Welcome to the villages of Lostock & Chew Moor

240

Lostock Junction serves the western Bolton suburb. A two-platform stop with services to Manchester Airport, from Preston, Blackpool and Windermere. The Bolton-Wigan branch junctions to the south of Lostock, but there are no direct links from Chorley to Wigan through Lostock. Up to 1839 Lostock Hall was the hub of the district, but this was to change, for in the year work began on building the Bolton to Preston railway line.

In 1843 the Bolton to Preston railway line was opened for traffic. As part of the plans for the Liverpool and Bury Railway in 1845, an Act of Parliament (8 and9 Vic.,c.clxvi) received the Royal Assent on the 31st July, to build a railway line from Liverpool to a junction with the Bolton and Preston line at Lostock.

In 1846 the Liverpool and Bury Railway was amalgamated with the Manchester and Leeds Railway, the Manchester and Leeds Railway becoming known as The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L.Y.R) in 1847. On the 1st May 1848 new lines were opened from Heywood to Bury, Liverpool to Lostock Junction and Bolton's Trinity Street to Bury. The L.Y.R was itself merged with the London and North Western Railway in 1922, before becoming part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway (L.M.S) just twelve months later.

Work commenced in January, 1846 from Liverpool, via Wigan through what became Lostock Junction to Bolton and Bury. Opening on Monday 20th November 1848.

Chew Moor had its own station, but it disappeared from the time table in August 1852, when the station at Lostock Junction was opened. A station at Lostock Lane also continued in use until the 31st May 1879

The building of Horwich Loco works began on 14th February, 1885 and the first locomotive to be completed there appeared in 1889. This of course was a significant boost to rail travel in the area.

Bolton Journal of 21st August 1886 reported the following article:

"One of the latest undertakings has been the construction of a new main highway over a portion of the valley at Lostock.

The old road connecting Deane and Heaton has long been a source of danger, for in addition to its steep and wandering condition, it necessitated a level crossing over the railway at Lostock Junction, with the inevitable inconvenience, risks and narrow escapes which are always present under these conditions. As it is well known the Junction is an important one, as the lines branch off on the one side between Bolton and Wigan, Southport and Liverpool, and on the other between Bolton, Preston and the North, and no less than 200 trains pass through during the 24 hours, so that the need for a safe and expeditious route for vehicular traffic and pedestrian are not involved, portions of the land were given or sold to varying Lancashire families.

The Lostock Junction Signal Box built in 1899 controlled the junction of the Wigan and Chorley lines. Eventually being replaced in the 1980's by an automated signals service run from Manchester Piccadilly.

Extensive sidings for goods wagons were laid at Lostock Junction during the 1914-18 war. Due to the general economies of British Railways the station closed in1966.

In January 1939 the Bolton Evening News reported "Swollen River Blocks Footpath". It showed the Middlebrook after it had overflowed its bank, making the footpath between Ladybridge Lane and Lostock station impassable.

Current stations at Lostock Junction and Horwich Parkway

The dismantling of the signal gantry at Lostock Junction in the 1960's

Lostock Parkway railway station as it is now know has services to Bolton, Preston and the West Coast mainline and to Manchester City Centre, Manchester International Airport to London and the South East and many other mainline destinations.