Wigan Central | |
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![]() A locomotive arriving at the station in 1963 | |
General information | |
Location | Wigan, Wigan England |
Coordinates | 53°32′45″N2°37′41″W / 53.5459°N 2.6281°W |
Grid reference | SJ585057 |
Platforms | 1 plus Island [1] |
Other information | |
Status | Disused |
History | |
Original company | Wigan Junction Railways |
Pre-grouping | Great Central Railway |
Post-grouping | London and North Eastern Railway |
Key dates | |
3 October 1892 | Station opened |
2 November 1964 | Station closed to passengers [2] |
5 April 1965 | Station closed completely [3] |
GCR lines to St Helens and Wigan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wigan Central railway station was a railway station near the centre of Wigan, Lancashire, England.
Wigan Central station was on Station Road, some way from the two main stations (North Western and Wallgate) which are on the western edge of the town centre. [4]
Wigan Central was the eventual terminus of the Wigan Junction Railways from Glazebrook West Junction. [5] [6] It was built by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (later to become the Great Central) and opened on 3 October 1892, when it replaced the temporary Wigan Darlington Street terminus, which had opened on 1 April 1884. Central was about 1⁄3 mile (540 m) nearer the town centre than Darlington Street.
According to Beeching's Reshaping of British Railways (see Appendix Passenger Line Usage Map) the line was more heavily used than many which did not close, however, as with many unmodernised and heavily used commuter lines it was deemed uneconomic. The line's main passenger traffic was workers travelling from the Wigan area to industrial plants in Cadishead and Partington and around the docks in Salford and Manchester; until the late 1970s the Lancashire United bus company operated a replacement bus service from Wigan to Partington.
Steam remained the dominant motive power to the end of services, [7] though some DMUs made an appearance. [8] [9]
The service patterns in 1895, 1947 and 1962 are fully documented in the authoritative Disused Stations website. [10]
In April 1884 the service pattern to Wigan (Darlington Street temporary terminus) was straightforward. Seven "Down" trains arrived from Manchester Central, one "express" called at Glazebrook only and 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. [11]
In 1922 six "Down" trains arrived, All Stations from Manchester Central on "Weekdays" (Mondays to Saturdays), with a further evening train from Lowton St Mary's only. Three other trains arrived, apparently All Stations from Culcheth, but it is possible they originated at Liverpool Central and turned west to north at Dam Lane Junction. [12] 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. [13]
The station closed to passengers on 2 November 1964 and closed to all traffic the following April. It was demolished in 1973. [14] [15] The Grand Arcade shopping centre was built between 2006 and 2008 on the station site, of which no trace remains. [16]
Hindley South railway station served the communities of Hindley and Platt Bridge, south-east of Wigan, 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.
The Wigan Junction Railways connected Glazebrook West Junction with the Lancashire Coalfields at Wigan.
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.
Culcheth railway station served the village of Culcheth, Lancashire, England. It was west of the bridge where Wigshaw Lane crossed the railway.
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.
Widnes Central railway station served the town of Widnes, England from 1879 to 1964.
Tanhouse Lane railway station is a closed station on the former Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee line, which formed a loop off the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) line in the Widnes area between Liverpool Central and Manchester Central. It was opened on 1 September 1890 as "Tanhouse", being changed later to "Tanhouse Lane". It closed on 5 October 1964.
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.
Peasley Cross railway station served the central southern area of St Helens, England. It was situated on the central section of the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway which was later absorbed by the London and North Western Railway.
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.
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.
Wigan Central railway station was a railway station near the centre of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.
Lower Ince railway station was a railway station in southern Wigan, Lancashire, England.
Bickershaw and Abram railway station served the communities of Bickershaw and Abram southeast of Wigan, England.
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.
Bamfurlong railway station served the village of Bamfurlong part of Abram, to the south of Wigan.
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
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Terminus | Great Central Railway Wigan Junction Railways | Lower Ince Line and station closed |