Morecambe branch line

Morecambe branch line
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Network Rail
Locale	Lancaster, Lancashire, North West England
Termini	Lancaster Heysham Port
Service
System	National Rail
Technical
Number of tracks	2 bidirectional single-track lines
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map (Click to expand)

v t e Morecambe Branch Line
Legend
North Western Railway to Skipton Lancaster Green Ayre West Coast Main Line to Carlisle & Preston Lancaster Bare Lane Scale Hall Poulton Lane Morecambe Euston Road Middleton Road Bridge Halt Morecambe Heysham Power Station Northumberland Street Heysham Port Morecambe Harbour Morecambe Promenade

The Morecambe branch line is a railway line in Lancashire, England, from Lancaster to Morecambe and Heysham, where trains connect with ferries to Douglas, Isle of Man. To reach Heysham, trains must reverse at Morecambe.

Almost all passenger services are operated by Northern. Most are shuttles between Lancaster and Morecambe, with only a limited service through to Heysham to connect with the ferries, primarily using Class 156 diesel multiple units. A few services continue beyond Lancaster to Skipton and Leeds (see Leeds–Morecambe line), and generally use Class 150 and (since December 2019) Class 158 units.

Since 1994 the two tracks between Bare Lane and Morecambe have been operated as two independent single lines, with no connection between them beyond Bare Lane. Only the southern line is connected to the Heysham branch.^[1]

The line also sees freight trains operated by Direct Rail Services, which serve Heysham nuclear power station.