Fleetwood railway station
Encyclopedia
There have been three locations for Fleetwood railway station in Fleetwood
, Lancashire
, England
. The first, from 1840 to 1883, was in Dock Street, opposite Church Street. The second, from 1883 to 1966, was in Queen's Terrace. From 1966 to 1970, the station previously known as Wyre Dock railway station
was renamed "Fleetwood".
In 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies
proposed a new station at Fleetwood as part of a plan to expand the national rail network.
from Preston
to Fleetwood was originally opened on 15 July 1840, with a terminus in Dock Street, opposite Church Street. (In the original plan for the new town, the station was to be at the end of London Street, directly from the Mount, but the plan was not followed.) The single-track line ran over an embankment and a timber trestle bridge in straight line northwards across the marsh
y Wyre
estuary, with the station at the far end of the bridge. Within six years the trestle became unsafe and the railway was re-routed slightly inland, and the track doubled. Beyond the passenger station was a goods station at the south end of Queen’s Terrace.
Between 1841 and 1848, Fleetwood was a part of the "West Coast Main Line" equivalent of its time. The fastest route from London
to Glasgow
was by train to Fleetwood, and thence by packet boat to Ardrossan
. After 1848, the entire journey could be made by rail.
.
The railway approached the station from the south. Platforms 1 and 4 ran the full length of the station, the northern half of each platform being under a glass-roofed train shed. Between the platforms were the booking office, waiting rooms, left luggage office and so on. Platforms 2 and 3 were shorter bay platforms which did not enter the train shed. Platform 5 was the boat train platform, the longest of all, which ran outside the train shed along its eastern side. At the north end was a glass-roofed concourse, running from the Queen's Terrace entrance to the jetty for steamers on the side of the Wyre
. On the north side of the concourse were refreshment rooms, separately for first- and second-class passengers. There were further goods sheds and sidings to east of the station.
The station was demolished after closure and a restaurant built on part of the site. In 1973, the remainder was developed into a container
port facility, operating ro-ro service to Northern Ireland
, which continued until January 2011, when Stena Line removed the Fleetwood to Larne route.
, which was situated at the southern end of Dock Street, about a half-mile away, and which was then renamed "Fleetwood" station.
Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The first, from 1840 to 1883, was in Dock Street, opposite Church Street. The second, from 1883 to 1966, was in Queen's Terrace. From 1966 to 1970, the station previously known as Wyre Dock railway station
Wyre Dock railway station
Wyre Dock railway station served Fleetwood in Lancashire, England from 1885 to 1970.Wyre Dock passenger station was constructed in 1885, on the Fleetwood Branch Line from Poulton-le-Fylde, about half a mile from the Fleetwood main terminus. The station stood at the southern end of Dock Street,...
was renamed "Fleetwood".
In 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies
Association of Train Operating Companies
The Association of Train Operating Companies is a body which represents 24 train operating companies that provide passenger railway services on the privatised British railway system. It owns the National Rail brand. The Association is an unincorporated association owned by its members...
proposed a new station at Fleetwood as part of a plan to expand the national rail network.
Dock Street
The Preston and Wyre Joint RailwayPreston and Wyre Joint Railway
right|256px|thumb|Carleton level crossing between Poulton-le-Fylde and Laytonright|256px|thumb|Thornton for Cleveleys station, 2005The Preston and Wyre Joint Railway – in full, the Preston & Wyre Railway and Dock Company – was the result of a merger in 1839 between:* Preston & Wyre...
from Preston
Maudlands railway station
Maudlands railway station was the original Preston terminus of the Preston and Wyre Joint Railway to , in Lancashire, England. It was located on Leighton Street. The line and the station opened on 15 July 1840...
to Fleetwood was originally opened on 15 July 1840, with a terminus in Dock Street, opposite Church Street. (In the original plan for the new town, the station was to be at the end of London Street, directly from the Mount, but the plan was not followed.) The single-track line ran over an embankment and a timber trestle bridge in straight line northwards across the marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y Wyre
River Wyre
The River Wyre is a river in Lancashire, United Kingdom, which flows into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood. It is approximately 28 miles in length...
estuary, with the station at the far end of the bridge. Within six years the trestle became unsafe and the railway was re-routed slightly inland, and the track doubled. Beyond the passenger station was a goods station at the south end of Queen’s Terrace.
Between 1841 and 1848, Fleetwood was a part of the "West Coast Main Line" equivalent of its time. The fastest route from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
was by train to Fleetwood, and thence by packet boat to Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
. After 1848, the entire journey could be made by rail.
Queen’s Terrace
In July 1883, a replacement station was built opposite the north end of Queen's Terrace, which served as Fleetwood's main railway terminus from then until 18 April 1966, when it was closed due to the Beeching CutsBeeching 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 railway approached the station from the south. Platforms 1 and 4 ran the full length of the station, the northern half of each platform being under a glass-roofed train shed. Between the platforms were the booking office, waiting rooms, left luggage office and so on. Platforms 2 and 3 were shorter bay platforms which did not enter the train shed. Platform 5 was the boat train platform, the longest of all, which ran outside the train shed along its eastern side. At the north end was a glass-roofed concourse, running from the Queen's Terrace entrance to the jetty for steamers on the side of the Wyre
River Wyre
The River Wyre is a river in Lancashire, United Kingdom, which flows into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood. It is approximately 28 miles in length...
. On the north side of the concourse were refreshment rooms, separately for first- and second-class passengers. There were further goods sheds and sidings to east of the station.
The station was demolished after closure and a restaurant built on part of the site. In 1973, the remainder was developed into a container
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
port facility, operating ro-ro service to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, which continued until January 2011, when Stena Line removed the Fleetwood to Larne route.
Wyre Dock
When the Queen’s Terrace station closed, passenger service was relocated to the existing Wyre Dock railway stationWyre Dock railway station
Wyre Dock railway station served Fleetwood in Lancashire, England from 1885 to 1970.Wyre Dock passenger station was constructed in 1885, on the Fleetwood Branch Line from Poulton-le-Fylde, about half a mile from the Fleetwood main terminus. The station stood at the southern end of Dock Street,...
, which was situated at the southern end of Dock Street, about a half-mile away, and which was then renamed "Fleetwood" station.
External links
- Poulton and Wyre Railway Society, working towards restoring passenger services to Fleetwood.