Posts: 726
Threads: 128
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation:
0
So, as part of these wonderful new plans going ahead for transport in the area, they are going to "consider" looking at Midge Hall station again. They seem to be concentrating on Coppul and Adlington stations for a reopening plan far more strongly though. It really is ridiculous that you can't travel from the city of Preston to the city of Liverpool in a straight line in this day and age. Instead you have to go all round the houses. There ought to be a high speed rail connection between these two cities. The argument against re-opening Midge Hall station was always the cost - and it is of course a single track line at that point. Yet millions of pounds are spent on other projects that in the end are nowhere near as useful to the community and to commuters as opening that line would be.
Posts: 1,891
Threads: 202
Joined: Jan 2009
Reputation:
0
As long as you don't have to change trains which you don't, then I don't see what the problem is ! Leyland direct to Lime Street takes 53mins and Preston direct to Lime Street takes 58mins. Not that much difference than driving time wise !
Posts: 726
Threads: 128
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation:
0
Ah but, I would get on at Midge Hall station which is much nearer for me than trailing up to Leyland.
Posts: 239
Threads: 11
Joined: Mar 2011
Reputation:
0
Phil,
Which way does the Leyland - Lime St. train go ?
In the 50s we used to go on day trips to Menai Bridge. Bus to Lostock Hall, train to Liverpool Exch, changing to the electrics at Ormskirk. Steamer from Pier Head via Llandudno.
DW
Posts: 3,079
Threads: 203
Joined: May 2002
Reputation:
0
The problem with the line across the marshes though Midge Hall is that it's single track and elevated above marsh level. High speed would be very difficult to accomplish without double-tracking the whole line and eliminating all the level crossings. That would bee very expensive. It's been a while (>45 years!) since I was out there, but I seem to remember a lot of totally uncontrolled crossings between Whitestake and Ormskirk. My cousin's family had relatives in Whitestake. We'd ride our bikes out there fairly often, across Farington Moss. It was quite an adventure for us young lads to open the crossing gates ourselves and listening/watching for trains. You were required (by the signs) to open the gates on your approach side, walk across and open the gates on the other side, cross over and then close the gates in the same sequence. The procedure was intended to prevent someone's vehicle being on the crossing while they were working the gates. It seemed a bit stupid for two young lads on bikes, but we followed the protocol!
If trains are running 100 - 120 mph, you can't have level crossings, particularly uncontrolled ones.
As far as I know, Derek, the only way from Leyland to Liverpool by train, even before Beeching's cuts, was either via a change in Preston or one at Wigan or Warrington. The railway companies almost all built their lines from their major cities to London. They had no interest in regional inter-city routes. I think the quickest routing from Leyland to Liverpool was via Crewe! Inter-city services within Lancashire (other than Preston-Manchester) were very poor relations because of that London-centricity. I guess they thought that the services to London was where the profits were. I used to ride the train to college in Salford between 1961 and 64, catching it at Chorley. Good service, with the diesel rail-cars.
My wife, who was a substitute dental assistant with the LCC school dental service, used the trains extensively. Typical runs were Leyland to Lancaster and Leyland to Bolton.
I remember being able to get an express from Leyland to London a couple of days a week. My Dad, Uncle Ron Baker and I went to the Festival of Britain for the day (1951?) and took an excursion express train from Leyland at about 04:00 and got back in the early hours the next day.
Frank
Frank Damp (wife Eileen, nee Nixon)
Leyland resident 1941-1965, emigrated to the US in 1968,
retired to Anacortes, Washington State, USA in 1999.
Posts: 239
Threads: 11
Joined: Mar 2011
Reputation:
0
Thanks Phil - interesting route
Posts: 726
Threads: 128
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation:
0
Leyland - Euxton - Wigan - St. Helens - Huyton - Liverpool. Crazy! Just crazy.
How about a straight line down through Midge Hall, Croston, Burscough to Liverpool. Much better.
]
