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Penrith Railway Station
The Railways of Cumbria

There are three railway preservation societies operating in Cumbria, usually operating steam trains, though sometimes with diesel.

Charter steam trains often run over the Carlisle to Settle main line, and occasionally on the West Coast Main Line, or the West Cumbria Coast line.

Lakeside and Haverthwaite RailwayNewby Bridge
Ravenglass and Eskdale RailwayRavenglass
South Tynedale RailwayAlston

 

 

The following network railways operate in Cumbria:

Carlisle and Settle Railway Carlisle, Armathwaite, Lazonby, Langwathby, Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, Garsdale, Dent, Ribblehead
West Coast Main LineCarlisle, Penrith, Oxenholme (& to the midlands, the south, & Glasgow)
West Cumbrian LineAll stations from Carlisle to Barrow along the coast via
Maryport, Workington, Whitehaven, Sellafield, Ravenglass, Millom and Foxfield,
Continues to Carnforth via Ulverston, Grange-Over-Sands and Arnside
The Lakes LineOxenholme, Kendal, Burneside, Staveley, Windermere
Carlisle to Newcastle LineCarlisle, Wetheral, Brampton

See map of all the stations.

Special Excursions on the West Coast Main Line and Cumbrian Coast Line :

Steam Specials on the Settle Carlisle Line :

Redundant railways now used as footpaths/cyclepaths :

While the decline of Cumbria's railway network began long before Beeching, by the 1990s it began an amazing recovery with the reopening of many stations, and the restoration of many freight services. Today, there is an upgraded West Coast main line and much improved, and accelerated services, but once upon a time there was a huge network which operated at a much more relaxed - and refined - pace.

Many of the Cumbrian railway lines closed due to the decline in the industries that they serviced so well during their heyday such as coal mining, iron ore mining, and steelmaking, along with the closures recommended in the Beeching Report in the early 1960s.

In 1974 the County of Cumbria was formed from Cumberland, Westmorland, the detached northern part of Lancashire and parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The following websites give much information about railway companies that have, over the years, served Cumbria and its borders.

On this website :

On external websites :

The Eden Valley Railway Society was formed in 1995 with the aim of reopening the Appleby to Warcop section of the Eden Valley line, and then reconstructing the railway along the old route to Stainmore Summitt. This will involve rebuilding several bridges and viaducts, the biggest being the Belah viaduct at 1040 feet long. A steam railway will be operated as it was in its heyday, with authentic North East Railway features reinstated, as a tourist attraction and also serving an educational role. See www.evr.org.uk/ for more information.

Wikipedia Links:

Wikipedia Links - History :