Formby railway station
Encyclopedia
Formby railway station is a railway station in the town of Formby
, Merseyside
, England
. The station is located on the Southport
branch of the Merseyrail
network's Northern Line
.
The station has a car park and a newsagent.
. It became part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
in 1904, who took over from the LCSR. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway amalgamated with the London and North Western Railway
on 1 January 1922 and in turn was Grouped
into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
in 1923. Nationalisation followed in 1948 and in 1978 the station became part of the Merseyrail network's Northern Line (operated by British Rail
until privatisation
in 1995).
Formby is mentioned in the song "Slow Train
" by Flanders and Swann
. This is because the Beeching Report listed Formby as a station to be closed, along with the entire Liverpool to Southport route.
to the north, and to Hunts Cross
via Liverpool Central
to the south. Winter Sunday services are every 30 minutes in each direction.
Formby
Formby is a town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It has a population of approximately 25,000....
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, 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 station is located on the Southport
Southport railway station
Southport railway station serves the town of Southport, Merseyside, England. It is at the end of one of the branches of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, and at the end of the Manchester-Southport Line which runs via Wigan...
branch of the Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
network's Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
.
The station has a car park and a newsagent.
History
Formby opened in 1848 as an intermediate station on the Liverpool, Crosby and Southport RailwayLiverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway
The Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway received parliamentary authorization on 2 July 1847 and opened between Southport and Liverpool Waterloo on 24 July 1848.-LC&SR later operations:...
. It became part of 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 1904, who took over from the LCSR. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway amalgamated with 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...
on 1 January 1922 and in turn was Grouped
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
in 1923. Nationalisation followed in 1948 and in 1978 the station became part of the Merseyrail network's Northern Line (operated by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
until privatisation
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in 1995).
Formby is mentioned in the song "Slow Train
Slow Train
"Slow Train" is a song by the British duo Flanders and Swann, written in 1963.It laments the loss of British stations and railway lines in that era, due to the Beeching cuts, and also the passing of a way of life, with the advent of motorways etc....
" by Flanders and Swann
Flanders and Swann
The British duo Flanders and Swann were the actor and singer Michael Flanders and the composer, pianist and linguist Donald Swann , who collaborated in writing and performing comic songs....
. This is because the Beeching Report listed Formby as a station to be closed, along with the entire Liverpool to Southport route.
Services
Trains operate every 15 minutes throughout the day from Monday to Saturday and on summer Sundays to SouthportSouthport railway station
Southport railway station serves the town of Southport, Merseyside, England. It is at the end of one of the branches of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, and at the end of the Manchester-Southport Line which runs via Wigan...
to the north, and to Hunts Cross
Hunts Cross railway station
Hunts Cross railway station is a Grade II listed railway station in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, England. It is situated on the southern branch of the City Line's Liverpool to Manchester route, and is the southern terminus of Merseyrail's Northern Line.-History:...
via Liverpool Central
Liverpool Central railway station
Liverpool Central railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, and forms the central hub of the Merseyrail network, being on both the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. In the years 2008/09, Liverpool Central station was shown to be the busiest station in Liverpool, despite being...
to the south. Winter Sunday services are every 30 minutes in each direction.
External links
- Station information from Merseyrail