The ‘posh one’

Clifton was the last station on the Eden Valley Railway and, although I looked on a map, I didn’t really know how to find the site. Fortunately, fellow Blipper Bimbo knew exactly where it was. So this morning she took us there. As we wandered around what was once the goods yard, the current owner of the station buildings came out and we engaged him in conversation. He told us so much about it – fascinating. He was a mine of information about the station, the railway and the goods yard.


The Station was opened as Clifton Station in August 1863, but was later renamed Clifton Moor to avoid confusion with the other Clifton Station serving the West Coast Main line. It was the only station on the line to have two platforms and has the distinction also of having two waiting rooms. It would seem that the Earl of Lonsdale from nearby Lowther Castle needed his own private ornamental waiting room! Why would he want to mix with the common people! He even had his own siding, so he could load his horses etc. as he set off for some hunting expedition in Scotland. What you can do if you have money and a title!

   
In the picture you can see the station building on the right, now converted into a house, with the stationmaster’s house behind. On the left is what was the Lonsdale private waiting room, being converted in some strange way. The guy we talked to was very happy that he lived in the ‘common’ station, not the ‘posh one’. The railway lines followed the track between the buildings and through where there is now a gate. The platform edge can still be seen as the base of the wall on the left and also on the other side, but this is obscured by the car. I have included an old photo of the station when it was in use, so a comparison can be made. This also shows clearly the Lonsdale waiting room and the siding going off to the left.