Special 'Illuminations' Express to Blackpool, at Kirkham & Wesham Station
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Special 'Illuminations' Express to Blackpool, at Kirkham & Wesham Station by Ben Brooksbank as part of the Geograph project.
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Image: © Ben Brooksbank Taken: 8 Sep 1962
View eastward, towards Preston. This was the junction of three lines, to Blackpool Central direct or via Lytham St Annes and to Blackpool North/Fleetwood. The last is still open, as is the Lytham line as far as Blackpool South, the main station at Blackpool Central having been closed on 2/11/64. However, the direct line was closed early in 1966 and all main line services to Blackpool have since gone to the Blackpool North terminus. Thus motor traffic has reduced the rail traffic to Blackpool to a shadow of its intensity in the 1950s, when trains - to the Illuminations especially - passed Kirkham over the Preston & Wyre joint London & North Western/Lancashire & Yorkshire four-track lines from Preston every few minutes. The train here, in the latter 1962 days, is hauled by a BR Standard Class 7 'Britannia' 4-6-2, No. 70043 'Lord Kitchener'.