A short distance west of the station, the railway crosses the River Kent on an impressive 50-span viaduct that is some 1,558-foot (475 m) long.[1] The historic structure underwent major repairs and refurbishment, including the complete replacement of the rail deck in 2011. Similar work was carried out on the nearby Leven Estuary viaduct in the spring of 2006.
A short branch line to Sandside and Hincaster Junction on the West Coast Main Line once diverged from the main line here, which carried a Grange-over-Sands to Kendal local service from its opening in 1876 until 1942.[2] In July 1922, this FR service ran five times per day in each direction on weekdays. The branch was also used by mineral trains from County Durham to the Barrow-in-Furness area, allowing them to avoid having to reverse direction at the busy junction at Carnforth. Local freight traffic continued as far as Sandside until final closure of the line in 1972. The disused platform face and trackbed is still visible behind the southbound platform.
Facilities
Whilst one building remains at the station, it is not in railway use. Shelters are provided for passengers on both platforms, but the only link between them is via a footbridge with stairs (no step-free access).[3] Digital information screens, customer help points, timetable posters and automated announcements provide train running details. As the station is unstaffed, tickets can only be bought from the ticket machine or on the train.
It is served by stopping trains between Lancaster and Barrow, with some continuing to Sellafield or Carlisle via the Cumbrian Coast Line in the northbound direction and by some through services southbound to Preston and Manchester Airport. There is one train per hour in each direction on weekdays, although the varying nature of the stopping patterns of each service means the timetable is irregular. On Sundays there is a train every hour each way (up from a two-hourly frequency since May 2018).[4]
^ abStations in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees are considered part of North East England, while stations in the unitary areas of York and North Yorkshire are considered part of Yorkshire and the Humber.
^Stations in North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire are considered part of Yorkshire and the Humber, while all other stations are considered part of the East Midlands.