Station code BOC DfT category F2 Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference SD093892 Managed by Northern 2011/12 12,792 | |
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Similar Silecroft railway station, Nethertown railway station, Green Road railway st, Drigg railway station, Foxfield railway station | ||
Bootle railway station, situated in the hamlet of Bootle Station, serves the village of Bootle and the neighbouring hamlet of Hycemoor in Cumbria, England. The railway station is a request stop on the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line 24 miles (39 km) north of Barrow-in-Furness. It is operated by Northern who provide all passenger train services.
Contents
History
The Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway was authorised in 1847 for a line which would link the town of Whitehaven with the Furness Railway at Broughton-in-Furness. It was opened in stages, and the section between Ravenglass and Bootle opened on 8 July 1850. The last section between Bootle and Broughton-in-Furness was opened for passenger services 1 November 1850: trains carrying Lord Lonsdale and invited guests had travelled over the section on at least two occasions in October.
Facilities
It has retained its main buildings, being the stationmaster’s house waiting rooms and restrooms but these are now two private residences and the station is unstaffed.The station clock is original and still works.
The buildings are built from red granite and sandstone. Originally the design was used on many of the stations on the Cumbrian Coast Line but today only three exist. This one, Drigg and Ravenglass.
This is the only one remaining which is occupied residentially.
There are no ticket facilities, so these must be bought prior to travel or from the conductor on the train.
Shelters are present on both platforms, with the wooden one on the northbound side being the more substantial of the two.
A level crossing with hand-operated gates (and supervising signal box) links the platforms, which both have step-free access from the road.
The signal box c. 1874 is a Furness Railway Type 1 design and retains a London Midland Region lever frame of 15 levers installed in 1977. and was listed in November 2013 under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Train running information can be obtained by telephone or from timetable posters. Train running information can be obtained by telephone or from timetable posters.
Services
Monday to Saturdays there is generally an hourly (with some longer gaps in the early morning and afternoon) request service southbound to Barrow and northbound towards Whitehaven and Carlisle. Some services continue beyond Barrow via the Furness Line to Lancaster & Preston.
There is presently no evening or Sunday service. However it is planned to start a Sunday service in 2018.
Explosion on 22 March 1945
At about 22:17 on 22 March 1945 a wagon containing depth charges in a southbound freight train caught fire on approaching Bootle. The train crew, driver H. Goodall and fireman H.N. Stubbs, on becoming aware of the fire, stopped the train south of Bootle station. Despite the fierce fire, the crew isolated the burning wagon by uncoupling the rear portion of the train, then drawing it forward to before uncoupling the burning wagon. With the wagon isolated, the fireman went forward to protect the northbound line while the driver went back in a possible attempt to fight the fire. At this point the depth charges violently exploded, killing the driver and creating a crater 105 feet long to a depth of 50 feet. The line was closed for three days whilst the crater was filled in and the track relaid.