Avanti West Coast has teamed up with the local community based around Oxenholme station to celebrate the opening of Cumbria’s railways 175 years ago.
Working in partnership with Community Rail Cumbria, Lakes Line Rail User Group (LLRUG), industry partners and local authorities, Avanti West Coast has unveiled a commemorative plaque at Oxenholme station to mark the 175th anniversary of the Lakes Line – a 10-mile branch line from Oxenholme to Windermere.
The plaque unveiling, accompanied by speeches reflecting on the Lakes Line’s history and its importance in the region, commenced activity by LLRUG and Community Rail Cumbria to commemorate the opening of the branch line in 1846, as part of their Project 175 initiative.
Project 175 is a year-long celebration of Cumbria’s railway (Furness Line and Lakes Line) with activities including community events, exhibitions, artwork, plaques, and planting at stations in the region.
Part-funded through Avanti West Coast’s Station Community Project Fund, it is being delivered by volunteers between April 2021 and April 2022 to coincide with key milestones in the lines’ history.
The Lakes Line, also known as the Windermere branch, first opened on 21 September 1846 from Oxenholme to Kendal – to provide a connection with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway (now the West Coast Main Line).
In April 1847, the Lakes Line opened from Kendal to Windermere, serving Burneside, Staveley and Windermere – providing a direct link to the heart of the Lake District. As the only branch line into the Lake District, it plays a vital role in connecting the community and visitors to the area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kerry Riley, Customer Experience Manager at Avanti West Coast said: “We’re proud to be playing our part in this important celebration with the railway community and local people. As the gateway to the Lake District, Oxenholme station is a key destination on our route and where our iconic Pendolino trains connect into the Lakes Line to provide clean, green journey option for visitors to the region.
“At Avanti West Coast we want to connect people and places, so we’re excited to help showcase the beautiful destinations served by the Lakes Line and highlight the vital role it has played for the community and transporting visitors over the last 175 years, which remains just as important today.”
Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said: “I’m delighted to see local people coming together to mark this special anniversary.
“The Lakes Line has played an enormous role in serving both the local community and visitors over the last 175 years, and I know it will continue to play an even more important one in the years ahead.”
Tim Owen, Chairman of Lakes Line Community Rail Partnership said: “The 175th anniversary of the Kendal and Windermere Railway is a great opportunity to celebrate not only our great railway heritage, but also the vision of our forebears who invested in providing such a vital and long lasting public transport link into the heart of the Lake District. Long may it flourish!”
An exhibition, curated by LLRUG and Kendal Museum, documenting the 175 years of the Lakes Line, is open at Kendal Museum until March 2022.
