The Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership (The Bentham Line) has enjoyed another busy and successful year, marked by major anniversaries, growing passenger numbers and a host of new community projects.

Chairman Gerald Townson reflected on the partnership’s continuing celebrations of the 175th anniversary of the Bentham Line, alongside the 200th anniversary of the passenger railway. The year also marks 20 years since the formation of the Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership, ten years of the acclaimed ‘Dementia and Community Rail’ project and the fifteenth anniversary of the Friends of Bentham Station.

One of the year’s major highlights has been the opening of the ‘Box on the Bay’, a new STEM education centre created in the former Hest Bank signal box. The project, developed with Network Rail and supported by a number of rail industry partners, has transformed the building into a space for young people to explore both railway engineering and the ecology of Morecambe Bay.

The partnership has also continued its work with schools, community groups and those living with dementia. The impressive ‘Birds of the Bay’ artwork created with pupils from St. Peter’s Primary School is now in place at Heysham Port, while dementia groups and lunch clubs have continued to enjoy their own ‘Grand Days Out’ along the line. Passenger numbers have also continued to grow, with Bentham station recording almost 42,000 journeys – around 45% higher than before the pandemic.

There has also been progress at Carnforth station, including the return of the station clock, improvements to passenger information and the reopening of the Heritage Centre. The partnership continues to develop new projects promoting active and sustainable travel, including the Forest of Bowland’s expanded ‘Eco Escapes’ programme and further work to encourage visitors to explore the countryside by rail.

The Bentham Line Annual Report 2025/26 can be seen here, and the accompanying slideshow here.