Southbound Platform

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Southbound Platform

The Southbound platform is by far the most interesting of the three in terms of architecture. The main buildings are unusual in many respects, but are unmistakably L&YR. The tall stone chimneys - which seem almost out of proportion with the rest of the buildings - can be seen in many other locations in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Even the later buildings at Horwich show similar (if less pronounced) traits.

As stated elsewhere, the two buildings were demolished around 1970 and have been replaced with a succession of "bus shelter" type structures, none of which lasted a 10th of the 120+ years of these buildings.

This photograph dates from 1965 - well into the BR era, but all the L&Y features indicated on the 1900 map are still present.

B&W photographs by Eric Blakey courtesy of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society

The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society

This shot, taken from an elevated position, shows more clearly the semaphore signalling which controlled both the main line and the branch to Crows Nest and Hindley. Horwich Fork Junction is barely out of sight under the road bridge.

The elevated position for this shot is provided by the long footbridge which spanned both the main line and the goods yard, linking all three platforms. A second footbridge, to the left of the road-bridge, provided direct access to the Manchester-bound platform from Station Road. When both of these bridges were demolished some time around 1970, a new bridge was provided, crossing the main lines, allowing access to this platform from the Preston-bound side. Interestingly, in 2003, there has been discussion in the local Council about providing a new structure which would allow wheelchair access to the Southbound side. It seems likely that this structure will be in a similar location to the original.

One of my small number of photographs from around 1981. This one shows a class 47 on a parcels and passenger service heading towards Bolton and Manchester. As with the photograph on the Northbound page, there is little here to distinguish the shot from one taken in the new millennium - other than the motive power. Today, the line sees no freight and passenger trains are exclusively diesel multiple units (DMUs).

When this shot was taken, the junction was still in use, but is hidden by the train.

A technically accomplished photograph of my finger (age 14)!

In the background, you may be able to make out another class 47 on a similar working to the picture above.

The wooden footbridge linked all three platforms and spanned the goods yard. It is said to be typical of the L&Y, surviving here in 1965.

B&W photographs by Eric Blakey courtesy of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society

The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society