Could Kenyon Junction and Golborne stations reopen?

[Hey 3]

I am fully delighted to see this. But on the news articles it says :
When reopened, Golborne station will have direct services to Wigan North Western, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadily, Manchester Airport(+ Styal Line stations) and stations from Wigan to Windemere/Barrow-in-Furness, but as @Bletchleyite said in another thread, we have to take it with a pinch of salt, as with all the options with the Manchester Recovery Task Force, the Manchester Airport to Barrow and Windemere have moved to the Manchester-Salford-Bolton-Chorley-Preston line(yes I watch David Frankal), and as for Kenyon Junction, it will probably be a parkway for Leigh(and its sports village) and will probably get all stoppers and maybe a semi-fast service.

Boris Johnson backs Kenyon Junction Railway Station plans for Leigh | Leigh Journal

THE Prime Minister has given his backing to a bid to reopen a railway station in Leigh in Parliament.

During Prime Minister’s Questions today, Wednesday, March 10, Leigh's MP James Grundy welcomed the Government’s funding allocation which has progressed plans to reopen Golborne Station.

He then also asked for the Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s support for his bid to reopen Kenyon Junction railway station

 

[55002]

The Prime Ministers Commitment...that phrase worries me

 

[PHILIPE]

The Prime Ministers Commitment...that phrase worries me

Surely it can't be the truth if it was the PM

 

[Hey 3]

As well, even if Boris Johnson backs the schemes, it will have to go through Sunak and ultimately Shapps.

 

[Bald Rick]

As well, even if Boris Johnson backs the schemes, it will have to go through Sunak and ultimately Shapps.

Other way round.

As an aside, saying “I’m happy to support my Honourable Friend’s initiative” does not mean he is backing the proposal.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Fairly sure he said that Golborne was the first railway junction in the world which of course was Kenyon Junction.

 

[Hey 3]

Fairly sure he said that Golborne was the first railway junction in the world which of course was Kenyon Junction.

Eh? When did it say that in the article?

 

[Rail Ranger]

To clarify, I actually watched PMQs and heard the Prime Minister's reply to the question about Golborne and Kenyon Junction.

 

[John R]

I seem to recall that the PM was fairly clear he supported MML electrification before the election. Statements made in parliament, especially in response to questions like that at PMQ, are basically worthless.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Fairly sure he said that Golborne was the first railway junction in the world which of course was Kenyon Junction.

Indeed. The order of opening of the early L&M junctions was:

3 Jan 1831 Kenyon Jn (towards Leigh/Bolton)
25 July 1831 Newton Jn (Earlestown West, towards Warrington)
2 Jan 1832 St Helens Jn (towards St Helens)
3 Sep 1832 Parkside Jn (towards Wigan; today's Golborne Jn didn't exist until 1864 when the Winwick-Golborne cut-off was opened)

The south-east junction at Newton (Earlestown), allowing through London-Manchester working, was opened after 1837.
The west-north junction at Parkside, allowing through London-Preston working, was opened after 1845.

 

[Hey 3]

Hopefully, if Golborne opens, sanity will prevail and the Cumbria service is not moved to the Manchester-Salford-Bolton-Chorley-Preston line. If it does, the Scottish service should run via Chat Moss and Wigan NW, or the Blackpool service, if not, circulars from Liverpool and Manchester can serve it. As for Kenyon Junction, it will probably get all stoppers, + a semi-fast possibly. Hopefully Grant Shapps listens to Lisa Nandy's angry letter.

 

[Glenn1969]

Backing them with words doesn't necessarily mean funding will follow

 

[Hey 3]

Backing them with words doesn't necessarily mean funding will follow

Apparently, there is already funding for Golborne station. As for Kenyon Junction(or Leigh Parkway), funding is not there yet.

 

[The Planner]

Apparently, there is already funding for Golborne station. As for Kenyon Junction(or Leigh Parkway), funding is not there yet.

Funding to build, or funding to develop?

 

[Bald Rick]

As for Kenyon Junction(or Leigh Parkway), funding is not there yet.

And, let’s be clear... it’s not going to get it. It was not successful in the Restoring your Railway bids.

 

[nr758123]

It's designed to give the vague impression that the local Tory MP is getting things done for his constituency. Our current Prime Minister has a well-deserved reputation for being a serial liar, so there's no reason to suppose that his words on this occasion are any less worthless than every other time he speaks.

Words are free. When it comes to approving spending money on the project, don't expect anything to happen any time soon.

 

[Hey 3]

Ah yes words are free, but when it comes to money, will the DaFT deliver?

 

[Elecman]

Ah yes words are free, but when it comes to money, will the Treasury deliver?

Fixed that for you

 

[Ianno87]

It's designed to give the vague impression that the local Tory MP is getting things done for his constituency. Our current Prime Minister has a well-deserved reputation for being a serial liar, so there's no reason to suppose that his words on this occasion are any less worthless than every other time he speaks.

Words are free. When it comes to approving spending money on the project, don't expect anything to happen any time soon.

Would this be the Leigh constituency, which went Blue in 2019 after being solid Labour since 1922, that the Tories would be ever so keen to hold onto?

 

[Hey 3]

Would this be the Leigh constituency, which went Blue in 2019 after being solid Labour since 1922, that the Tories would be ever so keen to hold onto?

Yes, it is the Leigh consticuency.

 

[Kite159]

Hopefully, if Golborne opens, sanity will prevail and the Cumbria service is not moved to the Manchester-Salford-Bolton-Chorley-Preston line. If it does, the Scottish service should run via Chat Moss and Wigan NW, or the Blackpool service, if not, circulars from Liverpool and Manchester can serve it. As for Kenyon Junction, it will probably get all stoppers, + a semi-fast possibly. Hopefully Grant Shapps listens to Lisa Nandy's angry letter.

You would hope they will run additional services alongside the Cumbria 195. As that can depart Wigan heading towards Manchester quite busy (in a pre-Covid world)

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Funding to build, or funding to develop?

£15m allocated. Second Tranche of Transforming Cities Funding.

It is being spun as money to build the station. Whilst that doesn't feel like enough given the location, I can't believe you could sensibly spend £15m just on developing the proposals.

I guess there is going to be:
a) some disappointment (perhaps after the May elections),
b) a bouncing of funding bodies into stumping up a sizeable amount of extra cash. I'm going to start bidding as at least double the current amount.

Oh, and a few million more for some units to provide a service, and a few million more in ongoing running costs.

And to think I would be happy with an hourly evening bus service for which there is no money!

 

[Hey 3]

Does anyone think these stations should reopen? If you think yes or no, please state why you think yes or no.

 

[PR1Berske]

Does anyone think these stations should reopen? If you think yes or no, please state why you think yes or no.

"Should" - yes.
"Could" - possibly not.

As above, the problem here is the government and funding. All the schemes and funding pots are there for local groups and authorities to make cases for investment. Golborne has been in the air for (re)opening for decades, and like Coppull further up the WCML, is over-due for connecting local people to the network. I do worry what services would be expected to stop here and Kenyon.

 

[yorksrob]

I think that one should reopen to serve Leigh.

It's a bit of a way on the bus from either Atherton or Newton le Willows.

It ought to be a lot cheaper to build a railway station on an existing line. We need to go back to the WYPTE 1980's method of opening stations.

 

[Ianno87]

I think that one should reopen to serve Leigh.

It's a bit of a way on the bus from either Atherton or Newton le Willows.

Where would you actually place it? Looks like any station on the Chat Moss line would be no closer than Atherton anyway.

 

[PR1Berske]

I think that one should reopen to serve Leigh.

It's a bit of a way on the bus from either Atherton or Newton le Willows.

It ought to be a lot cheaper to build a railway station on an existing line. We need to go back to the WYPTE 1980's method of opening stations.

1980s era stations can't be built these days, that's why it is so expensive and so cumbersome to do so!

 

[Hey 3]

Where would you actually place it? Looks like any station on the Chat Moss line would be no closer than Atherton anyway.

At the old station site of Kenyon Junction, and if a link road is built using the old Bolton & Leigh line alignment, it would have easy connection to the Atherleigh Way and East Lancs Road, allowing it to be use as a parkway. A shuttle bus could run from Leigh bus station to Kenyon Junction(if reopened).

 

[Ianno87]

At the old station site of Kenyon Junction, and if a link road is built using the old Bolton & Leigh line alignment, it would have easy connection to the Atherleigh Way and East Lancs Road, allowing it to be use as a parkway. A shuttle bus could run from Leigh bus station to Kenyon Junction(if reopened).

By the time you've got there, you might as well use Newton-le-Willows.

 

[Hey 3]

By the time you've got there, you might as well use Newton-le-Willows.

Note, by driving, it is 11 minutes away by car and 5.2 (for now) from Leigh's bus station to the old station site, going via central Lowton, with the link road, possibly 3-5 minutes could be shaved off, and also, Newton-le-Willows is 13 minutes away by car and 5.6 miles from the bus station, so it is better to use Kenyon Junction rather than Newton-le-Willows.