Carlisle Station Improvements

[themiller]

Where do you mean by the back of the station? I consider the back to be where the baths used to be.

Planning 24/0651 relates to all the works at the front (main) entrance to Carlisle Citadel station. One impact is that the entrance to the main station car park (access between the station entrance and the Station Hotel) has to change as there will be no access across the front of the station due to pedestrianisation. So 24/0651 required a sandstone wall alongside Collier Lane to be changed as the exit AND entrance would on be on Colliers Lane.

Looks like someone did some proper vehicle tracking and a review for larger vehicles, like a council refuse/recycling lorry/etc and found the sandstone wall change (in 24/0651) was not ok (risk of wall demolition/damage to refuse/recycling lorry) and further readjustment is required, hence this new planning 25/0355 covering the Collier LAne sandstone wall only. The covering letter states why.

For viewing planning applications go to https://publicaccess.carlisle.gov.uk/online-applications/. (You can also find the planning by going to Cumberland.gov.uk, selecting Planning, then Carlisle, then Search Planning Applications. This is a Carlisle area planning application with Cumberland Council.)

That’s correct. The station has a frontage but I don’t believe that backage is a word!
I didn’t have time to trawl through all of the documents on the planning site but the link was on the notice.
As far as I can see, the only work that’s been done at the station has been to improve walking routes to the thunderbird stabling area.

 

[yorksrob]

This is all well and good, but when's the station bar going to reopen !

 

[chiltern trev]

I was in Carlisle yesterday, and took some photos relating to the recent planning applications.

Planning application 24/0651
This is the front of the station, outside the Station Hotel and the main car park.
Half this area is now being dug up by Story - digging up the parking area outside The Giffin pub, nearest the camera.
The area immediately outside the station entrance which had a few drop of parking places has not been dug up yet but has a big yellow container thereon. Cars can still circulate around this area. Rail Replacement coaches can still park at the front of the station.
All this area will be pedestrianised with a new drop of bay for deliveries and a coach to the Station Hotel.
The entrance to the the main car park by the ticket hall will be closed off and pedestrianised.
The exit from the main car park through Collier Lane and through an arch next to the Station
Hotel will be closed and pedestrianised.
One photo attached.

Planning Applications 24/0651 and 25/0355
This is the sandstone wall separating Collier Lane from the main car park.
One photo attached.
There is a one lane exit from the car park to Collier Lane.
This will become a one lane entry and a one lane exit so 2 lanes - so part of the sandstone wall has to go.
But someone decided to check on access for big vehicles, like a council refuse lorry, and found there was not enough room, so a it more of the sandstone wall has to go, hence the additional planning application 25/0355.

Planning application 24/0737
South side redevelopment phase 1 where the baths and Staples used to be.
Why it is called South side when it faces West, I dont know.
2 photos.
The baths and Staples has gone so the area is being used as a storage compound for various council related activities, mainly the works going on the in the centre outside the Old Town Hall - complete repaving - been going on all year and a lot longer and who knows when it will be finished.
Phase 1 is about 60 car parking spaces and a reworked southside entrance.
Phase 2 is a future planning application and will be the demolition of Matalan, a much bigger car park and a Rail Replacement Bus/Coach facility (a bus lane, about 6-8 bus/coach parking bays and 2 bus/coach drop-off/loading bays).

One photo below - front of station.



1 photo below - main car park and sandstone wall




2 photos below - South side.

 

[Chriso]

Are gates going in?

 

[lrbvoyager]

I was in Carlisle yesterday, and took some photos relating to the recent planning applications.

Planning application 24/0651
This is the front of the station, outside the Station Hotel and the main car park.
Half this area is now being dug up by Story - digging up the parking area outside The Giffin pub, nearest the camera.
The area immediately outside the station entrance which had a few drop of parking places has not been dug up yet but has a big yellow container thereon. Cars can still circulate around this area. Rail Replacement coaches can still park at the front of the station.
All this area will be pedestrianised with a new drop of bay for deliveries and a coach to the Station Hotel.
The entrance to the the main car park by the ticket hall will be closed off and pedestrianised.
The exit from the main car park through Collier Lane and through an arch next to the Station
Hotel will be closed and pedestrianised.
One photo attached.

Planning Applications 24/0651 and 25/0355
This is the sandstone wall separating Collier Lane from the main car park.
One photo attached.
There is a one lane exit from the car park to Collier Lane.
This will become a one lane entry and a one lane exit so 2 lanes - so part of the sandstone wall has to go.
But someone decided to check on access for big vehicles, like a council refuse lorry, and found there was not enough room, so a it more of the sandstone wall has to go, hence the additional planning application 25/0355.

Planning application 24/0737
South side redevelopment phase 1 where the baths and Staples used to be.
Why it is called South side when it faces West, I dont know.
2 photos.
The baths and Staples has gone so the area is being used as a storage compound for various council related activities, mainly the works going on the in the centre outside the Old Town Hall - complete repaving - been going on all year and a lot longer and who knows when it will be finished.
Phase 1 is about 60 car parking spaces and a reworked southside entrance.
Phase 2 is a future planning application and will be the demolition of Matalan, a much bigger car park and a Rail Replacement Bus/Coach facility (a bus lane, about 6-8 bus/coach parking bays and 2 bus/coach drop-off/loading bays).

One photo below - front of station.

View attachment 185653

1 photo below - main car park and sandstone wall

View attachment 185654


2 photos below - South side.

View attachment 185656

View attachment 185655

So there will be a new bus station combined round the back of the railways station?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Aug 2025 ==

They are also replacing all the departure boards.

 

[chiltern trev]

So there will be a new bus station combined round the back of the railways station?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Aug 2025 ==

They are also replacing all the departure boards.

No new bus station. Stagecoach bus station staying where it is in Lonsdale Street.

Below is screen grab from Planning Application 24/0737, document VEHICLE_TRACKING_SHEET_PHASE 2. It shows the layout for Phase 2 (for which there has not yet been a Planning Application as 24/0373 is Phase 1).
Top left is has a 4 axle coach = error.
Bottom right it has a mini roundabout at the junction of James St/Water St/Currock St/Rome St which was replaced by a new road layout, cross roads, with traffic lights.
So a Rail Replacement Bus/Coach enters Water St, then does an immediate left turn into the bus/coach lane, passes 8 bus/coach parking bays, then turn right to the bus/caoch drop off/pick up (2 bus/coach bays) with no waiting shelters.



And here is Phase 1

 

[themiller]

Work’s started at the back of the station with the demolition of what I thought was a solid sandstone wall.

 

[chiltern trev]

Contracts for major £28m station revamp awarded​

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yl3dkj8xko

• • 15 October 2025

Contracts for a major £28m city centre project to redevelop the land around its rail station have been agreed.
The Carlisle Station Gateway project involves the pedestrianisation of the city's Court Square and the moving of Lawson's Monument.
A report submitted to Cumberland Council said the project was in its early stages of design development, with two design and build contracts being procured.
The city's Botchergate junction, the Crescent, English Street and Court Brow is currently undergoing major refurbishment works as part of the scheme.
Members of Cumberland Council's executive committee met at Cumbria House in the city on Tuesday to award the contracts, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
One contract for the southern side of the station, known as George Square, was procured to Eric Wright Construction and the other contract for the northern side of the station, known as Court Square, to Story Contracting.
The council said it was working with Network Rail and Avanti West Coast on the project's development.
The report stated work on both sides of the station was expected to be completed by January 2027.

 

[ItsGrimUpNorth]

Story’s getting the front side of the works makes sense as they’re just coming to the end of the project coming out of the Station at the Courts which involves the main junction being remodelled and various lights, new bus lanes, cycle paths etc.

Just need the long awaited new University to finally crank into life and the entrance to the City Centre (which is also coming to the end of a major recurbishment in the pedestrianed area) will look fantastic - Just need some new shops to fill up the empty units!

 

[themiller]

There’s been some further demolition at the back of the station with a derelict brick out-building having been removed.
Today (19th November) the remaining building has been demolished.
Update 25th November:
The access to the back of the station is able to be made via newly rolled stone so it’s no longer necessary to go round the ‘steel wall’. The contractors have also uncovered the condensate collection pit.

 

[Arkholme Ghost]

Carlisle Station Investment

O, wow! This is amazing! Even more investment in Carlisle. £40m in total.

Includes a pub and lifts!!!

Great to see Carlisle as a beautiful piece of railway heritage.

 

[themiller]

More on the bar:
https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/...Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1764660096

 

[Minnietheminx]

Carlisle Station Investment

O, wow! This is amazing! Even more investment in Carlisle. £40m in total.

Includes a pub and lifts!!!

Great to see Carlisle as a beautiful piece of railway heritage.

The pub is re-opening the one that closed a couple of years ago. There are already lifts under the bridge, which go down into the undercroft. If the Southern entrance is intended to be the main entrance to the station, the corridor to the platform 4 lift needs to be widened. And the drains need to be sorted. Boy, do they need sorting.

 

[yorksrob]

The pub is re-opening the one that closed a couple of years ago.

Now that is good news !

 

[Minnietheminx]

It's a different operator this time, the Lancaster brewery ( who already run the station pub at Lancaster, so they have some experience of running station pubs). The refit work started a couple of months ago.

 

[yorksrob]

It's a different operator this time, the Lancaster brewery ( who already run the station pub at Lancaster, so they have some experience of running station pubs). The refit work started a couple of months ago.

That's good as well as I like their ales (and the Tite & Locke).

 

[AndrewE]

That's good as well as I like their ales (and the Tite & Locke).

a very good name for a railway-linked pub!

 

[yorksrob]

a very good name for a railway-linked pub!

According to their website, it's named after William Tite who designed the station (lancaster) and Joseph Locke who was involved in the expansion of the railway.

Apologies for going off topic.

 

[AndrewE]

According to their website, it's named after William Tite who designed the station (lancaster) and Joseph Locke who was involved in the expansion of the railway.
Apologies for going off topic.

that may well be, but I still like the Tite-Locke connection (in my mind anyway) and I just wish that someone could find a clever name for a station pub derived from "Instanter" - which would be a great place for a swift half (do they still exist?) between connections!

Maybe a rail-inspired brewer could name beers "3-link" and "Instanter!"

 

[lrbvoyager]

They should get rid of WHSmith and replace it with a small Sainsbury’s or M&S. The pumpkin cafe should also go and be replaced with a Costa or Starbucks. Does anyone know why there isn’t a first class lounge?

 

[AndrewE]

They should get rid of WHSmith and replace it with a small Sainsbury’s or M&S. The pumpkin cafe should also go and be replaced with a Costa or Starbucks. Does anyone know why there isn’t a first class lounge?

I would second that. The Sainsbury's Local on Newcastle-on-Tyne station was far more useful (and far better value) than any of the "convenience shops" within walking distance last time I was there... (and only needing sustenance because of emergency re-routing due to the WCML falling down again.) "More Sainsburys on stations" would be my war-cry!

 

[Lemmy99uk]

Doesn’t need a ‘chain coffee store’. Caffeine Rush has been there for over 20 years and has some of the best coffee in Carlisle, it wouldn’t stand a chance against the multi-nationals.

 

[lrbvoyager]

I would second that. The Sainsbury's Local on Newcastle-on-Tyne station was far more useful (and far better value) than any of the "convenience shops" within walking distance last time I was there... (and only needing sustenance because of emergency re-routing due to the WCML falling down again.) "More Sainsburys on stations" would be my war-cry!

The WHSmith is way over prices and the meal deals look horrible. Sainsbury’s would be a nice addition! It will be nice to see pie demand with a permanent store now aswell!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Dec 2025 ==

Doesn’t need a ‘chain coffee store’. Caffeine Rush has been there for over 20 years and has some of the best coffee in Carlisle, it wouldn’t stand a chance against the multi-nationals.

But it also doesn’t sell a lot of what people want. Do they do any form of iced drinks? Pumpkin needs to go because there drinks and disgusting. Maybe a first class lounge would be better than a Starbucks?

 

[AndrewE]

The WHSmith is way over prices and the meal deals look horrible. Sainsbury’s would be a nice addition! It will be nice to see pie demand with a permanent store now as well!

But it also doesn’t sell a lot of what people want. Do they do any form of iced drinks? Pumpkin needs to go because their drinks are disgusting. Maybe a first class lounge would be better than a Starbucks?

I would like a Sainsbury's but I fear that Carlisle station has nowhere near the footfall needed to make a Sainsbury's viable - unlike Newcastle! I shall look out for PieDemand, maybe very eary in the new year! Caffeine rush is definitely good, though.

 

[Carlisle]

I would like a Sainsbury's but I fear that Carlisle station has nowhere near the footfall needed

You now have a Spar across the road & a Tesco 10 mins away so maybe not as bad as it once was .

 

[themiller]

The WHSmith is way over prices and the meal deals look horrible. Sainsbury’s would be a nice addition! It will be nice to see pie demand with a permanent store now aswell!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Dec 2025 ==


But it also doesn’t sell a lot of what people want. Do they do any form of iced drinks? Pumpkin needs to go because there drinks and disgusting. Maybe a first class lounge would be better than a Starbucks?

Pie demand will be moving into the unit beside Caffeine Rush where the florist used to be and the car rental office before that.

 

[Falcon1200]

The pumpkin cafe should also go and be replaced with a Costa or Starbucks.

There is a Costa right outside the station. Caffeine Rush is good however, and the pie stall on Platform 4 is just wonderful.

 

[duffield]

It's a different operator this time, the Lancaster brewery ( who already run the station pub at Lancaster, so they have some experience of running station pubs). The refit work started a couple of months ago.

So does that probably mean it will be open very soon (say within another couple of months)?

Edit:
Found the answer in the article linked in post #193

Phil said he hoped Scott and Brassey would be open by late February to mid-March, with Network Rail currently finishing its initial fit-out.


"It should take us about six weeks to fit the place out", he said.

 

[AndrewE]

So does that probably mean it will be open very soon (say within another couple of months)?

if they know their market they will open before 1st January!

 

[ItsGrimUpNorth]

More in the local press today on the plans for the old swimming baths side:

CARLISLE railway station’s new look has been unveiled with new plans that have been lodged with Cumberland Council’s planning department.

The report states that the primary design principle for the Southern Gateway is to improve access and passenger links to the south side of the station alongside improvement works to the station interior. It adds: “In addition, relocating vehicle access to the south of the station will create increase parking provision and improve vehicular access.”

New look for Carlisle railway station unveiled

Carlisle station’s new look has been unveiled with new plans that have been lodged with Cumberland Council’s planning department.

www.newsandstar.co.uk