Location type

Name and dates

Description

This is an end on junction north of Preston station where the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway met the North Union Railway.

To the immediate south was a tunnel under Fishergate (a west-east street) which has since been opened out and replaced with a cutting and road bridge to allow the expansion of the railways. The tunnel between Preston station and Dock Street Junction was built by the North Union with Lancaster and Preston contributing to the expense.

The Lancaster line was to have a terminus at Dock Street where it hoped to meet a branch of the North Union to the canal basin. However this proposed branch was a ruse by the North Union who now asked for a contribution to build the tunnel line. An agreement until 1842 allowed the Lancaster line to use Preston station.

In 1842 the barely profitable Lancaster line arranged to use the proposed Maxwell House station of the as yet unopened Bolton and Preston Railway and this, along with other arrangements, led to a dispute with the North Union leading to a charge being required to run between the junction and Preston station. Many passengers chose to walk this rather than pay the charge. This was resolved in 1844 by necessity following the absorption of the Bolton line by the North Union.

This location is also where the various lines serving the canal basin and various factories left to run northwards and eastwards. These survive in cut back from as the Dock Street Sidings on the east side of the line.

Tags