Morecambe Station

[Butts]

Was in Lancaster today and popped to Morecambe for a stroll by the seaside.

How sad to see the once grand station has suffered the indignity of becoming a "Wacky's Warehouse" :cry:

Meanwhile a "plastic pod" has replaced it further up the road.

Whatever happened to "Frontier Land" ? - all that remains is a rather incongruous phallic like tower emblazoned with "Polo" motifs

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

At least the iconic art-deco Midland Hotel opposite has been fully restored to its former glory.
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Was in Lancaster today and popped to Morecambe for a stroll by the seaside.

How sad to see the once grand station has suffered the indignity of becoming a "Wacky's Warehouse" :cry:

Meanwhile a "plastic pod" has replaced it further up the road.

Whatever happened to "Frontier Land" ? - all that remains is a rather incongruous phallic like tower emblazoned with "Polo" motifs

If I may be allowed to quote part of the poem by Stanley Accrington called "Last Train", this may shed light upon the changes of holiday-making that has led to this state of affairs that you so describe:-

"And at three in the morning when I used to sign on
I lie awake half in a dream
I'm a guard on a special that's bound for the coast
With a 4-6-0 getting up steam
We've got packages for printers and pigeons to release
Spare seats after Heywood not one
Now they jump on a plane for a fortnight in Spain
And the last train to Fleetwood has gone."

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Was in Lancaster today and popped to Morecambe for a stroll by the seaside.

How sad to see the once grand station has suffered the indignity of becoming a "Wacky's Warehouse" :cry:

Meanwhile a "plastic pod" has replaced it further up the road.

Whatever happened to "Frontier Land" ? - all that remains is a rather incongruous phallic like tower emblazoned with "Polo" motifs

Frontierland closed down a few years ago. Sad but I guess people just weren't coming to it any more

The new (OK 20 years old) Morecambe station is basically a joke surrounded by an awful monument to the worst excesses of the car-centric planning of the 80s and 90s. A station that has no shelter at all if the ticket office is closed, served by an irregular shuttle to Lancaster with a timetable that looks almost like it was specifically designed to confuse people out of using the train. I accept the old station was too big for current traffic levels, but it is a shame they couldn't have retained 2 platforms of it for train services.

And next door to the new station is a supermarket that, despite being almost in the town centre, offers basically no convenient access for pedestrians. And lots of massive car parks, which are presumably there to make absolutely certain that no trace of character remains in the area.

On the up side, at least the old station building was kept - even if no longer used as a station, and most of the promenade is a lot nicer than it used to be.

 

[merlodlliw]

I went to Morecambe on a rail very early evening summer mystery tour in the early 60s from Rhyl,I was struck by the mud on the beach.

Anyhow having seen the TV shows on the rebuilding of the Midland Hotel,it looks very smart now.

If I recall Frontier Land was owned by a TV star(Noel Edmunds) and his sidekick Mr Blobby. It was plugged on his BBC show, but failed to draw the crowds. Rhyl is a similar seaside resort, a lot smaller than Morecambe, also run down. Rhyl station owned by the County Council is still bricks & mortar on the up side, although the down side is open to the elements. If it rains wait by the still covered stairs that cross the platforms!

The one good thing for Morecambe is the half hourly service.

 

[driver9000]

Blobby Land was in Happy Mount Park at the other end of the Promenade near Bare. It was a waste of time and money from the outset and closed within a year leaving a bad taste in the mouths of many residents. Morecambe is in a sad run down state these days with little going for it now. Very few attractions or festivals to draw the crowds and is a sad reflection of the town when even 10 years ago there were still some festivals such as the annual Light & Water festival. Going back even further to the 80s and early 90s there were carnivals and festivals seemingly every week.

RIP Morecambe.

 

[Greenback]

Mr Blobby was, fortunately, always going to be a short lived fad based on one unfathomably popular Saturday TV show.

Lots of money was made out of the Mr Blobby phenomenon, but it was never going to be sustainable.

Sad for Morecambe, but it's a badnwagon the town should have steered well clear of!

Back on topic, I remembe rbeing horrified when I read of the plans tor elocate Morecambe station in Modern Railways. I couldn't believe that schemes were still being put forward to downgarde stations and make them more inconvenient and uncomfortable in the 1990's.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Frontier land was owned by Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Closed in 2000.
Mr Blobby lol! in 2009.
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/leisure-sites/39411-grail-all-explorations-crinkly-bottom.html

 

[chorleyjeff]

Frontier land was owned by Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Closed in 2000.
Mr Blobby lol! in 2009.
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/leisure-sites/39411-grail-all-explorations-crinkly-bottom.html

I think Morecambe Pleasure Beach was kept open so long as the matriarch of the Thompson family was alive. There was a historic/sentimental attachment to the Morecambe operation by her which kept the park going far longerthan it should have.
And be grateful that the then owner of the Midland Hotel didn't paint the hotel in Mr Blobby colours as he threatened duringthe course of a dispute with Lancaster City Council which was about a proposed useof the building. He was a charming man but an alcoholic who often pestered me in confused phone calls seeking my assistance in his dispute. It was during these ramblings that his various schemes for revenge against the wicked council were explained to me.

 

[Butts]

At least the iconic art-deco Midland Hotel opposite has been fully restored to its former glory.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I walked past this great edifice and I believe the exterior could do with "A lick of paint".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Frontierland closed down a few years ago. Sad but I guess people just weren't coming to it any more

The new (OK 20 years old) Morecambe station is basically a joke surrounded by an awful monument to the worst excesses of the car-centric planning of the 80s and 90s. A station that has no shelter at all if the ticket office is closed, served by an irregular shuttle to Lancaster with a timetable that looks almost like it was specifically designed to confuse people out of using the train. I accept the old station was too big for current traffic levels, but it is a shame they couldn't have retained 2 platforms of it for train services.

And next door to the new station is a supermarket that, despite being almost in the town centre, offers basically no convenient access for pedestrians. And lots of massive car parks, which are presumably there to make absolutely certain that no trace of character remains in the area.

On the up side, at least the old station building was kept - even if no longer used as a station, and most of the promenade is a lot nicer than it used to be.

The Station Booking Office is closed before the evening rush hour starts - about 3/4pm.

I also noticed a big Reebok Outlet Shop that is closed down with all the white paintwork going rusty.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I think Morecambe Pleasure Beach was kept open so long as the matriarch of the Thompson family was alive. There was a historic/sentimental attachment to the Morecambe operation by her which kept the park going far longerthan it should have.
And be grateful that the then owner of the Midland Hotel didn't paint the hotel in Mr Blobby colours as he threatened duringthe course of a dispute with Lancaster City Council which was about a proposed useof the building. He was a charming man but an alcoholic who often pestered me in confused phone calls seeking my assistance in his dispute. It was during these ramblings that his various schemes for revenge against the wicked council were explained to me.

What plans are there for the former Frontierland Site - it is currently enclosed by a hideous blue fence.

 

[Leylandlad]

Morecambe is the seaside resort they forgot to close down altogether :cry:

Thankfully the Midland Hotel finally got redeveloped but apart from that there is absolutely no reason to visit the place anymore, Eric's statue aside...he would turn in his grave if he saw the place now.

Went many times as a kid (1970's) it was always busy then. The old Promenade station had real atmosphere in those days.

It was my final visit to Promenade station in 1993, not long before it closed, that finally convinced privatisation should be given a try. It was so sad to see the state the place had been left in, literally falling apart around me.

 

[underbank]

Unfortunately, Morecambe's demographics don't help. There is an abundance of OAPs on the one hand and low quality multiple occupancy housing on the other with the resulting social problems. Typical of an old seaside resort - lots of old boarding houses which are no use as family housing so are converted into bedsits and then act as a magnet for ex-prisoners etc (some were even advertised by the Local Authority in prisons!). Worse is that there is no large scale industry or even public sector employment in Morecambe and it's transport system is appalling due to Lancaster's horrific road congestion. It's surrounded by water to the west and south, and Lancaster (congestion) to the East, and nothing but countryside to the North, so it's a very poor location for working commuters either.

Quite simply, not enough people living there for their to be any decent amount of shops, attractions, etc. and there are bigger and better places for people living further afield to go (Blackpool, Preston, Manchester, Bolton etc). Shops & attractions closed down because people simply didn't support them.

Morecambe football club are in League 2 but get just about the lowest turnout at matches, meaning it's run on a shoe string. So there you have an attraction that's simply not supported because there aren't enough people living within easy distance - you won't get the blue rinse brigade or single mothers going to footie on a Saturday afternoon!

Realistically, it needs to be scaled right down to a much smaller town, demolishing huge areas of old unsuitable housing/shops etc and rebuilding modern housing estates instead to attract working families. There's a new motorway link road being built to by-pass Lancaster which should make it more accessible (in and out).

As for the station itself, if it wasn't for Heysham power station, the line would probably have closed and then there'd be no station at all. I'd say it's current location is better as it's at least closer to the town centre now. The Promenade station was only handy for the Midland Hotel (can't imagine many of their customers would come by train these days!).

 

[Dunc108]

The Winter Gardens is open occasionally for shows and they often open it for tours on a Sunday between 1-4. There was a George Formby Society Convention held there last year aswell as a few other events such as a Variety Festival and Beer Festival which are both taking place again this year. It has suffered setbacks though, like when led was stolen off the roof.

 

[jonesy3001]

The polo tower is due to be removed and the site redeveloped all owing to planning permission.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...=AhjUfKwcYhtLQjLGbvrL5g&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bGQ

 

[Dunc108]

Pics of inside the Winter Gardens taken by me recently. Opened in 1897 and Listed Grade II*

 

[Train jaune]

The former frontierland site has been awaiting redevelopment for a good few years without anything happening and I'd be suprised if anything happened anytime soon. The polo tower would have gone years ago except it's got mobile phone transmiters attached. Someone did apply (I understand) to put up a phone mast but that was refused and hence the ugly polo tower is still with us. Some of you may think Morecambe is a dump but compared with the late70s and early 80s it in relatively good nick. You still can't beat the view accross the bay, it's just a bit downhill when you turn round

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The Promenade station was only handy for the Midland Hotel (can't imagine many of their customers would come by train these days!).

For the countless thousands who used to use Morecambe Promenade railway station, disembarking right on the promenade was not exactly a drawback as far as they were concerned, if old newspapers can be believed.

 

[yorksrob]

Ah, Morecambe. Happy memories of evenings spent in a less than salubrious night club there in Uni days in the 90‘s

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Anyone on here know who it was who first coined the old saying....

"They don't bury their dead in Morecambe, they just stand 'em up in bus shelters"

 

[Blindtraveler]

I'll bet its cheep to live there though. 1 of these days il get round to clearing that line, but as noted by many on here the timetable makes doing it v hard.

 

[Dunc108]

Anyone on here know who it was who first coined the old saying....

"They don't bury their dead in Morecambe, they just stand 'em up in bus shelters"

Colin Crompton. That joke is probably 30 years old.

After living locally for 25 years, I have to say I prefer Morecambe to Lancaster, its more homely & friendly, sure the Castle & Memorial are nice, but Lancaster's certainly no York or Chester.

BR weren't originally going to give new Morecambe station a ticket office, I think Lancashire County Council had to fund it!

 

[yorksrob]

Colin Crompton. That joke is probably 30 years old.

After living locally for 25 years, I have to say I prefer Morecambe to Lancaster, its more homely & friendly, sure the Castle & Memorial are nice, but Lancaster's certainly no York or Chester.

BR weren't originally going to give new Morecambe station a ticket office, I think Lancashire County Council had to fund it!

I love Lancaster. Not just because it's where I studied, but it's a genuinely nice place to spend a few quiet hours on a Saturday. Nice pubs, nice street market, a bustling town centre that many areas would kill for.

Not been to Morecambe for a few years, but it was always a bit down at heel.

 

[Welshman]

Back in the day, Morecambe used to rival Blackpool with Illuminations.
I can remember day excursions especially for them.

The holiday traffic was such then, that there was a second terminus at Euston Rd to cater for it.

Holidaymakers from Bradford flocked there in the "Wakes Weeks" to such an extent it was known as "Bradford-by-the Sea"

The glory may have departed now as far as the station is concerned, but the view over Morecambe Bay to the Lake District hills is still second to none.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The holiday traffic was such then, that there was a second terminus at Euston Rd to cater for it.

Of course, Morecambe Promenade was the Midland Railway station and Morecambe Euston Road was the London and North Western Railway station.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

For the countless thousands who used to use Morecambe Promenade railway station, disembarking right on the promenade was not exactly a drawback as far as they were concerned, if old newspapers can be believed.

I agree with that sentiment. If I had a choice between

(1) Leaving the station and seeing the promenade and the sea and the view across Morecambe Bay ahead of me, and
(2) Leaving the station and finding myself surrounded on all sides by - ummm - basically, nothing but large car parks

I know which one I'd choose.

To be fair the old station location was probably good for tourists but not for locals. But then the new location isn't exactly brilliant for either. A better location would probably have been the West End Road bridge - especially if you could have entrances to both West End Road and Central Drive.
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The holiday traffic was such then, that there was a second terminus at Euston Rd to cater for it.

I'd bet reopening a station there would considerably enhance usage of the line, since it would bring a huge number of houses within very easy walking distance.

Obviously wouldn't do anything for holiday traffic these days, though and would be very close to the existing station, by railway standards.

 

[Gathursty]

Ah, Morecambe. Happy memories of evenings spent in a less than salubrious night club there in Uni days in the 90‘s

Would that be The Carleton?

 

[rugbymidland]

Travel writer Bill Bryson visited Morecambe in his excellent "Notes from a Small Island", and it makes a fascinating read.

 

[chorleyjeff]

Anyone on here know who it was who first coined the old saying....

"They don't bury their dead in Morecambe, they just stand 'em up in bus shelters"

Colin Crompton on ITVs Wheeltappers and Shunters Club programme.
Brilliant. Got back to a train reference.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Unfortunately, Morecambe's demographics don't help. There is an abundance of OAPs on the one hand and low quality multiple occupancy housing on the other with the resulting social problems. Typical of an old seaside resort - lots of old boarding houses which are no use as family housing so are converted into bedsits and then act as a magnet for ex-prisoners etc (some were even advertised by the Local Authority in prisons!). Worse is that there is no large scale industry or even public sector employment in Morecambe and it's transport system is appalling due to Lancaster's horrific road congestion. It's surrounded by water to the west and south, and Lancaster (congestion) to the East, and nothing but countryside to the North, so it's a very poor location for working commuters either.

Quite simply, not enough people living there for their to be any decent amount of shops, attractions, etc. and there are bigger and better places for people living further afield to go (Blackpool, Preston, Manchester, Bolton etc). Shops & attractions closed down because people simply didn't support them.

Morecambe football club are in League 2 but get just about the lowest turnout at matches, meaning it's run on a shoe string. So there you have an attraction that's simply not supported because there aren't enough people living within easy distance - you won't get the blue rinse brigade or single mothers going to footie on a Saturday afternoon!

Realistically, it needs to be scaled right down to a much smaller town, demolishing huge areas of old unsuitable housing/shops etc and rebuilding modern housing estates instead to attract working families. There's a new motorway link road being built to by-pass Lancaster which should make it more accessible (in and out).

As for the station itself, if it wasn't for Heysham power station, the line would probably have closed and then there'd be no station at all. I'd say it's current location is better as it's at least closer to the town centre now. The Promenade station was only handy for the Midland Hotel (can't imagine many of their customers would come by train these days!).

Sounds like a description of numerous Northern industrial towns in these post industrial times!!!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The further you move northwards on the promenade, you will find there are rather nice areas of Morecambe near to Happy Mount Park and in Bare.

 

[yorksrob]

Would that be The Carleton?

My goodness, however did you guess
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Travel writer Bill Bryson visited Morecambe in his excellent "Notes from a Small Island", and it makes a fascinating read.

Indeed. He also suggested we should attempt to make it a bit like a Susalito in California - laid back and groovy.

Sounds like a good idea - Fleetwood Mac recorded their seminal classic, Rumours in Sausalito, so maybe Morecambe could inspire similar artistic heights.

 

[Gathursty]

The Lovely Eggs are based in Morecambe. Note John Shuttleworth in a cameo in this music video set oddly enough in Morecambe. :P Very good live too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uuMy2ZN7A8