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Rookery
Rookery
General information
Location	Rainford, St Helens; England
Coordinates	53°29′47″N 2°46′37″W / 53.4963°N 2.7770°W
Grid reference	SD486002
Platforms	Two
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	St Helens Canal and Railway
Pre-grouping	London and North Western Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
April 1858	First station opened
March 1862	First station closed
1 June 1865	Second station opened
18 June 1951	Closed to passengers

St Helens &
Runcorn Gap Railway

Legend

Liverpool & Bury Railway

Rainford Junction

Skelmersdale branch

Liverpool & Bury Railway

Liverpool–Wigan line

to Wigan North Western

St Helens Central

(original GCR station)

St Helens Central

Liverpool, St Helens &

South Lancashire Railway

Liverpool–Wigan line

to Liverpool Lime Street

Peasley Cross

Hays Chemicals

Sutton Oak

Liverpool & Manchester Railway

to Manchester Victoria

Robins Lane Halt

St Helens Junction

Liverpool & Manchester Railway

to Liverpool Lime Street

Vladivar Vodka distillery

Warrington Arpley

Chester–Warrington line

to Chester

Warrington Bank Quay

High Level│Low Level

West Coast Main Line

Whitecross

Sankey Bridges

Fidlers Ferry & Penketh

Fiddlers Ferry power station

Cuerdley

Widnes loop

to Sankey

Tanhouse Lane

Widnes Central

Cheshire Lines Committee

(Liverpool–Manchester)

Hough Green

Widnes South

(second)

(first)

Weaver Junction–Liverpool line

to Weaver Junction & Euston

1864 extension

to Liverpool

Church Road Garston

Garston Container terminal

Garston Dock

Garston and Liverpool Railway

to Hunts Cross

Hunts Cross chord

Liverpool South Parkway

to Liverpool Central

Liverpool & Manchester Railway

Edge Hill

Liverpool Lime Street

Rookery railway station was on the St Helens to Rainford Junction^[1] then Ormskirk line southeast of Rainford, England.^[2]

History

The first station opened in 1858 and closed in March 1862. A second station of the same name opened on a site a short distance further north on 1 June 1865.

The station had distinctive wooden buildings on each platform with curved overhanging roofs^[3] to provide protection from inclement weather. Some other stations on the line had buildings of the same pattern.

The second station closed on 18 June 1951. Goods trains continued to pass through the station site until 6 July 1964 when the line north of Mill Lane was closed and lifted. Both Rookery stations have been demolished.

Services

In July 1922 thirteen "Up" (southbound) trains called at the station on weekdays, with an extra on Saturday evenings. All originated at Ormskirk, several with connections from Southport. Ten Up trains called on Sundays. All trains continued all stations to St Helens. The "Down" (northbound) service was similar.^[4]

The trains all consisted of "Motor Cars - One class only". 'Motor Cars' then did not have their modern meaning, but consisted of a single railway coach joined to a dedicated steam locomotive. Their generic type is summarised in L&YR railmotors. Photographs appear in Bob Pixton's work on the line.^[5]

In 1951 the Up service consisted of five trains on weekdays with three extra on Saturdays, all stations to St Helens. The rolling stock was "Third Class Only". No trains called on Sundays. The Down service was similar.^[6]

All local trains plying between Ormskirk and St Helens called at Rainford Junction, entailing a reverse. None used the 'direct line' between Bushey Lane Junction^[7] and Randle Junction^[8] which formed the third side of the triangle shown near the top of the route diagram. That stretch was the preserve of goods trains, diversions and occasional specials.^[9]