Sankey for Penketh railway station

Sankey for Penketh
National Rail
General information
LocationGreat Sankey, Warrington
England
Coordinates53°23′32″N 2°39′02″W / 53.3923°N 2.6506°W / 53.3923; -2.6506
Grid referenceSJ568885
Managed byNorthern Trains
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeSNK
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Original companyCheshire Lines Committee
Pre-groupingCheshire Lines Committee
Post-groupingCheshire Lines Committee
Key dates
1 May 1874 (1874-05-01)Opened as Sankey
1904Renamed Sankey for Penketh
Passengers
2019/20Decrease 0.123 million
2020/21Decrease 1,498
2021/22Increase 2,930
2022/23Increase 3,358
2023/24Decrease 1,362
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Sankey for Penketh railway station, also known as just Sankey, is a railway station in the west of Warrington, Cheshire, England, serving the Great Sankey, Penketh and Whittle Hall areas of the town. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Northern Trains. It is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building.[1]

History

The line through the station site opened for freight on 1 March 1873 and for passengers on 1 August 1873 when the Cheshire Lines Committee opened the line between Glazebrook and Cressington & Grassendale.[2]

The station was opened as Sankey for passengers and goods on 1 May 1874.[3]

The station is located in a cutting where the line is bridged by what is now Station Road. The main station building is of the "common twin-pavilion type adopted by the CLC" with a larger, two-storey, projecting pavilion forming a house and a smaller single-storey one. Linking them is an entrance hall, ticket office and three-bay iron-arcaded waiting shelter. The building is decorated with elaborately fretted bargeboards. The station was equipped with a carved stone drinking fountain.[4]

It had two platforms, both accessed by steps down from the road overbridge, the Liverpool bound platform could also be accessed from the road access to the station building.[5] There was a goods yard to the south of the lines and west of the station.[6] The goods yard was able to accommodate most types of goods including several cattle pens for livestock, it was equipped with a five-ton crane.[7]

During 1904 the station was renamed Sankey for Penketh.[3]

The station closed to goods traffic on 5 November 1962, except for a private siding, which has subsequently also closed.[8]

Facilities

The main station building is used as a waiting room, though part of the building is a house and another part disused. Passengers have little shelter available when the main building is closed and seats are only available on the Manchester bound platform, which has a shelter.

The station is unstaffed. There is a car park outside and the former goods yard has been used for building houses. The station was upgraded in May 2013 with automated announcements and in 2016, digital information screens were added. Step-free access is available to both platforms.[9]

Sankey for Penketh railway station in March 2012

Services

Prior to the opening of the nearby Warrington West in December 2019, services departed Sankey for Penketh approximately hourly in each direction; however since the opening of the new station, Sankey for Penketh now only has two services a day in each direction, one in each direction in the morning and one in each direction in the evening. The morning services are the 07:28 to Warrington Central only and the 07:48 towards Liverpool Lime Street. The evening services the 17:28 to Warrington Central only and the 17:48 towards Liverpool Lime Street.[10] These services are operated by Northern using Class 195 Diesel multiple units.

As of December 2023, services from Sankey for Penketh no longer run to Manchester Oxford Road.

See also

References

  1. ^ Historic England. "Sankey railway station (1230788)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  2. ^ Bolger 1984, pp. 4–6.
  3. ^ a b Quick 2022, p. 401.
  4. ^ Biddle 2003, pp. 469–471.
  5. ^ Lancashire CXV.3 (Map). 25 inch. Ordnance Survey. 1928. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  6. ^ Bolger 1984, p. 72.
  7. ^ The Railway Clearing House 1970, p. 477.
  8. ^ Clinker 1978, p. 120.
  9. ^ "Sankey station facilities". National Rail Enquiries. Archived from the original on 4 September 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Northern Timetable N16 - Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool via Warrington Central" (PDF). Northern. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2022.

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sankey railway station.
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Widnes   Northern Trains
Manchester – Liverpool line 		  Warrington West
    Warrington Central
Disused railways
Tanhouse Lane
Line and station closed 		  Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee
Widnes Loop 		  Warrington Central
Line and station open