History

The Preston & Wyre Railway was officially opened on the 15th July 1840 having taken just four years to construct.

The vision of the High Sheriff of Lancashire, Sir Peter Hesketh Fleetwood, it was built to connect the new port of Fleetwood on the Fylde coast to the industrial town of Preston.

Constructed by George and Robert Stephenson (and in part Joseph Locke) it formed an important section of the first through route to Scotland from London.

A fine hotel, the "North Euston" was built to cater for customers transferring from rail to sea for the voyage to Glasgow and is still standing today.

This was however short lived and just six years later a direct route over Shap was opened leaving the shareholders of the Preston & Wyre extremely disappointed.

The railway, now part of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, still flourished and extensions were built to Blackpool and Lytham, to cater for the large numbers of tourists flocking to the seaside.

Fleetwood also grew and became one of the largest and most successful fishing ports in the British Isles.

The line is still busy today and regular services serve Blackpool North and South (via Lytham). Sadly, the section from Poulton-le-Fylde to Fleetwood closed to passengers in 1970 and finally to freight in 1999.