View source for Lancaster railway station

{{short description|Railway station in Lancashire, England}}
{{other uses|Lancaster station (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox station
| name                = Lancaster
| symbol_location     = gb
| symbol              = rail
| image               = 2015 at Lancaster station - main building.JPG
| borough             = [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]], [[City of Lancaster]]
| country             = England
| coordinates         = {{coord|54|02|56|N|02|48|26|W|type:railwaystation_region:GB_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name           = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|Grid reference]]
| grid_position       = {{gbmapscaled|SD472617|25|SD472617}}
| manager             = [[Avanti West Coast]]
| platforms           = 5
| code                = LAN
| classification      = [[United Kingdom railway station categories|DfT category]] B
| original            = [[Lancaster and Carlisle Railway]]
| pregroup            = [[London and North Western Railway]]
| postgroup           = [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]]
| years               = 22 September 1846
| events              = Opened as ''Lancaster Castle''<ref name="Butt">{{Butt-Stations|page=138}}</ref>
| years1              = 1902
| events1             = Remodelled
| years2              = 5 May 1969
| events2             = Renamed ''Lancaster''<ref name="Butt" />
| mpassengers =
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{increase}} 2.193 million |interchange={{pad|2em}}0.384 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.521 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 54,003}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 1.659 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 0.261 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 1.830 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 0.382 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 1.964 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 0.455 million}}
| footnotes           = Passenger statistics from the [[Office of Rail and Road]]
| map_type            = United Kingdom Lancaster Central#United Kingdom Lancaster#United Kingdom City of Lancaster#Lancashire
| map_caption         = Location in Lancaster city centre##Location in Lancaster##Location in the City of Lancaster district##Location in Lancashire
}}
'''Lancaster''' (formerly known as '''Lancaster Castle''') is a railway station that serves the city of [[Lancaster, England|Lancaster]], in [[Lancashire]], England. It is one of the principal stations on the [[West Coast Main Line]], located {{convert|20|mi|78|chain|km|2|lk=in}} north of {{stnlnk|Preston}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Yonge |first1=John |title=Railway Track Diagrams 4: Midlands & North West |last2=Padgett |first2=David |last3=Szwenk |first3=John |date=August 2013 |publisher=Trackmaps |isbn=978-0-9549866-7-4 |editor-last=Bridge |editor-first=Mike |edition=3rd |location=Bradford on Avon |at=maps 28A, 28C, 29A, 29B, 29C |orig-year=1990}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:2015 at Lancaster station - main building detail and arms.JPG|thumb|left|upright|The 1852 extension includes a relief carving of the [[coat of arms]] of Lancaster]]

Originally known as ''Lancaster Castle'', in order to distinguish it from the [[Lancaster (Greaves) railway station|Lancaster Greaves station]] (1840&ndash;1849), Lancaster station was officially opened on 21 September 1846. The first public service ran into the station on 17 December the same year. It was built as the southern terminus of the [[Lancaster and Carlisle Railway]] after the initial planned route for the line was changed in favour of a cheaper route west of the city; it would have followed the [[Lancaster Canal]] and crossed the [[River Lune]] from Ladies Walk to Skerton.

The station was remodelled in 1900-1906 when additional lines and platforms were added and further station buildings constructed.<ref name="listing">{{Cite web |title=Railway Station Building, Lancaster |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-383330-railway-station-building-lancashire |access-date=2015-03-03 |website=British Listed Buildings |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402120738/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-383330-railway-station-building-lancashire |url-status=live }}</ref> The new buildings were styled mock-Elizabethan with the intention of mirroring the battlements of the nearby [[Lancaster Castle]]. Platforms 5 and 6 (on the east side of the station) were electrified in 1908 to serve the now-closed [["Little" North Western Railway]] route to Morecambe and Heysham. This line closed in January 1966 and the overhead line equipment was removed.

The track layout in the station area was rationalised in 1973, when control of the signalling was transferred to the new Preston power signal box. This included the removal of the track from platform 6, although this platform had seen no regular use for some time prior to this. The West Coast Main Line through Lancaster was electrified in 1974 and regular electric passenger services commenced here on 7 May 1974.

In 2023, upgrades to the platforms canopies were announced as part of a £9.5 million investment into the station, with work continuing into 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-20 |title=£9.5m scheme to renovate platform canopies at Lancaster station |url=https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/23398216.platform-canopies-renovated-lancaster-station/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=The Westmorland Gazette |language=en}}</ref>

==Description and facilities==
The main building, constructed in 1846 by [[William Tite]], was situated on the west side of the line in [[Tudor Revival architecture|Tudor Revival]] style using roughly squared sandstone rubble. This two-storey building was extended southwards in 1852 in similar style, although this section terminated in a tower of three storeys. A new entrance was constructed in 1900 on the eastern side of the line at footbridge level; this is nearer the town and houses the remaining ticket office.<ref name=listing/>

The booking office is open throughout the week, closing only in the late evening; ticket machines are also available. A full range of facilities is offered, including a newsagents, a buffet, waiting rooms and toilets on both sides, with lifts between the footbridge and platforms. The station is fully accessible for disabled passengers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/LAN/details.html |title=Lancaster (LAN) station information |access-date=13 May 2025 |website=National Rail Enquiries}}</ref> 

==Layout==
The entrance through the original building opens onto [[Railway platform|platform]] 3, which is used mostly by northbound services. Two bay platforms to the north of this are used by terminating trains from the branch lines to {{stnlnk|Heysham Port}} and the [[Furness Line]] to {{stnlnk|Barrow-in-Furness}}, which continues to the [[Cumbria Coast Line]] to Carlisle.

Two through lines separate these three platforms from the remainder of the station; these are used by non-stop passenger services and freight trains. Platform 4 is an [[island platform]] with a second face, used principally for southbound trains. Platform 5 can be used by northbound, southbound trains and terminating services. All platforms are signalled for arrivals and departures in either direction. Opposite platform 5 are the remains of platform 6, which has no track and has been out of use for many years.

==Services==
[[File:Virgin Class 390, 390121 "Virgin Dream", Lancaster railway station (geograph 4499858).jpg|thumb|right|A Virgin Trains service to London Euston, arriving at platform 4 in May 2015]]

Lancaster is served by three [[train operating companies]]:

* [[Avanti West Coast]] operates express trains from [[Euston railway station|London Euston]] to [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]] and to [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]], using [[British Rail Class 390|Class 390 ''Pendolinos'']]. Peak services to and from {{rws|London Euston}} terminate and start at Lancaster or {{rws|Carlisle}}. A few services to/from {{rws|Crewe}} also start/terminate at Lancaster.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/-/media/avanti-timetables/awc-main-book-dec2022---may2023.pdf|title=Scheduled timetable book for 11 December 2022 to 20 May 2023|website=Avanti West Coast}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/-/media/avanti-timetables/may-2023-to-december-2023-timetable-book.pdf|title=Scheduled timetable book for 21 May 2023 to 9 December 2023|website=Avanti West Coast}}</ref>

[[File:First TransPennine Express Class 350, 350402, Lancaster railway station (geograph 4499798).jpg|thumb|A [[First TransPennine Express]] [[British Rail Class 350|Class 350]], at platform 4, waiting to travel south to Manchester Airport in May 2015]]
* [[TransPennine Express]] operates regional express services from {{rws|Manchester Airport}}, {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}} and {{rws|Preston}} to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central, via the West Coast Main Line, using [[British Rail Class 397|Class 397]] EMUs.<ref>GB eNRT December 2015 Edition, Table 82 (Network Rail)</ref>

[[File:Lancashire_Station.jpg|220x124px|thumb|right|alt=A Northern multiple unit stopping at Lancaster railway station|A Northern Class 195 train on a service to Barrow-in-Furness stops beneath the station's West Road bridge, July 2021]]
* [[Northern Trains]] operates local and regional services along the following lines, using [[diesel multiple units]] (DMUs) of Classes [[British Rail Class 150|150]], [[British Rail Class 153|153]], [[British Rail Class 156|156]], [[British Rail Class 158|158]] and [[British Rail Class 195|195s]]:<ref>GB eNRT December 2019 Edition, Tables 42, 82 and 98 (Network Rail)</ref> 
** [[Furness line]] to {{rws|Barrow-in-Furness}} and then on to {{rws|Carlisle}} via the [[Cumbrian Coast line]]
** [[Windermere branch line]] to {{rws|Windermere}}, via the West Coast Main Line to {{rws|Oxenholme Lake District}} 
** [[Morecambe branch line]] to {{stnlnk|Morecambe}} and {{rws|Heysham Port}}; nuclear flask trains serving [[Heysham nuclear power station|Heysham power station]] are the other main users of this line
** [[Leeds–Morecambe line]] to {{stnlnk|Skipton}} and {{stnlnk|Leeds}}.

{{Morecambe–Lancaster RDT}}
{{Northern (train operating company) route 6 | collapse=true}}
{{Northern (train operating company) route 7 | collapse=true}}

{{s-rail-start|noclear=yes}}
{{s-rail|title=National Rail}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Penrith North Lakes|next=Preston|toc=Avanti West Coast|route=[[West Coast Main Line]]|rows2=7|rowsmid=2}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Oxenholme Lake District|hide2=yes|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Penrith North Lakes|toc=TransPennine Express|route=TransPennine North West <br />  {{rws|Edinburgh Waverley}} / {{rws|Glasgow Central}} - {{rws|Manchester Airport}}|rowsmid=2|hide2=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Oxenholme Lake District|hide2=yes|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Carlisle|toc=TransPennine Express|route=TransPennine North West <br />  {{rws|Glasgow Central}} - {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}}|rowsmid=3|hide2=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Penrith North Lakes|hide2=yes|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Oxenholme Lake District|hide2=yes|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Carnforth|toc=Northern Trains|route=[[Furness Line]] <br /> / {{rws|Barrow-in-Furness}}|rows1=2|}}
{{s-rail-national|toc=Northern Trains|route=[[Leeds to Morecambe Line]]|next=Bare Lane|hide1=yes|rows2=2}}
{{s-rail-national|toc=Northern Trains|route=[[Morecambe Branch Line]]|hide2=yes}}
{{rail line 
|previous={{rws|Carnforth}}
|next={{rws|Preston}} 
|rows2=2
|route=[[Northern Trains]]<br /> {{rws|Barrow-in-Furness}} - {{rws|Manchester Airport}} |col={{Northern colour}} |lightcol={{Northern colour|Barrow-Manchester Airport}}
}}
{{rail line 
|previous={{rws|Oxenholme Lake District}}
|hide2=yes
|route=[[Northern Trains]]<br /> {{rws|Windermere}} - {{rws|Manchester Airport}} |col={{Northern colour}} |lightcol={{Northern colour|Barrow-Manchester Airport}}
}}

{{Historical Rail Insert}}
{{rail line 
|previous={{rws|Hest Bank}}
|route=[[Furness Railway]] 
|col={{temporary rail colour|964B00}} 
}}
{{rail line
|next={{rws|Galgate}}
|previous={{rws|Hest Bank}}
|route=[[London and North Western Railway]]<br />[[Lancaster and Carlisle Railway]]
|col={{LNWR colour}}
}}
{{Disused Rail Insert}}
{{rail line 
|previous={{rws|Lancaster Green Ayre}}
|route=[[Midland Railway]]<br />[["Little" North Western Railway]]
|col={{MR colour}} 
}}
{{rail line 
|previous={{rws|Ashton Hall}}
|route=[[London and North Western Railway]]<br />[[Glasson Dock Branch Line|Glasson Dock branch line]]
|col={{LNWR colour}} 
}}

{{s-end}}

==See also==
{{portal|Lancashire}}
* [[Listed buildings in Lancaster, Lancashire]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Lancaster railway station}}
{{Stn art lnk|LAN}}
* [http://transportheritage.com/find-heritage-locations.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&sobi2Id=381 A history of Lancaster stations]

{{Railway stations in Lancashire}}
{{City of Lancaster}}

[[Category:Railway stations in Lancaster]]
[[Category:DfT Category B stations]]
[[Category:Former Lancaster and Carlisle Railway stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1846]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by TransPennine Express]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Northern]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Avanti West Coast]]
[[Category:1846 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in Lancashire]]
[[Category:William Tite railway stations]]
[[Category:Stations on the West Coast Main Line]]