| Thornton–Cleveleys | |
|---|---|
| Remains of the station in 2005 | |
| Location | |
| Place | Thornton |
| Area | Wyre |
| Grid reference | SD343421 |
| Operations | |
| Original company | Preston and Wyre Joint Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Preston and Wyre Joint Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| Platforms | 2 |
| History | |
| April 1865 | Station opened as Cleveleys |
| 1 April 1905 | Renamed Thornton for Cleveleys |
| February 1953 | Renamed Thornton–Cleveleys |
| 1 June 1970 | Station closed |
| Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom | |
| Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z |
|
Thornton–Cleveleys (originally simply Cleveleys) was a small-sized railway station which served the two English Lancashire towns of Thornton and Cleveleys, but was situated in the centre of Thornton. Located on the now disused line between Poulton-le-Fylde and Fleetwood, the station also had a shunting yard for the making-up of freight trains for Preston and beyond. During its life it was also known at times as Thornton station and Thornton for Cleveleys station. In the 1860s and early 1870s the line was of great importance being the direct route from London to Glasgow, before the Shap route was opened passengers (allegedly including Queen Victoria) would travel from Euston to Fleetwood and then onwards via steamer to Scotland.
The original station was opened in April 1865, and was named Cleveleys.[1] It was to the south of Station Road in Thornton, near an older halt called Ramper Road, the Station Masters house and station building can still be seen in use as a private residence. The station was renamed Thornton for Cleveleys on 1 April 1905.[2] This station closed in 1927 when the new station (the first to be built by the LMS) opened to the north of the level crossing. IN February 1953, the station was renamed again, this time to Thornton–Cleveleys.[3] Rationalised in the 1950s/60's the station eventually closed on 1 June 1970 when the Fleetwood line was closed to passengers.[3][4][5] Freight continued on the line to nearby Burn Naze until 1999.
Today, the station buildings at Thornton are long since demolished but the platforms remain. The site of the main station buildings and bus turning circle now being the site of a supermarket and small shops. On 1 July 2007, the station was leased by Network Rail to the Poulton & Wyre Railway society to allow the group of volunteers access to the site to clear it of vegetation and undertake cosmetic works.
There have recently been moves towards reopening the Fleetwood line and its stations, including Thornton. A feasibility study into the line's re-opening was commissioned in 2006 by Poulton Market Town Initiative and the Wyre Strategic Partnership.
Thornton for Cleveleys Station platforms have now been resurrected and is near to complete restoration except for the canopies. Some of the track is now clear of being overgrown as the northern track was never lifted up to Burn Naze. Also the junction with the main Blackpool line at Poulton-le-Fylde is now complete.
| Maps showing Thornton for Cleveleys Station |
| NPE Maps (1947) |
| Vision of Britain |
| Other maps |
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burn Naze Halt | Preston and Wyre Joint Railway Fleetwood Branch Line |
Poulton-le-Fylde | ||
| Preston and Wyre Joint Railway Blackpool Branch Line |
Poulton Curve Halt | |||