Line history
Windermere station interior in 1907
Pre 1950
August 1844
Proposals for a railway between Kendal and Windermere, and Provisional list of Directors published.
30 June 1845
The K&WR Act (V8 & 9 c32) published: An Act for making a railway from the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway to Birthwaite in the parish of Windermere, to be called “The Kendal and Windermere Railway”.
16 July 1845
Cornelius Nicholson, the man behind the establishment of the K&WR, ceremonially cut the first sod.
Kendal station in the days when it had three platforms
22 September 1846
Opening of the line from Kendal – Oxenholme, at the same time as the southern portion of the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway to Oxenholme. Passengers changed from the train at Kendal to travel north by coach north, along what is now the A6.
20 April 1847
The railway opened through to Windermere amid much ceremony and feasting.
May 1858
K&W Railway leased by the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway.
An outing from the Zion church on Kendal station in about 1910
The little tank engine which pulled many of the local trains in the early years of the 20th century
August 1859
Lancaster and Carlisle Railway (including the K&W) became part of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR).
1881
Oxenholme Station rebuilt.
1884
Kendal Station enlarged by provision of up platform.
A train from Windermere approaches Burneside Higher Crossing
1905
The “Club Train” began running to Manchester with special accommodation for the leading Manchester businessmen, whose homes were on Windermere.
1923
The LNWR became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS).
1948
The LMS formed the major component of British Rail’s London Midland region as part of nationalisation of all of Britain’s railways.
The first Ferguson tractors delivered to Westmorland
A tank loco hauls a train from Windermere into Oxenholme station. The farm on the right gave its name to the station.
Post 1950
1962
Oxenholme engine shed closed.
1964
Staveley signal box, Staveley and Burneside goods yards closed.
1966
The Manchester “Club Train” ceased running.
Kendal Station in the 1950’s
1971
Burneside and Staveley stations became unstaffed.
29 April 1973
Kendal and Burneside station signal boxes closed.
13 May 1973
The Branch reduced from double to single track; Oxenholme and Windermere signal boxes closed.
Unidentified class 108 multiple unit BR blue at Staveley soon after the line was reduced to a single track
February 1984
Lakes Line Action Group formed.
1986
The new station at Windermere opened.
1991
The new shelter at Kendal station opened.
May 1994
Through trains to Manchester Airport introduced in the summer timetable.
April 1997
On privatization British Rail’s ‘Regional Railways North West’ became the North Western Trains franchise. Later this was taken over by First Group to become First North Western.
A Pacer train in Br’s Regional Railways livery crosses Parkside Road on its way to Kendal
March 2002
The Branch was closed for 16 days for complete relaying with continuous welded rail.
February 2005
Services taken over by First TransPennine Express (TPE).
August 2006
Windermere station refurbished.
Oxenholme station
December 2006
Services taken over by TPE Class 185 ‘Pennine’ trains.
April 2016
The franchise passed to Arriva, trading as Northern Railway.
June 2018
Northern replaced all Lakes Line trains with buses after its new timetable collapsed. After two weeks locally based West Coast Railways ran a skeleton service, which was welcomed by locals and visitors alike.
March 2020
The franchise was taken over early by the Government after poor performance by Northern.
July 2020
The first day of the new class 195 diesel trains working the Lakes Line. Below: David Dockray’s photo shows a class 195 unit at Black Moss, near Windermere.
Early morning at Oxenholme and commuters hurry across to platform 3 for the train to Windermere