Private company

Lancaster and Carlisle Railway

Railway in the United Kingdom

The Lancaster and Carlisle Railway (L&CR) was a main line railway opened between Lancaster and Carlisle in 1846. With its Scottish counterpart, the Caledonian Railway, the Company launched the first continuous railway connection between the English railway network and the emerging network in central Scotland. The selection of its route was controversial, and strong arguments were put forward in favour of alternatives, in some cases avoiding the steep gradients, or connecting more population centres.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 20, 2026.

Overview

1844Founded1

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Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
Photo: Afterbrunel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons4

The Lancaster and Carlisle Railway (L&CR) was a main line railway opened between Lancaster and Carlisle in 1846. With its Scottish counterpart, the Caledonian Railway, the Company launched the first continuous railway connection between the English railway network and the emerging network in central Scotland. The selection of its route was controversial, and strong arguments were put forward in favour of alternatives, in some cases avoiding the steep gradients, or connecting more population centres. Generating financial support for such a long railway was a challenge, and induced the engineer Joseph Locke to make a last-minute change to the route: in the interests of economy and speed of construction, he eliminated a summit tunnel at the expense of steeper gradients.2

Products and brands

Lancaster Old Junction; divergence from L&PJR line to 1967;

Lancaster; opened 22 September 1846; Bradshaw showed this as Lancaster New Bailey in first months, and occasionally as Lancaster Castle later; still open;

Morecambe South Junction; divergence to Morecambe from 1888;

Hest Bank; opened 22 September 1846; closed 3 February 1969;

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Bolton; opened 7 August 1847; Bolton-le-Sands shown in Bradshaw from 1861; closed 3 February 1969;

Carnforth; opened 22 September 1846; both Carnforth and Carnforth-Yealand used in timetables 1849 to 1864; Yealand was probably added due to a clerical error; main line platforms closed 4 May 1970; branch platforms still open;

Burton and Holme; opened 22 September 1846; closed 27 March 1950;

Milnthorpe; opened 22 September 1846; closed 1 July 1968;

Hincaster Junction; convergence of Furness Railway line from Arnside, 1876 - 1963;

Kendal Junction; opened 22 September 1846; Oxenholme was used in Bradshaw and other documentation; definitely Oxenholme from 1898; renamed Oxenholme Lake District 11 May 1987; still open;

Grayrigg; opened by 8 July 1848; resited 1 November 1849; closed 1 February 1954

Low Gill; opened 17 December 1846; closed 1 November 1861;

Low Gill Junction; opened 16 September 1861; renamed Low Gill from 1883; closed 7 March 1960;

Tebay; opened 17 December 1846; closed 1 July 1968;

Shap Summit; workmen's platform for Shap Granite Company, probably from the mid-1880s to autumn 1956;

Shap; opened 17 December 1846; closed 1 July 1968;

Clifton; opened 17 December 1846; renamed Clifton and Lowther 1 February 1877; closed 4 July 1938

Eden Valley Junction; convergence of Eden Valley Line 1863 - 1962;

Eamont Junction; divergence of Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway, 1864 - 1972;

Penrith; opened 17 December 1846; shown as Penrith for Ullswater Lake (sic) in timetables from 1904; simply Penrith from 6 May 1974; renamed Penrith North Lakes 18 May 2003; still open;

Plumpton; opened 17 December 1846; closed 31 May 1948;

Calthwaite; opened by 28 July 1847; closed 7 April 1952;

Southwaite; opened 17 December 1846; closed 7 April 1952;

Wreay; opened December 1852, replacing Brisco; closed 16 August 1943;

Brisco; opened 17 December 1846; closed November 1852;

Upperby Bridge Junction; connection to goods lines from 1877;

Upperby Junction; connection towards N&CR line;

Carlisle; opened by 10 September 1847; various combinations with "Citadel" and "Joint" used in timetables; still open.

From Wikipedia’s article on Lancaster and Carlisle Railway, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Acquisitions

  1. Succeeded Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway1
  2. Succeeded Kendal and Windermere Railway1
  3. Succeeded by London and North Western Railway1

Timeline

  1. 1844Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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