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Original at Warrington Bank Quay railway station copied on 16 July Needs area diagram RDT

This page is about Warrington Bank Quay station on the north-south West Coast Main Line and is not to be confused with Warrington Central station.

Warrington Bank Quay
National Rail
Warrington Bank Quay station in June 2014
General information
LocationWarrington, Borough of Warrington
England
Grid referenceSJ599878
Managed byAvanti West Coast
Platforms4
Other information
Station codeWBQ
ClassificationDfT category B
History
Original companyGrand Junction Railway
Pre-groupingLondon and North Western Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
4 July 1837 (1837-07-04)Station opened as Warrington
16 November 1868Station relocated
16 November 1868Low level platforms opened
about 1870–1871Station renamed to Warrington Bank Quay
9 September 1963Low level platforms closed
Passengers
2019/20Increase 1.481 million
 Interchange  Decrease 0.339 million
2020/21Decrease 0.312 million
 Interchange Decrease 67,072
2021/22Increase 0.959 million
 Interchange Increase 0.233 million
2022/23Increase 1.126 million
 Interchange Increase 0.468 million
2023/24Increase 1.241 million
 Interchange Increase 0.542 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Warrington Bank Quay is one of five railway stations serving the town of Warrington in Cheshire, England.[a] It is a principal stop on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Glasgow Central. The station is a north–south oriented station located to one side of Warrington's main shopping area.

History

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When the Warrington and Newton Railway (W&NR) came into being it intended to open three branches. The initial line, opened in 1831, ran south from Newton to Warrington Dallam Lane which became the first station in Warrington.[2]

The second W&NR branch diverged from the Dallam line at Jockey Lane and went to Bank Quay (also known as Bank Key at the time). This branch probably opened in 1835 and was used for goods and mineral traffic only, it terminated north of the Warrington to Liverpool Turnpike (then Bank Quay Road, now Liverpool Road, the A5061).[3][4]

The third W&NR branch was never constructed.[4]

In 1835 the Grand Junction Railway (GJR) acquired the W&NR making an end-on connection with the Bank Quay branch to expand northwards, using it to connect to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR).[5]

First station 1837 to 1868

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The first Warrington Bank Quay station opened on 4 July 1837 when the GJR formally opened its line from Birmingham Vauxhall to Earlestown where it connected to the L&MR.[b][7]

The station was situated to the south of turnpike on the east (Warrington) side of the running lines. The turnpike had to be elevated onto a bridge, predictably known as Bank Quay bridge, to enable the end-on connection of the lines.[8][9]

There was a platform in front of the station building and two island platforms with four lines running through the station some of which were accessible from platforms on both sides.[8][10] Whishaw (1842) describes the station as having "a booking-office and ladies waiting room...with conveniences detached from the building" on the 'up' side and two small waiting-rooms enclosed under a shed-roof on the 'down' side.[c][12]

The station had goods facilities to the north of the turnpike on both sides of the running lines. There were further freight facilities to the south of the station on the east side.[8]

The station handled all the long-distance trains, Warrington Dallam Lane station continued to be used for local passenger and goods services until 1839 when all passenger services were transferred to Bank Quay.[2][10]

In 1842 the station staff consisted of a superintendent, two clerks, a manager, three porters, one policeman, four shuntsmen, four coke and water fillers, one coach-greaser, and two gate-porters.[13]

In 1846 the GJR amalgamated with others to form the London and North Western Railway (L&NWR).[14]

Second station

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In 1864 the L&NWR absorbed the St Helens Canal and Railway Company (SHCR) which had opened a line between Runcorn Gap and Warrington Arpley in 1853–1854.[15] Services were run on this line between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester London Road.[16]

This west-east line ran underneath the north-south L&NWR line 300 yards (270 m) south of Bank Quay station using Warrington Arpley as their Warrington station.[16][17]

On 16 November 1868 the L&NWR relocated Bank Quay station to the point where the lines crossed effectively superimposing one station over the other to provide an interchange.[7]

The station has a single-storey entrance building with sub-way access to two island platforms at a higher level.[18] Biddle (1973) described the L&NWR station entrance as a "dowdy little brick entrance building".[19]

When the new station opened a local newspaper described the low-level platforms as "no more than a covered shed, open in front".[20] Mr Banks, promoted from Dudley Port (also a two-level station) became the first station master of the relocated station.[21]

The upper station had four through platforms. The central platforms being the fast lines and often used by non-stop trains passing through the station. There was a bay platform facing north and a very small bay facing south.[d][22][23]

The lower station had two through platforms with a bay at the Manchester end of the east-bound platform.[citation needed][24] The lower platforms had a short canopy with ornate curved iron supports and a covered wooden footbridge.[24]

Goods facilities gradually expanded and the area north of Bank Quay bridge increased in size and acquired a locomotive depot. The area between the running lines and Parker Street (that is the area immediately east and north of the station) was filled with goods sidings. When these became inadequate goods yards were built at Walton Old Junction (to the south of the station) and between the main north-south line and Arpley (to the east and south-east of the station).[25][23]

The station was still called Warrington until at least 1870 when Bank Quay started to be used for the east-west line, it coming into use on the north-south line later, but increasingly after Warrington Central opened in 1873.[26] The terms low level and high level were used locally, they appeared in junction diagrams and some station handbooks but were never part of an official title.[7]

The station was enlarged in 1897 when new signals and signal boxes were provided.[27]

The low level station closed to passengers on 9 September 1963, the line through the station remains open for freight.[18]

The station was rebuilt when the line was electrified in 1973, a new power signal box covering an extended area was built east of the station for the electrification.[28][25][29]

In 2009 a new entrance hall was completed, with a travel centre/ticket office and a shop. The buffet on the London bound platforms was modernised. Improvements were made to the platforms and an extension to the existing car park and a new taxi rank were built.[30][31]

Service History

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1860s

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In the 1860s trains could be taken from Bank Quay to Preston, Carlisle, Birmingham New Street and London Euston using L&NWR lines. There were trains further north to Glasgow Southside and Edinburgh Lothian Road using the Caledonian main line and Aberdeen Guild Street using the Caledonian Railway (CR) (and the Scottish North Eastern Railway until it was absorbed by the CR in 1866). [32][33]

Local services were available to Manchester Victoria, Crewe, Wigan, Chester (via the Birkenhead Railway) and Liverpool Lime Street via Rainhill.[34] East-west services went from Warrington Arpley until the two-level station opened.[32]

1895

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In 1895 L&NWR direct trains could be taken to Preston, Carlisle, Glasgow Central, Edinburgh Princes Street,[e] Birmingham New Street and London Euston. The morning newspaper express from London Euston passed through Bank Quay continuing to Aberdeen Joint.[37]

There was a nightly sleeper service, northbound to Perth, Aberdeen and Inverness and southbound to London Euston.[37] There was a return service to Penzance (twice daily except on Saturdays), Plymouth Millbay (daily) and Inverness (daily) operated jointly by the L&NWR and the Great Western Railway (GWR).[38]

The L&NWR ran local services to Wigan via Newton-le-Willows and to St Helens Shaw Street via St Helens Junction.[39] The lower level station had services running to Liverpool Lime Street via Ditton Junction and Manchester London Road via Broadheath (Altrincham).[40]

Other local trains were run by the Birkenhead Railway[f] between Manchester Exchange and Chester via the former Liverpool and Manchester Railway to Earlestown, then south to Bank Quay, before using their own line to Chester via Helsby.[42]

1939

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Lost services

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Lost local service through low level between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester London Road (by now called Manchester Piccadilly) in 1962.[43][44]

Lost local service from high level to Bolton Great Moor Street via Kenyon Junction and Atherton Bag Lane in 1954.[45][46]

Lost local service from high level to St Helens Shaw Street in 1964.[45][47]

 
Acton Grange, Walton & Warrington RJD 147

to being the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and the GWR.

Current situation

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The current station has slowly evolved from the second station, it is still on the same site with four high-level platforms, one each side of the two islands. The easternmost retains the 19th century buildings, with the western island's buildings dating from the 1950s.[citation needed]

Passengers enter the station at street level through a functional modern entrance containing an information office and ticket office, and proceed through a subway, reaching the elevated platforms by stairs or a lift. There is a buffet on the eastern platform.[48]

The platforms are numbered 1 to 4 from east to west, the two central lines, platforms 2 (up or southbound) and 3 (down or northbound)[c] are the fast lines with the outer platforms the slow.[49]

Platforms 1 and 4 usually serve two lines, platform 1 dealing with:

 
An Arriva Trains Wales Class 175, at platform 3, with the service to Manchester Piccadilly in June 2014

Platform 4 serves the same services as platform 1 going in the opposite direction.[50][51] Platform 4 also hosts the daily evening train from Ellesmere Port providing the only direct service of the day to Liverpool Lime Street operated by Northern Trains.[52]

Platforms 2 and 3 are used by long-distance services operated in 2025 by Avanti West Coast.

  • Platform 2 deals with southbound trains to London Euston and Birmingham New Street. In 2025 there are approximately two services per hour to Euston, one using the more direct Trent Valley line and one via Birmingham during the day. Most of the Trent Valley services run non-stop to Euston, three of which call at Milton keynes, one of which makes an additional stop at Rugby.
  • Platform 3 deals with northbound trains to:



Services

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A Class 390 EMU Pendolino in old Virgin Trains livery, at platform 2, waiting to head south to London Euston in June 2014


The station lies on the West Coast Main Line


Future

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In the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands the UK government proposed reinstating the Low Level station as part of a new connection to Liverpool from HS2.[54]





Preceding station   National Rail Following station


Earlestown   Transport for Wales Rail
Manchester Airport to Llandudno and Holyhead 		  Runcorn East


Wigan North Western   Avanti West Coast
West Coast Main Line 		  London Euston
    Crewe
Earlestown   Northern Trains
Chester - Leeds
   Chester or Runcorn East
  Historical railways  
Daresbury
Line open, station closed 		  Birkenhead, Lancashire and Cheshire Junction Railway
Chester to Walton Junction line
later Birkenhead Railway (L&NWR & GWR joint) 		  Terminus
Moore   London and North Western Railway
Grand Junction Railway 		  Earlestown
Disused railways
Sankey Bridges   St Helens Railway   Warrington Arpley


|- | rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: middle; text-align:center; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 1px #aaa solid; border-top: 1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;"| Runcorn East | style="background:#262262; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" |   | rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-left: 1px #aaa solid; border-right: 1px #aaa solid; border-top:solid 1px #aaa; border-bottom:0px none;" | Northern
Ellesmere Port to Warrington Line
Mondays-Saturdays only | style="background:#262262; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" |   | rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: middle; text-align:center; border-left: 1px #aaa solid; border-right: 0px none; border-top: 1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;"|Terminus

Notes

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  1. ^ The other four are Warrington Central, Warrington West, Sankey for Penketh and Padgate.[1]
  2. ^ Earlestown station was at the time variously known as Viaduct, Newton Junction or Warrington Junction.[6]
  3. ^ a b Down trains usually headed away from the major conurbation, usually London, some railway companies ran 'up' to their headquarters ___location. In this case 'up' trains were southbound towards Birmingham.[11]
  4. ^ The platform numbering has changed over time.
  5. ^ From 1893 the services to Glasgow and Edinburgh were run in conjunction with the CR using jointly owned "West Coast Joint Stock" carriages.[35][36]
  6. ^ The Birkenhead Railway was jointly owned and operated by the L&NWR and the GWR.[41]

References

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  1. ^ Quick 2023, pp. 335, 405 & 471.
  2. ^ a b Reed 1969, p. 18.
  3. ^ Reed 1969, pp. 10 & 18.
  4. ^ a b Holt & Biddle 1986, p. 81.
  5. ^ Grant 2017, pp. 230 & 584.
  6. ^ Quick 2023, p. 175.
  7. ^ a b c Quick 2023, p. 471.
  8. ^ a b c Warrington Sheet 9 (Map). 1:1056 town plan. Ordnance Survey. 1851.
  9. ^ Pixton 1996, p. 23.
  10. ^ a b Carter 1971, p. 90.
  11. ^ Simmons 1997, p. 548.
  12. ^ Whishaw 2016, p. 129.
  13. ^ Whishaw 2016, pp. 129–130.
  14. ^ Grant 2017, pp. 230–231.
  15. ^ Greville 1981, p. 7.
  16. ^ a b Bradshaw 1866, table 114.
  17. ^ Pixton 1996, p. 17.
  18. ^ a b Body 1990.
  19. ^ Biddle 1973, p. 139.
  20. ^ Pixton 2006, p. 92.
  21. ^ Neele 2022, p. 164.
  22. ^ Christiansen 1995, pp. 88–89.
  23. ^ a b Jacobs 2005, map 26B.
  24. ^ a b Pixton 2006, p. 94.
  25. ^ a b Christiansen 1995, p. 91.
  26. ^ Hartless 2017, above photograph 73.
  27. ^ Pixton 1996, p. 25.
  28. ^ Pixton 1996, pp. 17 & 21.
  29. ^ Nock 1974, pp. 51 & 115.
  30. ^ Bailey, Stephen (3 November 2006). "Bank Quay on track for £½million facelift". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  31. ^ "Improvements arriving soon at Warrington Bank Quay station". Virgin Trains. 2007. Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  32. ^ a b Christiansen 1995, p. 98.
  33. ^ Bradshaw 1866, tables 200 & 208.
  34. ^ Bradshaw 1866, tables 114, 120 & 132.
  35. ^ Ellis 1965, pp. 156–159.
  36. ^ Kichenside 1976, p. 5–6.
  37. ^ a b Bradshaw 2011, tables 276–287.
  38. ^ Bradshaw 2011, table 614.
  39. ^ Bradshaw 2011, tables 328 & 346.
  40. ^ Bradshaw 2011, table 344.
  41. ^ Grant 2017, p. 44.
  42. ^ Bradshaw 2011, table 314.
  43. ^ Christiansen 1995, p. 94.
  44. ^ LMS Railway 1939, table 142.
  45. ^ a b Christiansen 1995, p. 99.
  46. ^ LMS Railway 1939, table 161.
  47. ^ LMS Railway 1939, table 155.
  48. ^ "Warrington Bank Quay station map". National Rail. Archived from the original on 1 August 2025.
  49. ^ Bridge 2013, diagram 26B.
  50. ^ "Train times Holyhead - Llandudno - Chester - Manchester 18 May - 13 December 2025" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2025.
  51. ^ "N37 Chester to Leeds 18 May - 13 December 2025" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2025.
  52. ^ "N15 Liverpool to Manchester Airport and Warrington Bank Quay via Earlestown (includes Helsby to Ellesmere Port) 18 May - 13 December 2025" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2025.
  53. ^ "Train Times for all Avanti West Coast routes to and from London Euston 18 May to 14 September 2025" (PDF). Avanti West Coast. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2025.
  54. ^ "Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands". GOV.UK. 22 March 2022.

Bibliography

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Warrington Bank Quay railway station.


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