Description
The station is served by two lines. One line runs 'north - south' comprising the re-opened Ribble Valley Line from Clitheroe in the north and continuing through Blackburn towards Darwen, Bolton and terminating at Manchester Victoria. The line from Bolton opened in 1847, with that to Clitheroe following in 1872 (and extended through to Hellifield in 1880).
The other line runs 'east - west' and is served by trains from Blackpool and Preston in the west travelling to Burnley (Manchester Road and Central, Colne, (the East Lancashire Line), Leeds and as far as York in the east (the Caldervale Line). The line from Preston was the first to serve the town, opening in 1846 with the extension eastwards to Accrington following two years later.
The station was covered by twin train sheds, an architecturally detailed canopy that covered all platforms. In 2000, due to its decaying state, it was removed changing the nature of the station in a £5 million regeneration project. A new building was built on the main island platform. The Grade II listed original entrance built in the 1880s, including the station buffet and former booking hall, was retained and refurbished. A piece of public artwork by artist Stephen Charnock was also erected at the edge of the platform, which consists of a stainless steel screen depicting Blackburn's industrial past and its more modern life today. The images include some of Blackburn's most famous and successful figures such as Carl Fogarty, Wayne Hemingway and Jack Walker.
In 2003 a police station was opened in the upper floor of the old booking hall, to provide services in the town centre when the town's main police station was replaced by Greenbank police station in Whitebirk.
The station is well connected with public transport in Blackburn, with the Blackburn Boulevard bus station situated directly in front of the station building.
In April 2011, £1.7 million was raised for the construction of a canopy on platform 4 and a lift to the subway below. From the refurbishment of the station 10 years earlier, only bus style shelters had been provided with no lift access.
On 24 October 2011, the rebuild of platform 4 was completed, now boasting a roof matching the one on platforms 1 and 2, lift, heated waiting room and improved flooring.
Read more about this topic: Blackburn Railway Station
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