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Notes: The line was opened by the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap
Railway on 1.07.1852 as an extension to their network that gave
them access to Garston Docks. In 1869 the LNWR opened a new direct
line from Ditton to Weaver Junction via its new Bridge across
the Mersey between Widnes and Runcorn. This created a busy Junction
at Ditton from where trains could reach Liverpool, Manchester,
St. Helens, Crewe and Chester. Because of the importance the LNWR
opened a new station at the Junction. There had been a small station
slightly further east but all trace of it disappeared under the
extensive remodeling that took place to accommodate the Junction
and the approaches to the bridge.
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In 1912 a serious crash occurred at the station when a
the 5.30 Chester to Liverpool Train hauled by Precedent
2-4-0 No. 1529 Cook with two horse boxes and seven coaches
descended the 1 in 114 from the Bridge at 60 mph hit the
road bridge at the station. The accident occurred because
of confusion over signals. The driver thought that the train
was to take the fast lines through the station but in fact
the points were set for the slow lines. The train crew were
killed along with all of the passengers in the first two
coaches. A horse was thrown right over the bridge but somehow
managed to survive.
From early days the St. Helens trains terminated at Ditton
Junction and this continued until the service was ended
on 18.06.1951. Trains to Manchester consisted of a number
of through Liverpool to Manchester Services and a number
of Services that terminated at Ditton, in later years this
was the norm.
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Between 1960 and 1961 the station was completely rebuilt in a
modern style to accommodate the electrification of the Crewe to
Liverpool Line. Furnished with five platforms due to its Junction
status it was ironic that the Manchester Oxford Road Service was
axed on 10.09.1962.
Services also operated to Crewe and destinations South as well
as to Chester and North Wales. The Chester and North Wales Service
continued up until the late 1970's but latterly it was a summer
only service. Eventually the station was left with an hourly electric
service between Crewe and Liverpool and by the late 1980's most
trains on this service had started to omit Ditton from their scheduled
stops. By the early 90's only a couple of trains called at the
station and then only at peak times leaving a gap of several hours
in the timetable. Not surprisingly very few people used the station
and it made headline news when it closed on 27.05.1994 as it was
the first post privatisation station to be closed by the new track
company Railtrack.
'Junction' was dropped from the stations name in 1973 although
as can be seen from the 1993 photograph below while the signs
on the lampposts say 'Ditton' the lamps still say 'Ditton Junction'.
To see the other
stations on the Ditton Junction to Skelton Junction Line click
on the station name: Widnes
South, Cuerdley,
Fidlers
Ferry & Penketh, Sankey
Bridges, Warrington
Bank Quay Low Level, Warrington
Arpley, Latchford,
Thelwall, Lymm,
Heatley &
Warburton,
Dunham Massey & Broadheath.
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