Station Name: ANN STREET

 

[Source: Paul Wright]


Date opened: 1.10.1911
Location: At the end of Ann Street West
Company on opening: London & North Western Railway
Date closed to passengers: 18.6.1951
Date closed completely: 18.6.1951
Company on closing: British Railways (London Midland Region)
Present state: Demolished the site is now lost under Ashley Way (A562)
County: Lancashire
OS Grid Ref: SJ518851
Date of visit: 1981 & 7.1.2008

Notes: Situated on the Widnes - St Helens line (opened 1833) Ann Street Halt was opened on 1.11.1911 to facilitate a Railmotor service. Although the use of a steam railcar did not last long (replaced by Webb 2-4-2 tanks with up to four coaches) the halt remained open until the end of Pasenger services in 1951.

It is believed that this small station was probably a simple wooden structure. Pictures taken of the site in the early 1960s show no sign of it other than the wall being further back from the railway tracks than might be expected.

The Widnes bypass (A562) has been built over the site, along the St. Helens line formation. Ann Street has itself been truncated to a cul-de-sac.


There is no trace of the railway at all, other than the underbridge on the Widnes - Ditton line which formerly crossed the St. Helens line, the bypass now going under the bridge instead.

Ticket from Michael Stewart

To see the other stations on Widnes - St. Helens line click on the station name: Runcorn Gap, Appleton, Farnworth & Bold, Union Bank Farm Halt, Clockface, Sutton Oak & Peasley Cross

Ann Street crossing in the 1960's
Photo by Richard Mercer


The site of Ann Street Station in 1981
Photo by Paul Wright
Looking north at the site of Ann Street Station in February 1984 taken from a viewpoint forward from that of the picture above. Nearly two years after the line was lifted at this location work had begun on the construction of a new road. In turn this road would be completely rebuilt as Watkinson Way in the mid 1990s. In 1984 however there was still much to see of the St Helen's and Runcorn Gap Railway including boundary walls and in the distance the bridge that carried Warrington Road over the line.
Photo by Ian Lifford - copyright Halton Borough Council - reproduced with permission
Looking south at the site of Ann Street Station in January 2008. The railway running left to right accross the picture is the Ditton to Warrington Arpley Deviation line of 1870. The Widnes to St Helens line followed the route of the main road which is Watkinson Way under the bridge. The original line of 1833 continued south to Runcorn Gap Station and Widnes Dock. When the Deviation was built a spur was put in which connected up to the Ditton to Warrington line allowing passenger trains to reach Widnes (South) station. Watkinson Way follows the route of the spur before heading south towards the Runcorn to Widnes Road Bridge. Another line crossed the Widnes to St Helens line, also by an overbridge at this location but it did not have a connection to either the Widnes to St Helens line or the Ditton to Warrington line. The line was the GC & MR Widnes Branch. The road leading off to the right of the picture is Ashley Way which picks up the alignment of the GC & MR Widnes Branch and follows its course towards the west. The Widnes Branch was at a higher elevation than Ashley Way using viaducts and embankments from this location to the site of Widnes Central Station.
Photo by Paul Wright

 

 

 

[Source: Paul Wright]
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