Index
- St Helens to Ormskirk Home
- St Helens 3rd
- St Helens Central
- Gerards Bridge
- Moss Bank
- Crank Halt
- Old Mill Lane
- Rookery 1st
- Rookery 2nd
- Rainford Village
- Rainford Junction
- Heys Crossing Halt
- White Moss Halt
- Skelmersdale
- Westhead Halt
- Ormskirk
Skelmersdale formerly Blague Gate
(1858 - 1956)
Skelmersdale received its passenger station when the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) opened its Ormskirk – Rainford Junction branch on March 1 1858. Skelmersdale was the only
intermediate station on the line and opened as Blague Gate
The line was originally single-track and Blague Gate station was originally provided with one platform located on the west side of the line. The main facilities at the time of opening consisted of a two-storey red brick house with a pitched roof. A single-storey brick structure was added to the south of the original within a few years
The December 1869 timetable showed six trains in each direction on weekdays with three on Sundays
In 1875 the line was doubled and an extra platform was added. The original platform became the down and the new one the up platform (Rainford Junction direction). The up platform was provided with a simple waiting shelter
The station’s goods facilities were located east of the passenger station. They included a goods shed, five sidings, a weighing machine and a crane. To the south of the station were areas of sidings that served local collieries
On August 1 1878 Blague Gate was renamed Skelmersdale
With the introduction of a rail-motor the passenger service was intensified and there were 19 trains in each direction on Monday to Saturday with connections to St Helens services at Rainford Junction
During the Second World War passenger services were reduced and after the war they did not return to their pre-war levels. The LMS timetable for summer 1947 showed 14 trains to Ormskirk and 13 trains to Rainford Junction on Monday to Saturday
Although there was still a good level of service on the line, many passengers deserted the railway and BR proposed its withdrawal. The last trains ran on Sunday November 4 1956 and the station closed to passengers the next day. Skelmersdale station remained open for goods services until November 4 1963 when it was closed completely
From the late 1960s, a New Town was developed at Skelmersdale and the station site and a section of the trackbed was developed as a road
The line was originally single-track and Blague Gate station was originally provided with one platform located on the west side of the line. The main facilities at the time of opening consisted of a two-storey red brick house with a pitched roof. A single-storey brick structure was added to the south of the original within a few years
The December 1869 timetable showed six trains in each direction on weekdays with three on Sundays
In 1875 the line was doubled and an extra platform was added. The original platform became the down and the new one the up platform (Rainford Junction direction). The up platform was provided with a simple waiting shelter
The station’s goods facilities were located east of the passenger station. They included a goods shed, five sidings, a weighing machine and a crane. To the south of the station were areas of sidings that served local collieries
On August 1 1878 Blague Gate was renamed Skelmersdale
With the introduction of a rail-motor the passenger service was intensified and there were 19 trains in each direction on Monday to Saturday with connections to St Helens services at Rainford Junction
During the Second World War passenger services were reduced and after the war they did not return to their pre-war levels. The LMS timetable for summer 1947 showed 14 trains to Ormskirk and 13 trains to Rainford Junction on Monday to Saturday
Although there was still a good level of service on the line, many passengers deserted the railway and BR proposed its withdrawal. The last trains ran on Sunday November 4 1956 and the station closed to passengers the next day. Skelmersdale station remained open for goods services until November 4 1963 when it was closed completely
From the late 1960s, a New Town was developed at Skelmersdale and the station site and a section of the trackbed was developed as a road
