leegate station was opened by the maryport & carlisle railway in 1848. at grouping in 1923 the m&cr became a part of the london, midland and scottish railway. it was one of a number of lightly-used intermediate stations on the m&c line closed to passenger traffic by the british transport commission in the years immediately after nationalisation of the british railways network in 1948. services ceased on 5 june 1950, though goods traffic continued to be handled here until 1964.