Notes: Minshull Vernon was situated on the Grand Junction Railway (GJR) which opened from Newton to Birmingham on the 4 July 1837. The GJR was Britain’s first trunk railway and had been supported by many of the same individuals who had been behind the Liverpool & Manchester Railway (L&M). The GJR connected with the L&M at Newton Junction (which later became Earlestown Junction) thereby providing a link between Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. From 9 April 1838 the line connected with the London & Birmingham Railway (LBR) at Birmingham Curzon Street allowing passengers to travel between London, the Midlands and the great industrial and port cities of the north-west.
Minshull Vernon station opened with the line on 4 July 1837. It was located on the south side of Nantwich Road (the A530) which passed over the line on a bridge. The station was in an isolated location of scattered farmsteads. At the time of opening it would have had only basic facilities consisting of little more than a cottage like structure adjacent to the double track line.
On 16 July 1846 Minshull Vernon became part of the London & North Western Railway (LNWR). By this time the station was on a route that stretched from London to Carlisle.
By March 1850 there were 3 up (southbound direction) and 3 down (northbound direction) trains Monday-to-Saturday. No trains called on Sundays.
By the 1860s the line had been extended through to Glasgow creating an Anglo-Scottish route that later became known as the West Coast Main Line.
By the 1870s the station had been provided with raised platforms. The main facilities were on tthe up platform (southbound) and they were accessed by a driveway that connected to Nantwich Road. Steps also connected the north end of the up platform direct to the road.
The down platform (northbound) had only a simple waiting shelter. Access to the platform was via a sloping path that connected to Nantwich Road on the west side of the line.
At the southern end of the down platform there was a signal box.
The December 1895 timetable showed 5 up and 4 down services Monday-to-Saturday. On Sundays there were 2 down trains but nothing in the up direction.
The July 1922 timetable showed 8 trains in each direction Monday-to-Saturday as shown in the table below. There 1 down train on Sundays.
Up Trains July 1922 |
Destination |
Down Trains July 1922 |
Destination |
7.48am |
Crewe |
8.29am |
Liverpool Lime Street |
9.24am |
Crewe |
12.03pm |
Warrington Bank Quay |
1.13pm |
Crewe |
2.33pm |
Liverpool Lime Street |
11.36am |
London Euston |
5.08pm |
Liverpool Lime Street |
2.16pm |
Crewe |
6.53pm |
Liverpool Lime Street |
3.45pm |
Crewe |
7.25pm |
Liverpool Lime Street |
6.36pm |
Crewe |
8.30pm |
Liverpool Lime Street |
8.24pm |
Crewe |
9.00pm |
Wigan North Western |
On 1 January 1923 Minshull Vernon became part of the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). The LMS timetable for the summer of 1932 showed 6 up and 4 down trains Monday-to-Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays there were 5 down trains. On Sundays there were 2 down trains.
After the start of the Second World War on 3 September 1939 passenger services were reduced throughout the country. As Minshull Vernon had so few services anyway the LMS closed it on 2 March 1942.
The station had been completely demolished by the 1960s. The line was quadrupled in the late 1950s and it was electrified in 1961.
Tickets from Michael Stewart route map by Alan Young.
Sources:
- Britains First Trunk Line - The Grand Junction Railway - Norman W Webster - Adams & Dart 1972
- Lost Stations of North West England – Paul Wright – SLP 2011
- Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain - A Chronology - Michael Quick - RCHS 2009
To see other stations on the Grand Junction Railway between Earlestown and Crewe click on the station name: Vulcan Halt, Winwick Quay, Warrington Dallam Lane, Warrington Bank Quay (1st), Moore,
Preston Brook and Coppenhall |