Preston and Wyre Joint Railway

The Preston and Wyre Joint Railway (PWJR) – in full, the Preston & Wyre Railway and Dock Company – was the result of a merger in 1839 between:

• Preston & Wyre Railway and Harbour Company, formed in 1835
• Preston & Wyre Dock Company, formed in 1837

The Dock Company was vested jointly between the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway on 28 July 1849 to become the PWJR.

The Railway was originally built to connect Preston on the LNWR West Coast Main Line with the port of Fleetwood at the mouth of the River Wyre. In 1861 the Blackpool and Lytham Railway (B&LR) was opened; this was included in the Joint Railway, amalgamated in 1871. A branch from Poulton-le-Fylde to a station at Talbot Road, Blackpool, completed the 45 miles (72km) of track.

Stations on the line have served the following places:

• Lea Road: closed 2 May 1938
• Salwick: closed 2 May 1938; reopened ..
• Kirkham & Wesham – junction for the Lytham (B&LR) line; and the "Blackpool Direct" line (now closed; line now part of the M55 motorway)
  • Wrea Green
  • Moss Side
  • Ansdell & Fairhaven
  • St Annes on Sea
    • two halts here were at Burlington Road and Gillets Crossing: both closed during WWII and permenently 1 January 1949
  • Blackpool Pleasure Beach
  • Blackpool South: was originally Squires Gate; before that Waterloo Road
  • Blackpool Central: closed 1964
• continuation of main line:
• Singleton
• Poulton le Fylde: junction for line to Blackpool North:
  • Layton: was named Bispham
  • Blackpool North was Talbot Road station
• continuation of main line; this section is closed to traffic:
• Thornton: between here and Bispham (see above) was a curve (now closed) on which stood Poulton Curve Halt
• Burn Naze Halt
• Fleetwood: here was goods branch to Wyre Dock