Blackpool South railway station

Blackpool South railway station serves the suburban south of the popular seaside resort of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It is the terminus of the South Fylde Line 12+1/4mi west of by rail, though most services run through from Colne. It lies only a short walk from Blackpool Football Club's stadium at Bloomfield Road. The station is managed by Northern, who operate all trains serving it. Blackpool South is located about from Waterloo Road tram stop on the Blackpool Tramway.HistoryThe station was originally called Waterloo Road when it opened in 1903, at the junction with a newly built express Marton Line direct from Kirkham. It had four platforms (two for each line at the junction) and soon became a busy station. Until November 1964, the line extended north from here to Blackpool Central. There were extensive sidings to accommodate the many excursion trains which came to Blackpool.The Marton Line closed to regular traffic in 1965; its track bed is now the road called Yeadon Way and the M55 motorway.The station continued to handle through trains from Manchester, Liverpool and London until 1970, when these were all diverted to Blackpool North at the other end of town. It was then reduced to local status only, although it kept its signal box, two working platform faces and double track until 1982. The box was notable in that it was located on the opposite side of Waterloo Road bridge from the station and so could not see the tracks & platforms it controlled, instead being surrounded by the disused railway land once occupied by the main line & aforementioned sidings. After the line was singled west of St Annes and the box was abolished, all trains used the former northbound platform and continue to do so to the present day. The substantial main buildings (booking office and waiting rooms) that formerly existed at street level were demolished in 1985.