FOR the first time in around 40 years, trains will run along Cumbria's west coast this Sunday.

The new service will see trains stop at stations such as Millom, Askam, Kirkby and Ravenglass

Millom Town councillor Felicity Wilson praised the news ahead of the inaugural service tomorrow.

She said: "I am absolutely delighted this service is starting.

"I know a lot of people are concerned about the performance of the trains but I think what we have got to do is focus on the fact that we are getting the benefit of a Sunday service and that is fantastic.

"Not everyone drives and this should enable people to move up and down the coast to visit friends or relatives who might be in hospital in Barrow or Whitehaven.

"I am sure this will be a great boost to local people and to visitors to the area. It will be incredibly beneficial and will bring a lot of advantages to people in this community who, for a number of years, have not been able to move freely in and out of town on a Sunday.

"I think a seven day service is what west Cumbria needs, and it is testament to the people who have fought hard to get this."

Millom Discovery Centre will welcome the inaugural service, which leaves Barrow at 9.05am on Sunday, when it reaches Millom at 9.33am. The last train to Millom is at 7.07pm.

In the other direction, the first Sunday train south from Millom will leave at 9.40am and reach Barrow for 10.11am - the last Sunday train to Barrow leaves at 7.08pm.

Except for one experimental weekend more than five years ago, there have been no public services on the railway between Barrow and Whitehaven since the 1970s.

Some of the new Sunday services cover the complete Cumbrian Coastal Railway route between Carlisle and Lancaster and will encourage extra visitors to places such as the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, or Muncaster Castle.

The new Northern timetable, which comes into effect tomorrow (20), will also include more services throughout the week and a new last train from Barrow to Millom, on Mondays to Saturdays, which leaves at 10.11pm, 41 minutes later than before.

You can download the full timetable from the website at www.northernrailway.co.uk or look out for printed versions when they arrive at main stations.