Poulton-le-Fylde railway station
Encyclopedia
Poulton-le-Fylde railway station serves the town of Poulton-le-Fylde
in Lancashire
, England
. It is managed by Northern Rail
, but also served by First TransPennine Express
.
passed along a straight line east of the town. From 1846, there was a junction to Blackpool
just north of the station, with tight connecting curves facing either way. In 1893 a fatal accident occurred when a train took the curve too fast. Subsequently, in 1896, the tracks were realigned to follow a much gentler westward curve to Blackpool, with the new station half way along the curve. The Fleetwood branch then curved to the east to rejoin the original alignment. The old station continued to be used as a goods station
until 1968.
Passenger services to Fleetwood were discontinued during railway restructuring in 1970, although a freight service continued to the ICI
plant at until 1999. The line is still extant, albeit in a rusty and overgrown state. Since June 2006, there have been plans to restore the passenger rail link to Fleetwood
via Thornton
; a £30,000 feasibility study will need to be undertaken to explore the re-instatement of the link and the addition of a third platform at Poulton-le-Fylde.
and towards Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport
; Manchester Victoria; York
via Blackburn
and Leeds; and Liverpool Lime Street. All southbound routes have a basic hourly frequency, although Liverpool trains only call during the morning peak.
Sundays see hourly services to Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria & Liverpool Lime Street and two-hourly to York. The station is also served by a single DalesRail service to Carlisle
via Settle
during the summer months.
Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde is a market town in Lancashire, England, situated on the coastal plain called the Fylde. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 18,264. There is evidence of human habitation in the area from 12,000 years ago and several archaeological finds from Roman...
in 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...
. It is managed 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...
, but also served by First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
.
History
The original station was about 400 yards (365.8 m) north-east of the current location, at “The Breck”. The railway to the fishing town of FleetwoodFleetwood
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...
passed along a straight line east of the town. From 1846, there was a junction to Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
just north of the station, with tight connecting curves facing either way. In 1893 a fatal accident occurred when a train took the curve too fast. Subsequently, in 1896, the tracks were realigned to follow a much gentler westward curve to Blackpool, with the new station half way along the curve. The Fleetwood branch then curved to the east to rejoin the original alignment. The old station continued to be used as a goods station
Goods station
A goods station is, in the widest sense, a railway station which is exclusively or predominantly where goods of any description are loaded or unloaded from ships or road vehicles and/or where goods wagons are transferred to local sidings.A station where goods are not specifically received or...
until 1968.
Passenger services to Fleetwood were discontinued during railway restructuring in 1970, although a freight service continued to the ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
plant at until 1999. The line is still extant, albeit in a rusty and overgrown state. Since June 2006, there have been plans to restore the passenger rail link to Fleetwood
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...
via Thornton
Thornton, Lancashire
Thornton is a village on the Fylde, in Lancashire, England, about four miles north of Blackpool and two miles south of Fleetwood. It is in the Borough of Wyre...
; a £30,000 feasibility study will need to be undertaken to explore the re-instatement of the link and the addition of a third platform at Poulton-le-Fylde.
Services
The station is now served by trains to and from Blackpool NorthBlackpool 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....
and towards Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport railway station
Manchester Airport railway station is the railway station that serves Manchester Airport and is built into the airport's terminal buildings. The station was opened together with the second airport terminal in 1993.- Description:...
; Manchester Victoria; York
York railway station
York railway station is a main-line railway station in the city of York, England. It lies on the East Coast Main Line north of London's King's Cross station towards Edinburgh's Waverley Station...
via 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...
and Leeds; and Liverpool Lime Street. All southbound routes have a basic hourly frequency, although Liverpool trains only call during the morning peak.
Sundays see hourly services to Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria & Liverpool Lime Street and two-hourly to York. The station is also served by a single DalesRail service 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...
via Settle
Settle railway station
Settle railway station serves the town of Settle in North Yorkshire, England. It is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services. It is situated at the southern end of the Settle-Carlisle Line north of ....
during the summer months.
External links
- Blackpool & Fylde Rail Users’ Association—Poulton, accessed 17 October 2007
- Poulton & Wyre Railway Society, working towards restoring the passenger rail link to Fleetwood.