Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway - Chaos at Preston

Chaos At Preston

Traffic was at first disappointing, due to competition from the parallel Lancaster Canal, which lowered the fares on its packet boats. The canal passed much closer to the town of Garstang than the railway.

The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Railway, which was already supplying the L&PJR's locomotives, agreed to work the line. This would have allowed direct trains from Manchester to Lancaster, in competition with the NUR line. The NUR retaliated by charging a toll to use the connecting line between the L&PJR and NUR. The L&PJR refused to pay a toll to use a line that it had partly paid for. Instead, it struck a deal with the Bolton and Preston Railway (BPR) to use its Maxwell House Station near Dock Street, from 1 January 1842 (some 18 months prior to completion of the BPR's own line).

Through trains between Lancaster and the south were levied a toll of 6d per passenger. Most passengers refused to pay, preferring to walk between the Maxwell House and North Union stations. The NUR refused to hold connections to allow time for passengers to walk and rebook, and advised northbound passengers to use the Lancaster Canal instead of the Lancaster railway.

The L&PJR, in increasing financial difficulties and unable to interest other railway companies, took the unprecedented step of leasing its line to a canal company, namely the Lancaster Canal. This occurred on 1 September 1842, after which the canal company withdrew its packet boat service.

In 1844, the Bolton and Preston Railway was amalgamated into the North Union Railway. Maxwell House Station thus came under the control of the NUR, and the L&PJR were denied access. Hapless passengers had to alight on the trackside at Dock Street, until later that year when L&PJR trains were allowed, once more, to use the North Union station in Preston. Maxwell House Station continued to be used for excursions.