Historic station bell restored after over a century
A traditional station bell has been restored at a historic station on the Furness Line between Lancaster and Barrow. Kents Bank station once had a bell which the station master used to warn passengers and crossing users of a train’s approach. It was removed towards the end of the 19th century, though the bell’s original position can still be seen.
After a gap of over 130 years a bell (not the original, sadly) has been re-instated by the volunteers who run the Station Library at Kents Bank.
“It’s great to have a station bell back at Kents Bank,” said Rick Worsey who installed the bell, which was acquired at an auction last year. “Not many stations still have a station bell and we’d love to hear from anyone who knows of other stations, in the UK or abroad, which still have them.”
Dr Paul Salveson, manager of the Station Library and owner of the Station House, is pleased to see an old tradition revived. “We have a photograph taken in the 1890s which shows the bell and its timber/slate housing, with station staff and passengers. It disappeared shortly after the photograph was taken. So it’s great that a bell has been put back, in the same position as the original.”
Station Library volunteer Philip Coates helped with the bell’s restoration. “As soon as it was re-erected we got several walkers and rail passengers commenting on how good it looks! It adds another dimension to the award-winning station, with its many historic features and lovely gardens.”
A station bell features in a short story ‘The Bell That Only Rang Once’, loosely based on Kents Bank, published in The Loco Vanishes, Northern Rail Mysteries, and written by Paul Salveson (Kents Bank Station Library, 2025).
The bell complements the station clock which has also been restored to its original position, using a replica timepiece.
The Station Library, staffed entirely by volunteers, is a community interest company managing a collection of over 10,000 railway and transport-related books. The library is open to the public and is free to use.