Lancaster Green Ayre railway station
Encyclopedia
Lancaster Green Ayre railway station was the Midland Railway
's station in the city of Lancaster
in England
. The line between Green Ayre and Morecambe
was used for pioneering experimental electrification via overhead cable.
The station closed to passengers in 1966 and there are no remains.
's at Greaves
in 1840, and the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
's Lancaster Castle station which superseded it in 1846.
The third station was opened by the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company (MH&R) on 12 June 1848. The station building was designed by Edmund Sharpe
. Originally called Lancaster, it was soon renamed Lancaster Green Ayre, although timetables incorrectly listed its name as Lancaster Green Area until 1870. The line originally ran from Lancaster to . The MH&R soon amalgamated with the "little" North Western Railway, which continued the line eastward from 17 November 1849, eventually reaching in 1850. Meanwhile, a short connecting curve was built between the Green Ayre and Castle stations, opening on 18 December 1849.
The station was located on the southern bank of the River Lune
, adjacent to Skerton Bridge
and immediately to the north of the city centre. Immediately west of the station was the junction between the connecting curve to Castle station (and Green Ayre's engine shed) and the main line which then crossed the river via Greyhound Bridge and continued along the north bank of the river, passing under the Lancaster and Carlisle's Carlisle Bridge over the river. East of Green Ayre the line followed the south bank of the river.
The "little" North Western Railway was taken over in 1874 by the Midland Railway (which had previously operated, then leased the line), and became a significant route for that company, giving access from its Yorkshire lines to the Lancashire coast in an area dominated by its major rival, the London and North Western Railway
.
The Lancaster–Morecambe line was electrified in 1908. This was the first high voltage overhead electrification in the United Kingdom and was at 6,600 volts AC
running at 25Hz; as such it was the pioneer for such systems. The electrified system from Lancaster to Morecambe and Heysham was intended to be a test bed for further mainline electrification by the Midland Railway. In 1952 the original rolling stock was life expired and was withdrawn. Steam traction took over for a short while and then the power supply was upgraded to 50Hz and some new stock provided; this was to act as a test-bed for further mainline electrification in the UK. This section of line became particularly busy.
. Green Ayre station, along with the line, closed to passengers on 2 January 1966, although the line through the station continued to be used for freight until 16 March 1976. The station was demolished that year.
The line's Greyhound Bridge was converted for use by the A589 road from 1972. The site of Green Ayre station is now a public park. Nothing remains of the station, but a goods crane from goods shed has been erected in the park near the site. The site of the adjacent locomotive shed is now occupied by a supermarket.
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's station in the city of Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The line between Green Ayre and Morecambe
Morecambe Promenade railway station
Morecambe Promenade Station was a railway station in Morecambe, Lancashire. It was opened on March 24th 1907 by the Midland Railway and closed in February 1994...
was used for pioneering experimental electrification via overhead cable.
The station closed to passengers in 1966 and there are no remains.
History
Lancaster's first two stations were the Lancaster and Preston Junction RailwayLancaster and Preston Junction Railway
The Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway was an early British railway company, in Lancashire, England. It later merged with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway.- Construction :...
's at Greaves
Lancaster (Greaves) railway station
The first Lancaster railway station was the northern terminus of the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway, located in the Greaves area of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It was open from 1840 to 1849, by which time it had been superseded by Lancaster Castle railway station...
in 1840, and the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
The Lancaster and Carlisle Railway was a British railway company authorised on 6 June 1844 to build a line between Lancaster and Carlisle in North-West England...
's Lancaster Castle station which superseded it in 1846.
The third station was opened by the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company (MH&R) on 12 June 1848. The station building was designed by Edmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe was an English architect and engineer. He started his career as an architect, initially on his own, then in partnership with Edward Paley, designing mainly churches but also some secular buildings...
. Originally called Lancaster, it was soon renamed Lancaster Green Ayre, although timetables incorrectly listed its name as Lancaster Green Area until 1870. The line originally ran from Lancaster to . The MH&R soon amalgamated with the "little" North Western Railway, which continued the line eastward from 17 November 1849, eventually reaching in 1850. Meanwhile, a short connecting curve was built between the Green Ayre and Castle stations, opening on 18 December 1849.
The station was located on the southern bank of the River Lune
River Lune
The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck...
, adjacent to Skerton Bridge
Skerton Bridge
Skerton Bridge is a road bridge carrying the southbound lanes of the A6 road over the River Lune in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The bridge has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.-History:...
and immediately to the north of the city centre. Immediately west of the station was the junction between the connecting curve to Castle station (and Green Ayre's engine shed) and the main line which then crossed the river via Greyhound Bridge and continued along the north bank of the river, passing under the Lancaster and Carlisle's Carlisle Bridge over the river. East of Green Ayre the line followed the south bank of the river.
Take-over by the Midland Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
.
The Lancaster–Morecambe line was electrified in 1908. This was the first high voltage overhead electrification in the United Kingdom and was at 6,600 volts AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
running at 25Hz; as such it was the pioneer for such systems. The electrified system from Lancaster to Morecambe and Heysham was intended to be a test bed for further mainline electrification by the Midland Railway. In 1952 the original rolling stock was life expired and was withdrawn. Steam traction took over for a short while and then the power supply was upgraded to 50Hz and some new stock provided; this was to act as a test-bed for further mainline electrification in the UK. This section of line became particularly busy.
Run down
The line between and Morecambe via Lancaster fell victim to the Beeching AxeBeeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. Green Ayre station, along with the line, closed to passengers on 2 January 1966, although the line through the station continued to be used for freight until 16 March 1976. The station was demolished that year.
The line's Greyhound Bridge was converted for use by the A589 road from 1972. The site of Green Ayre station is now a public park. Nothing remains of the station, but a goods crane from goods shed has been erected in the park near the site. The site of the adjacent locomotive shed is now occupied by a supermarket.