Burnley Barracks railway station

Burnley Barracks
National Rail
General information
LocationBurnley, Burnley
England
Coordinates53°47′28″N 2°15′29″W / 53.791°N 2.258°W / 53.791; -2.258
Grid referenceSD831327
ManagerNorthern Trains
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeBUB[1]
ClassificationDfT category F2
Key dates
18 September 1848Opened as Burnley Westgate, a temporary terminus for line from Accrington
1 February 1849Closed following opening of extension to Colne
1851Reopened as Burnley Barracks
Passengers
2020/21Decrease 9,316
2021/22Increase 26,928
2022/23Decrease 25,904
2023/24Increase 29,030
2024/25Increase 29,796
Location
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Burnley Barracks railway station is in the town of Burnley, England, on the East Lancashire Line between Burnley Central and Rose Grove, 21 miles 38 chains (34.6 km) from Farington Curve Junction, near Leyland.[2] The station is managed by Northern Trains, who operate all services.

History

The station in 1962

The station opened on 18 September 1848 as Burnley Westgate,[3] as a temporary terminus for the East Lancashire Railway whilst an extension was built between Accrington and Colne. It closed four months later when the Colne extension opened.[4] However, the surrounding area developed quickly with industry, housing and the local barracks, which led to the station being reopened under its current name in 1851.[5]

Extensive demolition of the nearby high density Victorian terraced residential areas of Trinity, Westgate and Whittlefield during the 1960s and 70s, together with the construction of the M65 motorway and feeder roads during the early 1980s led to a significant decline in population in the area and thus the station's prominence waned. The barracks themselves (latterly home to the East Lancashire Regiment) have been closed since December 1898 and the site subsequently sold off.[6]

A local campaign in 2008 attempted to rename the station "Burnley Barack Obama", after the former President of the United States.[7][8]

It was one of the stations featured in the Channel 4 documentary series Paul Merton's Secret Stations in the spring of 2016.[9]

Facilities

There is a basic shelter and a ticket machine, as well as passenger information screens and timetable boards available, along with a PA system to provide train running information.[10]

Passenger volume

Passenger volume at Burnley Barracks[11]
2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Entries and exits 1,103 964 1,776 2,110 3,854 9,986 13,980 17,186 18,580 24,772 25,834 24,572 20,080 22,130 18,028 26,008 9,316 26,928 25,904 29,030 29,796

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

On weekdays, there is an hourly service to Colne (eastbound) and Preston (westbound). On Sundays, there is a two-hourly service in each direction. On Sundays, trains continue beyond Preston to Blackpool South.[12]

From 14 May 2012, Barracks became a request stop, in addition to Hapton, Huncoat and Pleasington.[13] Since December 2025, the station has returned to being a regular scheduled stop.[14]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Northern Trains
  Historical railways  
Rose Grove
Line and station open
   Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
   Burnley Central
Line and station open

Future proposals

If the Skipton-Colne rail link reopens, and the existing East Lancashire Line is modernised, then Burnley Barracks would close to passengers.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  2. ↑ Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (2022). Railway Track Diagrams; 4: Midlands & North West (5th ed.). Frome: TRACKmaps. p. 45. ISBN 978 1999627157.
  3. ↑ Wills 2014, pp. 237–238.
  4. ↑ "Britain's forgotten railway stations". Telegraph.co.uk. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  5. ↑ Butt, R.V.J., (1995) The Directory of Railway Stations, Yeovil: Patrick Stephens
  6. ↑ CRL - Burnley BarracksCommunity Rail Lancashire; Retrieved 21 November 2016
  7. ↑ Wills, Dixe (16 May 2016). "Fascinating stories behind Britain's forgotten railway stations". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Wills 2014, p. 240.
  9. ↑ "Railways Around Burnley". Burnley Civic Trust Heritage Image Collection. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Burnley Barracks Station | Trains to Burnley Barracks & Times | Northern". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  12. ↑ Table 105 National Rail timetable, December 2022
  13. ↑ "East Lancs stations to become 'request only' from today". Lancashire Telegraph. 14 May 2012. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Three East Lancashire train stations to become mandatory stops again". Lancashire Telegraph. 16 November 2025. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Reopening the Skipton-Colne rail line: The 'Northern Link' project" (PDF). p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2019.

Bibliography

  • Wills, Dixe (2014). Tiny Stations (Paperback, 1st reprint ed.). Basingstoke: AA Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7495-7732-2.
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