Bescar Lane  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Scarisbrick,West Lancashire England | ||||
| Grid reference | SD396145 | ||||
| Managed by | Northern Trains | ||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | BES | ||||
| Classification | DfT category F2 | ||||
| History | |||||
| Opened | 9 April 1855 | ||||
| Original company | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway andEast Lancashire Railway jointly | ||||
| Pre-grouping | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2019/20 |  2,364 | ||||
| 2020/21 |  572 | ||||
| 2021/22 | 2,516 | ||||
| 2022/23 | 2,190 | ||||
| 2023/24 | 2,304 | ||||
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Bescar Lane railway station is on theManchester to Southport Line,4+1⁄2 miles (7.2 km) east ofSouthport in the village ofScarisbrick. Bescar Lane is an old cottage-style station, operated byNorthern Trains. Its remote location, some distance from the centre of Scarisbrick Parish, is considered to be "problematic".[1]
The station opened on 9 April 1855 when theLancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) and theEast Lancashire Railway (ELR) jointly opened the line fromWigan Wallgate toSouthport London Street, the line and station had been planned, authorised and construction started by theManchester and Southport Railway before it was acquired by the L&YR and ELR on 3 July 1854.[2][3] The main stone-built station building was built during this time, in the standard L&YR style which had been described as "solid, substantial, well built of stone in the Elizabethan style, neat without undue ornament".The station had the distinction of being the lowest station on that network, situated 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m) abovesea-level.[4] The L&YR amalgamated with theLondon and North Western Railway on 1 January 1922 and in turn was grouped into theLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923. Nationalisation followed in 1948. Part of the line running from Bescar Lane directly to Southport throughBlowick andSt Luke's closed in 1965, in order to enable the closure of the level crossing on a busy road at Blowick, causing trains to divert throughMeols Cop on a section of the oldLiverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway.[5] WhenSectorisation was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served byRegional Railways until theprivatisation of British Rail.
The station'slevel crossing was controlled by asignal box until the early 1990s,[6] but this was closed and demolished after automatic barriers were installed and the fixed signals removed. The platform layout has also been altered, with the westbound platform moved to the opposite side of the crossing – previously both platforms were sited on the eastern side (the redundant one can still be seen).[7]
The station is unstaffed and has no ticket machine, so all tickets must be purchased in advance or on the train. There are shelters on each platform, but no other permanent buildings. Train running information can be obtained from timetable posters or by telephone.Step-free access is available on both platforms.[8]
Monday to Saturdays there is generally a two-hourly service to Southport westbound andManchester Victoria viaWigan Wallgate andBolton eastbound.[9] Most of these continue toStalybridge.
The last service to Southport is at 21:29 and the last service towards Wigan Wallgate and Manchester stations is at 22:28. There is no Sunday service, though a normal service operates on mostBank Holidays.
Media related toBescar Lane railway station at Wikimedia Commons| Preceding station |  National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meols Cop | Northern Trains Manchester–Southport line | New Lane | ||
| Disused railways | ||||
| Blowick Line and station closed | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Manchester and Southport Railway | New Lane Line and station open | ||
