Lostock railway station
Encyclopedia
Lostock railway station serves the suburb of Lostock in Bolton
, Greater Manchester
, England
. According to large scale Ordnance Survey
maps and local usage, the area is named Lostock Junction and the station is referred to as such by many local people. Indeed Network Rail
's own "location map" refers to the area as "Lostock Junction".
and ) on 4 February 1841, and among the original stations on this route, the first station out of Bolton was at . On 20 November 1848, the Liverpool and Bury Railway
was opened giving a route between Bolton and Wigan
, and the point where it connected to the Bolton–Preston line was named Lostock Junction; the first station out of Bolton on this route was . Later, a station was constructed at the junction, also named Lostock Junction, which opened around August 1852. The station gave its name to the village which grew around it. This station had platforms on both the Preston and Wigan routes. It closed on 7 November 1966.
On 16 May 1988 the station was reopened, but with platforms only on the Preston route. It was named Lostock Parkway, being provided with a large car park for the use of park-and-ride commuters. The suffix "Parkway" was later dropped.
The two-platform station is served by Northern Rail
and TransPennine Express services to Manchester
stations (i.e. Piccadilly, Airport
, Oxford Road and Victoria) from Preston
and Blackpool North
. It is a popular commuter station.
The Bolton
-Wigan
branch-line diverges just to the south of Lostock's platforms, but there are no longer any platforms on the branch to Wigan and Southport
. The Network Rail
North West Route Utilisation Strategy has recommended the construction of these additional platforms and they are planned to be reinstated as part of the Manchester TIF bid.
If the Wigan platforms were restored, then Lostock may again provide a valuable interchange point for those passengers wishing to travel from Hindley
and Westhoughton
to Chorley
, Preston and Blackpool, and from Chorley to Wigan and Southport, which may be faster than the options that are currently available.
Most recently in early 2009, the station has had a passenger information display system installed, giving waiting passengers on the platforms information about trains that are due to arrive. Fully computer automated, it is also equipped with an audio speaker system, giving the benefit of announcements of train arrivals and delays.
During December 2008 - Spring 2009 the car park facilities were greatly improved by extending and resurfacing the land surrounding the railway, with the addition of floodlighting and CCTV.
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, 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...
, 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...
. According to large scale Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps and local usage, the area is named Lostock Junction and the station is referred to as such by many local people. Indeed Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
's own "location map" refers to the area as "Lostock Junction".
History
The railway line between and had opened as far as (between AdlingtonAdlington (Lancashire) railway station
Adlington railway station serves the village of Adlington, near Chorley in Lancashire, England. It is a two-platform station on the Chorley-Bolton line...
and ) on 4 February 1841, and among the original stations on this route, the first station out of Bolton was at . On 20 November 1848, the Liverpool and Bury Railway
Liverpool and Bury Railway
The Liverpool and Bury Railway was formed in 1845 and opened on 28 November 1848. The line ran from Liverpool Exchange first using a joint line with Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway before branching of to proceed via Kirkby then Wigan and Bolton to Bury.In 1846 the line merged with the...
was opened giving a route between Bolton and Wigan
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...
, and the point where it connected to the Bolton–Preston line was named Lostock Junction; the first station out of Bolton on this route was . Later, a station was constructed at the junction, also named Lostock Junction, which opened around August 1852. The station gave its name to the village which grew around it. This station had platforms on both the Preston and Wigan routes. It closed on 7 November 1966.
On 16 May 1988 the station was reopened, but with platforms only on the Preston route. It was named Lostock Parkway, being provided with a large car park for the use of park-and-ride commuters. The suffix "Parkway" was later dropped.
The two-platform station is 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...
and TransPennine Express services to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester 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...
stations (i.e. Piccadilly, 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:...
, Oxford Road and Victoria) from 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...
and 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....
. It is a popular commuter station.
The Bolton
Bolton railway station
Bolton Interchange is a transport interchange combining the railway station and a four stand bus station in the town of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. The station is located on the Manchester spur of the West Coast Main Line and is managed by Northern Rail...
-Wigan
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...
branch-line diverges just to the south of Lostock's platforms, but there are no longer any platforms on the branch to Wigan and 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...
. The Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
North West Route Utilisation Strategy has recommended the construction of these additional platforms and they are planned to be reinstated as part of the Manchester TIF bid.
If the Wigan platforms were restored, then Lostock may again provide a valuable interchange point for those passengers wishing to travel from Hindley
Hindley railway station
Hindley railway station serves the area of Hindley in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.Hindley is one of the principal stations that lie on the Wigan to Manchester line, just before the route branches to use either the Atherton line or the Eastern Branch line via Westhoughton and Bolton...
and Westhoughton
Westhoughton railway station
Westhoughton railway station serves the town of Westhoughton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, north-western England. The station is 15½ miles north west of Manchester Piccadilly.- Overview :...
to Chorley
Chorley railway station
Chorley 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...
, Preston and Blackpool, and from Chorley to Wigan and Southport, which may be faster than the options that are currently available.
Most recently in early 2009, the station has had a passenger information display system installed, giving waiting passengers on the platforms information about trains that are due to arrive. Fully computer automated, it is also equipped with an audio speaker system, giving the benefit of announcements of train arrivals and delays.
During December 2008 - Spring 2009 the car park facilities were greatly improved by extending and resurfacing the land surrounding the railway, with the addition of floodlighting and CCTV.