Furness Line Carnforth to Barrow
8th February 2008

The Furness line meanders round Morecambe Bay, crossing the estuaries of the rivers Kent and Leven by means of two substantial viaducts. Although the line runs along the sea wall through Grange-over-sands, the sea rarely gets close and the beach is mostly grass. Until the mid 1990s there were regular loco hauled passenger trains to Barrow, now it's all DMUs. Currently the only freight traffic is nuclear flask trains to Sellafield, even the chemical tank trains no longer use this line.

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37895 near Plumpton with a rail train 21/9/99
37895 near Plumpton with a rail train 21/9/99
 20304 + 20301 approach Kents Bank with 2 tanks 12/9/97
20304 + 20301 approach Kents Bank with 2 tanks 12/9/97
 Viewed from the top of Arnside Knott a return Carlisle-Euston charter crosses the viaduct 26/9/07 headed by 67012.
Viewed from the top of Arnside Knott a return Carlisle-Euston charter crosses the viaduct 26/9/07 headed by 67012.
 37609 growls up Lindal bank with chemical tanks from Sellafield 28/8/01
37609 growls up Lindal bank with chemical tanks from Sellafield 28/8/01
20302 approaches Kents Bank with the Heysham flasks with 20303 on the rear 29/8/07
20302 approaches Kents Bank with the Heysham flasks with 20303 on the rear 29/8/07
 37042 passes Flookburgh with a rail train 30/4/99
37042 passes Flookburgh with a rail train 30/4/99
 31319 passes Furness Abbey with a flask train 6/7/96
31319 passes Furness Abbey with a flask train 6/7/96
 20309 top and tail with 20306 works a weedkiller train at Black Dyke 7/7/05
20309 top and tail with 20306 works a weedkiller train at Black Dyke 7/7/05
20309 + 20311 lead 20313 + 20314 past Cart Lane with a flask train 29/4/99
20309 + 20311 lead 20313 + 20314 past Cart Lane with a flask train 29/4/99
 37042 passes Plumpton Junction with a heavy rail train 23/9/99. The signal box and semaphores have since been removed.
37042 passes Plumpton Junction with a heavy rail train 23/9/99. The signal box and semaphores have since been removed.
 37261 crosses Leven viaduct in the early morning of 18/8/98 with a short lived flow of paper pulp to Ramsden Dock
37261 crosses Leven viaduct in the early morning of 18/8/98 with a short lived flow of paper pulp to Ramsden Dock
 37713 crosses Arnside viaduct with the longest flask train I've ever seen 11/4/98
37713 crosses Arnside viaduct with the longest flask train I've ever seen 11/4/98
47854 hauls an inspection saloon through Flookburgh 6/5/04
47854 hauls an inspection saloon through Flookburgh 6/5/04
 20303 brings up the rear of the Heysham flasks near Kents Bank 29/8/07
20303 brings up the rear of the Heysham flasks near Kents Bank 29/8/07
 20314 + 20315 approach Grange with a tank train 27/7/01. Arnside viaduct is visible in the distance.
20314 + 20315 approach Grange with a tank train 27/7/01. Arnside viaduct is visible in the distance.
 With the moon rising 37521 passes Black Dyke on a rail train 28/8/01
With the moon rising 37521 passes Black Dyke on a rail train 28/8/01
56029 departs Barrow with 56114 on the rear with a portion of a Pathfinder railtour bound for Ramsden Dock, 25/4/98.
56029 departs Barrow with 56114 on the rear with a portion of a Pathfinder railtour bound for Ramsden Dock, 25/4/98.
 56114 approaches Grange with a Bristol-Barrow railtour 25/4/98. The sea only reaches the railway embankment during the highest tides.
56114 approaches Grange with a Bristol-Barrow railtour 25/4/98. The sea only reaches the railway embankment during the highest tides.
 31188 passes Cart Lane with a flask train 30/8/97
31188 passes Cart Lane with a flask train 30/8/97
 20303 leads 2 empty tanks bound for Folly Lane (Runcorn) away from Dalton Junction with 20302 idling on the rear 7/5/04. The train had come via the Dalton loop avoiding Barrow.
20303 leads 2 empty tanks bound for Folly Lane (Runcorn) away from Dalton Junction with 20302 idling on the rear 7/5/04. The train had come via the Dalton loop avoiding Barrow.
33025 + 33030 pass Flookburgh with 2 flasks 5/5/04
33025 + 33030 pass Flookburgh with 2 flasks 5/5/04
 20314 + 20308 + 20312 + 20304 approach Carnforth with 6 flasks 16/6/04
20314 + 20308 + 20312 + 20304 approach Carnforth with 6 flasks 16/6/04
 A burst of sunlight on a cloudy day as 37259 + 37611 rumble over Leven viaduct with the loaded tanks 23/9/05
A burst of sunlight on a cloudy day as 37259 + 37611 rumble over Leven viaduct with the loaded tanks 23/9/05
 31465 stands at Ramsden Dock ready to work a train to Sellafield 19/7/96
31465 stands at Ramsden Dock ready to work a train to Sellafield 19/7/96
© 1998-2010 David Dockray - All copyrights rest with the Author
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