Turton and Edgworth railway station

Turton and Edgworth
Location
Place	Chapeltown
Area	Blackburn with Darwen
Grid reference	SD730155
Operations
Original company	Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe & West Yorkshire Railway
Pre-grouping	Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway London and North Western Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway London Midland Region of British Railways
Platforms	2
History
12 June 1848	Opened (Chapel Town)
1 July 1877	Renamed (Turton)
2 March 1891	Renamed (Turton and Edgworth)
6 February 1961	Closed to passengers
28 December 1964	Closed to freight
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Turton and Edgworth railway station, located at 4 miles, 856 yards from Bolton, on the Bolton to Blackburn branch line, opened as Chapel Town Station. The short length original low height platform seen in early photographs at the front of the station building are replicated exactly at Bromley Cross, itself known to have opened in June 1848. Permanent station buildings were provided along the line in 1859, constructed with locally quarried sandstone, by Joseph Greenup and Co of Manchester. The original minutes of the railway company held at National Archives, Kew, reveal that the engineers drew up the plans for the 1859 building at Chapel Town and minute 273, dated 25 May 1859, reveals that tenders were sought for a station and detached cottage and loading shed at Chapel Town, at an estimated cost of £500. The 'detached cottage' survives as a private house close to the automated level crossing.

The original name Chapel Town became Turton in 1877 and finally Turton & Edgworth in 1891.

Station improvement works were carried out at the station in 1886 and a report published in The Bolton Chronicle revealed that 'the improvements at Turton Station are now completed by Mr Riley of Fleetwood, one of the best railway contractors in Lancashire.' The report told of two new waiting rooms on the Blackburn side, whilst on the platform for Bolton 'the booking office and old waiting rooms have been remodelled, with additional accommodation for the company's officials and passengers.' The works began in February of that year and also included the raising of platform heights and the installation of the footbridge. The station also exhibited a large outside wall platform clock, as confirmed by early 1900s photographs and still seen at 'sister' station Bromley Cross today. The station closed to passengers in February 1961 and to goods in December 1964, with the sidings taken out the following year.

Its neighbouring stations are still operational, Entwistle being an unmanned platform halt, but Bromley Cross with its staffed booking office. There have been calls to reopen the station by the Ribble Valley Rail user group.

Signal Box

The original box was a Yardley/ Smith type 1 brick structure as survives today at nearby Bromley Cross. It had a Smith frame and opened in 1876, possibly under the original name of Chapeltown. In 1927 the box received a new LNWR type 5 top and a 20 lever L&Y rear-mounted frame. The box finally closed in August 1975 when the crossing became automated and with the box ceasing to be a block post in 1973.

Former Services

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Entwistle		L&YR Ribble Valley Line		Bromley Cross

References

• Welch, S. Lancashire Steam Finale, ISBN 1-870754-61-1