Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway.
Passenger trains operated by London & North Western Railway

Goods:  British Railways (London Midland Region) 
Passengers: British Rail (London Midland Region)

Notes: When the Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway opened on 2 January 1865, Penruddock was one of the original stations. At first it was a crossing place on the otherwise single-track line; the loop was extended 30yd westwards in 1870, with a siding beyond, and in 1873 the siding became part of the loop so that the longest mineral trains could be accommodated. In 1874 a signal box was opened at the down end of the up platform; in 1896 this was replaced by a box at the up end of the same platform.

Penruddock was unique among the CK&P stations in having staggered platforms, the down one being offset to the east. A barrow crossing connected the platforms, adjacent to the 1896 signal box. The station building stood on the up platform, of similar design to that at Troutbeck and some other minor stations on the route. It was constructed of stone and single storey under a pitched roof; however, at the eastern end the section containing the booking office stepped forward with a half-hipped gable facing east, presumably allowing the stationmaster to have a good view of the platforms – for the same reason that some railway companies provided a bay window for the office. The signal box, opened in 1896, also possessed a half-hipped roof. The down platform possessed only a small timber waiting shed. To provide accommodation for the stationmaster a nearby residence was purchased in July 1863, thought to be the house standing by the road on the up side approach.

Goods traffic was dealt with on the up side of the running lines, the sidings serving a cattle pen, a coal landing and three coal cells. Originally a 3-ton capacity crane was provided. In 1882 a siding was installed trailing off the down line for the use of the Howard family of Greystoke Castle and their guests. Described as a  ‘horse and carriage landing’, prior to World War 1 horses were unloaded about half-a-dozen times a year for hunting, and the military used the facility for horses bound for a nearby summer camp. The Greystoke estate also provided timber for pit props which were exported via this siding in 1919 and during World War 2 it was used once again for loading timber.

Penruddock’s first stationmaster was William Reay (on a weekly salary of £1 1s 0d, with uniform and house). He was promoted to be stationmaster at Bassenthwaite Lake in January 1872 (and later to the prestigious post at Keswick). In his place, John Tinnion was promoted from being stationmaster at Blencow, and he remained at Penruddock until October 1906.

Ø  Goods and passenger train; punctuality not guaranteed
§  Approximate time; stops to set down through passengers on informing the guard

The 1904 Railway Clearing House Handbook shows that at this time that a 1-ton 10cwt crane was installed and that the station could handle the full range of goods, including furniture vans, carriages, portable engines, machines on wheels, livestock, horse boxes and prize cattle vans. Coal was also handled, but the Handbook did not indicate this.

Penruddock, like some of the other CP&K stations, was lit by acetylene gas. A small ‘gas house’ was provided for the generating equipment. This was the first station on the line where this form of lighting was installed, in November 1898, with plant of increased capacity replacing the original equipment in August 1899 (which was moved to Blencow).

Penruddock received a new stationmaster in October 1906: John Blackburn, who was promoted from this role at Embleton. His tenure at Penruddock was of short duration as in August 1908 he was further promoted to serve at Bassenthwaite Lake. His replacement was Joseph Todhunter who was transferred from Braithwaite and was in post until September 1921.

No Sunday service

Brick-built extensions were added to the ‘forecourt’ elevation at an unknown date; one was a lean-to at the east end and the other was at a higher level.

From 1 January 1923 at the ‘Grouping’ the line and station became part of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). By this date the Penruddock stationmaster was John Clapham who had moved to the post in September 1921 from his role as parcels clerk at Keswick. He would be the last person to hold this post as the station came under the supervision of Troutbeck (date unknown) and then Blencow (in 1932). Mr Clapham continued living in Penruddock station house and it was later the home of other railwaymen.

Under LMS administration it is likely that on the platform elevation the frontage of the booking hall was rebuilt in brick The design of the new windows suggests that the work was done in the 1930s; they differed uncomfortably from the original ones which remained on the rest of the elevation. A similar alteration was made to the building at Troutbeck station.

No Sunday service
SX Saturday excepted   SO Saturday only   MFSO Monday, Friday and Saturday only
‡ 6 minutes later on Monday, Friday and Saturday       Ø 9 minutes later on Monday
† 8 minutes later on Monday, Friday and Saturday
‖ 7 minutes later on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
~ Continues to Workington on Saturday
¶ From 8 June    # 18 May to 28 September    ++ 15 June to 21 September
§ 22 June to 14 September

From 1 January 1948 Penruddock station was administered by British Railways (BR) London Midland Region (LM).  The station, along with most of the others on the Workington – Penrith line, was fitted with BR(LM) maroon vitreous enamel nameboards and totem lamp tablets, probably in the late 1950s. Although the station had been gas-lit the lanterns in use by the late 1950s/early 1960s held oil lamps as the gas equipment had worn out.

The former CK&P saw the introduction of diesel multiple units in January 1955 which gradually replaced steam-hauled passenger trains.  In the summer 1956 timetable (below) a Sunday train service commenced on the route, but they did not call at Penruddock; however, from summer 1957 some trains called here on Sunday.

No Sunday service
SX Saturday excepted     SO Saturday only    ¶ 14 July to 18 September   
Ø 30 June to 8 September     § 22 June to 1 September    
# 9 July to 7 Sep SX; until 8 September SO   ++ 2 minutes later on Saturday
‡ Terminates at Penrith SO      † Continues to Whitehaven SO

 
¶ Terminates at Penrith Friday and Saturday 18 June to 4 September
§ 17 July to 21 August

Sunday train services were reinstated for summer 1966 (calling at Penruddock), but this would be the last year in which they ran.

Whilst the Keswick to Workington section of the former CK&P closed to all traffic in April 1966 the Penrith-Keswick service continued for several years, but economies were made in operating the remaining branch. Goods had already ceased to be handled at Penruddock on 1 June 1964, and on 4 December 1967 the signal box closed when the operation of the branch went over to ‘one engine in steam’ – effectively one long siding. The down track through the station was removed and the down platform was taken out of use. The shelter on this platform was removed at or before the abandonment of this platform. Along with the other branch stations, Penruddock was unstaffed from 1 July 1968. In the mid 1960s an electric lamp was installed on each platform, replacing oil lighting.

No Sunday service

The timetable shown above would be the final one for Penruddock as the Penrith-Keswick branch closed on 6 March 1972.

For some years the up platform remained in place together with the derelict station building and signal box, as seen on the photo of April 1977. By 2010 the station building had been demolished but the overgrown up platform was still in place. The platform has since been removed in connection with a new housing development.

Route map drawn by Alan Young. Bradshaw from Alan Young. Totem from Richard Furness.

To see the other stations on the Cockermouth - Penrith line click on the station name: Cockermouth 1st, Cockermouth 2nd, Embleton, Bassenthwaite Lake, Braithwaite, Keswick, Briery Siding Halt, Threlkeld, Highgate Platform, Troutbeck, & Blencow

Click here for a brief history of the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway