Old railway lines in Wigan
The railway system in Wigan took off around the 19th century during the industrial revolution. Wigan was once a proud town with railway stations widely available across the borough, used by both freight and passengers. Many lines were originally built for freight then as the owners saw the profitability of allowing passengers to travel on their lines they soon became open to passenger trains.
After the Beeching Report (1963), which led to a lot of rural railway lines and stations closing, the railways and stations around Wigan began to become unused. one of the last lines to close was called the Whelley loop line which was closed to both freight and passengers in 1972.
History
Railways were used as a more efficient way of transporting goods and resources more quickly around the country than the canals could. This benefit led to more and more pit owners creating private railways leading from the canals and main railway lines, right up to their pits.
Closed stations
- Bamfurlong Station (1 April 1878 – 27 November 1950)
- Bickershaw and Abram Station (1 April 1884 – 2 November 1964)
- Boar's Head Station (1 December 1869 – 31 January 1949)
- Golborne Station North - Great Central Line (3 January 1900 – 3 March 1952)
- Golborne Station South (19 October 1839 – 2 May 1967) Closed to passengers 6 January 1961
- Hindley & Amberswood Goods Station. Changed to Hindley South in 1950 (1 April 1884 – 2 November 1964)
- Lower Ince Station (1 April 1884 – 2 November 1964)
- Lowton St Mary's Station (1 April 1884 – 22 April 1968) Closed to passengers 2 November 1964
- Plank Lane Station
- Platt Bridge Station
- Red Rock Station (1 December 1869 – 2 September 1957) Closed to passengers 26 September 1949
- Standish Station
- West Leigh and Bedford Station (1 April 1884 – 2 November 1964)
- Whelley Station (1 January 1872 – unknown) Closed to passengers 1 March 1872
- Wigan Central (3 October 1892 – 5 April 1965) Closed to passengers 2 November 1964.
Railways today
Today's railways in Wigan can be divided into two. Wigan NorthWestern (run by Virgin trains) is on the West Coast Main Line, served by trains from London, Manchester Airport and Birmingham to the North. South of the station there is a connecting line through Bryn to St Helens and Liverpool; this was electrified by May 2015. Wigan Wallgate station, run by Northern Rail, is served by trains from Manchester via either Bolton or Atherton; the routes diverge east of Hindley. These continue west of Wigan Wallgate to Southport or, via Pemberton, to Kirkby, where there are connections to Liverpool.