System National Rail Stations 13 Owner Network Rail | Status Operational Operator(s) Northern
Virgin Trains | |
 | ||
Locale Lancashire
North West England Termini Preston
Blackpool North/South Rolling stocks British Rail Class 142, British Rail Class 150 | ||
Openttd let s build fr uk r aliste 1 2 blackpool branch lines partie 2 2
The Blackpool branch lines run from Preston to Blackpool. The lines split at Kirkham and Wesham junction - a double track branch runs to Blackpool North station (Blackpool's main passenger station) through Poulton-le-Fylde, while a single track branch runs via Lytham to Blackpool South station.
Contents
- Openttd let s build fr uk r aliste 1 2 blackpool branch lines partie 2 2
- Openttd let s build fr uk r aliste 1 1 blackpool branch lines partie 1 2
- Preston to Blackpool North
- Preston to Blackpool South
- Kirkham to Blackpool Central
- Electrification
- References
Openttd let s build fr uk r aliste 1 1 blackpool branch lines partie 1 2
Preston to Blackpool North
The route is used by the bulk of Blackpool's passenger trains, providing services to Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds as well as other destinations. The planned electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool North route was announced in December 2009.
At Poulton junction, the freight-only Burn Naze branch diverges. This serves the industrial areas and ports around Fleetwood and used to carry passenger traffic to the town until 1970, but the line has now been lifted from Burn Naze onward. Proposals exist to reopen the line in the future, as a large amount of track still remains and volunteers have begun to clear the line of the vegetation with which it was previously overgrown.
As of December 2014 Virgin Trains run one train per weekday between Blackpool North and London Euston using Class 221s.
Northern operate frequent services on the line. First TransPennine Express formerly ran hourly services to Manchester Airport, but responsibility for these passed to the new Northern franchise as from the beginning of April 2016.
Preston to Blackpool South
This branch serves Lytham St Annes as well as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, each with their own station. It follows the Preston to Blackpool North line as far as Kirkham Junction Currently one service per hour runs along this branch, with most trains running beyond Preston to Colne via the East Lancashire line. The line from Kirkham to Blackpool South was reduced from double to single track in stages between 1982 & 1986. Until 1964 it ran further north into Blackpool to serve Blackpool Central station.
Kirkham to Blackpool Central
As well as the line via Blackpool South, a flyover junction at Kirkham and Wesham provided direct access to Blackpool Central station. Blackpool Central station closed in 1964 and its site is now where the Central Car Park stands; the trackbed and embankment has been used for the road Yeadon Way (built in the 1990s), which provides direct access from the M55. The first 2 miles of the M55 also occupy the former trackbed, until the Blackpool North line travels under the motorway at the point where the lines used to merge.
Electrification
The electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool North route was announced in December 2009 and work to accomplish this commenced in early 2017. Bridgeworks along the route to raise and rebuild those that had insufficient clearance for overhead wires has been completed. The line will be re-signalled in conjunction with electrification and the expected completion date is early 2018.