Preferred site for Skelmersdale's first railway station revealed

[flypie]

Preferred site for Skelmersdale's first railway station revealed

The preferred location for a town's first railway station has been revealed.

Lancashire County Council has earmarked land on the former Glenburn Sports College and Skelmersdale College.

The sports college closed in August, while Skelmersdale College's Westbank campus, owned by Newcastle College, is also unused.

The decision follows a comparative study by Network Rail of both sites and one near the Concourse shopping centre.The council - which owns Glenburn Sports College - said Skelmersdale could get two direct trains to Liverpool per hour...

This is going to be a very expensive location as it involves a tunnel under the M58 unless it can fit under the same bridge as Whitegate road. STill think a Train-Tram system would be better.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is going to be a very expensive location as it involves a tunnel under the M58 unless it can fit under the same bridge as Whitegate road. STill think a Train-Tram system would be better.

My understanding from what I read before is that Whiteledge Road will close, and the railway will replace it including under aforementioned bridge.

Having said that, it appears that the road was built for possible dualling, so there is probably room for at least a single track railway to the side of it.

 

[notlob.divad]

Excellent news. Best place for it by a long way. Right in the heart of the new town.

I think they are more likely to divert the road. There is quite a large underpass just off the roundabout by Walker's which could be linked through onto Digmoor.

The two major East West roads in the town have already been designed to have bridges so instate them as always planned and whitegate road could basically be replaced with the railway.

The bridge is probably wide enough for a single track to the west of the road, but I don't think you would get a dog bone track in without removing the road.

 

[flypie]

My understanding from what I read before is that Whiteledge Road will close, and the railway will replace it including under aforementioned bridge.

Having said that, it appears that the road was built for possible dualling, so there is probably room for at least a single track railway to the side of it.

Make a bit of a mess of Nipe Lane, which would likely need a bridge to cross the track.

 

[notlob.divad]

Make a bit of a mess of Nipe Lane, which would likely need a bridge to cross the track.

Nipe Lane is a horrible rat run with an incredibly dangerous bend at the Skelmersdale end. It needs reconfiguring anyway. Maybe to join through to penketh place instead.

Alternatively make it a dead end. It really is not suitable for the level of traffic that trust to squeeze down it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Make a bit of a mess of Nipe Lane, which would likely need a bridge to cross the track.

I'm sure some bridges will be necessary with any sensible option, yes.

 

[snowball]

My understanding from what I read before is that Whiteledge Road will close, and the railway will replace it including under aforementioned bridge.

Having said that, it appears that the road was built for possible dualling, so there is probably room for at least a single track railway to the side of it.

To my naive eye there's room for a double track railway.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.5...152.53574&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i13312!8i6656

Not to say it will be double track. I think single is more plausible, but not because of space limitations.

I don't see how you could leave room for a 2-lane road without leaving room for a double track railway.

 

[neonison]

It's not the first Skelmersdale station. Skem had a station until 1963 with passenger services until November 1956.

 

[fflint]

Please excuse my ignorance but which existing line will it connect to and will it be a dead end branch or through station?

 

[PR1Berske]

Please excuse my ignorance but which existing line will it connect to and will it be a dead end branch or through station?

Unless things have changed since I last read the details, the station would connect to the Wigan-Kirkby branch.

 

[jopsuk]

so would the idea be to reinstate Kirby as a through station and run Merseyrail electrics through?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes.


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[Xenophon PCDGS]

so would the idea be to reinstate Kirby as a through station and run Merseyrail electrics through?

What therefore would the implications be for the existing DMU services that terminate at Kirkby?

 

[WatcherZero]

The original feasibility study diagram.

http://www.railfuture.org.uk/A+Station+Back+in+Skelmersdale

 

[Bletchleyite]

What therefore would the implications be for the existing DMU services that terminate at Kirkby?

Divert to Skem.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The original feasibility study diagram.

http://www.railfuture.org.uk/A+Station+Back+in+Skelmersdale

Many thanks for this.

 

[Busaholic]

Being an ignorant Southerner, why is Skelmersdale abbreviated to Skem (assuming it is)?

 

[WatcherZero]

Because its a hell of a mouthful so us locals just say Skem, (abbreviation does have a mild derogotary inference as well)

 

[Philip]

Being an ignorant Southerner, why is Skelmersdale abbreviated to Skem (assuming it is)?

Probably because 'Skem' sounds more apt for the kind of place it is. 'Skelmersdale' sounds a little too picturesque. That and it's a bit of a mouthful.

 

[Bevan Price]

Being an ignorant Southerner, why is Skelmersdale abbreviated to Skem (assuming it is)?

Just an abbreviation. Note that the first letter "l" in Skelmersdale is treated as a " silent l " by most local people.

 

[Philip]

Just an abbreviation. Note that the first letter "l" in Skelmersdale is treated as a " silent l " by most local people.

Just like how the locals of another North West town say 'Wimslow'.

I'm surprised it only mentions one train per hour to Manchester. With four trains per hour planned for the Atherton line I'd have thought the best plan would be half hourly to Southport and half hourly to Skem. Good connections from Skem to both Manchester and Liverpool and saving the need to reverse at Wallgate.

 

[Busaholic]

Just an abbreviation. Note that the first letter "l" in Skelmersdale is treated as a " silent l " by most local people.

I like to learn something new every day, and that's today's lesson. My wife's a Lancastrian, and she never told me that.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

You need to go back to the historical time when the Vikings were defeated and forced to give up their lands in the Dublin area and many of these sailed across to the western coasts of northern England. There are numerous settlements in the western areas of what is now Lancashire with Scandinavian-style word-block construction.

Skelmersdale as a settlement name appears to be based on an Old Norse translation as that of "Skjaldmarr's Valley"

 

[WatcherZero]

I'm surprised it only mentions one train per hour to Manchester. With four trains per hour planned for the Atherton line I'd have thought the best plan would be half hourly to Southport and half hourly to Skem. Good connections from Skem to both Manchester and Liverpool and saving the need to reverse at Wallgate.

They are just basing it on present service level, if it was more you have to factor the cost of purchasing and operating new trains in to the business case calculation. Its a long way off opening (2023/24 at best) so service levels have a degree of openness. It says their concept station design is leaving space for future platforms. If they were being smart they would also design the station building to allow a future through line to Ormskirk as well. Reinstate the Burscough curve and you would have every town in West Lancashire served by a Skelmersdale-Southport service, would revolutionise the regions economy.

 

[mwmbwls]

They are just basing it on present service level, if it was more you have to factor the cost of purchasing and operating new trains in to the business case calculation. Its a long way off opening (2023/24 at best) so service levels have a degree of openness. It says their concept station design is leaving space for future platforms. If they were being smart they would also design the station building to allow a future through line to Ormskirk as well. Reinstate the Burscough curve and you would have every town in West Lancashire served by a Skelmersdale-Southport service, would revolutionise the regions economy.

Quite so:

Based on existing train timings the following journey time patterns could emerge in West Lancashire:

West Lancashire Borough Council produced in 2013 their draft concept for the enhanced curves at Burscough:

 

[urbophile]

The original feasibility study diagram.

http://www.railfuture.org.uk/A+Station+Back+in+Skelmersdale

'we think that the plans should include an extension of the electric services from Kirkby and also to the MP for West Lancashire, Rosie Cooper.'

Most of our politicians could do with an extra charge like that!

 

[frodshamfella]

Will there still be a station at Headbolt Lane ...I think that was the name ? It's been long talked about .

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Will there still be a station at Headbolt Lane ...I think that was the name ? It's been long talked about .

Was that the station discussed where the 3rd rail operated and DMU operated service split would be extended to from Kirkby in the Rainford direction?

 

[PR1Berske]

The Burscough Curves will never reopen, sadly. It's that old favourite reason, too, "no business case"

 

[fflint]

Thanks to all for the info especially Watcher Zero and MWMBWIS for the plans.