Some people think that the railway first came to Horwich in the form of the L&YR Loco Works in 1884 but the branch line from Blackrod and Horwich Station pre-dated the Works by 16 years.
The Blackrod – Horwich line was constructed in 1868 initially for goods traffic with passenger trains operating from 1870. Prior to that you had to travel by foot, horse-drawn carriage or cart to and from Blackrod Station. The line & station cost £30,400 and the station consisted of 1 platform, a station building comprising a booking office, 2 waiting rooms & toilets and a goods shed.
Horwich Station platform and station building
Horwich Station Staff 1960s
Horwich Station with the Goods shed visible Circa 1962
With the arrival of the Loco Works, the station struggled to keep pace with demand. A new branch line from Bolton was constructed but problems persisted due to the narrowness of the bridge under Chorley New Road. The emergence of the tram and motor car eventually helped to relieve the congestion. At its peak, 20 trains a day travelled to Manchester alone and holiday times were especially busy with excursion going as far as the south coast resorts.
Holidaymakers on Horwich Station awaiting their train
The best known locomotive on the line was the ‘Blackrod Jerk’. This was a Horwich built Hughes Class 52 0-4-0 which pulled a single coach 47 feet long with a capacity of 57 passengers. It ran in both directions with reversible seats and operated until 1949. Its nick-name presumably coming from the ‘jerky’ nature of the ride!
The famous ‘Blackrod Jerk’
Horwich Station Staff early 20th Century
Despite attempts to update the country’s railway system by nationalisation after WWII and the use of diesel locomotives, the rationalisation of Britain’s railways carried out under the ‘Beeching Plan’ of 1964 meant the end for Horwich Station. The last passenger train to leave Horwich was No. 42626 on 25th Sept. 1965 (see photo.) with goods services ending in April 1966. The branch line closed in 1967.
The last day of Horwich Station passenger service 25th September 1965
The station buildings lay derelict for a number of years but were eventually demolished and the area laid out by Horwich Urban District Council as “Old Station Park”. This use remains to this day with a number of reminders of its railway past including a set of locomotive wheels, A set of original buffers from the station, cobbled areas, the original passenger footpath entrance down from Church Street, The Goods Entrance on Lee Lane with ‘Horwich Station’ stones and the railway bridge under Chorley New Road.
Attempts were made in the 1990’s to resurrect the idea of a station in Horwich and with the development of the Middlebrook complex & the Bolton Wanderers Football Stadium this has duly arrived at Horwich Parkway.
The 95 years of history of Horwich Station will trigger many memories of holiday departures and the bustle of activity it caused on Church Street in the heart of the town. The station also played its part in some very poignant moments like the departure of Horwich soldiers going off to fight in the Boer, 1st & 2nd World Wars and the visit of King George VI & Queen Elizabeth on 2nd May 1940 to recognise the role of Horwich Loco Works in making tanks and munitions for the war effort.
