Buckshaw Parkway railway station

Buckshaw Parkway railway station^[1] opened on 3 October 2011.^[2][3] on the Manchester to Preston Line, near Euxton Junction with the West Coast Main Line. It is in Buckshaw Village, formerly the Royal Ordnance Factory ROF Chorley in the village of Euxton, on the site of the large four platform ROF Station "Halt" that was finally cleared in the early 2000s, having remained virtually intact until the 1970s.

History

The station gained planning permission in 1999.^[3] It was put on hold due to a funding shortfall,^[4] but it was announced in 2009 that £3.3million had been allocated by Lancashire County Council from the Community Investment Fund.^[5] Construction was expected to begin in early 2010 and be completed in the same year,^[2] but a further funding shortfall resulted in the designs for the ticket office being scaled down.^[6] Contractors started work in October 2010 and the station was completed by autumn 2011.^[7] The cost of the station now stands at £6.8 million.^[7] The station opened on 3 October 2011.^[8]

The station opened without any published hitches. The first train arrived on time with journalists from the local paper, The Chorley Guardian, eagerly awaiting interviews with the awaiting passengers.^[9] IT Worker Alex Howarth was the first passenger from the station, whilst a Mr. Brown was the first person to buy a ticket from the station.^[10]

Facilities

The station has a staffed ticket office,^[11] Monday-Saturday 06:20-00:20 Sunday 08:15-23:50 .^[12] There is a free car park for around 200 cars.^[7]

Services

The station is served by an hourly service on the Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria service route and also one train hourly from Preston to Hazel Grove (via Manchester Piccadilly) from 3 October 2011.

On 17 October 2011, First TransPennine Express services from Manchester Airport to Blackpool North started calling at the station. No Edinburgh, Glasgow, Windermere or Barrow-in-Furness services call at Buckshaw at this time.

References