www.flickr.com/photos/64215236@NO3/6988550541/sizes/l/in/photostream/

In a sense Wigan is lucky, we still have two stations in the town centre, and eight routes out of town (Preston, Warrington, St Helens / Liverpool, Kirkby, Southport, Bolton and Manchester via Walkden, and recently also the new Trans Pennine electrics via Golborne and Chat Moss). Apart from the loss of all the industrial systems (and the industry) we only lost three passenger routes, The joint LNW / L&Ylink to Chorley & Blackburn, The LNW route to Tyldesley and Manchester Exchange and the GC branch from Wigan Central to Glazebrook & Manchester Central.

Wigan was in early with railways, The Wigan Branch railway connected with the Liverpool & Manchester at Parkside, later becoming part of the West Coast Main Line. We also had one of the first industrial branch lines, the New Springs branch serving many collieries and iron works. This line gave its name to Springs Branch the famous (!!) loco shed.

I'll start with this interesting RCH map of  the area, though of course not all of Wigan's railways are shown, and neighbouring Leigh also had complex and interesting lines. I'll try and find a map.

There are quite a few of my Wigan photo's in my link below. I'll post a few more here and some other interesting local stuff in due course

Please feel free to add your comments / memories / photo's / material. Wigan deserves its railway history etc to be aired more.

I'm modelling a section of both the LNW Springs Branch and the GC line, both at Ince, Wigan, where they crossed and connected.

Brit15

Good to see a proper branch that, at that even into the 70's had loco hauled trains and freight traffic, so I can justify large diesels on a branch line. 

I have been on line to try and find an OS map of the area, so I could understand the track layout, unfortunately, I cannot find one that presents the specific detail necessary, as I live in Canada, I am reluctant to order a map that would not show me the detail I am looking for .

Can anyone from the area around Liverpool guide me to an OS map or reference book with the detail of the track layout in the area between Kirkdale and Sandhills which I can order online.

Any help would be appreciated.

Best regards,

TomD

The Kendal to Ambleside railway.

When being constructed, there were ideas to carry the railway on from Windermere through to Ambleside; indeed, Windermere was still known as Birthwaite and was a hamlet, the town taking the name from the station (actually, from the post office at the station) whereas Ambleside was already an established (if small) market town.

If the station had been built at, say, Waterhead, then there would have been pretty much direct access to the lake steamers (along the lines of Lakeside, perhaps?), tourist traffic to match or perhaps exceed Windermere (Windermere village and station are a good mile or so from the lake and Bowness, and it's quite a hill), and outbound freight in the form of slate from the Langdale valleys, where one of the slate quarries at Elterwater is still operating today.

If I recall correctly, one of the main reasons that it didn't happen is because of the geography of the area; it would be quite a climb from Ambleside to Windermere. Plus, our old friend Wordsworth was dead against it.

The WCML

There were apparently two alternatives considered for the routing of the WCML; one up the Lune Valley and the other passing through Kendal, up Longsleddale, tunneling under Harter Fell / Branstree (basically under the Gatescarth Pass) and then following Haweswater and I presume picking up the current route somewhere not far North of Shap.

It's the latter route that interests me as I've spent many a happy day riding / pushing my mountain bike up Gatescarth to ride down the other side and then tackle the awesome / insane Nan Bield Pass. If this route had been taken, then a trip up the WCML would have taken in views such as the ones in the below link. I imagine that the thought of tunneling under Harter Fell was what put them off, but for me the landscape beats that of the climb from Tebay to Shap hands down.

http://www.grough.co...l-the-quiet-way

Thing is, it then gets you thinking about whether other routes would have built anyway, or whether because of the lack of possible connections, if the whole railway map of the area would have been different. Without the WCML passing through Tebay, for instance, would the Stainmore route have followed the same course and met with the WCML somewhere near Kendal, would it have been built to connect with the S&C and then beared west to head for Carnforth to still meet up with the all important connection with the Furness Railway and it's very reason for existence (supplying coke to the furnaces of Furness - I like that ), or taken some other route completely?

Of course, these alternatives open up all kinds of possibilities for modelling "could have been" routes in some spectacular scenery. I recall that Kendal MRC looked into a model of Ambleside many years ago, and imagine how stunning a layout of Long Sleddale would be; up there with Blea Moor as a minimum.

I nicked this idea if I'm honest from Max Stafford and the Waverley Group but it seemed like a nice idea!

So showcase your rolling stock/layouts depicting the North West.

Seen as at the moment, I'm building my stock up for my future North West layout, I have only one loco up to standard, but here she is, Newton Heath Black 5 45102.

The WCML through the Lune Gorge and up through Shap has to be something that's always appealed also mind.

the midland railway Langton dock branch north Liverpool, shots of this line are extremley rare.

reason of interest to me, its not far from my house, Ive walked and climed over the remains of bridges and cuttings many times as a kid and it was near to my school,

was an interesting freight only steeply graded line, not sure of exact gradients, my dad remembers black 5's on freight.

it closed in 1968, the bootle end was all in cuttings which have been filled in, the Liverpool end hasnt but is fully overgrown with trees, the first bridge after Fazakerley north junction was taken away, but other bridges where left in place.

http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.co...p28/5990691856/

Im on the lookout for shots of this line,especially further down near the gasworks

whats your holy grail bit of north west railways?

Does anyone know where I can find any info on Culcheth station near Warrington? I'm interested in relevant books, photos etc that might be available to give me an idea what it used to be like when it was open. I know very little about the railways in the vicinity being a southerner but have an interest now as my sister lives within a few minutes walk of the now long gone station and have walked along the old trackbed which is now a footpath. I have looked in the local library without much luck.

Cheers,

Chris

Having grown up in the Bromley Cross area of Bolton, I have always had a desire to create a model of the station and goods yard area.

Does anyone have any drawings, track plans of the station, signal box and goods yard?

I recall our annual bonfire was held in the current car park using the odd sleeper or two to keep the fire going for an extra hour or two.

Any assistance that could be given would be appreciated

Karl

I set up this group originally with an aim of sharing, prototype info, photographs, and modelling work on the Railways that served the Fylde, Blackpool and Preston, but I then figured the group may be more helpful if it encompassed the North West in general.

My area of focus is as mentioned, the area of Blackpool-Preston with plans on a layout I aim to build showing the Excursion traffic that used to pass through on Summer Saturdays.

From Crewe to Carlisle, from Llandudno to Lancaster this group is aimed at the Northern Ex LMS area, in the 50s and 60s...which of course included all things Stanier

Enjoy

Tom

A couple of things I'd like to know is what was it's purpose? and from what I can gather was it split level? with a single track at a higher level carrying on into the Gridiron itself and a pair lower down carrying on down into Olive Mount.

Many Thanks

Chris

A part of the line rarely photographed in steam days.

Cheers

Simon

http://www.glassondo....uk/railway.htm

In the first shot, even the signal seems to be unsure whether it should let the train pass onto the dodgy trackwork

More photos (linked because they may well be copyrighted):

http://myrailwaystat...%201957_jpg.htm

http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=25872

http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream

http://www.sixbellsj...s/540501sl.html

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/

Some of the recent views have been of the Liverpool area including some views on the Huskisson Branch and one of Walton on the second and third pages (click "next" at the bottom of the screen). As some on here are interested in the area I thought I'd bring it to people's attention, although I'm sure a certain Mr Delamar has already spotted them! Quality is variable, but as many are taken from railtours etc they show unusual viewpoints/places.

Simon

First up is Steam World August 2011 which hit my doormat yesterday. An article by Peter Cooper on the last days of the Super Ds has references to the North West but what caught my eye was "Diary Days - The Early Years" by Robin Bamber, in which Robin looks back on his spotty-spotter days centred on Preston between 1944 and 1953. The illustrations stray from this period to embrace 1959 but capture the early days of BR in this area well. A pic that caught my eye is of 42301 heading out of Preston with a Windermere train in August 1951. The first two coaches are a Period 2 BTK and CL as modelled by Airfix and appear to be in LMS livery minus the lettering. The third is a Period 1 BTK in a lighter red, presumably crimson.

Chris

I had this plan, which was to build an exhibition layout based on WCML 1950s practice. However, everything changes, and it is now a static layout in a shed in the westest of west Wales.

For a fuller description, please go to the above site in Special Interests.

At the same time, may I please give a plug to my friends in the South who are building a real corker of an exhibition layout called Horfield and also to express my appreciation for a certain gentleman (sorry Gilbert) who prefers to be known as Great Northern and who is building a stonking layout called Peterborough North.

ATB

Terry Davis

I would like bring your attention to a thread on RMweb of some stunning pictures in the North West, taken by ArthurK

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/6933-br-london-midland-region-1950s-80s/

Enjoy

Please feel free to post your own pics in here....alas two young to have been there

http://www.middletonia.co.uk/nostalgia/railwaystories.html#philbin