Blackpool Central railway station
Blackpool Central | |
---|---|
Blackpool and Lytham Railway | |
Pre-grouping | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway / London and North Western Railway |
Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
Key dates | |
6 April 1863 | Opened as Hounds Hill |
June 1878 | Renamed Blackpool Central |
1901 | Enlarged to 14 platforms |
2 November 1964 | Closed |
Blackpool Central was the largest railway station in the town of Blackpool in the county of Lancashire, England. It contained 14 platforms; at its closure in 1964, it became the station with the highest number of platforms ever to close.[1] Principal railway services to Blackpool now terminate at Blackpool North.
History
The station opened on 6 April 1863 as "Hounds Hill" and was renamed "Blackpool Central" in 1878.
Central station was the focus of Blackpool's
The station remained in service just long enough to see its centenary before its closure on 2 November 1964,
Part of the site was used as a
Current use of the site
The land reclaimed from the station buildings became the location of some seafront amusement arcades (Coral Island), a new police station and a
A large part of the sidings and other land formerly belonging to British Rail were converted into a car park at about the same time as the road was completed. The toilets at the end near the promenade along with the aforementioned wall were all that remained of the station. The toilet block was demolished and replaced in 2009. An adjacent building, formerly used as a railwaymen's hostel, remains and has been converted into flats and shops.
In 2019, plans to develop a leisure-led development on the Central Car Park site were announced.[8]
In 2021, Nikal Ltd and Media Invest Entertainment consulted on plans to redevelop the site into a £300m new leisure destination.[9]
A planning application for the scheme has been submitted to Blackpool Council, which includes proposals to deliver a multistorey car park, Heritage Quarter, public square, three indoor entertainment centres, hotel, restaurants and additional leisure and hospitality space [10]
Notes
Maps showing Blackpool Central Station |
Old OS Maps (estimated 1925 to 1945) |
NPE Maps (1947) |
Vision of Britain |
OS 1:2500 Map on MARIO (about 1892) |
Other maps |
- ^ Jones 2012, p. 16.
- ^ Welch 2004, p. 32.
- ^ Suggitt 2004, p. 44.
- ^ Welch 2004, p. 26.
- ^ "Blackpool, County Borough". Civilian War Dead Register. Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
- ^ Suggitt 2004, p. 46.
- ^ a b Bairstow 2001, p. 84.
- ^ "Blackpool revives supercasino site for £300m masterplan". Place North West. 7 December 2018.
- ^ Cunnington, Phil (4 May 2021). "Public urged to have their say as initial plans for £300m Blackpool Central entertainment complex are revealed". Blackpool Gazette.
- ^ Parkinson, Shelagh (16 June 2021). "Plans submitted for £300m new Blackpool leisure destination". Blackpool Gazette.
References
- Bairstow, Martin (2001). Railways of Blackpool and the Fylde. Martin Bairstow. ISBN 1-871944-23-6.
- Suggitt, Gordon (2004) [2003]. Lost Railways of Lancashire (revised ed.). Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-801-2.
- Welch, Michael S. (2004). Lancashire Steam Finale. Cheltenham: Runpast Publishing. ISBN 1-870754-61-1.
- Jones, Robin (2012). Beeching-The Inside Track. Mortons Media Group. ISBN 978-1-906167-84-4.
External links
- Disused Stations—Blackpool Central
- Botha-Defiant air crash
- British Railways in 1960, Kirkham & Wesham North Jn. to Blackpool Central
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Terminus | Preston and Wyre Joint Railway Marton Line (from 1903) |
Blackpool South | ||
Terminus | Blackpool and Lytham Railway
|
Blackpool South |