Newton-le-Willows railway station is a railway station in the town of Newton-le-Willows, in the borough of St Helens in the north-west of England, and at the edge of the Merseytravel region. It is situated on the northern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Line, the former Liverpool and Manchester Railway which opened in 1830. It is a busy feeder station for nearby towns which no longer have railway stations, such as Golborne, Billinge and Haydock. There is also a bus shuttle service to Haydock Park Racecourse on race weekends.
The station was opened in 1861, and was originally named Earlestown. It was renamed twice: to Newton Bridge in June 1868, and to the present name of Newton-le-Willows on 14 June 1888.
Northern Rail operate an hourly fast train service between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport via Manchester Piccadilly, and also an hourly all-stations service between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Victoria, usually extended to Stalybridge (or beyond at peak times), which both call at Newton-le-Willows. The station is also served by Arriva Trains Wales services from the North Wales Coast Line and Chester to Manchester Piccadilly, and a few services from Wigan North Western to Liverpool Lime Street at peak times. Also if the southern Warrington line is closed due to engineering works, diverted TransPennine Express and East Midlands Trains services stop here (with an onward Rail Replacement Bus to Warrington Central).
There have been proposals to move the station eastwards, due to the poor accessibility of the approach roads and very limited parking, to a site possibly near the M6. However, this could cause some political issues, as it may place the station partially over the Merseyside border into the GMPTE area. Some benefits of this though, would be an opportunity to create a substantial interchange with the West Coast Main Line which passes just east of the existing station, and a large park and ride, reducing car traffic into both Liverpool, Warrington and Manchester. The proposed plans were scrapped in June 2009.
Famous quotes containing the words railway and/or station:
“Her personality had an architectonic quality; I think of her when I see some of the great London railway termini, especially St. Pancras, with its soot and turrets, and she overshadowed her own daughters, whom she did not understand—my mother, who liked things to be nice; my dotty aunt. But my mother had not the strength to put even some physical distance between them, let alone keep the old monster at emotional arm’s length.”
—Angela Carter (1940–1992)
“...I believe it is now the duty of the slaves of the South to rebuke their masters for their robbery, oppression and crime.... No station or character can destroy individual responsibility, in the matter of reproving sin.”
—Angelina Grimké (1805–1879)