Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    91
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 19 Times in 16 Posts

    Default The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    Hi guys and girls,

    I've finally got round to getting a report for you all. My apologies for the pictures as I'm very much a novice at photography.

    First off I'll start with the history of this railway junction. Most will be lifted from wiki with a sprinkling of my memories from when I was a kid growing up in Lostock Hall.

    I began this report at the site of the old Todd Lane Junction station. When I first moved to Lostock Hall in 1988, the track had already gone and all that remained in this area was the old bridge with four arches, if memory serves correctly, two of which for the line and the other two were built into the banking and the old station platform.

    Todd Lane Junction, previously called Preston Junction until 1952, was a railway station between Preston and Bamber Bridge which closed in 1968. The station was immediately to the north of a triangular junction between lines from Preston, East Lancashire via Bamber Bridge, and Ormskirk via Lostock Hall. The station served as an interchange between the lines. The line from Preston to Bamber Bridge via Todd Lane remained open for passenger trains until 1972. After that the line was retained to serve Lostock Hall Gas Works. The line was closed in 1977 and the trackbed is now a public footpath and cycleway.

    This line also connected with the engine and goods yards on the road between Preston and Leyland, which in their heyday were considered amongst the largest yards of their type in Europe.




    This is the view that you're now met with when you enter the nature reserve on Todd Lane North. Even though you see all the greenery I can still vividly picture the old station and the track bed. A great place to play and scare each other as kids with a story of a phantom ticket collector who would collect your head if you didnt have a valid ticket. Kids are sick.

    This particular railway linked up to Bamber Bridge behind the football ground and also the line that now runs through Lostock Hall on Watkin Lane at two different points. I have however chosen to go towards Preston City Centre.



    As you can see the track bed is now considerably thinner than it was. Down the side of the old trackbed now runs a stream that was put in for cosmetics.

    Just a bit further down from the station is the Lostock Hall Gas Works. Plans are currently under way to create a link from the nearby busy Leyland Road through the Gas Works to Watering Pool Lane where this bridge passes over.



    This is the view down from the bridge. No cars can get down here yet but it won't be long due to the housing estates that are being built around here. Pass over the bridge and you'll see a path that leads down to the road so you can get a good look of this old beauty.



    I took a few photos of this bridge and tried experimenting. I'm only using my HTC Desire HD mobile to take these pictures by the way. As I get into this I will invest in decent equipment.



    Sepia experiment



    Black and white experiment with the wife in the background.



    Vintage Cold experiment



    The underneath of the bridge. As you can see time has been reasonably kind to this structure and the good people of South Ribble Borough Council have finally put a light up underneath.



    As you move over the Gas Works bridge you come to this shaded stretch of the old line. A nice walk and also it has the old sidings that you can walk along if you so choose.





    A view to the sidings that nature has reclaimed.

    Further down you come to the end of the sidings which still runs parallel to the old trackbed. Over the other side of the sidings wall you come to an old Urbex favourite. Vernon Carus!!!



    A further trip down the old trackbed reveals a road to enter the Vernons Carus site.



    I didn't venture down as the old railway was my concern today. Vernons can wait for another day although I'd better hurry up. If you want to walk down to Avenham the easy way then you can take Old Tram Road.



    Covered well and truly by trees I believe this was just an old road and had no revelance to the old train line. It was at this point that me and the wife were boiling hot and we decided to call this journey over. Our next journey down the walk will take in the rest of the route to Preston Station and will see us go over the old railway bridge on Avenham Park.

    I hope you've enjoyed this first report and any criticism won't be taken with me being a smacked arse.

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to LewisS For This Useful Post:

    Smiler (27-05-2012)

  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Preston/Liverpool
    Posts
    231
    Thanks
    60
    Thanked 47 Times in 41 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    Interesting report, shame there's no train track left!
    Do love a bit of Vernon Carus though...

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to fenrir For This Useful Post:

    LewisS (27-05-2012)

  5. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    1,591
    Thanks
    175
    Thanked 309 Times in 251 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    Interesting mooch, shame there there isn't any track left
    The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on. It is never any use to oneself.

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to BB For This Useful Post:

    LewisS (27-05-2012)

  7. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Preston/Blackburn, Lancashire
    Posts
    494
    Thanks
    29
    Thanked 79 Times in 75 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    Nice report, well done for getting a report up
    not bad for a phone
    “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to BA For This Useful Post:

    LewisS (27-05-2012)

  9. #5
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    91
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 19 Times in 16 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    The track was lifted around the early 80s I believe. That's what makes Miley a unique mooch. Even though the line has been closed and abandoned since 1990 you always wonder if something will have taken a wrong turn and come down the line one more time.

  10. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    713
    Thanks
    178
    Thanked 182 Times in 161 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    The report bit is well done.....I'd have been off into Veron Caurus though LOL!

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to BadBatz For This Useful Post:

    LewisS (28-05-2012)

  12. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    T'uddersfield.
    Posts
    1,064
    Thanks
    35
    Thanked 156 Times in 149 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    Quite good for a mobile phone set of pics. Seems a good place to go have a walk.
    Saviour of the sporran

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to ERNIE99_UK For This Useful Post:

    LewisS (29-05-2012)

  14. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    2,262
    Thanks
    43
    Thanked 515 Times in 258 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    Nice one, lots of interesting stuff.
    Under the radar, over the top

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to KingElvis For This Useful Post:

    LewisS (29-05-2012)

  16. #9
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    91
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 19 Times in 16 Posts

    Default Re: The Old Preston Junction Railway (now Preston Junction Nature Reserve)

    Thanks for the positive comments. It used to be a haven for burnt out cars and smashed up bikes but when it was converted to the reserve that thankfully stopped all that. The next mooch I do down there will include the rest of the line up to Preston Station and the bridge that crosses Avenham Park.

Similar Threads

  1. Archived: Preston Odeon Roof, Preston - 2010/2011
    By BB in forum Cranes And High Buildings
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 18-07-2011, 09:53 PM
  2. Archived: Disused Pumphouse-Yeovil Junction Railway Station-Dec 2010
    By Munchh in forum Transport
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-02-2011, 03:46 PM
  3. Archived: preston odeon, preston. july 09
    By scrappy in forum Leisure sites
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 25-11-2009, 01:03 PM
  4. Archived: Preston to Longridge Railway - Echos of the Past
    By BB in forum Heritage and Historical Sites
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 26-02-2009, 09:41 PM
  5. Archived: Abandoned Railway / Wortley South Junction - Leeds - December 08
    By KingElvis in forum Transport
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 11-12-2008, 05:16 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •