Ormskirk Branch Line

The Ormskirk Branch Line is a railway line in Lancashire, England, running between Preston and Ormskirk. The train service is operated by Northern Rail. The line is the northern section of the former Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway; the line from Ormskirk to Liverpool is now part of Merseyrail's Northern Line. Prior to the introduction of the 1970-71 London Midland Region timetable, it was a secondary main line from Liverpool to Scotland, Blackpool, and Yorkshire. From 4 May 1970, however, the line was severed at Ormskirk. Ironically, with express trains now eliminated, stopping services at the village stations en route were actually improved, and have retained a similar frequency to this day.

Signalling
The line is controlled by Preston Power Signal Box (PSB) from where it leaves the West Coast Main Line at Farington Curve Jn by Track Circuit Block signalling regulations until Midge Hall signal box. From here until Rufford signal box, the trains are signalled by Electric Token Block regulations, and from Rufford to Ormskirk the train is signalled by One Train Working with Train Staff regulations. If at any time there is a problem with either the token machine or track circuits showing occupied, then pilotman working must be implemented.

History
The line remained an important passenger artery into the 1960s, though freight had begun to disappear- the goods yards at Croston and Rufford closed around 1964, though that at Ormskirk remained active until 1969. Stopping passenger services were handed over to DMUs from the end of October 1965.

In 1969, the Labour Minister of Transport Richard Marsh refused to agree to British Railways request to withdraw local passenger services between Ormskirk and Preston, and to close the stations at Burscough Junction, Rufford and Croston. The price for the reprieve of the intermediate stations, though, was the line's future as a main line. From October 1969 stopping trains from Blackpool and Preston terminated at Ormskirk, and the last through trains from Liverpool to Preston ran on 3 May 1970. The line was singled with the removal of the old Down Main between Midge Hall and Omskirk in the summer of 1970, and from Midge Hall to Preston in 1983. Prior to 1972, some local trains ran via Moss Lane Junction, Lostock Hall and Todd Lane Junction into the ELR side of Preston station, but these were diverted to run along the West Coast Main Line via Farington Curve Junction following the closure of the East Lancs route into Preston in April 1972.

Future
There have been several proposals to extend the Merseyrail electric service to Preston using this line. This would restore the most direct Liverpool - Preston route. The reinstatement of the Burscough Curves has been proposed which would allow services to Southport. This could be accompanied by the reopening of Midge Hall