Rainford Village railway station

Rainford Village railway station was a station on the railway line from Rainford to St Helens. It was opened on 1 February 1858 by the St Helens Canal & Railway Company (SHC&R). The SHC&R was absorbed by the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) on 29 July 1864. From 1 January 1923 the LNWR became part of the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). From 1858 until November 1861, the station was named 'Rainford', but it was thought this would cause confusion with Rainford Junction railway station and the word 'Village' was added.

Rainford Village station was located immediately north of the level crossing over Crosspit Lane. The main station building for trains to St Helens was on the east side of the twin tracks (furthest from the village centre). A lightly-constructed wooden building on the opposite side of the tracks sufficed for passengers towards Ormskirk, next to which was the signalbox which controlled the level crossing gates.

Two small lightly-built railway 'halts' were constructed nearby to serve other parts of the Rainford area. Rookery Halt, adjacent to Rookery Lane, existed from 1865 until 18 June 1951. Old Mill Lane Halt adjacent to Pilkington Brothers's sand washery, opened on 1 October 1911 and closed on 18 June 1951.

The three stations were served by local steam loco-hauled trains, some originating in Ormskirk, with others starting at Rainford Junction. In July 1922, thirteen LNWR trains left Rainford Village for St Helens (Shaw Street) each weekday, all carrying only third class passengers, first class accommodation not being provided.

By July 1946, the LMS timetable showed ten weekdays passenger trains to St Helens, still described as 'one class only'. British Railways took over the LMSR on 1 January 1948 and withdrew the passenger service on 18 June 1951, closing the station. Freight trains continued to pass through the village for a few more years, before these, too, were withdrawn on 6 July 1964 and the railway line was closed and lifted.

References

* The Directory of Railway Stations, R.V.J.Butt, PSL, 1995, ISBN 1 85260 508 1
* Encyclopedia of British Railway Companies, Christopher Awdry, Guild Publishing, 1990
* Bradshaw's Railway Guide, July 1922
* Bradshaw's Guide to the British Railways, July 1946

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