Golborne station reopening - How might it be served?

[Pinus contorta]

Now that would be an excellent idea. The site of the old station is still available, it is right in the centre of Coppull. There has been much new housing built in the village since the old station was closed. Plus it could be easily served by the Liverpool to Preston services. The major cost would be the reinstating of the third & fourth track for about 3 miles from Balshaw Lane Junction to just past Coppull station. This would improve capacity along this route when finally the HST is open for trains to Scotland. Even better would to extend it all the way to Standish junction, where the Whelley Line diverged around Wigan.

Most of that section that you suggest reinstating is headspans if I remember correctly. I guess they won't have to go around faffing with too much piling, if it is reinstated. I can't remember anything other than twin track ( in my lifetime) on that section.

 

[WatcherZero]

As I understand it yes initial service is proposed to be morning and peak only but it does have a positive business case, more regular services could be added in future with released network capacity. The new rail stations on the agenda are: Leigh, Lostock Parkway, Little Hulton, Golborne, Slattocks, Dewsnap, Gamesley, Stanley Green and Cheadle.

 

[childwallblues]

As I understand it yes initial service is proposed to be morning and peak only but it does have a positive business case, more regular services could be added in future with released network capacity. The new rail stations on the agenda are: Leigh, Lostock Parkway, Little Hulton, Golborne, Slattocks, Dewsnap, Gamesley, Stanley Green and Cheadle.

Would be interesting to see how they get to Leigh but then that is money bags Burnham territory.
Would Leigh be a renamed Kenyon Junction?

 

[L+Y]

Most of that section that you suggest reinstating is headspans if I remember correctly. I guess they won't have to go around faffing with too much piling, if it is reinstated. I can't remember anything other than twin track ( in my lifetime) on that section.

Yes- a little off topic, but four track headspans exist on that section because the slow lines weren't immediately lifted after electrification, though I think they did close to regular traffic. At least one of the slows stayed down until 1976/77.

 

[Djgr]

According to Google Maps this proposed new station is 4 minutes in the car from Newton-le-Willows station.

It is hard to believe that there is not a better use of public money for the railway.

 

[Pinus contorta]

According to Google Maps this proposed new station is 4 minutes in the car from Newton-le-Willows station.

It is hard to believe that there is not a better use of public money for the railway.

This may be true but you probably have to park the car back in Golborne due to the volume of cars in the Newton le Willows area.

 

[Class 170101]

Problem is how do you create a service from Newton Le Willows to Preston bia Golborne? At the moment at least there are no regular services on this route. As where as there is a regular route from Manchester to Wigan NW (and onwards to Windermere / Barrow) on this axis provided by Northern.

 

[terryc]

Adding a stop for the Man Airport to Cumbria TPE was the service mooted. (I would have thought however that TPE wouldn't be too happy slowing that service...?) IIRC, Merseyrail was also mentioned as being interested in providing a service.
For me, a (Northern) stopping service from Warrington (or Crewe if paths available by sending some WCML freight via Middlewich?) to Preston / Blackpool via Earlestown and NLW would be useful. Newton-le-Willows then providing an interchange for the Chat Moss Liverpool / Manchester services.

 

[PTR 444]

Adding a stop for the Man Airport to Cumbria TPE was the service mooted.

Manchester Airport to Cumbria hasn’t been operated by TPE for years. And since that meeting, circumstances have changed which will now result in that service going nowhere near Golborne from Dec 22.

 

[Class 170101]

Manchester Airport to Cumbria hasn’t been operated by TPE for years. And since that meeting, circumstances have changed which will now result in that service going nowhere near Golborne from Dec 22.

What happens in Dec 22 then? Can't imagine Wigan being happy at losing this service to either Preston or Manchester (or other destinations)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Airport-Wigan-Cumbria is now a Northern service and it is planned to be diverted via Bolton, leaving just a peak Wigan-Chat Moss-Manchester service.
The odd TPE Liverpool-Glasgow runs via Golborne and Newton le Willows (when there is no capacity via St Helens Central).
For connectivity, the railway could do with a (Birmingham-) Crewe-Preston semi-fast, but no-one seems to be sponsoring such a service.
Long-term, there's the HS2 impact to consider (which may change the nature of legacy services).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The only major WCML stop between Warrington Bank Quay and Preston is Wigan North Western and the stops at Euxton Balshaw Lane and at Leyland are of lesser note.

 

[childwallblues]

The only major WCML stop between Warrington Bank Quay and Preston is Wigan North Western and the stops at Euxton Balshaw Lane and at Leyland are of lesser note.

And the stations at Euxton Balshaw Lane and Leyland are served by Liverpool to Blackpool services which run via St Helens Central.

 

[yorkie]

There is an update regarding the planned services to serve Golborne station:

Murphy picked to advance £32m Golborne station - Place North West

The engineering and construction company has been appointed by Transport for Greater Manchester to lead the detailed design phase for a facility linking the Wigan town to the rail network for the first time in 60 years.

www.placenorthwest.co.uk

Golborne station will ... welcome an hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, a roughly 30-minute journey.

It sounds like the proposal is for a new service from Wigan North Western to Manchester Victoria. It's unclear if it will call anywhere else.


Edit: there is also a mention here: https://tfgm.com/projects/golborne-rail-station

• An hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria and onwards to Stalybridge (times of day to be determined), subject to government approval.

 

[Starmill]

I believe the details about when it fits in through Manchester won't be confirmed until the next stage of the Taskforce timetable, which is reliant on the infrastructure at Salford Crescent and the Brewery Jn area facilitating trains to turn back. However, there are currently peak flow stops at Eccles on this route and I would be shocked were they to go and not be replaced. They used to be on Chester services, they're likely to stay on Wigan services. There are also peak Liverpool services so these may be in the mix as part of the new ones between Wigan and Manchester.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I think the service makes sense to be Wigan - Manchester/Stalybridge, at least stopping at Eccles.
Bit of a shame if it's only 1tph, but if the timetable can work for people to get to both Wigan and Manchester around 9am it'll likely see good usage.

What about sending the Liverpool - Blackpool trains that go fast between Wigan and Liverpool that way, then there'd also be direct access to Liverpool?

 

[Kite159]

What about sending the Liverpool - Blackpool trains that go fast between Wigan and Liverpool that way, then there'd also be direct access to Liverpool?

You will be annoying the good people of St Helens by removing their fast trains if you do that

 

[Djgr]

What about sending the Liverpool - Blackpool trains that go fast between Wigan and Liverpool that way, then there'd also be direct access to Liverpool?

Golborne is only around 2 miles from Newton-le-Willows station, which already has regular and frequent trains to Liverpool.

 

[Zomboid]

Golborne is only around 2 miles from Newton-le-Willows station, which already has regular and frequent trains to Liverpool.

But it also has regular and frequent trains to Manchester, so by that argument it's only purpose is for getting to/from Wigan.

 

[Djgr]

But it also has regular and frequent trains to Manchester, so by that argument it's only purpose is for getting to/from Wigan.

Well indeed. The case for Golborne is not great, particularly if it leads to worse services elsewhere.

 

[The Planner]

Well indeed. The case for Golborne is not great, particularly if it leads to worse services elsewhere.

That is what happens if a third party wants to fund something and has the political clout. It doesn't mean its the right thing to do.

 

[HST43257]

Currently there’s a 0924 Wigan NW to Liverpool arr 1013, then 1542 and 1831 Liverpool to Wigan NW arr 1630 and 1930, all via NLW with plenty of pathing allowances to allow a Golborne stop.

I appreciate that these aren’t the best timed but they’re a start surely. Perhaps an opportunity also to divert some stoppers ex MCV - who do you value more, Eccles (extra services) or Golborne (only services)?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn't there already a plan, specifically an additional hourly Wigan North Western to Stalybridge EMU, which also reinstates the hourly Wigan to Manchester fast that disappeared when the Barrow/Windermere was routed back via Chorley?

Edit: yes, Yorkie also quotes this above (though to Vic, but I could have sworn I read somewhere it is planned to run to Staly).

 

[cle]

How many tph ultimately will Stalybridge turn from the west? Could it do 3-4tph in the bay? Assumption has always been 2.

Same for Rochdale, esp if wired.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's currently only turning one (hourly Southport), so adding this one would I'm sure fit fine assuming the timings work.

 

[Manutd1999]

How many tph ultimately will Stalybridge turn from the west? Could it do 3-4tph in the bay? Assumption has always been 2.

I reckon 4ph could work quite well with a service every 15-mins between Salford/Victoria and Stalybridge, fitting around the eventual plan for 4ph Transpennine fast services via Victoria.

2ph Stalybridge-Bolton-Wigan
1ph Stalbridge - Liverpool via Chat Moss
1ph Stalybridge - Wigan via Chat Moss

These would all be EMU operated, inter-working if necessary to fit into the bay platform.

Rochdale could then do the same with the 4ph DMU services from Wigan via Atherton and Blackburn/Clitheroe, fitting in with the Calder Valley semi-fasts.