Wigan Album
Hindley
12 Comments
Photo: Chris Heaven
Item #: 30630
Surely the connection from St Helens to Rainford would have been long closed and lifted by 1963? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Just found this:
In 1951 BR[LMR] proposed the withdrawal of the St Helens and Rainford Junction service and the last trains ran on Saturday 14 June 1951. After that date the St Helens platform at Rainford Junction went out of use. Goods trains, always more numerous than passenger services, continued to pass through as did some passenger diversions and excursion services. Even in 1964 the St Helens line had two daily pick-up goods services calling at Old Mill Lane sidings with one continuing on to Rainford Junction, and there were five through freight trains running to/from the north-east.
See Six Bells Railtours website for all the details of the train's route and itinerary.
Thank you, Chris. Great photographs of my favourite stretch of railway track, coming off the Pemberton Loop.
the st helens to skelmersdale and ormskirk line closed in 1965 lifted 1965/6
Brilliant brings back great memories.
From the top picture it looks as is coming off the whelley loop,the Pemberton loop was about half a mile down the left side of the photo
rear coach is positioned west of the whelley loop junction,somewhere in these pages is a pic of a war dept 2_8_0 with a coal empties for yorkshire using the same stretch of line coming off the pemberton loop line
Wrong Baker, the Pemberton line is under the 3rd signal gantry, 3rd from the left.
Should have said shown in the top photo.
Are you sure it’s coming off the Pemberton loop? The branch above the carriages is to the Whelley loop line going to DeTrafford Junction and the line that the loco is over to the right of the track formation came from Wallgate station. Looks that way to me anyhow..
Are you sure it’s coming off the Pemberton loop? The branch above the carriages is to the Whelley loop line going to DeTrafford Junction and the line that the loco is over to the right of the track formation came from Wallgate station. Looks that way to me anyhow..