Lancaster University railway station

[Gathursty]

Has there ever been any proposals for this in some form?

I'm a bit biased. I'd like to see one asap to save journeying into town, not to mention the fact that at least Birmingham has one!

What do people on here think of this?

 

[SS4]

Has there ever been any proposals for this in some form?

I'm a bit biased. I'd like to see one asap to save journeying into town, not to mention the fact that at least Birmingham has one!

What do people on here think of this?

I'm a bit biased because I'd like see Birmingham remaining the only uni to have a dedicated station for the bragging rights

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I doubt there's much call.

Would this be south or north of the current Lancaster station?

 

[WestCoast]

The station would be to the south of Lancaster's city centre station.

I don't think I have ever heard any calls for it, there is a sufficient local bus service to the area. Although, there may be a case for a station serving south Lancaster, the University and Galgate. Indeed, the WCML runs parallel to the A6 (and the road junction leading to the Uni campus)

The closest thing the area has ever had would be Galgate Station, serving the village to the south of the University. This closed in 1939. Although, Galgate isn't a particularly large place.

There is also the major issue of what services would stop at the station. I very much doubt the DfT and Virgin would want to stop long-distance express services (London/Birmingham - Scotland) at the station, this also includes TPE's Manchester Airport - Scotland runs. In addiiton to the daily infrequent handful of Northern stoppers from Preston to the Cumbrian Coast, that just leaves TPE's Manchester Airport - Windermere/Barrow, which again is not all that frequent and may not prove particularly useful.

 

[HST Power]

As WestCoast said, the bus service is sufficient. And anyway, where would you put it?

 

[mbonwick]

It's very likely to happen at some point in the future.

There is a clause in the Uni's development plans that they have to improve infrastructure for the local community. Currently the preferred way of doing this is to open a station.

A while ago there was talk, if the station is ever built, of a Tesco store being built with it, supplied via a stop-off from the Tesco trains.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=54.010291,-2.793467&spn=0.006847,0.01929&t=h&z=16
Shows the general area, there's just about enough room to squeeze a station in between road and railway. Indeed, closer into Lancaster a Booths supermarket is to be built on that strip.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As WestCoast said, the bus service is sufficient. And anyway, where would you put it?

The 2/2A may run every 10mins, with the 3/4 every 30 and the hourly 40-2 Preston Blackpool services stopping outside, but there are still major overcrowding issues (particularly on Wednesdays) which no amount of buses would solve.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The underlying point remains what services would serve it though: when VHF arrived, and before that when TPE gained the Manchester-Scotland services, Manchester-Barrow/Windermere were cut to just Lancaster and Oxenholme respectively, bar about three trains each way on each route, which ran through to either Preston or Manchester Airport. Unless Northern or TPE introduced a regular stopper from Preston to Barrow or just Lancaster (could happen if the WCML plans came off and Lancaster/Oxenholme/Penrith lose long distance services), I could only see it getting 8 or 10 trains each way only, and very little on the weekends.

 

[WestCoast]

The 2/2A may run every 10mins, with the 3/4 every 30 and the hourly 40-2 Preston Blackpool services stopping outside, but there are still major overcrowding issues (particularly on Wednesdays) which no amount of buses would solve.

The 40 and 42 can be extremely busy, often with pensioners though, who won't use a rail service because they have to pay!

My major concern is that the section of the WCML between Lancaster - Preston sees relatively few local services, which could equate in real terms to a two-hourly TPE service at the station, plus a handful of Northern Rail stoppers a day. That isn't going to solve any overcrowding (or provide huge benefits) is it?

 

[mbonwick]

What I'd heard (and even I think this is unlikely to happen!)
WCML to be quadrupled between the proposed station and Lancaster.
Platform 6 at Lancaster to be reinstated (a major challenge in itself).

Either a shuttle service running between the two stations, or Morecambe - Leeds services extended to reverse at the new station rather than Lancaster.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

At present (after Arnside-Barrow reopens), the following services traverse Preston-Lancaster daily, Mondays-Fridays, and do not servive Scotland, only either Lancaster, Barrow or Windermere:
13 northbound TPE
13 southbound TPE
4 northbound Northern
3 southbound Northern

That's 17 N/B and 16 S/B trains a day, many fall after 1800 though...

 

[Deerfold]

At present (after Arnside-Barrow reopens), the following services traverse Preston-Lancaster daily, Mondays-Fridays, and do not servive Scotland, only either Lancaster, Barrow or Windermere:
13 northbound TPE
13 southbound TPE
4 northbound Northern
3 southbound Northern

That's 17 N/B and 16 S/B trains a day, many fall after 1800 though...

I'm guessing you mean "serve", rather than "survive" unless Scotland has got a lot more dangerous recently!

I'd fancy a service to the University from Leeds, but only because it would provide me with an even better service to my Mum's.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The 40 and 42 can be extremely busy, often with pensioners though, who won't use a rail service because they have to pay!

This bus part of the query would be right up the street for the Stagecoach North-West forum on the Light Rail and Bus sub-forum. The figures on there the last time I looked were:-

Replies..... 14,008
Views...... 619,153

With all the hope in the world, the WCML operators are not going to allow any reinstatement of ANY old station or the building of a new one, to the detriment of fast path running from Preston to Lancaster.

I thought my worst nightmare had occurred, when one of the thread replies contained the phrase:-

....via a stop-off from the Tesco trains !!

Did you know the word Tesco includes the letters TOC. :roll:

 

[W-on-Sea]

I'm a bit biased because I'd like see Birmingham remaining the only uni to have a dedicated station for the bragging rights

The only one in Great Britain maybe, but not the only one in the UK! The University of Ulster at Coleraine likewise has its own station, also just called University.

 

[WestCoast]

This bus part of the query would be right up the street for the Stagecoach North-West forum on the Light Rail and Bus sub-forum. The figures on there the last time I looked were:-

Replies..... 14,008
Views...... 619,153

That thread is intriguing, it's packed with local bus discussion, with many of the posters posting solely on that thread. It's like a secret world!

The bus services are very busy anyway, I know that from using them!

I personally wouldn't mind seeing the re-opening of Garstang and Catterall Station between Lancaster and Preston, lobby group Railfuture are supporting this one as well.

 

[yorksrob]

I can remember when I was at Lancaster a few years ago there was talk of re-opening Garstang. Sadly, nothing came of it.

I don't remember there being any talk of a station actually at the University though.

 

[Chapeltom]

Bit unrelated maybe but Manchester Oxford Road station serves both Manchester Unis well. But in a place like Lancaster, surely it can't be too far from current station to uni?

I overheard someone say one of the Leeds Unis is 2 miles from the station

 

[mbonwick]

You're looking at about 20mins into Lancaster from the Uni, then another 10mins to the station.
25mins maybe if you get the X1 express Uni - Rail Stn

(Yes, I am one of the Stagecoach NW posters...)

 

[yorksrob]

I remember always seeming to end up on the one that went round the houses, which added another five or ten minutes I think.

 

[Nym]

Bit unrelated maybe but Manchester Oxford Road station serves both Manchester Unis well. But in a place like Lancaster, surely it can't be too far from current station to uni?

Only parts of the the universitys, and have ever tried walking from MCO to Manchester Victoria Campus?

Or Fallowfeild Campus, The Manchester Science Park, Joderill Bank?

 

[mbonwick]

I remember always seeming to end up on the one that went round the houses, which added another five or ten minutes I think.

2/2A , they serve Hala rather than going staight in via Boot & Shoe.

 

[Lampshade]

Only parts of the the universitys, and have ever tried walking from MCO to Manchester Victoria Campus?

Or Fallowfeild Campus, The Manchester Science Park, Joderill Bank?

Pah, a stroll

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The 2/2A may run every 10mins, with the 3/4 every 30 and the hourly 40-2 Preston Blackpool services stopping outside, but there are still major overcrowding issues (particularly on Wednesdays) which no amount of buses would solve.

Have you considered speaking to the University authorities with regard to the existing provision of bus services, as you specifically make mention of Wednesdays, to see if extra services could be laid on that specific day at the times of the busy period, especially as you say that a paying demand does exist.

They could then discuss this, as a large user, with the service provider, rather for you to make representations to the bus company as a private inividual.

 

[HST Power]

Has this idea actually ever been discussed or proposed?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Has this idea actually ever been discussed or proposed?

I am waiting to see if mbonwick comes back on the thread to answer the query that I posed.

I will say this. If there is a problem on Wednesdays, surely there must be enough ingenuity amonst University students to think of a way of addressing the situation...or has cognative thought given Lancaster a wide berth?

 

[HST Power]

I googled along the lines of 'Lancaster University Station plan' a couple of times but didn't find anything relevant or useful.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I googled along the lines of 'Lancaster University Station plan' a couple of times but didn't find anything relevant or useful.

You will not, because there are neither plans nor intentions for this to happen.
Other posters on this thread have said as much.

 

[dggar]

Have you considered speaking to the University authorities with regard to the existing provision of bus services, as you specifically make mention of Wednesdays, to see if extra services could be laid on that specific day at the times of the busy period, especially as you say that a paying demand does exist.

They could then discuss this, as a large user, with the service provider, rather for you to make representations to the bus company as a private inividual.

In Manchester their is a monday to friday daytime service (147) that runs from Piccadilly to the Central Manchester Hospital campus via the the Universities and the Music college. I believe this is funded partly by these institutions.

http://www.cmft.nhs.uk/directorates/labmedicine/departments/mctc/pdfs/The New Oxford Road Link.doc

http://www.acttravelwise.org/news/125

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In Manchester their is a monday to friday daytime service (147) that runs from Piccadilly to the Central Manchester Hospital campus via the the Universities and the Music college. I believe this is funded partly by these institutions.

http://www.cmft.nhs.uk/directorates/labmedicine/departments/mctc/pdfs/The New Oxford Road Link.doc

http://www.acttravelwise.org/news/125

I am pleased to hear that you know of the 147 service in Manchester. It is known as the Oxford Road Link an is operated by R. Bullock Buses, a division of their coach company. It is very useful for undergraduates at Manchester University who arrive in the city by rail as it starts its journey at Travis Street and at Manchester Piccadilly rail station then proceeds to the University Campus and Manchester Royal Infirmary. It then returns by the same route.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE CURRENT TIMETABLE FOR THIS SERVICE IS DATED 5TH SEPTEMBER 2010 AND NOT AS SHOWN ON YOUR LINK

It runs from Travis Street at 0717 on Monday to Fridays only, taking 15 minutes to the University Campus. It then runs every 10 minutes until the last service at 1817 from Travis Street.

I trust that this more expanded information is of use to you.

Have you approached the authorites at Lancaster University with regard to the specific concerns you have that could be addressed by extra buses on Wednesdays?.

 

[driver9000]

There already is in the form of the Sainsbury free bus (42X).

I don't think a railway station being built on Oubeck loops outside the university is likely to happen, the bus services go right into the campus where as the station would create a 10 minute or more walk across a busy road and up a big hill. South Lancaster needs better bus priority measures - there isn't a single bus lane - as Scotforth and Greaves are a nightmare to get through at peak times, as is the whole city. The university is served by Stagecoach services X1,2,2A,3,4,40,42 including a short working of the 3 between the city centre and the campus. The X1 serves the railway station. When I drove for Stagecoach the University had a combined service of a timetabled bus every 3 minutes and additional peak period untimetabled extra X2 (the old City-Campus shuttle).

 

[northwichcat]

Maybe if they are adding new stations they should add another station in the Bilsborrow/Myerscough area for Myerscough College (north of Preston) as well. (For the benefit of people from Yorkshire, the Midlands and the South the name Myerscough is pronounced Myers/koh in the same way as Burscough isn't pronounced as Burs/cough.

As Lancaster is only a small city with a large student population I wonder whether adding a new station for Lancaster University would reduce the number of long distance trains calling at Lancaster station.