The Liverpool, St Helens and South Lancashire Railway, was formed in 1889, but no services ran until 1895 and then only freight. Passenger services did not start until 1900. It incorporated the St Helens and Wigan Junction Railway.[1] It was taken over by the Great Central Railway in 1906.[2]
The Railway was incorporated by Acts of Parliament in 1885-86 to enable the construction of a line from St Helens to Lowton (eight miles) and St Helens to Liverpool (ten miles). The lines had share capital of £210,000 and £340,000 respectively. The first sod was cut on 25 January 1888 by the Earl of Derby on the site of what became St Helens Central railway station. In July 1889 an Act of Parliament extended the completion time until July 1893. The opening ceremony took place on 2 January 1900.[3]
The line closed to passengers in 1952. It was reduced in stages as freight traffic ebbed and flowed. The key milestones were:
1965 line closed and lifted west of Lowton Metals, Ashton (inclusive).
1968 line reinstated west of Lowton Metals to serve a new oil depot at Haydock
1968 new "Haydock Branch Curve" built to connect the line to the WCML north of Golborne
1968 line east of the new connection closed and lifted (the bridge over the WCML was removed in 1971)
1975 passenger trains ran to five race meetings, using Ashton station, experiment not repeated
1983 Haydock oil depot traffic lost to road, line cut back to Lowton Metals, Haydock.
1987 Lowton Metals ceased trading, line cut back to Golborne Colliery headshunt
1987 Kelbit opened rail-served business at Edge Green, using trackbed of Edge Green Colliery branch
1989 Golborne Colliery closed, line cut back to headshunt for the Kelbit traffic
after 2000 the Kelbit site was taken over by Hanson as their "Ashton" plant
In 2011 the site was purchased by PF Jones Ltd and began work to restore the Kelbit rail line
In 2015 very occasional trains still served the Hanson plant.
On 7 March 2015 an enthusiasts' excursion titled "Sabrina's Tea Train" traversed the line.[6]
A quarter-mile headshunt which ends at bufferstops approx 50 yards east of Bridge 13 over Edge Green Lane is the sole remaining section of the original route in use.
Re-Openingedit
After purchasing the land surrounding the line at Edge Green in 2011, PF Jones Ltd worked with Hansons to restore the Kelbit line off the Haydock Branch Curve. The Kelbit line re-opens in 2018 and will be used by Hanson's to transfer raw materials from Shap Quarry, Cumbria to distribute across the north west.
Between and Golborne and Glazebrook High Speed 2 will use an alignment similar to the disused line in Phase 2b.[7]
Referencesedit
^"St. Helens Central Station". Disused Stations. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
liverpool, helens, south, lancashire, railway, formed, 1889, services, until, 1895, then, only, freight, passenger, services, start, until, 1900, incorporated, helens, wigan, junction, railway, taken, over, great, central, railway, 1906, liverpool, helens, and. The Liverpool St Helens and South Lancashire Railway was formed in 1889 but no services ran until 1895 and then only freight Passenger services did not start until 1900 It incorporated the St Helens and Wigan Junction Railway 1 It was taken over by the Great Central Railway in 1906 2 Liverpool St Helens andSouth Lancashire RailwayOverviewStatusclosedLocaleNorth West EnglandTechnicalTrack gauge1 435 mm 4 ft 8 1 2 in standard gaugeRoute mapLegend1900 1968St Helens Central GCR Cowley Hill WorksSt Helens Central St Helens andRuncorn Gap RailwayHaydockHaydock Colliery TunnelOld Boston CollieryAshton in MakerfieldHaydock ParkGarswood Hall CollieryGolborne CollieryEdge Green CollieryGolborne South West Coast Main LineGolborne NorthWigan Junction RailwaysLowton St Mary sLiverpool Manchester lines Kenyon JunctionCulchethNewchurch HaltRisley FactoryLiverpool Manchester lines GlazebrookFrom 1968to St Helens CentralHaydock Colliery TunnelHaydock Oil 1968 83Old Boston Colliery1963 1987 Lowton MetalsAshton in Makerfield Race Traffic1975Haydock ParkGarswood Hall Colliery1880 1989 Golborne CollieryHaydock Branch curve Kelbit 1987 Golborne South West Coast Main LineGolborne Northto Glazebrook Contents 1 History 2 Route 3 Closure 4 Re Opening 5 References 5 1 Sources 6 External linksHistory editThe Railway was incorporated by Acts of Parliament in 1885 86 to enable the construction of a line from St Helens to Lowton eight miles and St Helens to Liverpool ten miles The lines had share capital of 210 000 and 340 000 respectively The first sod was cut on 25 January 1888 by the Earl of Derby on the site of what became St Helens Central railway station In July 1889 an Act of Parliament extended the completion time until July 1893 The opening ceremony took place on 2 January 1900 3 The original intention was to connect to the Cheshire Lines Committee North Liverpool Extension Line at Fazakerley junction to form a route to Huskisson Dock and Southport but nothing ever came of the scheme west of St Helens Henry Seton Karr was chairman of the railway at its opening 4 Route editThe line ran from St Helens Central GCR railway station to Lowton St Mary s 5 Closure editThe line closed to passengers in 1952 It was reduced in stages as freight traffic ebbed and flowed The key milestones were 1965 line closed and lifted west of Lowton Metals Ashton inclusive 1968 line reinstated west of Lowton Metals to serve a new oil depot at Haydock 1968 new Haydock Branch Curve built to connect the line to the WCML north of Golborne 1968 line east of the new connection closed and lifted the bridge over the WCML was removed in 1971 1975 passenger trains ran to five race meetings using Ashton station experiment not repeated 1983 Haydock oil depot traffic lost to road line cut back to Lowton Metals Haydock 1987 Lowton Metals ceased trading line cut back to Golborne Colliery headshunt 1987 Kelbit opened rail served business at Edge Green using trackbed of Edge Green Colliery branch 1989 Golborne Colliery closed line cut back to headshunt for the Kelbit traffic after 2000 the Kelbit site was taken over by Hanson as their Ashton plant In 2011 the site was purchased by PF Jones Ltd and began work to restore the Kelbit rail lineIn 2015 very occasional trains still served the Hanson plant On 7 March 2015 an enthusiasts excursion titled Sabrina s Tea Train traversed the line 6 A quarter mile headshunt which ends at bufferstops approx 50 yards east of Bridge 13 over Edge Green Lane is the sole remaining section of the original route in use Re Opening editAfter purchasing the land surrounding the line at Edge Green in 2011 PF Jones Ltd worked with Hansons to restore the Kelbit line off the Haydock Branch Curve The Kelbit line re opens in 2018 and will be used by Hanson s to transfer raw materials from Shap Quarry Cumbria to distribute across the north west Between and Golborne and Glazebrook High Speed 2 will use an alignment similar to the disused line in Phase 2b 7 References edit St Helens Central Station Disused Stations Retrieved 20 August 2013 Sweeney 2014 pp 5 18 Liverpool St Helens and South Lancashire Railway Lancashire Faces amp Places 1 6 94 96 June 1901 Mr Henry Seton Karr MP Lancashire Faces amp Places 1 6 86 June 1901 Lowton St Mary s Station Disused Stations Retrieved 20 August 2013 The Railtour Files via SixBellsJunction HS2 Phase 2b Lowton to Bamfurlong route key plan PDF gov uk Retrieved 16 November 2020 Sources edit Sweeney Dennis J 2014 The St Helens and Wigan Junction Railway Leigh Triangle Publishing ISBN 0 85361 292 7 External links editHaydock Branch Jct and Kelbit via Wigan World nbsp This England rail transport related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Liverpool St Helens and South Lancashire Railway amp oldid 1056697265, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
