| Blackpool branch lines | |
| System: | National Rail |
| Status: | Operational |
| Start: | Preston |
| End: | Blackpool North/South |
| Stations: | 13 |
| Owner: | Network Rail |
| Operator: | Northern Trains |
| Map State: | expanded |
The Blackpool branch lines are two railway lines running from the West Coast Main Line at Preston to Blackpool. The main branch, which is double tracked and electrified, runs to station via . A second branch, which is single tracked and unelectrified, diverges from the main branch at Kirkham and Wesham junction, running on a southerly route to station via .
The Preston to Blackpool North route was resignalled and electrified with overhead wires at 25kV AC; electric trains ran from the May 2018 timetable change.
Previously, there was also a central branch running from Kirkham to station; this was closed in the 1960s and the route became a road linking from the M55 known as Yeadon Way.
See main article: Preston and Wyre Joint Railway.
Early Development (1840s):- Rail connectivity to Blackpool began in the 1840s with the Preston and Wyre Joint Railway. By 1846, a branch line extended from Poulton to Blackpool, boosting its growth as a resort town.
Later Expansions (1863 onwards):- Blackpool Central railway station opened in 1863, with a line connecting Lytham to Kirkham in 1874, enabling through trains from Preston.
Mid to Late 20th Century Changes:- The line from Kirkham to Blackpool South was reduced to a single track in the early 1980s, limiting its capacity. The branch ran further north into Blackpool until 1964.
Recent Developments (21st Century):- The Preston to Blackpool North route was electrified between 2009 and 2018, enhancing service connectivity, including direct services to London Euston.
Proposed Enhancements (2021):- In 2021, a proposal was made to introduce a new passing loop on the South Fylde Line to double the current hourly service frequency and test affordable electrification methods
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,[1] [2] and completed in May 2018.
Avanti West Coast runs direct services between Blackpool North and London Euston using Pendolinos, Super Voyagers and Class 805 Everos which will be supplemented by the Class 807 Hitachi AT300 by 2024.[3]
Northern Trains operate frequent services on the line, using or . First TransPennine Express formerly ran hourly services to Manchester Airport using Class 185 diesel multiple units, but responsibility for these passed to the new Northern franchise as from the beginning of April 2016.[4]
Known as the South Fylde Line this branch serves Lytham and 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 via the East Lancashire line (though only advertised as through running on Sundays). The line from Kirkham to Blackpool South was reduced from double to single track in the early-1980s - as there are no intermediate passing loops, only one train can use the branch at a time, meaning the route has limited capacity. Until 1964, it ran further north into Blackpool to serve Blackpool Central station.
In 2021, Fylde Council submitted a report to the Department of Transport, proposing a new passing loop which could double the frequency of the current hourly service. It also proposed that the line be used as a 'test bed' for affordable electrification of secondary railway lines.[5]
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 1980s), which provides direct access from the M55. The first two 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.
The Fleetwood Branch Line diverged at Poulton. This served the industrial areas and ports around Fleetwood and carried passenger traffic to the town until 1970. With the exception of two small sections, the line is still in place from Poulton-le-Fylde to Jameson Road, Fleetwood, where the trackbed was used to build the A585 (Amounderness Way). The junction between the branch and the mainline to Blackpool was removed in 2017.
Proposals exist to reopen the line, and volunteers have begun to clear the vegetation with which it was previously overgrown.[6]
The electrification of the Manchester-to-Blackpool North route was announced in December 2009. The main work to accomplish this commenced in early 2017. Bridgeworks along the route to raise and rebuild those that had insufficient clearance for overhead wires was completed first.
Services over both the Blackpool South and Blackpool North branches temporarily ceased on 11 November 2017 to allow the track layout at Blackpool North and Kirkham to be remodelled and a third platform at Kirkham and Wesham station to be constructed. Additionally, both lines were re-signalled and overhead line installation took place on the Preston-to-Blackpool North section.
Services to Blackpool South resumed on 29 January 2018, and the line to Blackpool North re-opened on 16 April 2018, with electric trains operating from the 20 May 2018 timetable change using Class 319 and Class 390 Electric multiple units.