| Ormskirk branch line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Exchanging the token atMidge Hall level crossing | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | Network Rail | ||
| Locale | Lancashire North West England | ||
| Service | |||
| System | National Rail | ||
| Operator(s) | Northern Trains | ||
| Technical | |||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge | ||
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TheOrmskirk branch line is arailway line inLancashire,England, running betweenPreston andOrmskirk. The train service is operated byNorthern Trains, who usually operate class 150, 156, and 158 units. The line is the northern section of the formerLiverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway; the line from Ormskirk to Liverpool is now part ofMerseyrail'sNorthern Line. Prior to the introduction of the 1970–71 London Midland Region timetable, it was a secondary main line from Liverpool to Scotland, Blackpool, and Yorkshire. From 4 May 1970, however, the line was severed at Ormskirk. With express trains eliminated, stopping services at the village stations en route were improved, and have retained a similar frequency to this day.
The line is controlled by Preston Power Signal Box (PSB) from where it leaves theWest Coast Main Line at Farington Curve Jn by Track Circuit Block signalling regulations until Midge Hallsignal box. From here until Rufford signal box, the trains are signalled by ElectricToken Block regulations, and from Rufford to Ormskirk the train is signalled by One Train Working (No Staff) regulations (previously worked as One Train Working With Train Staff until 2016). If at any time there is a problem with either the token machine ortrack circuits showing occupied, then pilotman working must be implemented.
The line remained an important passenger artery into the 1960s, though freight had begun to disappear – the goods yards at Croston and Rufford closed around 1964, though that at Ormskirk remained active until 1969. Stopping passenger services were handed over to DMUs from the end of October 1965.[1]
In 1969, theLabourMinister of TransportRichard Marsh refused to agree toBritish Railways request to withdraw local passenger services between Ormskirk and Preston, and to close the stations atBurscough Junction,Rufford andCroston.[2] The price for the reprieve of the intermediate stations though, was the line's future as a main line. From October 1969 stopping trains from Blackpool and Preston terminated at Ormskirk, and the last through trains from Liverpool to Preston ran on 3 May 1970. Services to and from East Lancashire viaLostock Hall and Blackburn were also withdrawn from 6 October 1969, when the originalLO&PR line via Moss Lane Junction and the curve hence to Todd Lane Junction closed to passenger traffic. All services henceforth ran via Farington Curve Junction and the WCML to reach Preston. The line was then singled with the removal of the old Down Main between Midge Hall and Ormskirk in the summer of 1970, and from Midge Hall to Preston in 1983.
TheLiverpool City Region Combined Authority announced in July 2021 that trials of a BEMU version their newClass 777 on theMerseyrail network had shown that they were capable of travelling up to 20 miles (32 km) without a charge.[3] The battery-electric version of the Class 777 would allow the possibility of Merseyrail services from Liverpool toSkelmersdale,Wrexham,Warrington,Preston andRuncorn, without full line electrification.
The reinstatement of theBurscough Curves has been proposed which would allow services toSouthport from Preston and Liverpool via Ormskirk. This could be accompanied by the reopening ofMidge Hall station.[4]
Preston – Ormskirk services were increased to hourly all day in May 2018 (apart from Sundays).[5]
