Just to comment on the suggestion that just a few trains travelled along the single line from Green Ayre up to Lancaster Castle Station (as it then was). Actually all the electric trains from Morecambe reversed in Green Ayre and then travelled up the steeply curving line to Castle Station, usually terminating in platform 5 as it is now still in use. The short platform 6 was still there with overhead electric wires but was only quite rarely used - it now has no track though you still look across to platform 6 from 5 (that still in use). When the electric line through Green Ayre was closed all the overhead was torn down but when the West Coast main line was electrified new overhead had to be erected on all parts of Lancaster Castle, though platform 6 was left abandoned.
We used to live alongside the then electrified railway on Christie Ave Morecambe . It was vandalism in the 1960s to close it , and would be very useful today . Of course the road lobby wanted the Lune Greyhound bridge for the road ! The direct inter city Lancaster to Leeds was lost and the freight route from Heysham harbour was lost . Progress ……I’m not sure . Time will tell . Dave H Carnforth
I lived at Scale Hall in the 1960s and used to be taken on the railway to Morecambe or Lancaster very often by my parents. The line was well used but BR were determined to close it. As far as I know all the trains between Morecambe and Lancaster went over the bridge to Green Ayre then reversed into Lancaster Castle station - maybe a reason for the early electrification of the line. There were steam hauled trains that went to Green Ayre then on to Yorkshire. I can remember being in bed listening to the trains shunting at Green Ayre
Closing this was one of the most absurd decisions in BR's history. I mean however strongly you felt it should close, once it had been electrified, wouldn't you try to make it work?
Well done Dave, that video took me back for sure. As a lad in the late 50s early 60s I rode that line on several occasions. We used to get railway runabout tickets during the school holidays alowing us travel all over parts of Lancashire, and Morecambe was one of the favourite destinations. Getting off at the promenade station and heading straight for the funfair! Happy days. Keep up the good work lad!
