Wigan to Southport. On a British Open Golf Special. With a Royal Loco on the front. 

The curve between meols cop and Southport, is the only part of the triangle still existing. The Preston line went to the right of your image and came from the right on another spur. Before meols cop the line from alt car (aintree) came from the left tho it’s tricky to see what the formation looked like and there was a straight line bypassing the latter station via blowick to same terminus

Up until 6 mins into the video, it is a maze of tracks. It bewilders me how the Signallers manage to look after it all. There must be great trust between the Drivers and Signal boxes. Saying that, from all the videos I have watched, I have learnt about safety devices on the track etc etc. Love these vids.

As a child I lived in Parbold. I remember you could see the steam train coming from Southport about 5 minutes before it arrived because the line was so straight!

Only just found this. My first ever rail journeys were on this line, day trips from Wallgate to Southport. So long ago that the line stayed level and ploughed straight ahead over a level crossing by Southport's footie ground at Hague Avenue. I remember being very excited the first time it rode up the embankment to join the line from Aintree which crossed on a bridge, then curving round via Meols Cop to rejoin the original alignment. They used to be compartment trains (without a corridor). 8 seats per compartment, 2 doors, lots of running between compartments at stations. Two Sunday School teachers had to decide which compartments needed close supervision and which kids could be trusted unsupervised.

Nice journey thanks for posting cheer's bob.

Southport used to be a very busy place, looking at all the space for six or seven roads. Interesting mix of semaphores and light signals, too!

I’m on it at Wallgate I was trackside filming it

Great video, interesting line to see!

As you approach Southport, where the Range and Asda are used to be the yards and steam shed and later became Steamport. Southport Chapel Street boasted 13 platforms at on stage, there was also an excursion platform alongside where the shop units are now. You can guess what happened to the land that used to be platforms 7 to 13, now a car park. This train stopped at platform 6. Platform 3 is unique as it's the only platform accessible from both the Wigan line and Merseyrail 3rd rail services from Liverpool. It is primarily used by Merseyrail services. Due to the new yet to be introduced class 777s being slightly longer than the 507s and 508s, platforms 1 to 3 will need remodelling to accommodate 8 car 777s. Due to the points and track geometry at the Liverpool end, the platforms will have to be extended into the station concourse and towards the existing M&S store. I spoke at length to people working on the 777 project at an open day at Birkenhead North on the subject. It's also been announced that the electrification is being extended from Bolton through to Wigan jct. Not sure if it would reach Wigan Wallgate though. It would be handy, as Southport is now served by the bi-mode 769s, which currently go from diesel to 25kv at Bolton.

Nice train video.

I wonder why Hoscar station is not only still open when the village is so small, but is also served by 17 trains a day. There are many larger settlements around the UK that either no longer have a station or else a station that only gets a couple of trains a day.

I like the graffiti on the footbridge just before Wigan Wallgate station "Welcome to Hell". And the newly-repainted old advert on a building to the right of the end of the platform "Uncle Joe's Mint Balls Keep You All Aglow".

Good video but would have liked a shot of the loco. Still liked it though!

Thanks for uploading. Maybe a sound recorder could be placed in the rear/unoccupied end of the loco, video and audio can be captured independently. There would be no need to edit any talking :)

Abrupt stop. Would have been nice to have seen the actual locomotive and train...