The town of Carnforth is definitely one of the more interesting in the area of Lancashire. Unique doesn't even begin to describe it. For one, Carnforth has a meager population of under six thousand people and many of its buildings date back countless years, offering glimpses into the past of architectural styles long since past. Despite this, the city is also filled with modern amenities that often deliver a rather jarring juxtaposition in contrast with the older historic buildings. The A6 Motorway and the West Coast Main Line both pass right through the town as if it wasn't even there. This definitely helps to create an individual feel among a county that sometimes is guilty of having dull, cookie cutter cities. The Lancaster Canal also sweeps right through Carnforth, bringing an even more jagged and eclectic look to the town. Keep in mind, however, that most of the residents of Carnforth wouldn't dare change even a fraction of the town's appearance lest they lose any of its quirky beauty and charm.
This kind of look is actually something rather native to Carnforth, though. Throughout its history the town has been the site of countless endeavors and there was nearly always a time when Carnforth was a city changing shape and appearance. Both ironwork and railways play a big part in the history of Carnforth around the time of the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Part of this is due to the fact that Carnforth is located amid a large natural source of some of the finest limestone in the U.K. Smelting took place in Carnforth rather early and caught on right when railroads were sweeping across the continent in large numbers, growing steadily every day. Even then Carnforth was like a destination that is largely coming and going and this tradition has carried on beautifully to this day. By the mid 1800s Carnforth was a city in which steel production was the number one business and it was located at the junction of three very different and very busy railways. Carnforth grew quickly during those days but a major recession hit the town around the 1960s. It was during this time that the railway shut down and the West Coast Main Line began to bypass it. In spite of this monument to the past, or perhaps because of it, the town still has much of the railway visible throughout and this has also helped to keep the local flavor alive in Carnforth.
At any rate, most people love the appearance of the unique town and the Carnforth railway even made it into a feature film. This was in fact when the railway was still in operation, back in 1945, and a film called "Brief Encounter" by David Lean had a large part of its climax set right at the station. This naturally allowed Carnforth and its railway to be immortalized in celluloid while still operating and though the West Coast Main Line may not be swinging by any time soon, visitors via the motorways will still marvel at these classic remnants of days gone by.
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