rest of the station is controlled by mechanical signalling operated by Carnforth Station Junction box that can be seen just beyond the footbridge. 156860 is just leaving the station working the 12.32 Morecambe to Leeds service. The scene is dominated by the magnificent former Furness box which was also named Carnforth Station Junction. It is interesting to make the contrast between the two signals on either side of the photograph. To the left CS2 is a modern LED unit with a large feather for the Leeds route whilst to the right, the platform one down starter semaphore is seen on its short post.
Keywords: 158860 12.32 Morecambe-Leeds 2Y04 Carnforth station Northern Furness

Coaling stages, Carnforth WCR
Both the taller mechanical coaling stage and the smaller ash plant at Carnforth are Grade II listed structures by Historic England. In their citation Historic England waxes lyrical about the efforts to which the LMS went to in order to drive efficiency in the Steam Age and that these probably represented the pinnacle of their efforts. Another factor that led to their designation is that they both still contain the operational mechanicals that were, thankfully, not stripped out when steam finished at the depot in 1968. Notice the lineup of various locomotives in the foreground, some in working order, others not and to be used for spares.
Keywords: Coaling stage & ash plant, Carnforth WCR

Selside signal box (Mid, 1907) re-erected 1976
What a sad state of affairs. This diminutive 1907 Midland box was rescued from Selside, located between Blea Moor and Horton-in-Ribblesdale boxes in the early 1970s when BR extended the block section. It spent some time languishing at what was then to become Steamtown eventually being superbly restored to become the yard's operational signal box. However, since Steamtown closed and WCR took over operations it has been unused and is now in a parlous state. I am so disappointed with how WCR fails to look after their historic assets. I know that they are a commercial TOC but, nonetheless, they do have a responsibility; don't they?
Keywords: Selside signal box Midland re-erected 1976

47355, 57005, 47768, 37712, 08418 & 47787, stored, Carnforth WCR
A motley collection of first-generation diesels at Carnforth. Wearing its Fragonset livery and branding 47355 leads the lineup with Advenza blue 57005 next. In a rather fetching green livery is 47768 and not 47555 as indicated by the painted number on the cabside. Beyond the green machine is a very tatty 37712, shunter 08418 with 47787 at the far end. Another example of how WCR keep such untidy and poor order. Why have your tattiest and worst assets on full show to the masses like this? To Joe Public, it just looks like a scrapyard which it is, I suppose, in truth!

NB I took a very similar photograph back in 2013, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30061915097/x3-47500-general-view-carnforth-wcr with just one Class 47 in that view and my predictions about its future came true but it did take seven years before 47500 was cut up!
Keywords: 47355 57005 47768 37712 08418 47787 stored Carnforth WCR

195107 & 195111, NT 11.29 Manchester Airport-Windemere (1C71, 3L), Carnforth station
Northern's 195107 and 195111 approach Carnforth at speed working the 1C71 11.29 Manchester Airport to Windemere service. This train will continue at a relatively high speed for a fairly winding and climbing eighteen miles or so until it diverges from the WCML at Oxenholme Lake District to then complete its journey on a severely speed-restricted single track.
Keywords: 195107 195111 11.29 Manchester Airport-Windemere 1C71 Carnforth station Northern

Parbold Cabin signal box (S & F, 1877)
I have a number of images of Parbold Cabin signal box but I make no excuses for including another in some welcome afternoon sunshine. The superb Lancashire and Yorkshire box has been a feature on the village's Station Road since it opened in 1877. The box is Grade II listed so its future is secure. The signalman is kept busy as a regular service operates along the line to and from Wigan and the crossing is busy with local traffic.
Keywords: Parbold Cabin signal box S & F 1877 L & Y

150145 & 156411, NT 14.05 Southport-Manchester Oxford Road (2O78, 2L), Parbold station
Northern's 150145 and 156411 leave Parbold station working the 14.05 Southport to Manchester Oxford Road service. They are just passing the delightful 1877 Lancs. & Yorks. signal box that controls the signalling and the busy level crossing. Whilst the units have a relatively short finite life in work, the signal box will remain as it is Grade II listed by Historic England.
Keywords: 150145 156411 14.05 Southport-Manchester Oxford Road 2O78 Parbold station Northern

150119 & 156405, NT 13.20 Blackburn-Headbolt Lane (2K69, 3E), Pemberton station
150119 & 156405 come to a halt at Pemberton station working the 13.20 Blackburn to Headbold Lane service. The opening of the Merseyrail interchange station in the autumn of last year will hopefully encourage more passengers to use this line helped even more in the future once new stock arrives and possible electrification.
Keywords: 150119 156405 13.20 Blackburn-Headbolt Lane 2K69 Pemberton station Northern

331030, NT 15.15 Liverpool Lime Street-Wigan North Western (2F66, 3E), Bryn station
331030 departs from Bryn station working the 15.15 Liverpool to Wigan North Western service. The electrification of this route and the introduction of new trains has totally transformed the travelling experience for customers on this route
Keywords: 331030 15.15 Liverpool Lime Street-Wigan North Western 2F66 Bryn station

Andy, 331024, NT 15.53 Wigan North Western-Liverpool Lime Street (2C21, 1E) & 331107, NT 15.39 Liverpool Lime Street-Blackpool North (1N89, RT), Bryn station
Andy captures his image of 331107 as it passes through Bryn station at speed working the 15.39 Liverpool to Blackpool North service. Meanwhile, 331024 waits at the other platform working the 15.53 Wigan North Western to Liverpool train. I feel that a station named Bryn would be more suited to somewhere in South Wales than just west of Wigan!
Keywords: Andy 331024 15.53 Wigan North Western-Liverpool Lime Street 2C21 331107 15.39 Liverpool Lime Street-Blackpool North 1N89 Bryn station Northern

331024, NT 15.53 Wigan North Western-Liverpool Lime Street (2C21, 1E), Bryn station
And so we come to the final photograph of our epic three-day trip to Cumbria. Setting off into the afternoon sunshine, 331024 departs from Bryn station with Northern's 2C21 15.53 Wigan North Western to Liverpool Lime Street service. Back to the car now and the small matter of a one hundred and fifty-miles journey back to Northamptonshire! Here's to our next trip out.
Keywords: 331024 15.53 Wigan North Western-Liverpool Lime Street 2C21 Bryn station Northern

Images 1-24 of 24 displayed.