Hindley South railway station

Last updated

Hindley South
General information
Location Hindley, Wigan
England
Coordinates 53°31′36″N2°35′10″W / 53.5266°N 2.5860°W / 53.5266; -2.5860 Coordinates: 53°31′36″N2°35′10″W / 53.5266°N 2.5860°W / 53.5266; -2.5860
Grid reference SD613036
Platforms2 [1]
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original company Wigan Junction Railways
Pre-grouping Great Central Railway
Post-grouping London and North Eastern Railway
Key dates
1 April 1884Opened as "Strangeways and Hindley" [2]
1 January 1892Renamed "Hindley and Platt Bridge" [2]
1 July 1950Renamed "Hindley South"
2 November 1964Closed
Map showing the location of Hindley and Platt Bridge passenger and good stations in the early 1900s Boar's Head, Haigh, Hindley, Pemberton, Plank Lane, Strangeways & Wigan RJD 77.jpg
Map showing the location of Hindley and Platt Bridge passenger and good stations in the early 1900s

Hindley South railway station served the communities of Hindley and Platt Bridge, south-east of Wigan, England. [3]

Contents

Location and nearby stations

The station was on the Wigan Junction Railways line, known locally as the "Wigan Central line", which ran from Wigan Central to Glazebrook. [4] [5] It was situated immediately southeast of the A58 bridge over the tracks. [6]

Until the 1960s the area surrounding Wigan had an unusually large number of intersecting railway lines, nowhere more so than in the south east of the town. Hindley South had a three-way junction immediately to the north, with arms west and north in both directions onto and from the "Whelley Loop" and northwest to Lower Ince and Wigan Central. [7] It also had a two-way junction immediately to the south, which enabled trains to continue southeast along the Central line to Bickershaw and Abram and Manchester Central or to veer east onto the Manchester and Wigan Railway (MWR) line to Tyldesley and Manchester Exchange. [8] By 2015 all these lines had long been lifted and in places obliterated.

There were other stations serving Hindley at Platt Bridge and Hindley Green on the MWR line.

Hindley station (formerly Hindley North) on the line from Wigan Wallgate to Manchester remains open.

To add to the mix, Hindley and Platt Bridge goods station was situated immediately north of the passenger station, being located on a short branch line. A goods station named "Hindley and Amberswood" also served Hindley on the Whelley Loop.

Services

The service patterns in 1895, 1947 and 1962 are fully documented in the authoritative Disused Stations website. [9]

In April 1884 the service pattern was straightforward. Six "Down" (towards Wigan) trains called from Manchester Central. In addition, one "express" called at Glazebrook only and passed Lower Ince without stopping. Of the six, three called at all stations, the remaining three missed some stations between Manchester and Glazebrook. With the exception of the "express" all trains called at all stations between Glazebrook and Wigan. The "Up" service was similar. [10]

In 1922 six "Down" trains called, All Stations from Manchester Central on "Weekdays" (Mondays to Saturdays), with a further evening train from Lowton St Mary's only. Three other trains called, apparently All Stations from Culcheth, but it is possible they originated from Liverpool Central or Warrington Central and turned west to north at Glazebrook West Junction. One of these trains ran on Fridays and Saturdays Only and the other two ran on Saturdays Only. The "Up" service was broadly similar, but the mix of Saturday Only trains was even more complicated. There was no Sunday service. [11]

The line through Hindley South was also a diversionary route and a route by which traffic such as Summer Saturday holiday specials could bypass busy spots, such as Wigan. Pixton, for example, has a fine 1961 shot of a Summer Saturday Sheffield to Blackpool train at Lowton St Mary's which will bear right immediately north of Hindley South onto the Whelley Loop and then join the WCML at Standish, bypassing Wigan altogether. [12]

Opening, naming and closure

The station opened as "Strangeways and Hindley" in 1884. It was renamed "Hindley and Platt Bridge" in 1892, only to be renamed for the final time as "Hindley South" in 1950. The station was closed on 2 November 1964, when the line closed to passengers. [13] The line closed to goods in 1965.

The station in the present day

The site has been razed, though the A58 bridge still rises to cross the erstwhile tracks.

Hindley South Railway Station October 2017 Hindley South Railway Station.jpg
Hindley South Railway Station October 2017
Preceding station Disused railways Following station
Lower Ince
Line and station closed
  Great Central Railway
Wigan Junction Railways
  Bickershaw and Abram
Line and station closed

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigan Central railway station</span>

Wigan Central railway station was a railway station near the centre of Wigan, Lancashire, England.

Ashton-in-Makerfield railway station was a railway station serving the town of Ashton-in-Makerfield, although it was located in the neighbouring village of Haydock, formerly in Lancashire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigan Junction Railways</span>

The Wigan Junction Railways connected Glazebrook West Junction with the Lancashire Coalfields at Wigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old railway lines in Wigan</span>

The railway system in Wigan started development in the 19th century during the Industrial Revolution. The first railway built in the town was the Wigan Branch Railway which was opened on 3 September 1832 to serve the many collieries in the area; this was a branch line of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the first inter-city railway. By the turn of the 20th century, Wigan had numerous railway stations widely available across the borough, used by both freight and passengers. Many of the lines were originally built for freight which were later converted, as the owners saw the profitability of allowing passengers, to carry passenger trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culcheth railway station</span> Former railway station in England

Culcheth railway station served the village of Culcheth, Warrington, then in Lancashire, later in Cheshire, England. It was situated immediately west of the bridge whereby Wigshaw Lane crossed the railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whelley railway station</span>

Whelley railway station was in Whelley, Wigan on the Whelley Loop section of the Lancashire Union Railway. The station was situated where the B5238 bridged the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amberswood railway station</span> Disused railway station in Greater Manchester, England

Amberswood (Hindley) railway station was in Hindley, Wigan on the Whelley Loop section of the Lancashire Union Railway. The station was situated where the A577 passed under the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Helens Central railway station (Great Central Railway)</span>

St Helens Central (GCR) railway station served the town of St Helens, England with passenger traffic between 1900 and 1952 and goods traffic until 1965. It was the terminus of a branch line from Lowton St Mary's.

Sutton Oak railway station served the southern area of St Helens, England. The station was on the central section of the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway which was later absorbed by the London and North Western Railway.

Sankey Bridges railway station was in southwestern Warrington, England. It was located immediately west of a swing bridge over the Sankey Canal. The station site is to the south of Old Liverpool Road, Warrington.

Haydock railway station served the village of Haydock, formerly in Lancashire, now in Merseyside, England.

Haydock Park railway station was a railway station adjacent to Haydock Park Racecourse, formerly in Lancashire and now in Merseyside, England. The station's sole purpose was to handle race day traffic. It did not feature in public timetables and normal service trains passed through the station without stopping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golborne North railway station</span> Former railway station in North-West England

Golborne North railway station served the town of Golborne, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.

Golborne South railway station was one of two stations serving the town of Golborne, to the south of Wigan.

Lowton St Mary's railway station served the scattered community of Lowton, then in Lancashire, now in Greater Manchester, England. It was situated immediately south of the A572 bridge over the tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigan Darlington Street railway station</span>

Wigan Central railway station was a railway station near the centre of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Ince railway station</span> Former railway station in England

Lower Ince railway station was a railway station in southern Wigan, Lancashire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bickershaw and Abram railway station</span> Disused railway station in Bickershaw, Wigan

Bickershaw and Abram railway station served the communities of Bickershaw and Abram southeast of Wigan, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Leigh and Bedford railway station</span>

The West Leigh and Bedford railway station served the hamlet of Crankwood, the village of Abram, and the Plank Lane area of Leigh, England. Like many railways, the line passed between rather than through communities, with branches off to serve the key driver - goods, and in this area - coal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bamfurlong railway station</span> Disused railway station in Bamfurlong, Wigan

Bamfurlong railway station served the village of Bamfurlong part of Abram, to the south of Wigan.

References

  1. Station and signalbox via Wigan World
  2. 1 2 Dow 1962, p. 194.
  3. Sweeney 2013 , pp. 73–84
  4. The line and mileages via railwaycodes
  5. Smith & Turner 2012 , Map 45
  6. The station on a 1948 OS Map via npe maps
  7. Junction north of station via Wigan World
  8. Junction south of station via Wigan World
  9. The station via Disused Stations UK
  10. Dow 1962 , p. 354
  11. Bradshaw 1985 , pp. 714–5
  12. Pixton 1996 , p. 119
  13. Butt, pp 120–1

Sources