Golborne Railway Station reopening updates

[childwallblues]

It is proposed to build a railway station at Golborne which is between Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western and funding of £15 million has been allocated by the government.

£15m funding agreed for railway station at Golborne - Lowton and Golborne News

Fantastic news for the town as money is secured to bring back its railway station and improve transport connections in and out of Golborne.

lowtonandgolbornenews.co.uk

Funding which could help bring a train station back to Golborne for the first time in sixty years has been agreed today (Friday, 29 January 2021).

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority, chaired by Mayor Andy Burnham, met this morning and agreed to allocate £15m to progress the scheme, after feasibility studies showed there was “a strong case” for the station.

It follows years of campaigning to bring a railway link back to Golborne by residents, community groups and businesses, as well as Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, Leigh MP James Grundy and local councillors Yvonne Klieve, Gena Merritt and Susan Gambles. It was also something former Leigh MP Jo Platt was supportive of.

 

[Pinus contorta]

When the Bus Service Improvement Grants were announced recently, I had a read of what Andy Burnham had to say about the funding. I think there was something about it in there, and the other TFGM priorities.

 

[8A Rail]

Where it going to be actually located? Assume the station being proposed near to Lowton Junction connecting with trains from Manchester and may be Liverpool too? There was a station there until 1949 I think.

 

[AMD]

No, definately on the WCML. I heard that some consultant came up with a proposal to stick the platforms on the fast lines which has been fed back as the preference is on the slow lines.

 

[8A Rail]

No, definately on the WCML. I heard that some consultant came up with a proposal to stick the platforms on the fast lines which has been fed back as the preference is on the slow lines.

Having checked the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Atlas by Joe Brown, the proposed new station seems to be the old Golborne South Station which closed in 1961 and was on the slow lines.

 

[seagull]

Incidentally, a long discussion (a now-locked thread) about this proposed station can be found here:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/golborne-station-if-it-opens-how-might-it-be-served.213933/

 

[terryc]

At a local public meeting in Golborne just prior to lockdown, Andy Burnham stated that the station at Golborne would definitely be going ahead.

Campaign to re-open Golborne Station continues - Lowton and Golborne News

Calls for the re-opening of Golborne Railway Station are to be discussed at a public meeting being held on Tuesday, February 18, 2020.

lowtonandgolbornenews.co.uk

The meeting took place on February 18, 2020, at Golborne Sports and Social Club with local councillors from the Golborne Lowton West ward and Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, in attendance.

At the moment, numerous commuters meet and park up at Golborne, and then car-share onto NLW.

 

[Pinus contorta]

Not realised there's lots of car sharing going on. I just remember the long snake of parked cars up Southworth Road and the N-le W station car park being full.

 

[terryc]

Not realised there's lots of car sharing going on. I just remember the long snake of parked cars up Southworth Road and the N-le W station car park being full.

I'm sure that was the reason behind the car sharing, which was thankfully improved once the new car park was opened. However, it's still difficult to find a space after 8:00 am. I think some sharing is still going on to some lesser degree, judging by the number of cars still parked at Golborne. They can't be all for local businesses / shopping, as the town is frankly dying. The station would help provide some lift to the area.

 

[yorkie]

It sounds like it is going to happen:

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

Murphy 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.

Detailed plans will now be developed for the station’s design, with a target of starting construction in 2026 for a 2027 opening.

Any further infrastructure updates can be posted in this thread.

There is an alternative thread to discuss potential service patterns:

Golborne station - if it opens how might it be served?

A new station is proposed for Golborne, near Wigan, situated awkwardly on the WCML "proper" just north of Golborne Junction. Here's an article in the MEN about it: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/multi-million-pound-plans-build-19721954 Multi-million pound...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is the new railway station at Golborne going to be constructed on the site of the long-closed railway station?

 

[yorkie]

Is the new railway station at Golborne going to be constructed on the site of the long-closed railway station?

Roughly, yes, but appears to be shifted south slightly.

The field which is shared between two primary schools east of the station is going to be reduced in size, to enable some of the land to be used for the station (which will have access on both sides). The remaining parts of the playing field will be improved.

Side by side map viewer, comparing old maps with a current map:

Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images - National Library of Scotland

There is also a video here:

https://tfgm.com/projects/golborne-rail-station

The proposed station would be on the West Coast Main Line, five miles south of Wigan North Western station and one mile north of Golborne Junction – near to the site of the previous Golborne Station.

It would have:

• An accessible station including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms.
• Digital customer information screens with real-time train information, passenger assistance intercom, seating and waiting shelters.
• Safety features including CCTV, lighting inside and outside the station.
• As well as a station entrance from the west side of the new station (near Railway Rd), proposals will include exploring the potential for a new eastern access to Golborne town centre.
• Train tickets available to purchase via ticket machines on both platforms, or on rail operator websites and apps.
• Improved cycling, walking and wheeling links between the station and the town centre. This would include improved crossings and an accessible route between the town centre, station and car park, making it easier for everyone to access the station.
• An improved and updated town centre car park next to the proposed station. The car park would be fully resurfaced and have upgraded lighting and CCTV, creating a safer, more pleasant environment for users. The car park would include disabled bays, EV charging bays, a taxi drop-off area, and cycle parking.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Is the new railway station at Golborne going to be constructed on the site of the long-closed railway station?

I think the answer is yes to that, but I believe the new platforms will be on the fast lines whereas the old platforms were on the slow.
The penalty for stopping trains bound for Manchester/Liverpool via Golborne Jn (1 mile south) will not be as great as any heading towards Warrington/Wigan.
The current line speed in the area on the fasts is 100/110mph, but Golborne Jn is 25/20mph.

 

[185]

Have to give them credit for actually planning one in the town, for once.

So many modern reopenings moved to the outskirts of towns, pointless for non-car users.

 

[M60lad]

Can any of the work be done by keeping the busy WCML open or are we going to see Bus Replacements/Diversions once work starts?

 

[The Planner]

Can any of the work be done by keeping the busy WCML open or are we going to see Bus Replacements/Diversions once work starts?

Some of it will be able to, but there will also be weekend closures.