Squires Gate railway station

Squires Gate railway station serves the Squires Gate area of the popular seaside resort of Blackpool, Lancashire, England, although it is located just outside the borough boundary. It lies on the Blackpool South to Preston line and is the nearest station to Blackpool Airport. Squires Gate is located about 400 metres (1,300 ft) from Starr Gate tram stop on the Blackpool Tramway.

Squires Gate
General information
Location	Squires Gate, Fylde England
Coordinates	53.7773°N 3.0503°W / 53.7773; -3.0503
Grid reference	SD30883173
Managed by	Northern
Platforms	1
Other information
Station code	SQU
Classification	DfT category F2
Key dates
1 April 1865	Stony Hill Station opened
1872	Stony Hill Station closed
14 September 1931	Squires Gate Station opened[1]
Passengers
2019/20	23,964
2020/21	7,988
2021/22	25,082
2022/23	25,534
2023/24	27,920
Location
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History

Between 1865 and 1872, Stony Hill railway station was located in the same area.^[2] The present station opened on 14 September 1931 by the LMS. The station was host to 12 (LMS) caravans in 1937 and 1938 followed by 17 caravans in 1939. 15 camping coaches were also positioned here by the London Midland Region from 1954 to 1967, 14 in 1968 and 1969, 11 in 1970 and 12 in 1971.^[3]

It was planned that Squires Gate may have been renamed Blackpool International Station at some point, along with the provision of direct and flat surface access from the station to the airport.^[4]

Facilities

The station is unstaffed, but has been provided with a ticket vending machine, digital Passenger Information Screen, and a long-line P.A system to offer train running information. CCTV, timetable posters are available.^[5]

Services

Squires Gate is served by an hourly service northbound to Blackpool South and southbound to Preston, operated by Northern who also manage the station.^[6] Sunday services also run on an hourly frequency, running beyond Preston to Blackburn and Colne every other hour.

The majority of services on the line are operated by the Class 150 and 156.

See also

• Public transport in the Fylde

References

1. ""Blackpool History"" (PDF). (175 KiB), Blackpool Borough Council Tourism Division, accessed 17 October 2007
2. Welch, M.S. (2004) Lancashire Steam Finale, Runpast Publishing, Cheltenham, ISBN 1-870754-61-1, p.31
3. McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. pp. 22 & 50. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
4. "Blackpool Airport - Masterplan" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2008.
5. Nations Rail Enquiries - Squires Gate NAtional Rail Enquiries
6. GB eNRT May 2023 Edition, Table 102 (Network Rail)

Further reading

• Bairstow, Martin (2001). Railways of Blackpool and the Fylde. Martin Bairstow Publications. ISBN 1-871944-23-6.

External links

• Train times and station information for Squires Gate railway station from National Rail

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Blackpool Pleasure Beach		Northern Blackpool Branch Line		St Annes-on-the-Sea
	Historical railways
South Shore		London, Midland and Scottish Railway Blackpool and Lytham Railway		St Annes- -on-the-Sea