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Widnes railway station

Coordinates: 53°22′43″N 2°44′01″W / 53.378502°N 2.7336°W / 53.378502; -2.7336
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Widnes
National Rail
Widnes railway station
General information
LocationFarnworth, Halton
England
Coordinates53°22′43″N 2°44′01″W / 53.378502°N 2.7336°W / 53.378502; -2.7336
Grid referenceSJ512871
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeWID
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Original companyCheshire Lines Committee
Pre-groupingCheshire Lines Committee
Post-groupingCheshire Lines Committee
Key dates
1 August 1873 (1873-08-01)Opened as Farnworth for Widnes
ca. 1914/15Renamed Farnworth for Appleton
ca. 1938/39Renamed Farnworth (Widnes)
5 January 1959Renamed Widnes North
6 July 1964Closed for goods
6 May 1968Renamed Widnes
Passengers
2019/20Increase 0.457 million
2020/21Decrease 0.107 million
2021/22Increase 0.359 million
2022/23Increase 0.377 million
2023/24Steady 0.377 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Widnes railway station (formerly Widnes North) is a railway station serving the industrial town of Widnes, Halton, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[1] The station is operated by Northern Trains.

History

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The station opened as Farnworth for Widnes on 1 August 1873 when the Cheshire Lines Committee opened the line between Glazebrook and Cressington & Grassendale to passengers.[a][3][4] Farnworth being at the time a village over 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Widnes, but has since been absorbed to become a northern suburb of the town.[5]

The station is located where the line is bridged by Birchfield Road, now the B5419. The main station building is of the "common twin-pavilion type adopted by the CLC" with a larger, two-storey, projecting pavilion forming a house and a smaller single-storey one. Linking them is an entrance hall, ticket office and three-bay iron-arcaded waiting shelter. The building is decorated with elaborately fretted bargeboards. The station was equipped with a carved stone drinking fountain.[6] Opposite the main building was a matching waiting shelter, this was replaced sometime after 1961 with a steel and glass type shelter.[7]

Disused and weather-worn fountain at Widnes station

It had two platforms, both accessed by steps down from the road overbridge[b] on either side of two running lines, the platforms had sidings at their back the one to the north was equipped with a cattle pen.[9] There was a goods yard and shed to the north of the lines and west of the station.[10][11] The goods yard was able to accommodate most types of goods, it was equipped with a five-ton crane.[12]

In about 1914/15 the station was renamed Farnworth for Appleton and then Farnworth (Widnes) around 1938/39.[3] The station was renamed Widnes North on 5 January 1959, the former LN&WR station becoming Widnes South at this time and finally Widnes on 6 May 1968 after Widnes Central and Widnes South had closed.[3][13]

The station closed to goods traffic on 6 July 1964 and the goods yard demolished.[14][15]

"Homeward Bound" by Paul Simon

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Plaque

Widnes railway station is generally believed to be where Paul Simon composed the song "Homeward Bound",[16] although some think it more likely that it was Ditton railway station, in order to get to London by train. Simon is quoted as saying "[i]f you'd ever seen Widnes, then you'd know why I was keen to get back to London as quickly as possible."[17] However, rather than actually being 'homeward bound' (Simon temporarily lived in London at the time), he was on tour and had just performed at local DJ Geoff Speed's Howff Folk Club and was reportedly dropped off at Widnes station by him.[18][19] Simon was not headed for London but for Humberside and Widnes station would have been the logical choice of station to travel there.[20]

Facilities

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A footbridge now connects the two platforms. The station is staffed, but only until early afternoon. There is a car park outside. The station was refurbished in 2009 and as of 2010 houses a station shop and a beauty parlour, though there are still no toilet or waiting facilities for passengers other than the already existent shelter on the Manchester-bound platform. The platforms and footbridge have recently been refurbished. A ticket machine has been installed on both platforms. Digital display screens and automated announcements provide train running information.

The ticket office is staffed on a part-time basis between the hours of 07:00 and 14:25 Mon-Sat. Step free access is available to both platforms.[21]

Services

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There is an hourly local service (operated by Northern Trains) in each direction calling here, running eastbound to Warrington Central and west to Liverpool Lime Street. This stops at most stations en-route to Liverpool and at Warrington West before terminating at Warrington Central. A small number of peak and late evening trains between Liverpool and Manchester Oxford Road also stop here. On Sundays, the service is hourly to Liverpool and Manchester Oxford Road.

An express service also operates hourly in each direction (run by East Midlands Railway), from Liverpool to Manchester Piccadilly, Sheffield, Nottingham and Norwich. The journey time on most of these trains to Manchester is 30 minutes, whilst Liverpool can be reached in 18 minutes.[22]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ The line had opened for freight on 1 March 1873, it was part of the early route from Stockport to Liverpool.[2]
  2. ^ The steps were later removed on the Manchester bound platform and a ramp installed.[8]

Citations

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  1. ^ Historic England. "Widnes North Railway Station (1106340)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  2. ^ Bolger 1984, pp. 4–6.
  3. ^ a b c Quick 2022, p. 482.
  4. ^ Bolger 1984, p. 12.
  5. ^ Cassini (2007). "Warrington, Widnes & Runcorn" (Map). Past & Present Map 1842 to present day. 1:50,000. Cartography by Ordnance Survey. Cassini Publishing. §§ 1842 & present day. ISBN 978-1-84736-418-0.
  6. ^ Biddle 2003, pp. 469–471.
  7. ^ Pixton 1996, p. 32.
  8. ^ Pixton 2007, p. 69 compare the two photographs.
  9. ^ Lancashire Sheet CXV.5 (Map). 25 inch. Ordnance Survey. 1941.
  10. ^ Bolger 1984, p. 40.
  11. ^ Lancashire Sheet CXV.5 (Map). 25 inch. Ordnance Survey. 1907.
  12. ^ The Railway Clearing House 1970, p. 197.
  13. ^ Pixton 2007, p. 69.
  14. ^ Pixton 2007, p. 68.
  15. ^ Clinker 1978, p. 148.
  16. ^ Carter, Helen (25 April 2001). "Homeward Bound: Widnes station tribute marks Paul Simon's unlikely inspiration". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  17. ^ Backtrack - BACKTRACK BRIEFS . . . The Northern Echo; 21 November 2008; Mike Amos; p. 11
  18. ^ "Folklore: Remembering 'Folkscene' presenter Geoff Speed and his tales of Paul Simon". The Leader. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  19. ^ "The hit man and his mate; Geoff Speed has a very special reason for being in the audience at tonight's Big Top concert by music legend Paul Simon, as JANE GALLAGHER reports . . . - Free Online Library". The Free Library. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Paul Simon and Garfunkel - England 64/65 tour : 1965". www.paul-simon.info. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  21. ^ Widnes station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 12 December 2016
  22. ^ GB eNRT May 2023 Edition, Table 86 (Network Rail)

Bibliography

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Widnes railway station.
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Hough Green   Northern Trains
Manchester to Liverpool Line 		  Warrington West
    Warrington Central
    Sankey for Penketh
Liverpool South Parkway   East Midlands Railway
Liverpool - Norwich 		  Warrington Central
Hunts Cross    
  1. ^ https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/media/3150/download?inline
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