Barrow in Furness Station subway

[ScottGallagher]

I have just had a notification from northern that the subway between platforms 1 and 2 is being replaced this weekend, unless I'm missing something , achieving that in one weekend is unusual to put it mildly. Not going to be at Barrow until early April but does anyone have any idea what's going on here?

 

[Glenn1969]

Buses replace trains on 3 dates- Feb 29, Mar 1 and Mar 8- between Ulverston and Millom according to Northern social media posts today. Can they get work done in that time?

 

[Rcholmes85]

I have just had a notification from northern that the subway between platforms 1 and 2 is being replaced this weekend, unless I'm missing something , achieving that in one weekend is unusual to put it mildly. Not going to be at Barrow until early April but does anyone have any idea what's going on here?

Preparation work has taken place already to remove the platform edging and the brickwork underneath to expose the top of bridge 80 (where the track runs over the subway). So at the weekend they just need to remove the track, lift out the bridge, put the new one in, put down the track and make sure it safe. Then they will do what they can on the subway refurbished to make it safe for passengers for Monday. Then they will probably finish it all off the following sunday, rebuilding the platform and finishing the subway works.

 

[Roose]

Network Rail are making use of the subway line closure to do other (maintenance) work in Low Furness, too.

 

[PhilipW]

A pity they did not keep Platform 3 as a through platform.

 

[Dr Hoo]

A pity they did not keep Platform 3 as a through platform.

As Barrow-in-Furness rarely gets the limelight on this forum it seems a pity to waste the opportunity to slightly broaden the thread.

Noting the investment in maintaining access to the vital asset of Platform 3 through the subway works can I ask what problems have been caused by the absence of through running? When was it truncated?

 

[PhilipW]

Barrow originally had 4 through platforms all accessed via the subway.

Platform 4 was closed years and years ago though the buildings still stood for ages.
Platform 3 was converted into a bay platform for northbound trains around the 70s/80s, I cannot be specific.

While it was still a through platform it did have some interesting movements. Up until the 1960s (possibly even into the 70s), there used to be a through train from Whitehaven to Eustion in the morning with extra carriages added at Barrow.
These carriages were held in Platform 3 where passengers boarded them. When the train from Whitehaven arrived in Platform 2 about 08:50, the extra carriages were then pulled about 400 yards northbound (with passengers in them) and then pushed onto the back of the Whitehaven train. The combined train then headed southwards from Platform 2 at 09:00.

At Preston something similar happened. The train arrived at one platform and unloaded its passengers. The carriages from Barrow and just some of the carriages from Whitehaven were then detached and pulled northwards again (with passengers in them). They waited until the train from Blackpool North arrived at an adjacent platform when they were then pushed onto the rear of that train.

The combined train of carriages from Blackpool North, Whitehaven and Barrow then set off for Euston at 11:00, just 15 mins after the Whitehaven one had arrived. Arrival at Euston was 15:00 approx.

This all seems very complicated by today's standards but it worked fine. It gave lots of small towns in north Lancashire and west Cumberland a through service to London.

 

[Rcholmes85]

Barrow station before WW2 when it was destroyed in the Blitz

 

[Dr Hoo]

Thanks for some great stuff there. I do dimly recall my first ever trip from Barrow (towards Carnforth) departed from Platform 3, accessed via the subway. It had arrived behind a steam locomotive but this was changed to a diesel before departure. Must have been in 1967.

 

[DarloRich]

Is a Barrow in furness station subway more or less chewy than a Barrow in furness bus depot?

(Apologies to chewitts!)

 

[PhilipW]

Just to add a little to my previous post.
On reflection, I think that the through train to Euston started at Workington rather than Whitehaven. That would make more sense.

Looking back it seems amazing that so many smallish towns like Workington, Whitehaven, Millom, Barrow, Ulverston and Grange had through trains through to the the nation's capital. One of the 'Open Access' train companuies did float the possibility of a Cumbriam coast service a while back, but it came to nothing.

Ah well, 'Progress', I think that's what it's called.

 

[ScottGallagher]

At the bottom of the stairs of the subway on the platform 1 side there is hoarding to the left, what history lays behind this?

On a different note I always remember the greasy spoon like cafe on platform 1 with the mustard leather seats!! , pity the space is now a soulless cold waiting area and a rip off shop.

 

[duffield]

At the bottom of the stairs of the subway on the platform 1 side there is hoarding to the left, what history lays behind this?

On a different note I always remember the greasy spoon like cafe on platform 1 with the mustard leather seats!! , pity the space is now a soulless cold waiting area and a rip off shop.

However, at least you don't have to use the 'rip off shop' as there's a Tesco just a couple of minutes away. I used it while waiting for one of the class 37 hauled services a few years back.

 

[ScottGallagher]

However, at least you don't have to use the 'rip off shop' as there's a Tesco just a couple of minutes away. I used it while waiting for one of the class 37 hauled services a few years back.

That's just it I don't use it and I'm normally only changing trains at Barrow, theres a wider debate about station catering and their extortionate prices for another day.

 

[Rcholmes85]

Just a little hole at Barrow station.

 

[ScottGallagher]

I assume the Barrow avoiding line couldnt be used in this case, if indeed northern drivers have the knowledge in their bag and it's rated for passenger trains ?

 

[ScottGallagher]

Did all this go to plan in the end? Interested to see what improvents actually mean to the subway or are talking just a paint job?

 

[Rcholmes85]

Those pics taken on Monday 2nd March. Its all finished now and all went to plan I believe. Subway doesn't look much different to be honest but structurally it's much improved.

 

[Rcholmes85]

Oh, might be some new panneling to be installed and repainting but building wise it completed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Actually slightly surprised they didn't fill it in and install a lift-fitted bridge. Is it accessible?

 

[hwl]

Actually slightly surprised they didn't fill it in and install a lift-fitted bridge. Is it accessible?

I'm fairly certain it is...

 

[robvulpes]

Actually slightly surprised they didn't fill it in and install a lift-fitted bridge. Is it accessible?

I'm fairly certain it is...

Yes - there have been lifts down to the subway for a while.

 

[ScottGallagher]

Yes - there have been lifts down to the subway for a while.

Yes pretty sure they were put in by TPE but they are fairly recent.
Going back a long while I seem to recollect there was a crossing on the track at the end of platform 1 to get over to platform 2 and 3 rather than use the subway. If it's still there I doubt it's permitted to use now there are lifts.

 

[themiller]

The finished article on 12/03/2020: