Location type

Station

Name and dates

Maxwell House (1842-1844)

Opened on the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway.

Description

This short lived station was the proposed terminus of the Bolton and Preston Railway in Preston, to be reached from the south perhaps using the former route of the Preston to Walton Tramroad (Lancaster Canal) which had a number of sidings in the area around the canal basin as far as Dock Street to the west.

The station became involved in an disagreement between the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway and the North Union Railway. It was used by the Lancaster line from 1842 with some passengers choosing to walk to Preston station rather than pay a levy to take a train that short distance. Through carriages continued through Fishergate Tunnel to reach Preston station.

The location of this station is intriguing.

The land (named Maxwell-house in court documents) was adjoining the North Union Railway and was sold by that company to the Bolton and Preston Railway.

It is described as behind behind the Victoria Hotel (now the Old Vic at nos 78, 79 Fishergate) on the site of Maxwell House near Dock Street and close to the canal basin on the land of the Bolton and Preston Railway.

The hotel is on east side of the line, north side of the Fishergate.

Dock Street was to the west of the railway

So, Maxwell House station is likely to have been on the east side of the line and north of the main station, in the portion just beyond Dock Street Junction to allow detraining and for trains to continue to North Union station.

The station is described as having one platform - perhaps one platform to the east of the line, just north of the end-on junction.

The area was subsequently redeveloped with further sidings serving the canal basin and surrounding factories.

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