Notes: The Little North Western Railway opened a single line
between Lancaster and Clapham in three stages. The first section
to Wennington opened in 1849. The company was absorbed by the
Midland Railway in 1874 and they doubled the line in 1889. Passenger
services were mainly between Morecambe and Leeds/Bradford but
in 1966 they were rerouted via Carnforth and Wennington and two
years later this direct line to Wennington closed to all traffic.
Route - when open: Green Ayre station in Lancaster was located
on the south bank of the River Lune immediately east of the junction
where the single line from Castle station joined the line from
Morecambe Promenade. The line to Wennington then headed NE passing
under Skerton bridge (carrying the A6 over the river) and, keeping
to the south bank, soon went under the aqueduct carrying the Preston
- Kendal canal. Halton was reached after 2.2 miles with a loop
of the river (Crook of Lune) crossed by two fine bridges. From
Caton it kept close to the Lancaster - Kirkby Lonsdale road (A683)
and at Hornby it turned more westerly to follow the River Wenning
joining the line from Carnforth at Wennington.
The first four miles is now the Lancaster - Caton Cycleway. Beyond
Bull Beck the course of line has reverted to agricultural use.
Halton is the only extant station on the line.
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