Walk: The Glasson Dock Branch Railway, Lancaster Green Ayre and Castle Stations (Updated)

Categories

• North-West

This event has been rescheduled to take place on Thursday 26th June 2025

A walk along the Glasson Dock Branch Railway from Conder Green to Lancaster Docks and then on to Lancaster Castle Station. We will also explore the area around the, now closed, Green Ayre station. The total distance walked, including visting the site of Green Ayre station and a section of the former Midland line between Green Ayre and Lancaster (Castle) stations, will be approximately 6.5 miles, following well maintained footpaths. The distance walked can be reduced to 5.5 miles by omitting the visit to Green Ayre, and following the Glasson Branch up to Lancaster Station.

The Glasson Branch railway opened in March 1883, some 58 years after the Glasson Branch of the Lancaster Canal, was built, following a request from the Lancaster Port Commissioners, who in return promised  improvements to the quay and facilities at Glasson Dock. The line provided a link from the works, primarily those of James Williamson and the Lancaster Gasworks, beside the quays on the Lune at Lancaster, to the dock at Glasson and to the main line at Lancaster Castle where there were Bay platforms. The line, 4.8 miles in length, opened for passengers in July 1883. Passenger services continued until official closure in July 1930. At this point the branch became freight only. The line closed from Glasson to the Lancaster Quay Sidings Junction in 1964 and fully, following the closure of the section between the junction and Lancaster Castle Station, in 1969.

For a detailed description of the LNWR Glasson Branch, see ‘Lancaster’s Line to the Sea; A History of the Glasson Branch of the LNWR’  by Dave Richardson (Cumbrian Railways Association).

Green Ayre Station (Lancaster’s third station) was opened by the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company in June 1848. The MH&R merged with the “little” North Western Railway, which continued the line eastward, reaching Skipton in 1850. A curve connecting Green Ayre and Castle stations opened in 1849. The station, which closed in 1966, was on the southern bank of the Lune. To the west of the station, the line to Morecambe crossed the river via Greyhound Bridge – the bridge is extant and is now a road bridge.

Train travellers should meet at Lancaster Railway Station (platform 3) at 10:20, following the arrival of the 09:21 departure from Manchester Piccadilly (TPE service to Glasgow) and arrival of the 09:27 departure from Warrington BQ arriving Lancaster at 10:08. There is a later Northern service (train to Windermere) departing Piccadilly at 09:50 arriving Lancaster at 10:50. However, should this train run late, the timing of the connection with the bus (see below) would be tight. Both trains from Piccadilly go direct to Lancaster and qualify as being off- peak.

The 09:27 departure from Warrington BQ may be joined at Wigan NW (09:37) or Preston (09:51).

From the railway station the group will walk (10 minutes) to Common Garden Street, Stop B to board the 89 bus, departing at 11.03, for the 12-minute journey to Conder Green. For those travelling to Lancaster by bus, this is the 11:00 departure from Lancaster Bus Station (Stand 2).

A packed lunch is advised.

For further details, or with any questions please contact Roger Brice (roger.brice@rchs.org.uk; or, 07702 303242)

Skerton_Bridge (By Mike and Kirsty Grundy, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Conder Bridge: RCTS, June 1964 (Derick Codling)

Conder Green Rail Bridge (© David Rogers cc-by-sa/2.0)