Wigan Branch Railway

Introduction

This line runs from Wigan to Parkside on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. It now forms part of the West Coast Main Line.

It merged with the Preston and Wigan Railway to form the North Union Railway.






Dates

  /  /1838Wigan Branch Railway
Preston and Wigan Railway
North Union Railway
Wigan Branch Railway and Preston and Wigan Railway merge to form the North Union Railway.
  /  /1970Caledonian Railway Lancaster and Carlisle Railway Lancaster and Preston JunctionRailway Preston and Wigan Railway Wigan Branch Railway Warrington and Newton Railway Grand Junction Railway
Weaver Junction (south of Warrington) to Glasgow electrification authorised.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.



195123 slowly negotiates the tight curve at Lowton as it approaches Golborne Junction and the WCML heading to Windermere from Manchester Airport on ...
Mark Bartlett 08/02/2021
Lowton Junction, at the north end of the Parkside triangle, seen from half way along the curve from Newton-le-Willows Junction in February 2021. ...
Mark Bartlett 08/02/2021
2 of 2 images.


A pair of Voyagers head from Waverley to Euston at Golborne Junction on 22nd February 2021. On this short stretch of open line the four tracks from ...
Mark Bartlett 22/02/2021
1 of 1 images.


390050 heads south passing the site of Golborne (South) station, which closed to passengers in 1961, on 22nd February 2021. The tracks diverge where ...
Mark Bartlett 22/02/2021
The goods shed at Golborne South, seen here in February 2021, is the only building to survive at the station site. Goods services finished in 1967, ...
Mark Bartlett 22/02/2021
This is the site of Golborne South station, on the WCML which closed in 1961. The old ticket office was in the bricked up section of the bridge above ...
Michael Butterworth 16/06/2017
88002 'Prometheus' passed here northwards yesterday on what may be its final loaded test train ... consist of loaded stone wagons with 68025 'Superb' ...
Michael Butterworth 08/04/2017
4 of 4 images.


Looking towards St. Helens Central, from the overbridge near Haydock Branch Junction in February 2023. This train of Shap stone, that has been tripped ...
Mark Bartlett 08/02/2023
66762 reverses twelve box wagons of stone back from the headshunt on the erstwhile St Helens Central branch up the gradient into the stone plant at ...
Mark Bartlett 08/02/2023
This remnant of the St. Helens Central branch survives in 2021 as a headshunt for trains to reverse into Edge Green stone terminal. This view looks ...
Mark Bartlett 22/02/2021
The Great Central branch to St. Helens Central meandered across south Lancashire from Lowton St. Marys on the Wigan Central branch but in 1968, long ...
Mark Bartlett 22/02/2021
4 of 4 images.


Grubby GBRf 66719 'Metroland' has just joined the Down Goods line at Haydock Branch Junction on 23rd February 2022. It is seen passing through the ...
Mark Bartlett 23/02/2022
A double Virgin Super Voyager heads north at Bamfurlong on 18 June 2013. The station here only had platforms serving the slow lines (on the right) and ...
John McIntyre 18/06/2013
2 of 2 images.


Freightliner 66623 passes Bamfurlong Junction with the early running Hardendale to Tunstead on 23rd February 2022. The 66 used the Goods lines, which ...
Mark Bartlett 23/02/2022
DBC 66065 on the Up Fast line at Bamfurlong, with a shorter than usual intermodal from Mossend to Daventry, on 23rd February 2022. The tracks widen at ...
Mark Bartlett 23/02/2022
66762 has just rounded the curve from the St Helens line and is now heading south for a short distance on the WCML, with a trip working from Tuebrook ...
Mark Bartlett 08/02/2023
3 of 3 images.






TPE 397007 crosses from the fast lines to join the St, Helens line at Springs Branch on 23rd February 2022. This was an empty stock working from ...
Mark Bartlett 23/02/2022
DRS 88010 'Aurora' passes Springs Branch on 29th July 2020 while working the 4S44 Daventry to Mossend intermodal service. ...
John McIntyre 29/07/2020
769448 moves around the servicing facility at Springs Branch on 29 July 2020. If you look very closely you will see that the pantograph is down so it ...
John McIntyre 29/07/2020
An MPV negotiates the new track work that has been laid at Springs Branch Junction, on the former trackbed of the L&NWR Eccles, Tyldesley and Wigan ...
John McIntyre 08/03/2019
4 of 5 images. more