An 1863 Ordnance Survey plan shows refreshment facilities in the large room seen to the right on entering the building, but this is now used for storage.[4]
Passenger services to Darlington and Kirkby Stephen were withdrawn on 22 January 1962, whilst those to Workington via Cockermouth fell victim to the Beeching Axe around four years later. The surviving section of the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway as far as Keswick survived until 6 March 1972. There have recently been plans to re-open the line as far as Keswick, but there have been no further developments to progress this at present.[5][6][7]
The station was the last in the United Kingdom where mail was collected by a moving train, the practice finally coming to an end on 3 October 1971.[8][9]
Opened as Penrith, the station was renamed Penrith for Ullswater Lake in 1904.[2] The station's name reverted to the original Penrith on 6 May 1974.[2][10] It has since been renamed Penrith North Lakes on 18 May 2003.
Facilities
The station is staffed throughout the day, with the ticket office open from 05:30–19:00 Monday to Saturday and 11:30–19:00 on Sunday. A self-service ticket machine is also available. Each platform has next train audio-visual displays, with customer help points on platforms 1 and 2 (platform 3 is rarely used). Waiting rooms are provided on platforms 1 and 2, along with toilets, a post box and a payphone. Step-free access is available to all platforms via lifts, with a footbridge and subway also available.[11]
Following the December 2021 timetable change, TransPennine Express operate nine trains per day heading north towards Glasgow Central via Carlisle (seven trains per day on Sunday), as well as three trains per day to Edinburgh Waverley via Carlisle. Heading south, there are 15 trains per day to Manchester Airport (11 trains per day on Sunday), with a once-daily service to Liverpool Lime Street.[14]