Windermere Lake Cruises celebrates historic rail links

As the railway industry commemorates 200 years of travel on the modern railway, Windermere Lake Cruises is also celebrating this milestone anniversary and the strong links between boating on England’s largest lake and travel by train.

On Saturday 27^th September, MV Tern will be flying a British Rail flag, just as she once did when the connection between rail and water was at its most impactful.

Jennifer Cormack, Sales and Marketing Director said: “Many people are unaware of the strong connections between our cruise company and the railways and this anniversary offers us an opportunity to remember part of our history and one of the reasons we are here today. Without the railways and their investment in our first steamers, Windermere Lake Cruises as we know it today may not be in operation.

“We are thrilled to be able to share this celebration with our customers and the railway industry and excited to share our story with those who may not have realised the connection.”

The connection between boat and train dates back to 1848 when the then ‘Windermere Iron Steamboat Company’ was formed to run cruises in conjunction with the newly opened Kendal to Windermere Railway. The line proved successful from the outset, carrying 120,000 passengers in its first year of operation with the first connected cruises operating from 1849.

So popular was the railway that in 1865 the Furness Railway Company resolved to build a branch line from Ulverston to Newby Bridge which was subsequently extended to a Steamer/train interchange at Lakeside.

The impact of the railways on the steamer services saw the Furness Railway Company eventually take control of what was the Windermere United Yacht Company, in 1872.

Over the intervening years many vessels took passengers and cargo along the length and breadth of Windermere. It was in 1890 that a new steamer, Tern, was commissioned by the railway to take to the waters. She took her first journey in June 1891 and still operates today as one of the most popular vessels in the fleet.

Furness Railway ceased to exist in 1923 when its operations were transferred to the newly established LMS (London Midland Scottish Railway), which in 1948 became British Rail.

With a new railways company at the helm, a period of growth ensued with MV Teal launching at Lakeside on July 4^th 1936, followed by MV Swan June 24^th 1938.

Alongside Tern both vessels continue to ferry passengers along Windermere under the Windermere Lake Cruises flag.

The 1950s saw some of the biggest booms in tourism when British Rail ran regular excursions including one from Birmingham on Summer Sundays for £1 per adult return. These special tickets saw passengers join the train in the morning for a trip to Windermere Town Station where they were allowed time for shopping before boarding a Steamer at Bowness for a lake cruise via Ambleside. They then boarded their return train at Lakeside, arriving back in Birmingham at 1 o’clock in the morning.

Sadly, the good times were not to last as Dr Richard Beeching made sweeping changes to the British railway systems and in 1965 the branch railway line from Ulverston to Lakeside closed, leaving the Steamers without a direct main line rail link.

However, cruises on the waters continued to thrive under the name Windermere Lake Cruises and today the company operates a fleet of vessels including three traditional steamers, MV Swift which launched in 2020, 12 modern launches plus a number of row boats and electric self-drives.

Today’s passengers can also still experience a railway link but in a more relaxed, vintage style thanks to the retro Lakeside and Haverthwaite Steam Railway which connects passengers on the historic line to boats at Lakeside.

There is also a Lakes Day Ranger ticket available from National Rail which continues in the spirit of joint connectivity by offering a one day pass that connects rail operators Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express and Northern with bus routes from Stagecoach and a cruise with Windermere Lake Cruises.

A full history of Windermere Lake Cruises and its links to the railways can be found at https://www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk/about-us/company-history. Combined rail and boat tickets for journeys with Windermere Lake Cruises and Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway can be purchased via https://www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk/cruises-fares/freedom-of-the-lake-steam-train