Wigan North Western railway station
Encyclopedia
Wigan North Western railway station is one of two railway stations serving the town centre of Wigan
, Greater Manchester
, UK.
It is a moderately-sized station on the West Coast Main Line
. It is operated by Virgin Trains
, and is also served by Northern Rail
. London Midland
used to offer a daily service to Preston
during the evening rush hour on weekdays which called here, but this was withdrawn at the end of the 2007-8 timetable.
Wigan's other station is Wigan Wallgate
, which is about 100 metres away, on the opposite side of the street named Wallgate, for services to Manchester (Victoria, Deansgate, Oxford Road & Piccadilly) , Southport and Kirkby. Both stations are centrally located on the southern fringe of Wigan town centre. The station is named North Western, not because it is situated in the North West of the town but because it was at one point operated by the London and North Western Railway (see below). The drop in usage figures for Wigan North Western in 2006/7 was due to the adjustment of the allocation between the town's two stations. In 2009 the station was identified as one of the ten worst category B
interchange stations for mystery shopper assessment of fabric and environment, and was set to receive a share of £50m funding for improvements.
The platforms have heated waiting rooms. The British Transport Police
have an office on platform 4 near the station's cafe.
. There is an hourly service on the West Coast Main Line from London Euston
, which continues northwards to Preston
, Lancaster
, Carlisle
and Glasgow Central. The journey time from London is less than two hours (1 hour and 55 minutes)see: National timetable, table 65. There is also an hourly service in the opposite direction generally calling at Warrington Bank Quay
and London Euston
only (although certain trains call additionally at one of Crewe, Rugby or Milton Keynes Central). It is also served by Virgin's services from Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh
. The single London Midland
service from Birmingham New Street to Preston that used to call in the evening was withdrawn at the end of the 2007-8 timetable.
Northern Rail operates a half-hourly service from Liverpool Lime Street
, along the Liverpool-Wigan Line via St Helens Central
with a handful of services running to Liverpool via the Lowton Chord and Newton-le-Willows
. There is also an hourly service from Liverpool which continues north along the West Coast Main Line to Preston, then usually on to Blackpool North
. Northern Rail also operates occasional services to Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly
. In recent years, most services from Manchester use Wigan Wallgate station.
Northern Rail services are operated by a mix of Pacer
and Sprinter
units. Virgin Trains
services southwards to London Euston
and northwards to Carlisle
and Glasgow are always operated by electric Pendolino
trains. Other destinations are served by diesel Voyager
units.
would run the new Liverpool-Glasgow service, running two trains a day calling only at Preston and Carlisle. According to Glasgow Trains outline proposals these services would be operated by carriages hauled by Class 67
locomotives. Under HS2 and Government proposals High Speed trains would stop here from Glasgow before joining the new HS2 line to Birmingham and London.
It is also proposed for 2 new hourly fast services between Wigan and Manchester Via parts of the WCML and Manchester - Liverpool line (after electrification of the Manchester to Liverpool line) and an additional hourly fast to Liverpool Lime Street. The Glasgow and Edinburgh services to Manchester will be redirected via Wigan but its not currently known if they will call.
Being located on the West Coast Main Line
, Wigan North Western has retained regular trains to a wide range of destinations. However there were several local passenger services from the station which fell under the Beeching Axe
and earlier, and the lines have since been closed:-
which has been demolished.
Wigan Central was located in Station Road, still in the town centre but some way away from the two main stations (at North Western and Wallgate). It was a terminal station on the branch line to Glazebrook and on to Manchester Central.
Wigan Central was opened by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (later to become the Great Central
) in October 1892 and was closed to passengers in November 1964.
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, UK.
It is a moderately-sized station on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. It is operated by Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
, and is also served by 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...
. London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
used to offer a daily service to Preston
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...
during the evening rush hour on weekdays which called here, but this was withdrawn at the end of the 2007-8 timetable.
Wigan's other station is Wigan Wallgate
Wigan Wallgate railway station
Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main railway stations serving the town of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The station is on 2 lines, the Manchester-Southport Line and the Manchester-Kirkby Line. It is north west of Manchester Victoria...
, which is about 100 metres away, on the opposite side of the street named Wallgate, for services to Manchester (Victoria, Deansgate, Oxford Road & Piccadilly) , Southport and Kirkby. Both stations are centrally located on the southern fringe of Wigan town centre. The station is named North Western, not because it is situated in the North West of the town but because it was at one point operated by the London and North Western Railway (see below). The drop in usage figures for Wigan North Western in 2006/7 was due to the adjustment of the allocation between the town's two stations. In 2009 the station was identified as one of the ten worst category B
United Kingdom railway station categories
The 2,535 railway stations on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom are classified into six categories and four subcategories by the Department for Transport. The scheme was devised in 1996 and there was a review in 2009 when 106 stations changed categories. The categorisation scheme is...
interchange stations for mystery shopper assessment of fabric and environment, and was set to receive a share of £50m funding for improvements.
Description
The station was rebuilt in the early 1970s to a contemporary functional style (see picture, right). The tracks are above street level and access to the six platforms is via a subway and stairs. Recently the goods lifts were modified to allow public access.- Platform 1 is used for services to ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
from the West Coast Mainline. This is used mostly for Transpennine Express services on Sundays. - Platforms 2 and 3 are bay platforms, used by the few daily services to ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
(frequent Manchester services serve Wigan Wallgate), and for trains unable to terminate at platform 6 - Platform 4 is used for Virgin TrainsVirgin TrainsVirgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
services to London Euston and Birmingham New Street, and express services to Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street railway stationLiverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network... - Platform 5 is for northbound services to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway stationEdinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
. It is also used for services to Blackpool NorthBlackpool North railway stationBlackpool North railway station is the main railway station serving the seaside resort of Blackpool in Lancashire, England. It is the terminus of the main Blackpool branch line from Preston....
and Barrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
. - Platform 6 is used by services arriving from the Liverpool-Wigan LineLiverpool to Wigan LineThe Liverpool to Wigan Line is a railway line in the north-west of England, running between Liverpool Lime Street and Wigan North Western via St Helens Central.-Description:...
. Until recently the Liverpool services used platforms 2 and 3 while platform 6 was used infrequently. However, the construction of a new track between Wigan North Western and the junction of the line from Liverpool via St Helens has eliminated the need for these trains to cross the busy West Coast Main Line.
The platforms have heated waiting rooms. The British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
have an office on platform 4 near the station's cafe.
Services
The station is served by Virgin TrainsVirgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
. There is an hourly service on the West Coast Main Line from London Euston
Euston station
Euston station may refer to one of the following stations in London, United Kingdom:*Euston railway station, a major terminus for trains to the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and part of Scotland...
, which continues northwards to Preston
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...
, Lancaster
Lancaster railway station
Lancaster railway station is a railway station that serves the city of Lancaster in Lancashire, England...
, Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
and Glasgow Central. The journey time from London is less than two hours (1 hour and 55 minutes)see: National timetable, table 65. There is also an hourly service in the opposite direction generally calling at Warrington Bank Quay
Warrington Bank Quay railway station
Warrington Bank Quay railway station is a mainline railway station serving the UK town of Warrington. The town centre has two stations on opposite sides of the main shopping area, Warrington Central operating a more frequent service to the neighbouring cities Liverpool and Manchester...
and London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
only (although certain trains call additionally at one of Crewe, Rugby or Milton Keynes Central). It is also served by Virgin's services from Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
. The single London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
service from Birmingham New Street to Preston that used to call in the evening was withdrawn at the end of the 2007-8 timetable.
Northern Rail operates a half-hourly service from Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
, along the Liverpool-Wigan Line via St Helens Central
St Helens Central railway station
St Helens Central railway station is a railway station serving the town of St Helens, Merseyside, England. It is on the Liverpool to Wigan Line from Liverpool Lime Street to Wigan North Western...
with a handful of services running to Liverpool via the Lowton Chord and Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows railway station
Newton-le-Willows railway station is a railway station in the town of Newton-le-Willows, in the borough of St Helens in the north-west of England, and at the edge of the Merseytravel region. It is situated on the northern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Line, the former Liverpool and...
. There is also an hourly service from Liverpool which continues north along the West Coast Main Line to Preston, then usually on to Blackpool North
Blackpool North railway station
Blackpool North railway station is the main railway station serving the seaside resort of Blackpool in Lancashire, England. It is the terminus of the main Blackpool branch line from Preston....
. Northern Rail also operates occasional services to Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales, the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and routes throughout northern England...
. In recent years, most services from Manchester use Wigan Wallgate station.
Northern Rail services are operated by a mix of Pacer
Pacer (train)
Pacer is the operational name of the British Rail Classes 140, 141, 142, 143 and 144 diesel multiple unit railbuses, built between 1984 and 1987...
and Sprinter
Sprinter (train)
The Sprinter is a family of diesel multiple unit trains in use on the UK railway system. They were built in the 1980s and early 1990s by BREL, Metro Cammell and Leyland. Most are based around a Cummins engine with Voith hydraulic transmission, although some class 158s have a Perkins engine...
units. Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
services southwards to London Euston
Euston station
Euston station may refer to one of the following stations in London, United Kingdom:*Euston railway station, a major terminus for trains to the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and part of Scotland...
and northwards to Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
and Glasgow are always operated by electric Pendolino
Pendolino
Pendolino is an Italian family of tilting trains used in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Russian Federation, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Switzerland, China and shortly in Romania and Poland...
trains. Other destinations are served by diesel Voyager
British Rail Class 220
The Class 220 Voyager are a class of diesel-electric high-speed multiple-unit trains built by Bombardier Transportation in 2000 and 2001....
units.
Future Train Services
Wigan could have another direct link to Glasgow as Glasgow TrainsGlasgow Trains
Glasgow Trains is a proposed open access rail operator in Great Britain from Renaissance Trains. They would offer a twice daily direct service between Liverpool and Glasgow with intermediate stops at Preston and Carlisle...
would run the new Liverpool-Glasgow service, running two trains a day calling only at Preston and Carlisle. According to Glasgow Trains outline proposals these services would be operated by carriages hauled by Class 67
British Rail Class 67
The Class 67 locomotives are a class of Bo'Bo' diesel electric mainline locomotives which were built for the English, Welsh and Scottish Railway between 1999 to 2000 by Alstom at Meinfesa in Valencia, Spain with drive components from General Motors Diesel.Rail enthusiasts have nicknamed the class...
locomotives. Under HS2 and Government proposals High Speed trains would stop here from Glasgow before joining the new HS2 line to Birmingham and London.
It is also proposed for 2 new hourly fast services between Wigan and Manchester Via parts of the WCML and Manchester - Liverpool line (after electrification of the Manchester to Liverpool line) and an additional hourly fast to Liverpool Lime Street. The Glasgow and Edinburgh services to Manchester will be redirected via Wigan but its not currently known if they will call.
Key dates
| 3 September 1832 | The Wigan Junction Railway opened between the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Liverpool and Manchester Railway The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North... at Parkside Junction (in Newton-le-Willows Newton-le-Willows Newton-le-Willows is a small market town within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is situated about midway between the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, to the east of St Helens, to the north of Warrington and to the south of... ) and Wigan. The original station in Wigan was located close to Chapel Lane, and three trains per day were provided, connecting with the Liverpool and Manchester trains at Parkside. |
| 31 October 1838 | 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... opened between Wigan and Preston and connected with the line from Parkside. Wigan station was relocated to its present position. |
| 1846 | The London and North Western Railway London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway... was formed as a result of the progressive amalgamation of various earlier lines, including the Grand Junction Railway Grand Junction Railway The Grand Junction Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed between 1833 and 1846 when it was merged into the London and North Western Railway... . In collaboration with the Caledonian Railway Caledonian Railway The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921... , through trains were introduced between London Euston Euston station Euston station may refer to one of the following stations in London, United Kingdom:*Euston railway station, a major terminus for trains to the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and part of Scotland... and Glasgow. |
| 2 August 1873 | A major accident Wigan rail crash In Victorian times annual holidays to Scotland were popular amongst the affluent; inspired by Queen Victoria's visits to Balmoral. The 'Tourist Special' which left London Euston at 20:00 on 2 August 1873 drawn by two locomotives consisted of 25 vehicles by the time it left Crewe including many... occurred at Wigan North Western. An overnight express from London to Scotland derailed while passing through the station at high speed. 13 people died and 30 were badly injured. The subsequent inquiry into the accident resulted in the introduction of facing point locks to passenger-carrying lines throughout the UK. |
| 1888–1894 | The station was substantially enlarged. The London and North Western Railway London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway... 's Manchester and Wigan Railway connected with the North Union Railway at Springs Branch, and services to Manchester Exchange via Tyldesley Tyldesley railway station Tyldesley railway station is a closed railway station in Greater Manchester. It was situated within the historic county of Lancashire.-History:... which began in September 1864, terminated at the enlarged station. This line closed in 1969. |
| July 1972 | During 1971 and 1972, the run-down Victorian-era station buildings were demolished and the track layout re-modelled as a prelude to electrification. The re-built station was officially opened in July 1972. |
| 1 October 1972 | All signalling through Wigan North Western and adjacent sections of the West Coast main line came under the control of the new Warrington Power Signal Box. Two large signal boxes were closed - Wigan No.1 and Wigan No.2, which had controlled train movements at the south and north ends of station respectively. |
| 23 July 1973 | Electric train services began between London Euston and Preston, via Wigan North Western. Express trains, formerly hauled by one or two Class 50 British Rail Class 50 The British Rail Class 50 is a diesel locomotive built from 1967-68 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works in Newton-le-Willows. Fifty of these locomotives were built to haul express passenger trains on the, then non-electrified, section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe,... diesels, were now powered by Class 86 British Rail Class 86 The British Rail Class 86 was the standard electric locomotive built during the 1960s, developed as a result of testing with the earlier Classes 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85. One hundred of these locomotives were built from 1965-1966 by either English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, or... or new Class 87 British Rail Class 87 The British Rail Class 87 is a type of electric locomotive built from 1973-75 by British Rail Engineering Limited . 36 of these locomotives were built to work passenger services over the West Coast Main Line . They were the flagships of British Rail's electric locomotive fleet until the late 1980s,... electrics Electric locomotive An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device... . |
| 6 May 1974 | The West Coast electrification project was complete and electric trains operated through to Glasgow. |
Withdrawn passenger services
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
, Wigan North Western has retained regular trains to a wide range of destinations. However there were several local passenger services from the station which fell under 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...
and earlier, and the lines have since been closed:-
- Blackburn via Chorley (passenger service a pre-Beeching withdrawal in January 1960: see Lancashire Union Railway).
- Trains departed northwards before diverging from the main line at Boar's Head Junction, 3.6km (2¼ miles) north of Wigan. From Boar's Head, a line ran to AdlingtonAdlington, LancashireAdlington is a town and civil parish in Lancashire, England, near the West Pennine Moors and the town of Chorley. Six miles northwest of Bolton, it became a separate parish in 1842 then grew into a town around the textile industry. It has a population of 5,270.-Toponymy:The last element 'ington'...
where it joined the Manchester to Preston LineManchester to Preston LineThe Manchester to Preston Line runs from the city of Manchester to Preston, Lancashire. It is largely used by commuters entering Manchester from surrounding suburbs and cities, but is also one of the main railway lines in the North West and is utilised by intercity services for Scotland and the...
as far as ChorleyChorley railway stationChorley railway station serves Chorley in Lancashire, England. Since 2004 it has been linked with its "interchange" bus and coach station.The railway station is a modern 1980s built on top of the original station, the level of which can be seen under the existing station's two platforms connected...
. From Chorley another branch line ran to Cherry Tree stationCherry Tree railway stationCherry Tree railway station serves Cherry Tree, a suburb of Blackburn. The station is west of Blackburn railway station in East Lancashire. It is within the boundaries of the Blackburn with Darwen unitary authority. It is managed by Northern Rail, who also provide all the passenger services...
and joined the existing line from PrestonPreston railway stationPreston 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...
to BlackburnBlackburn railway stationBlackburn 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...
. In addition to the local service, this route was also occasionally used by long distance trains when these were diverted over the Settle and Carlisle lineSettle-Carlisle RailwayThe Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
. Until at least 1963 a "private" non-advertised return passenger service was operated for workers at the Royal Ordnance Factory at Euxton.
- Manchester (Exchange) via Tyldesley (local stopping passenger service withdrawn 1962, with some remaining non-stopping local services withdrawn in January 1968: some expresses continuing until May 1969).
- The line from Wigan to Manchester ExchangeManchester Exchange StationManchester Exchange Station was a railway station located immediately to the north of Manchester city centre. It served the city between 1884 and 1969. The main approach road ran from the end of Deansgate near Manchester Cathedral, passing above the River Irwell and Chapel Street; a second approach...
via TyldesleyTyldesleyTyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
and EcclesEccles, Greater ManchesterEccles is a town in the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England, west of Salford and west of Manchester city centre...
was the L&NWR'sLondon and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
route from Manchester to the north and Scotland. Before closure, this route was used both by local trains and by long-distance expresses between ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and destinations such as WindermereWindermere railway stationWindermere railway station is the railway station that serves Windermere in Cumbria, England. It is just south of the A591, about 15 min walk or a short bus ride from the lake. The station is located behind a branch of the Booths supermarket chain, which occupies the site of the original station...
and Glasgow. Trains from Wigan North Western to Manchester ExchangeManchester Exchange StationManchester Exchange Station was a railway station located immediately to the north of Manchester city centre. It served the city between 1884 and 1969. The main approach road ran from the end of Deansgate near Manchester Cathedral, passing above the River Irwell and Chapel Street; a second approach...
travelled south for 2.2km (1½ miles) along the main line before diverging onto the Tyldesley line at Springs Branch Junction.
- Local Trains along main line
- Passenger services were provided to a number of smaller stations located along the main line. Except for LeylandLeyland railway stationLeyland railway station serves the town of Leyland in Lancashire, England. It was formerly "Golden Hill", the name of the street and area in which the station is based, but was re-named Leyland soon after opening...
and Balshaw Lane (which was reopened in 1998 as Euxton Balshaw Lane) these stations are now closed. Closure of some of these smaller stations started before the Beeching report (for example Boar's Head and Bamfurlong in 1949 and Golborne in 1962) and was completed in the late 1960s.
- Local trains called at:-
| Northwards | Southwards |
| Boar's Head | Bamfurlong |
| Standish Junction | Golborne |
| Coppull | Lowton |
| Balshaw Lane & Euxton | Newton-le-Willows Newton-le-Willows railway station Newton-le-Willows railway station is a railway station in the town of Newton-le-Willows, in the borough of St Helens in the north-west of England, and at the edge of the Merseytravel region. It is situated on the northern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Line, the former Liverpool and... |
| Leyland Leyland railway station Leyland railway station serves the town of Leyland in Lancashire, England. It was formerly "Golden Hill", the name of the street and area in which the station is based, but was re-named Leyland soon after opening... |
Earlestown Earlestown railway station Earlestown railway station is a railway station in Earlestown, Newton-le-Willows in Merseyside, England. Since recent restoration of a platform for Warrington Bank Quay to Liverpool trains, it is one of the few "triangular" stations in Britain .... |
| Farington | |
| Preston 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... |
Warrington Bank Quay Warrington Bank Quay railway station Warrington Bank Quay railway station is a mainline railway station serving the UK town of Warrington. The town centre has two stations on opposite sides of the main shopping area, Warrington Central operating a more frequent service to the neighbouring cities Liverpool and Manchester... |
- Note that the closed station at Balshaw Lane & Euxton was at a different location to the new station named Euxton Balshaw LaneEuxton Balshaw Lane railway stationEuxton Balshaw Lane is situated in the village of Euxton , Lancashire, England. It is a local station on the West Coast Main Line on the stretch between Wigan and .-History:...
, which opened in 1998. - There are currently proposals to re-open some of the closed local stations (e.g. Golborne), but none has been approved at this stage.
Wigan Central
Wigan had a third station: Wigan CentralWigan Central railway station
Wigan Central railway station was a railway station near the centre of Wigan, England and was some way away from the two main stations which were on the western edge of the town centre. Central station was built by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and opened on 3 October 1892...
which has been demolished.
Wigan Central was located in Station Road, still in the town centre but some way away from the two main stations (at North Western and Wallgate). It was a terminal station on the branch line to Glazebrook and on to Manchester Central.
Wigan Central was opened by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (later to become the Great Central
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
) in October 1892 and was closed to passengers in November 1964.
Historical References
- A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain – vol.10 The North West. G.O.Holt, pub. David & Charles (1986) ISBN 0-946537-34-8
- Electric Euston to Glasgow. O.S.Nock, pub. Ian Allan (1974) ISBN 0-7110-0530-3
- A Lancashire Triangle – Part 1. D.J.Sweeney, pub. Triangle Publishing (1996) ISBN 0-9529333-0-6