197 Railway Development in Preston-2
By M. D. GREVILLE and G. O, IIOLT
Photol lE. codon Tidey Lancashire & Yorkshire Railv/ay 4-6-0 locomotive near Farington, south of Preston, with a Manchester-Blackpool train
I)RiEF relerence bas already been recognised its potentialities, and pur- made_ ot fD to the ^early promise chased it on quite generous terms under the Preston & Wyre Railway, powers graDted by an Act of May 15, which began with a ser-vice oJ three 1B47. On July 28, 1849, the J-ondon & trains each way (one on Sundays)running North Western was admitted to joint from both the Maudlands terminus ancl oq'nership, but onl1' to the extent of the North Union's station in Preston. one third. The Nodh U4ion, as usual, saw to it On April 2, 1849, the East I-ancashire that it received rather more than its Railway's Liverpool, Ormskirk, and share of tolls lor the [se oJ the station. Preston line was opened. By making Shortly alter the opening, local stations connections at l-ostock Hall it became rvete erected at Lea Road and Sallvick, possible to travel lrom Liverpool to and these remained in use until lilay l, Preston in 55 min., which was consider- 1938, Salwick being subsequently re- ably better than anything thc L.N.\V.R. opened on November 2, 1942. could manage ala Parkside. The E.L.R. The flourishing nerv town oJ Fleetwood extelsion to the North Union statioD at and its steamboat traffic brought increas- Preston was opened lor passengers on ing revenue to the line, but it did not September 2, 1850, after being delayed prosper and, by 18J2, rvas in serious by floods wlich destroyed several arches financial diJhculties, attributed to the in the long viaducr approaching rhc depression of trade. Reorganisatiol of Ribble bridge. The conveyance o{ goods the undertaking brought a steady over this line began in November. The improvement and, in 1846, it opened extension leJt the Blackburn-Liverpool branches Jrom Kirkham to Lytham and line by junctions at Bamber Bddge and Poulton to Blackpool. By this time Lostock HaIl, the two lines coming most of its main line $'as being doubled, togcther at a point lvhere a station called and the company's position had improl.ecl Preston Junctionlvas opened in l)ecember, so much that the Manchester & Leeds 1852. It is remarkable that this name Jor
t) 198 7'I1E IUILLV.l\' tt,lC-.tZI\E tllatch, 1960 a station t1\'o miles out of Prestolr was the stone, and a company rvas lormed perpctuatcd Jor a huodred years before with Peter Hesketh Fleetwood (later o{ the more distinctive name oI Todd Lane Preston & $ryre fame) as chairman of Junction was adopted. thc provisional committee, to apply Jor ln the years immediately follorviDg thc neccssary polvers. The prospectus thc opcning oJ this nerv approach to pointed out that two horses, with grcat the town there was continuous stitc labour, drerv three tons per day on the betwcen the E.L.R. and the North Union road, while, on the railway, thcy would collcerllin[J thc arangements under Nhich bc able to pull 40 tons Nith much lcss the Iormc,r used the latter's station, but difhcult\.. The estimatecl cost \\'as peacc came Nith the E.L.R. and I-.Y.]t. 130,000, and it \\'as e{pectcd that the amalgamation of .{ugust 13, 1859, and, annual return Nould be 16,633, \'ith as thc I-.\.\\'.R. leased the Laicaster rt expenses of {2,000, providing a profit Carlisle in the same ycar, the joint lcssccs of l5 per cent. It lvas m^de clear that ol thc r\orth l]niol and Preston & \\'yrc this estimate lvas based on stone traJfic Ilailrvays scttled do*'n more comfortablv alone, ancl no account had becn taken of in Prcsron Slalion-1hdl is, if it rrIri. other probable traffic, such as the con- possible {or an).one to be at ease ir the veyance o{ Iime lrom Longridge and coro abominable structure it was at that timc. and other commoditics from Preston. About 1830, quarrying on a considcr- It \vas the usual rosy prospcct which, ablc scale began on the Jells abovc of cou$e, lvas never remotely realised. Longridge, the stone being conveycd by No rcferellce \vas made to passengers, road to Preston and neighborring to\\11s l'he Act oI Incorporation of thc Piestoll \!hc!e it \ras largely used lor churches ct I-oltgritlge Railway \vas obtaincd on ancl public buildings; a good deal Nas July 14, 1836, the capital to be d30,000 also slrippccl from Preston to I-ivcrpool in {j00 sl)ares. It \\'as opcncd on flay l, for use in making the docks. 1840, commencing rrith a:r inclincd In 1835, Lhomas Fleming, one of tbe plane, three-quarters of a milc long from principal quarry o\\ ners, decidecl, \\'ith the quarries to Longridge, thence 5l miles others, to promote a raihray to carry to the Deepdale Street terminus rn
Photol lL.a.R.P.lL.o.R.P. ^vo.No. 26469 The station building at Deepdale, on the Preston & Longridge Raihvay, now in use as a greengrocer's shop ttAlLry.llY DE\:ELOI)XIE \:'I' 1,Y PR.LSIOT\' 2 199
Preston, steadily falling oIr gradicnts of jDtcrcoursc bet\\'een tltc \\'est ltidil1g and I in 90 to 1 in 200 exccpt 1or a short thc Colonics, ?i4 Flcct\r'ood I stretch of I i 56 at the start. It \!as After considerablc opposition, this single throughout and $orked b)' horses, company \\'.rsincorPorated b1':Ln,\ct oI Nith an intermediatc station at Grimsargh. July 27, ts{{i, to makc the linc lrom The passenger scrvice oJ t\ro trains each T-oigridge to Clitheroc ; it $as aiireed to rvay clid not start until X'l.ty 2, as it ran Ieavc the lllacltburn, Olitheroc & North on \\:cdnesda]'s ancl Saturdays only (ilnd \\'cstern Junction RailNav to continuc Mav I rvas a Friclall.'ilonciays Latcr, trains ran thcnce to Iilslack, but that comPan)', orr Snndays and also, but har,ing obtail1cd po\\'cts for its line, serrer:rl ycars clapsed belore it reachcd r, \1r built it. I'orr,r's \\ere .rlsu 8i!"rr the dignity ol a daily service. Ior the connccting line :it Prcston, 1+ In 18-16,a companl'\\'i1h a big namc miles tong, and thjs, in fact, \\'as thc ard big icleas--the FleetNood, Prcst(n1 onlY part o{ the \holc schcmc (hich
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ii*'t IL.G.R.P. No. 26r''70 Exterior of the former West Lancashire station at Preston
& \\'cst Riding Junction ltaillay- \\,as ever urdertalicn, being oPened on appliecl {or po\\'crs to builrl lines {rom Januarv 1,1, 1850. Tho annual rent for the P.\\:.R. near llaudlands to join the thc P.l-.It., tlkcn ovcr as from Jamrarv P.L.l.{., and Jrom Longridgc, through l, 13{7, 1\'asJ3,000 a t('mptirli{ bargain Clitheroe, to Elslacli or1 thc I-o( Photol lcdnar Eti. Treacr Local train leaving Preston in 1937 headed by L.M.S.R, " Royal Scot " class 4-6-O locoinotive No. 6162 oponcd to enablc J-orgidge branch coDccrn \!hich, in a lifc lirsting a qrarter Irrss.nP.r lrains ro r D inru the m.rin oI a century, Devcr earned:r dividend, North Union statioD, and fllaudlancls Iailcd to keep up its dcl)cnhrc payments Bridge \,i'as closed. The train servrce, (dcspitc a dangerousattcmpt to do so by rvhich in 1865 consisted o{ four trains issrringmore deb.rllrrr's):'n,l err,lerlrrp way daily (thrcc on Sundays), \\.as in thc hands oI a rcccivcr. each -fhc gradually improved until, by 1930, there company r\':rs incorporated on '\r'crcnine, though onh't\yo on Sundals. Augtrst l{, 1871, Nilh thc object of By th:rt time, ho$'cvcr, bus competition maliiDg a line llom Southport to Preston had bccome so pol\'cdul that the passcn- lnd, on August 6, 1372, received {urther ger scrvice rvas l|ithdra$n on June 2. po\rers to build.r corlncction to \\'hite- In June, l&98, a ptivate rail{'ay r\.as house Junction on thcr {olmer East opcried from Grimsargh (whcrc it had its I-ancashireline oI the T..Y.R. It {'as rot owu station) to the Mcntal Hospital ?rt rlntil September 16, 1t182, that the final Whittingham {or the conveyancc of scction {rom I-ongton to Proston (Fisher- torcs. Passenger trains $ere run, lree gatc Hill) li'as opene(I, tllough the railrvay 202 THE RAILIVAY ]IAGAZINE March, 1960 had been allo\\.ed to Nork trains by special :rs Jrom July l, 1397, by an Act ol permission for the Preston Guilcl durilg July 15. On JuIy 16, 1900, the Fishergate the firct rveek oI September. fhe con- Hill terminus lvas closed, and, by means necting line, from a triangular junction of a new curve at \\rhitehouse, trains south of the Ribble to the East Lancashire $'ere diverted to the E.L.R. side of the line, was opened Jor passengers on April main-line station. The W.L.R. station 16, 1883, and for goods on June l. buildings are nolv let as oJlices, and the Running porvers enabled through trains to remains of the rest ol the station are work betNeen Southport and Blachburn. still in sit1L, some goods traffic being It was not a very efiective competitor handled there. +^ +hp T V R .losni+o.-. -,.i+s ^nr.r.rm)sm In 1914, the L.N.W.R. and L.Y.R. concernilg traffic between Livcrpool and preparcd a Bill Jor a line to extend from Blatkburn by mca s oI its salcllite,thc l.'ishergate Hill to join the P.\v.R. fine Liverpool, Southport & Preston Jrnction at I-ea Road. This rvould have been of (opened from Sotlthport to Altcar rn great value as a means Jor Blackpool 1887), and the Southport & Cheshire tlains from the south and east to avoid Lines Dxtension Raihvay. Indeed, it Preston Station but, most unfoitunately, l\.ould have been regarded lvith compara- it rvas dropped because of the outbreak tive equinimity by the L.Y.R. but Jor of the fiIst world war, and it seems a one factor-its value as a focal point Jor thousand pities that the L.M.S.R. did rival routes to Blackpool. not revive it later, although no doubt The W.L.R. promoted its own Bill this $as precluded by the development Jor a Blackpool extension Irom Fishergate oI the Preston Dock area through $.hich Hill in 1883, but rvithdrerv it in favour it rvould have passed. of the Blackpool Railway. This lvas The \\t.L.R. opened a station at Holvick, sponsored by the llanchester, Shelneld betlveen Longton and Preston, in October, & Lincolnshire rvhich, on August 2 oJ 1889 ; it was renamed Hutton & Horvick that year, obtained po\\'ers Ior a line in January, 1898, . and finally Nerv from \\-igan to Longton (a station Longton & Hutton on November 3, rcnamed LonBton Bridgc on January l, 1934. A station at Cop Lane, opened in 1892). The Blackpool Raihvay failed to May, 1911, \'as renamed Penvortham obtainitsAct, but tried agaiD the next year (Cop l-ane) in June, 1940. Despite a and t'as successful, on August 7. Po.$'ers precarious existence in its early days, the -were given to the NI.S.L.Ii. to *ork, line later provided something of a manage and maintain it. suburban service {or Preston with a No steps $ere taken to start work on considerabjenumber ol passengeri.rains. either line, but on August 14, 1890, a The North Union Railway, leased to rviid-cat scheme, the North West Central the Grand Junction and the Manchester Raii$'ay, obtained powe6 for lvhat & Leeds Raihvays in 1846, and so passing rvould have been an extremely costly into the hands oJ the L.N.W.R. and line, Starting {rom the Keighley branch L.Y.R., was absorbed by those two of the Great Northern liailway it was to companies jointly under the provisions of take a very heavily graded route (much ind Acr ot August 7, 1888. In 1889, lhe ot it at 1 in 50) to join the W.L,R. at former Boltol1 and Preston Iine beyond Preston. Presumably on the strength ol Iluxton Junction was transferred to the this promised nerv Jeeder the Blackpool olvoership of the I-.Y.R., and the original Raihvay began to show signs of li{e, and North Union line between Euxton Junc- it rvas aDnounced that the contract had tion and Parkside became L.N.W.R. been let Jor its construction, but that was Property. as lar as ir uent. All threc lines, the A connection {rom the North Union M.S.L.R. Nigan-Longton route, the liDe at Farington Junction to the lormer Blackpool and the North \\rcst Ccntral Ifast J,ancashire line at Lostock Hall Jaded out, leaving the \V.1,.R. vcry \vas opened on May 3, 1886, but has much in the air. never been used for regular passenger When the L.Y.R., no doubt thinking trallic, apart lrorn a ferv workmen's it wise to take this spcarhead oJ attack tmins. On July l, 1891, an improvement under its control, made an ofier to take in the approach to Preston lrom the it over, the \\r.L.R. was only too glad Liverpool direction was achieved by to accept. Porvers for this lvere obtained opening a connection from Moss Lane R,llLlVAY DDVI:LOP.rlLSr /.\ ,1'./i/:S7O.\- 3 203 Junction to the main line at Farington throu8h Preston on the E.L.lt. siJe, and. Curve Junction (north of Farington alter a journey oI 5! miles ?ria Lostocli Station), enabling trains to run to and Hall and the Farington Curve, find from thc main-linc platlorms at Prcston, thcrns.lvcs passing through the station and cutting out the ctlrving round a second time in the opposite dircc- through Preston Junction. Another tion. curve from this connection (facing east) Preston's status as a seaport \vas raised to Lostock Hcll. wrs opencd on May 25, considerably by the dredging o{ the rlver 1908, and made it possible Jor trains on channel and extension o{ the quays. In the Blackburn line to ruII in and out on 1892, the dock, greatly enlalged by the the main line. corporation, *'as opened and brought The L.Y.R. thus provided a very increased goods traffic over the branch complete system of loops and avoiding which had been in use since 1846. lines south o{ Preston, although thcre is llention must also be made of the cattle no direct approach to thc P.\V.R. line market at Oxheys, adjacent to the trom the north, and this rvas the cause La caster line north of the town, whcre of some difficulty and clelay in the a passenger station was opened in station when thlough trains were run. November, 1869. Its single plat{orm This was later ovcrcomc by run ing was served by up trains only and it round the curves south of the station, remained jr1 use on market days until and passengeG in al1 excursion train May, 1925. Jrom the north to Blackpool may run lTo be contiluBdl New Stock for the Piccadilly Line of London Transport EVEN-CAR " silver " trains {or the the 76 nerv traifls. So also is the use oI Piccadilly Line of J-ondon Trans- rubber {or the bogie bolster and axlebox port are now being delivered. They suspension, giving passengers a smoother, are the first of 76 production trains to be quieter rirlc and climinating rve.r.rirrg supplied by the Metropolitan-Cammell parts rvhich need heavy maintenadce. Carriage & Wagon Co. I-td., of Saltley, An innovation is the fittjng of speeclo- Birmingham, agaillst a flo-mi]lion order meters. placed in August, 1958. They {ollorv Features such as tracklcss doors, thlee prototype trains introduced in mercury-type door interlocks, roof- 1957, and describcd in our October mounted cloor Jault indicator lights, issue o{ that year. The new trains are rubber rvinclorv glazing, improved re- entering service at the rate oI about one tractable shoegear, and a modified electro- a fortnight until mid-1962. pDeumatic brake system designed to The sides of the cals ale panelled in Jircilitate maintenance and improve re- Lrnpa;ntcd alumillium alloy shccting, liability have proved their rvorth on the giving a "silver" appearance. Like prototlTe trains and are continued in the rcst o{ the train, the roller-blind the ne\v stock. destination indicator (above the centre Each Piccadilly l-ine trairr consists cab dooN'ay at the front) and the trail of seven cars, the constructiol of the number plate cabinet are fitted with stations beloN ground making this the fluorescent lighting. X{ost oI the control maximum length. The trains are made equipment has been placed under the up oJ tl\'o units, one of three and the floor of the cars, increasingthc passcnqcr- other of forr cars, \'hich ca! operate caffying capacity by abort 15 per ccnt. scpilrately during olT-pcak periods. The compared with the older stock on the loxr-car [nit consists of a driviDg motor line. The ari:angement of the transverse car, a trailer, a non-clriving motor car seats in facing pairs, a feature of the ancl a second ddving motor car. The three prototype trains, is continued in thrce-car unit has tu,o drivilg motor cars