Reinstating the Southport to Preston rail link

[LucyJ]

It seems that the Government is going to reestablish many of the rail routes that the incompetent and malfeasant Richard Beeching cut in the 1960s. The Burscough Curves, which were railway lines that enabled train passengers to go directly to Ormskirk and Preston from Southport, were dismantled as part of Beeching's cuts.

Would it be possible to reestablish our town's direct rail link to the city of Preston and to the university town of Ormskirk? Or is the idea completely unfeasible?

During the recent general election campaign, the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said it was something that he was "taking a close look at." Whether or not that was simply naked electioneering on the part of the Tories remains to be scene.

I drive everywhere but to me it seems odd that Southport's non-road users are completely cut off from our town's nearest city. My nonagenarian mother, for instance, recently gave up driving due to eyesight problems. She used to love visiting her friends in Preston but she rarely goes there now because the bus to get there is infrequent, stops in places where she can't feasibly get to and is often almost full to capacity. It also takes forever to actually get to Preston.

https://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/n...could-12924881

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/...t-reforms.html

[justbecause]

The X2, I believe, runs every 30 minutes from Southport to Preston, and stops outside Preston railway station. There is also the 2, although this is slower and does go ‘around the houses’.

[Albion102]

It may be Southport's closest city but in 25 years living in the area, I found reason to go there (aside from business or passing through) only once. I appreciate it is a difficult commute if you work there, but a bus every 30 mins it all that Preston deserves IMHO.

[grassroots]

It would be good to see the Preston rail link reinstated , as Preston has changed for the better in recent years an now it is a good visit. And of coarse Southport may benefit .

[The PNP]

a bus every 30 mins it all that Preston deserves IMHO.

But a pain if you're a family of holidaymakers down from Scotland etc with a load of bags. The journey would be much more attractive by rail with through-ticketing to Southport on offer. Easier also when travelling by train from Blackburn etc.....And that's before you include the additional catchment of shoppers living along the Ormskirk line.

[Ceam]

The fact there is a bus only every half an hour, kind of sums up demand to go to/from Preston.

[Graeme1978]

our town's nearest city.

Depends where you are I suppose. In Ainsdale / Hillside / Birkdale then your nearest City has a direct rail link every 15 mins.

[said]

The fact there is a bus only every half an hour, kind of sums up demand to go to/from Preston.

Not really! The roads into Preston are nose to tail for most of the day, every day. A train service would alleviate the pressure on the roads, particularly in Preston itself. In fact, if a bus had a dedicated bus lane into Preston that by passed all the rush hour traffic - that bus would be crammed full. Yes, more train services would be good and would encourage more business into town, then we could have some leisure attractions and attract more tourists. But, a big but! If the cost of the fares is kept reasonable. It could be a very successful enterprise if Sefton Council is kept away from it!

[Alikado]

But a pain if you're a family of holidaymakers down from Scotland etc with a load of bags. The journey would be much more attractive by rail with through-ticketing to Southport on offer. Easier also when travelling by train from Blackburn etc.....And that's before you include the additional catchment of shoppers living along the Ormskirk line.

Travellers from Scotland can change at Wigan or Manchester and through ticketing is already available, a link to Preston via Burscough isn't realistic due to the extra distance and neither is reinstating the direct link as to much of the route has been lost to development.

[Hamble]

Beeching the Socialist axeman.

Rebuild the Preston line please.

I remember the days before RM was privatised when one had to drive from Bury to the Preston depot to pay handling ransom and collect International Parcels or pay ransom plus another postal fee to redeliver.

[salus.populi]

The direct rail route to Preston did not go via Burscough.
Whilst using the Burscough curves could be an option to provide a new route to Preston surely it wouldn't be particularly quick or direct as it would take you 7 miles in the wrong direction.

[Ceam]

The direct rail route to Preston did not go via Burscough.
Whilst using the Burscough curves could be an option to provide a new route to Preston surely it wouldn't be particularly quick or direct as it would take you 7 miles in the wrong direction.

It couldn't go the original route, There are hundreds of houses on the original route and as we all know, they have been their for decades.

The cost would be off the clock, to gain what?

[Little Londoner]

In answer to the original question "is it feasible" the obvious answer is YES via the Burscough Curves which are both still in situ. The big stumbling block is Lancashire v Merseyside and WHO is going to pay for it WHY would Lancashire want to spend money on something that is a benefit to the people of Southport and conversely why would Merseyside want to chip in to something that is Wholly in Lancashire with the exception of Red Lane to Chapel St.

The original Southport-Preston line was shut with unbelievable haste, yes it was losing what would be considered a pittance today but they tried no alternative to the steam service.

Steam was very labour intensive the loco's had a driver and fireman the loco needed copious amounts of water and coal servicing of the loco at the Loco Shed involved many different grades and jobs.
Had Beeching considered diesel units where there was ONE footplate man and nothing like the maintenance of a steam loco it would probably have made money or at the very least broken even but it was entirely steam except for the Southport-Crossens Electrics.

But Beeching had to placate his master Ernest Marples whose family firm was busy building roads, and the line along with thousands of other route miles was hastily closed and dismantled. But when you sit in your car in a traffic jam on the M6 or M1 you can admire the scenery knowing that the roads to nowhere are there because the Railway didn't suit the road builders.
Personally I love being on an InterCity train North of Preston or around Northamptonshire (Watford Gap) flying past the traffic on the M6/M1.

[silver fox]

Beeching the Socialist axeman.

Rebuild the Preston line please.

Beeching was a hired Tory hatchet man, his speciality was closing down business, yes he was for a short while affiliated to the Labour Party but he was never in the remotest sense a Socialist, just be thankful that he only managed to implement the first Beeching report, the second report was kicked into touch by a new Labour government and Beeching scuttled of back to ICI.

Rebuilding the Southport to Preston line is totally impossible, one aspect of that line closure was the haste to rip the whole thing up as soon as it closed.

[Little Londoner]

Beeching was a hired Tory hatchet man, his speciality was closing down business, yes he was for a short while affiliated to the Labour Party but he was never in the remotest sense a Socialist, just be thankful that he only managed to implement the first Beeching report, the second report was kicked into touch by a new Labour government and Beeching scuttled of back to ICI.

Rebuilding the Southport to Preston line is totally impossible, one aspect of that line closure was the haste to rip the whole thing up as soon as it closed.

If he had got his way Southport would no longer be on the Railway Map.

And as you say the line was being ripped up as soon as the last train had run.