The Anonymous Widower

Government Boost To Reopen Skelmersdale Rail Link To Manchester And Liverpool

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Lancs Live.

These two paragraphs give the whole story.

Rosie Cooper says the government has given her new assurances that it is committed to creating a Skelmersdale rail link.

Transport minister Chris Heaton-Harris told the West Lancashire Labour MP that an initial £500m funding pot set aside for reopening lines closed under the Beeching Act could be used towards ongoing efforts for Skelmersdale.

To my mind, Skelmersdale illustrates the appalling planning of the 1960s.

These dates are from Wikipedia.

• November 5th, 1956 – Skelmersdale station closed to passenger services.
• January 10th, 1957 – Harold Macmillan becomes Prime Minister
• 1961 – Skelmersdale was designated a new town.
• March 27th, 1963 – Beeching Report
• October 19th, 1963 – Sir Alec Douglas Hume becomes Prime Minister
• November 4th, 1963 – Skelmersdale station closed to all services.
• October 16th, 1964 – Harold Wilson becomes Prime Minister
• 1968-1970 – The M58 opens to connect Skelmersdale to the M6 and the M57 at Switch Island.
• June 19th, 1970 – Edward Heath becomes Prime Minister.

It looks like a rail connection to the new town was removed, but a comprehensive road network was built.

This policy seems to be very different to decisions taken at Billericay, Crawley, Harlow, Hemel Hempstead, Kirkby, Milton Keynes and Stevenage, where rail connections were at least maintained.

The Latest Plan For Skelmersdale Station

This is the latest plan for Skelmersdale station, according to the Wikipedia entry.

It has been proposed a new station at Skelmersdale would act as the terminus for Merseyrail’s Northern Line, with connections available to Wigan and Manchester. Initial estimates suggest that the scheme could cost around £300 million to develop. On page 36 of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Long Term Rail Strategy document of October 2017, it states that Merseytravel is currently working with Lancashire County Council and Network Rail to develop a plan to extend the Merseyrail network from Kirkby through to Skelmersdale, with work completed in 2019. They are considering 3rd rail electrification and other alternatives with a new station at Headbolt Lane to serve the Northwood area of Kirkby. The document on page 37 states two trials of electric 3rd rail/battery trains will be undertaken in 2020, this is one of the “alternatives”

Lancashire County Council approved a plan in May 2019 to commission an outline business case into reopening the station which will be presented to the government.

Note.

1. The possible site of Headbolt Lane station and the Concourse Shopping Centre in Skelmersdale are about 8 miles apart.
2. Will the trains to Wigan and Manchester be direct or via a change at the new Headbolt Lane station?
3. The reference to battery-electric trains, which would be able to handle the sixteen-mile round trip easily.

The site of the station will be at the former Glenburn Sports College, which is a couple of hundred metres to the East of the Concourse Shopping Centre.

This Google Map shows the location.

I would feel that this is very convenient.

• The former Glenburn Sports college is marked by the red arrow.
• The Concourse Shopping Centre is to the West of the station.
• The station would be well-connected to the road network.
• The approach track to the station could probably run by the side of Southway and cross it using a bridge or underpass.

This second Google Map shows the station in relation to the Kirkby Branch Line.

Note.

1. The Glenburn Campus is indicated with the red marker at the top of the map.
2. The M58 goes across the map.
3. Rainford station is in the South-West corner of the map.
4. Upholland station is on the Eastern edge of the map below the M58.

The Kirkby Branch Line links the two stations.

• The Kirkby Branch Line continues to the West to the new Headbolt Lane station, Kirkby station and Liverpool city centre.
• The Kirkby Branch Line continues to the East to Wigan Wallgate, Bolton and Manchester Victoria stations.
• The Kirkby Branch Line is double-track to the East of Rainford and single-track to the West.

How will Skelmersdale station be connected to the Kirkby Branch Line?

If you look at the previous map, notice that a network of roads lead down from the Concourse Shopping Centre and then go under the M58. From the Google Map, it looks like the roads go under the M58 where there is a generous bridge.

This Google Map shows the section of the route on both sides of the M58.

It looks to me that a single-track railway could be run between the new Skelmersdale station and the Kirkby Branch Line.

• Merseyrail’s new Class 777 trains are not large trains and I am certain a single track could be squeezed in alongside the roads.
• The distance is about three miles and a train would take about six minutes or around about fifteen minutes for the round trip.
• Four trains per hour (tph) would be possible, which is the same frequency as the current service between Kirkby station and Liverpool.

Putting this together, I think the following would be possible.

• A single track line without electrification between the Kirkby Branch Line and the new Skelmersdale station to the East of the Concourse Shopping Centre on the Glenburn Sports Campus site.
• Class 777 trains would use battery power to the East of Headbolt Lane station.
• The trains would charge their batteries between Liverpool and Headbolt Lane station.
• The branch would leave the Kirkby Branch Line to the East of Headbolt Lane station.
• Up to four tph between Liverpool Central and Skelmersdale stations, calling at all stations.
• Up to two tph between Headbolt Lane and Manchester Victoria stations via Wigan.
• Passengers between Skelmersdale and Manchester would change at Headbolt Lane station.

Other schemes would be possible, but allowing a direct Manchester and Skelmersdale service might be complicated and add substantially to the cost.

April 12, 2020 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Headbolt Lane Station, Kirkby Branch Line, Kirkby Station, Merseyrail, Merseyrail To Skelmersdale, Skelmersdale Station | 21 Comments