The Anonymous Widower

The Former Unilever Site At Warrington – 6th May 2026

I went past this site twice yesterday on my way to and from Blackpool.

I took these pictures going Northwards.

And I took these pictures going Southwards.

A quick search of the Internet on my phone revealed.

  • It was a former soap works, that had previously been owned by Unilever.
  • The site was now going to be developed as a data centre.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways through the area.

Note.

  1. Warrington Bank Quay station is indicated by the blue arrow in the middle of the map.
  2. The Unilever site is to its North-West.
  3. Warrington Bank Quay station is a major station on the West Coast Main Line and will probably be on High Speed Two, which will share tracks with the West Coast Main Line.
  4. The two East-West lines are not electrified.
  5. Warrington West is a relatively new station, that I wrote about in 2020, in The New Warrington West Station.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railway lines between Liverpool and the coast in the West and the West Coast main Line in the East.

Note.

  1. The Merseyrail third rail network shown in lilac.
  2. Electrified tracks shown in red.
  3. Tracks without electrification shown in black.
  4. Warrington Bank Quay station indicated by the blue arrow.
  5. The West Coast Main Line (WCML) runs North-South at the Eastern edge of the map.
  6. Wigan North Western station is in the North East corner of the map.
  7. Wigan North Western and Warrington Bank Quay stations are both on the WCML.

Five lines connect the Liverpool local network to the WCML.

  1. The top unelectrified line connects the new Headbolt Lane station to Wigan Wallgate station.
  2. The most Northerly electrified line connects Liverpool Lime Street and Wigan North Western stations via Huyton station.
  3. The second electrified line connects Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester via Newton-le-Willows station.
  4. The most Northerly of the bottom pair of unelectrified lines connects Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester via Warrington Central station.
  5. The final line is a freight line between Liverpool and Manchester along the Mersey. This line runs under the WCML

The last line is likely to be upgraded to become Northern Powerhouse Rail between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester via Manchester Airport.

This picture shows a freight train passing under Warrington Bank Quay station.

This OpenRailway Map shows how the lines cross to the South of Warrington Bank Quay station.

Note.

  1. The electrified North-South line is the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
  2. There is quite a good amount of space.

Could the junction be designed, so that HS2 trains could go between Manchester and London?

 

 

May 7, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Computing, Energy, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blackpool North Station Train And Tram Interchange – 6th May 2026

I took these pictures, as I changed between the train and the tram.

Note.

  1. There is a level step-free subway between train and tram.
  2. There is a Holiday Inn hotel over the subway.
  3. There is also a Premier Inn within walking distance.
  4. There is a black-cab rank at the station.
  5. The tram is step-free.
  6. The Sainsburys is a big superstore.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the interchange.

Note.

  1. The tram tracks are shown in pink.
  2. The train tracks are shown in orange.
  3. There appears to be a drop-off loop for passengers.
  4. Blackpool & Fylde Multiversity seems to be being built behind Sainsburys.

Blackpool must now have one of the best provincial stations in the UK.

 

 

May 7, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

Approach To Blackpool North Station – 6th May 2026

I took these pictures as my train yesterday approached Blackpool North station.

 

Note.

  1. Blackpool North station has six platforms.
  2. The platforms are 277, 277, 217, 205,203 and 205 metres long respectively.
  3. It appears that 9-car Pendolinos can use Platforms 1-3.
  4. It appears that 11-car Pendolinos can use Platforms 1-2.
  5. It appears that HS2 Classic-Compatible trains will be able to use Platforms 1-3.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of the train and tram tracks.

Note.

  1. Blackpool North station is indicated by the blue arrow in the middle of the map.
  2. The pink tracks are the Blackpool tramway.
  3. The black tracks in the North-East cornet of the map are the extensive Blackpool Carriage Sidings.

I took these pictures as I approached the station.

Note.

  1. Blackpool carriage sidings are extensive.
  2. There is even a train washer.
  3. Manchester are advertising their new Bee Network.
  4. Blackpool North station can handle 11-car Pendolinos.

Could trains like Pendolinos and HS2 Classic-Compatible trains have their overnight servicing in Blackpool, before they start their day with a fast service to London Euston starting with stops at Poulton-le-Fylde, Preston, Wigan North Western, Warrington Bank Quay and Crewe stations?

It does look to me, that Blackpool North station could be used much more efficiently, now that it is fully-electrified and Avanti have a fleet of 7-car Class 807 trains.

 

 

May 7, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment