Carlisle

CRS Code	CAR
Collected date	13/09/14

At the northern end of the Cumbrian Coast Line we reached Carlisle, where various lines including the West Coast Main Line and the famous Settle and Carlisle line meet. The station's main entrance is on the north side of the line, approached by a slightly twisty maze of car parks and access roads:

The entrance to the station, under one of several coats of arms. (From left to right: Lancaster and Carlisle Railway; the Royal Arms; Caledonian Railway; blank):

Looking east along the front of the station building:

Inside the station, looking back at the other side of the station entrance:

The ticket office and tourist information centre in the entrance give onto the covered station interior with a large concourse:

A small square area is fenced off for waiting, presumably to provide some shelter from the wind!

At the western end of the concourse area are two bay platforms, platforms 7 and 8:

Although a collection of portakabins mean platform 8 is a bit hidden away:

Looking west along platform 7, with the face of platform 4 on the left:

A footbridge connects the two sides of the station just east of the main entrance area:

Steps and a ramp lead up to the footbridge, and a lift down to a subway:

East of the footbridge are two more bay platforms, platforms 5 and 6 for the Settle and Carlisle line and the Hadrian's Wall Country Line to Newcastle. They have their own little waiting area, too, with a bench on an astroturf lawn:

Alongside platform 6 the station's wall is decorated with paintings of steam locomotives from its history:

Looking west along platform 6:

Looking east along platforms 5 and 6:

The platforms in the centre of the trainshed are the West Coast Main Line, with platform 4 for southbound trains:

Looking east along platform 4:

From the footbridge looking eastwards, with platform 4 on the left and platform 3 on the right:

The end of the footbridge on platform 3:

On platform 3 looking east:

A locomotive-shaped planter sits on platform 3:

Looking east along platform 3 towards the footbridge:

Walking to the western end of platform 3 we look across at platform 4, the bays 7 and 8 and the glazed trainshed end:

At the western end of the island platform which contains platforms 1-3, there is a ramp up to the road bridge:

The two halves of the road bridge which crosses the line on either side of the ramp:

Looking east from the same point at the buildings on platform 3:

On the far side of the building is platform 1, looking east:

At the eastern end of platforms 1 and 3 the little bay platform 2 starts:

Platform 2 has signs on both sides of the track:

Looking west along platform 2:

Looking east along the line from the end of platform 3:

In the building on platform 3 is this waiting room, decorated rather grandly:

The fireplace in the waiting room:

A big window looks out on the station:

All photographs are © Alexandra Lanes You may reproduce them anywhere for any purpose. Coastline maps are reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of the Ordnance Survey © Crown copyright 2001