[nb 1] On the southern side of the town, the first section of the Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway (W&FJR) opened on 1 June 1849 from a terminus at Whitehaven (Preston Street) to Ravenglass, but there was no connection between this line and the WJR suitable for passenger trains.

In between the two stations stood the town centre and, to the east of that, Hospital Hill; a tunnel 1,333 yards (1,219 m) long was built beneath the latter, being completed in July 1852.

The double line from Parton becomes single opposite the station signal box, which still bears the original station name Whitehaven Bransty; it then splits into two: one runs into platform one (a bay used by most terminating services from Carlisle) and the other runs into platform two, which is the through line to Sellafield, Millom and Barrow.

Trains heading south must collect a token for the single line section to St Bees from a machine on the platform (with the co-operation of the signaller) before they can proceed.

Services run approximately hourly from mid-morning until early evening, with later trains starting and terminating here.