Goods Yard

Like most stations, up until the late 1960s, Blackrod had a goods yard which which in the days before road transport became the norm, was the main method of transport for all manner of goods and produce for businesses and individuals alike. Blackrod's goods yard was not especially remarkable, other than the fact that the buildings, which mostly still exist today, date from the earliest days of the railway.

The goods shed itself is still easily recognisable with it's two large arched openings, which once carried a tracks through the shed and back out the other side. Other sidings were provided around the north east side of the building. Before the building of the branch to Horwich, the goods sidings left the main line, fanned-out through and around the goods shed and back onto the main line close to the signal box.

yard 1 - EB

The station yard, viewed from the long L&Y wooden footbridge to the Branch platform

Photo : Eric Blakey 1968 - Courtesy of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society

yard 2 - EB

The south side of the goods yard - clearly disused by this date, but rails still in-place.

Photo : Eric Blakey 1968 - Courtesy of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society

In later years, there were three coal sidings to the west of the main line, between the Preston-bound platform and the signal box. These, remained in use in conjunction with the Cooke & Nuttall paper factory until the building of the M61 motorway precipitated their closure.

north - HCC

Looking north, we can see the complex network of lines that existed at this date (1964). A passenger service waits for the main line at the end of the Branch. Between there and the main lines are the tracks into the goods yard and to the left is the area occupied by the three coal sidings, which appear to have been recently lifted in this photo.

Photo : HC Casserley, 1964

 

The goods yard and goods shed fell into decline in the 1960s and closed as the Beeching cuts put an end to the trip-freight services on which they relied.