The Bentham Line: Building Back Better
A major new Development Study has now been completed for the whole route from Leeds to Morecambe and Heysham Port.
The Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership commissioned consultants Stantec and AllanRail to examine possible developments for the Bentham Line over the next twenty years.
More details can be found here.
The Executive Summary of the findings has now been published and can be viewed here.
The Bentham Line
A Dementia-Friendly Railway
A unique railway linking Leeds, Lancaster and Morecambe, with beautiful views of river valleys, Pennine peaks and forest.
One of the earliest in Britain, the Bentham Line is making modern-day history as the first railway to actively support the journeys of people living with dementia. The 75-mile route travels through the heart of West Yorkshire into Lancashire passing through the Aire, Ribble, Wenning and Lune valleys.
It’s an inspiring journey against a backdrop of the Dales, the Yorkshire Three Peaks, and the Forest of Bowland with Morecambe Bay and its stunning seascapes on arrival.
The Bentham Line route
Leeds – Morecambe / Heysham Port via Skipton, Bentham & Lancaster.
A route guide to the stations and places of interest along The Bentham Line.
THE JOURNEY
The ‘Little North Western’ is a gem of a line.
Travel along one of the earliest railway lines in Britain (originally opened June 1850) as you make the spectacular 75-mile (120 km) trans-pennine journey from the heart of West Yorkshire, through the beautiful Aire, Ribble, Wenning and Lune valleys, passing pennine peaks, Yorkshire Dales National Park, and skirting the Forest of Bowland AONB before reaching the picturesque shores of Morecambe Bay.
DEMENTIA & COMMUNITY RAIL
Support for the vulnerable
An estimated 850,000 people live with dementia in the UK today (1.3 per cent). This figure is predicted to exceed 1 million by 2025, and 2 million by 2050. There are currently 700,000 informal carers supporting those with dementia, and this is expected to rise to 1.7 million by 2050.
THE LITTLE NORTH WESTERN
A look back through our history
The line had been built by the North Western Railway Company (always known as the ‘Little North Western’ to distinguish it from the much bigger and grander London and North Western Railway). The Leeds & Bradford Railway had been extended from Shipley to Colne, and from a junction at Skipton the North Western line curved away to the north.
The Bentham Line Community Rail Partnership has been awarded accreditation by the Department for Transport. Recognising that the partnership operates to a high standard and that its objectives and activities are supported by the Government.
Latest News
Press releases, latest News and updates from The Bentham Line Community Rail Partnership.
Box on the Bay
The old railway signal box at Hest Bank has been transformed into a STEM classroom which includes displays showing train movements that the pupils can follow live.
Dementia Club enjoys scenic railway trip
Twenty-six members of the Skipton Dementia Hub recently travelled to Carnforth on the Bentham Dementia Friendly Line.
Chairman Report 2024-25
Gerald Townson, Chairman presented a very positive annual report to the meeting covering the diverse and extensive activities of the Partnership.
I’m thinking this summer morning that there can hardly be a cheerier railway on the network. My packed 10.49 train from Lancaster to Leeds is positively buzzing , with the chatter of a party of children returning from a school trip in the Lake District and the gossip of shoppers off to market day in Skipton to buy local delicacies such as home-made parkin and Yorkshire curd tart.
The Bentham Line is demonstrating exactly what community rail is all about – reaching out to local people, drawing on their perspectives, and helping to ensure their needs are understood and met at stations and through train travel.
Speaking at the launch of the Dementia and Community Rail project at Bentham station.
We often think of railways as just a mode of transport; a means to an end. Our railways are so much more than that; they are the lifeblood of our communities and an important way to bring people together. Our communities are everything and the Bentham Line’s dementia-friendly project is a fine example reflecting this.
Speaking as guest of honour at the train naming ceremony at Leeds station.
The Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership, (The Bentham Line) is chiefly funded by Northern Trains Ltd., with additional funding from
