Churchtown railway station
Encyclopedia
Churchtown railway station was on the West Lancashire Railway
(WLR) in England. It served the Southport
suburb of Churchtown
.
In the Churchtown area the railway ran above the local streets on an embankment, and crossed Cambridge Road to Churchtown station on an iron bridge. The station itself was on the north side of Cambridge Road immediately after the bridge, with the booking office situated at street level, on the northbound side of the station, roughly where Churchtown Medical Centre stands today.
Originally services ran from Southport Central
to Preston Fishergate Hill
. However, upon the WLR's absorption by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
in 1901, both termini were closed to passengers and became goods depots. Services then ran from Southport Chapel Street to Preston
.
The 3.5 mile section of the Southport-Preston line running from Southport Chapel Street station to Crossens station was electrified by the LYR in 1904 using the same 630V DC system as had been installed on the Liverpool-Southport line a few months earlier. Consequently after this date travellers from Churchtown station used both electric and steam-hauled trains.
Upon closure of the West Lancashire Railway in 1964, Churchtown station was demolished within days, to prevent any possible acts of vandalism and arson, as the station had been made entirely of wood (as with Penwortham Cop Lane railway station
), along with both of its platforms.
The bridge was dismantled during 1965 and the embankments on either side removed soon afterwards. It has been said that this was to prevent any possible future opening of the line, had the closure under the Beeching Report ever been reprieved by a new Labour
government.
West Lancashire Railway
The West Lancashire Railway ran northeast from Southport to Preston in northwest England.-History:Construction was started by Samuel Swire the Mayor of Southport, on 19 April 1873....
(WLR) in England. It served the Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
suburb of Churchtown
Churchtown, Sefton
- Education :Churchtown has one primary school which is situated on St Cuthbert's Road and access is also available via Botanic Gardens The school is a "community school" but is closely associated with St Cuthbert's Church...
.
In the Churchtown area the railway ran above the local streets on an embankment, and crossed Cambridge Road to Churchtown station on an iron bridge. The station itself was on the north side of Cambridge Road immediately after the bridge, with the booking office situated at street level, on the northbound side of the station, roughly where Churchtown Medical Centre stands today.
Originally services ran from Southport Central
Southport Central railway station
Southport Central was a railway station in Southport, Lancashire, England. It was opened on 4 September 1882 as the terminus of the West Lancashire Railway from Preston; it replaced the temporary terminus at Windsor Road which had been in use since 10 June 1878.The station was also known as...
to Preston Fishergate Hill
Preston Fishergate Hill railway station
Preston Fishergate Hill was a railway station at the bottom of Fishergate Hill in Preston. It formed the northeastern terminus of the West Lancashire Railway which built a direct railway link between Southport and Preston...
. However, upon the WLR's absorption by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
in 1901, both termini were closed to passengers and became goods depots. Services then ran from Southport Chapel Street 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...
.
The 3.5 mile section of the Southport-Preston line running from Southport Chapel Street station to Crossens station was electrified by the LYR in 1904 using the same 630V DC system as had been installed on the Liverpool-Southport line a few months earlier. Consequently after this date travellers from Churchtown station used both electric and steam-hauled trains.
Upon closure of the West Lancashire Railway in 1964, Churchtown station was demolished within days, to prevent any possible acts of vandalism and arson, as the station had been made entirely of wood (as with Penwortham Cop Lane railway station
Penwortham Cop Lane railway station
Penwortham Cop Lane was a railway station on the West Lancashire Railway in England. It served the town of Penwortham just outside Preston. It was between Higher Penwortham and Lower Penwortham...
), along with both of its platforms.
The bridge was dismantled during 1965 and the embankments on either side removed soon afterwards. It has been said that this was to prevent any possible future opening of the line, had the closure under the Beeching Report ever been reprieved by a new Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
government.