Bamber Bridge railway station
Encyclopedia
Bamber Bridge railway station serves the area Bamber Bridge
4 miles (6 km) to the south of Preston city centre
on the A6 and M6
roads.
, was once much larger and used by many more trains than today. Opened in 1846 by the Blackburn & Preston Railway, it became a junction four years later when the B&PR's successor the East Lancashire Railway opened a direct route to Preston that avoided the need to use the North Union Railway
between Farington and Preston (and thus pay tolls to the NUR company). The ELR also built a connection to the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway
west of Lostock Hall that put the village on the main line from Blackburn to Liverpool.
These newer lines all fell victim to BR economies in the aftermath of the Beeching Axe
- the direct line to Preston closing to passengers in April 1972 (services henceforth reverting to the original line via Farington Curve Junction) and Liverpool trains ending on 6 October 1969. The line was resignalled in 1973 and is now controlled by the power box at Preston, although the distinctive signal box
still remains to supervise three level crossings (one here locally and two further east by CCTV).
On the westbound platform, the station building built in 1846 survives but is no longer used as part of the station. The building has been disused recently but is now being converted into a drop-in centre for pensioners.
Bamber Bridge
may not strictly be a "one-street village", but each train to pass through stops traffic; the level crossing
cuts across the main road. Only Northern Rail
trains en route to and from Preston use Bamber Bridge. It has two platforms, but is not manned and has no departure screens.
and Blackpool South
, westbound and Blackburn
, Burnley
and Colne
, eastbound. There is a two-hourly service in each direction on Sundays.
Bamber Bridge
Bamber Bridge is a village to the south of Preston, Lancashire, England. The name derives from the Old English 'bēam' and 'brycg', which probably means "tree-trunk bridge". It is mentioned in an undated medieval document. The village is often referred to as "Brig" by residents...
4 miles (6 km) to the south of Preston city centre
Preston railway station
Preston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line.It is served by Northern Rail, Virgin Trains, and TransPennine Express services, plus First ScotRail overnight sleeper services between London and Scotland.-Station layout...
on the A6 and M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
roads.
Description
Its railway station, in common with Lostock HallLostock Hall railway station
Lostock Hall railway station is 2¾ miles south of Preston City station. It is on the East Lancashire Line and is managed by Northern Rail, who also provide all passenger trains serving it.- Description :...
, was once much larger and used by many more trains than today. Opened in 1846 by the Blackburn & Preston Railway, it became a junction four years later when the B&PR's successor the East Lancashire Railway opened a direct route to Preston that avoided the need to use the North Union Railway
North Union Railway
The North Union Railway was an early British railway company, formed in 1834.-Origins:The North Union Railway resulted from the first railway amalgamation in British history. The two companies were the Wigan Branch Railway and the Wigan and Preston Junction Railway...
between Farington and Preston (and thus pay tolls to the NUR company). The ELR also built a connection to the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway
Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway
The Liverpool, Ormskirk & Preston Railway was formed in 1846. It was purchased by the East Lancashire Railway. Today the line still operates, with the section between Liverpool and Ormskirk forming part of Merseyrail's Northern Line and the section between Ormskirk and Preston forming Northern...
west of Lostock Hall that put the village on the main line from Blackburn to Liverpool.
These newer lines all fell victim to BR economies in the aftermath of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
- the direct line to Preston closing to passengers in April 1972 (services henceforth reverting to the original line via Farington Curve Junction) and Liverpool trains ending on 6 October 1969. The line was resignalled in 1973 and is now controlled by the power box at Preston, although the distinctive signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
still remains to supervise three level crossings (one here locally and two further east by CCTV).
On the westbound platform, the station building built in 1846 survives but is no longer used as part of the station. The building has been disused recently but is now being converted into a drop-in centre for pensioners.
Bamber Bridge
Bamber Bridge
Bamber Bridge is a village to the south of Preston, Lancashire, England. The name derives from the Old English 'bēam' and 'brycg', which probably means "tree-trunk bridge". It is mentioned in an undated medieval document. The village is often referred to as "Brig" by residents...
may not strictly be a "one-street village", but each train to pass through stops traffic; the level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
cuts across the main road. Only Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
trains en route to and from Preston use Bamber Bridge. It has two platforms, but is not manned and has no departure screens.
Services
Monday to Saturdays, there is an hourly service from Bamber Bridge towards PrestonPreston railway station
Preston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line.It is served by Northern Rail, Virgin Trains, and TransPennine Express services, plus First ScotRail overnight sleeper services between London and Scotland.-Station layout...
and Blackpool South
Blackpool South railway station
Blackpool South railway station is a single platform stop at the end of the Fylde coast branch line from Kirkham, in Lancashire, England. It is unmanned and has an hourly service daily, except winter Sundays....
, westbound and Blackburn
Blackburn railway station
Blackburn railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Blackburn in Lancashire, England. It is east of Preston and is managed and served by Northern Rail.-Description:The station is served by two lines...
, Burnley
Burnley Central railway station
Burnley Central railway station is a station in the town of Burnley, Lancashire and is on the East Lancashire Line. It is managed by Northern Rail, which also provides its passenger service....
and Colne
Colne railway station
Colne railway station serves the Lancashire mill town of Colne which is situated close to Pendle Hill. The station, which is managed by Northern Rail, is the terminus of the East Lancashire Line. Trains from Blackpool South run through Preston and Blackburn to Burnley and Colne.Currently the...
, eastbound. There is a two-hourly service in each direction on Sundays.