1. RAILWAYS
  2. LOCOMOTIVES OF THE LMSR CONSTITUENT COMPANIES

THE GARSTANG & KNOTT END RAILWAY

When it opened in December 1870, Pilling station was the western terminus of the Garstang & Knott End Railway (G&KER), a 7 mile single track line that connected to the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) company’s west coast trunk route at their Garstang (Junction) station. The original intention of the G&KER was to have the terminus 4½ miles further west at Knott End but financial issues prevented that from happening.
At the time of opening there were two arrivals and two departures which ran as mixed passenger and goods. The G&KER had only been able to afford one engine which they obtained through a hire purchase arrangement. The engine was an 0-4-2ST locomotive called Hebe.
The line struggled financially and by 1872 the G&KER was having mechanical problems with Hebe (due to inadequate maintenance). When the engine failed passenger services ceased to run on March 11th, 1872. Services started up again after repairs were made but further problems resulted in them ending again on March 29th, 1872. Arrangements were made to purchase an engine and on May 17th 1875 a full service was reintroduced but in 1878 the line was put into the hands of a receiver.
Aspirations of reaching Knott End had not gone away but the G&KER was not able to raise the capital. On August 12th, 1898, the Knott End Railway (KER) was authorised to build a 4½ mile line between Pilling and Knott End.
On July 1st, 1908, the KER bought the G&KER and on July 29th, 1908, the line to Knott End opened. In 1920 the KER introduced a railmotor onto the line.
On July 1st, 1923, the KER was absorbed into the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS).as it's smallest constituent company. Bus competition in the area had become well established by the 1920's and it had a big effect on passenger numbers. On March 31st, 1930, the LMS withdrew the passenger service from the line. Goods services continued to run but from November 1950, by which time the line was in British Railways ownership, the section of line between Knott End and Pilling was closed completely.
On August 1st,1963, goods services ceased running between Garstang Town and Pilling and the line closed completely in August 1965, track removal beginning shortly afterwards.
In it's lifetime, the Railway owned only 8 locomotives, all tank engines. They were:-
HEBE - 0-4-2ST, Black Hawthorn 1870
UNION - 0-4-0ST, Manning Wardle 1874
FARMER'S FRIEND - 0-6-0ST, Hudswell Clarke 1875
HOPE - 0-6-0ST, Hudswell Clarke 1885
JUBILEE QUEEN - 0-6-0ST, Hudswell Clarke 1897 - LMS No.11300
NEW CENTURY - 0-6-0ST Hudswell Clarke 1900 - LMS No.11301
KNOTT END - 0-6-0T, Manning Wardle 1908
BLACKPOOL - 2-6-0T, Manning Wardle 1909
These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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GARSTANG TOWN STATION - Looking east from the end of the platform after closure. The site is being reclaimed by nature quite rapidly.
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GARSTANG TOWN STATION - Looking east from the end of the platform after closure. The site is being reclaimed by nature quite rapidly.

  • 1325 - Ramsbottom LNWR 'Special Tank' 0-6-0ST - built 1875 by Crewe Works - later to Duplicate List as No.3090 and 3368 but was numbered 1197 at Grouping - 1923 to LMS as No.7321 - 1930 withdrawn. Seen here on the Garstang & Knott End at Knott End in about 1905 I'd guess, perhaps hired in to cover a loco shortage.
  • 10698 - Ex-LNWR Steam Railcar - six built between 1905 and 1907 for rural branch lines - last one withdrawn in 1948 - worked on the G&KER intermittently between 1921 and 1930 - seen here at Knott End.
  • 45438 - Stanier LMS Black Five 5MT 4-6-0 - built 11/37 by Armstrong Whitworth & Co. as LMS No.5438 - 10/48 to BR No.45438 - 08/66 withdrawn from 6A Chester - seen here shunting at Garstang Town in the summer of 1958.
  • 45449 - Stanier LMS Black Five 5MT 4-6-0 - built 12/37 by Armstrong Whitworth & Co. as LMS No.5449 - 02/49 to BR No.45449 - 11/67 withdrawn from 10A Wigans Springs Branch - seen here on the G&KER pick-up freight in July 1961.
  • A route map of the G&KER. Unfortunately, Knott-End-on-Sea was not destined to become a second Blackpool, despite the ambitions of the railway.
  • BLACKPOOL - 2-6-0T - built 1909 by Manning Wardle & Co., Works No.1747 - 1923 to LMS No.11680 - 1927 withdrawn.
  • BLACKPOOL - 2-6-0T - built 1909 by Manning Wardle & Co., Works No.1747 - 1923 to LMS No.11680 - 1927 withdrawn.
  • DALKEITH No.325 - Some of the motive power of the railway, in fact, 50% of the total!
  • DALKEITH No.326 - Passenger Rolling Stock. The new coaches of 1908 were open and had transverse seating of plain wooden benches.
  • DALKEITH No.327 - Rolling stock of various types.
  • DALKEITH No.328 - Stations of the railway, Preesall, Nateby and Garstang Town.
  • DALKEITH No.329 - The antipodes of the railway, Knott End and Garstang Town with a nice plan of Knott End Station.
  • DALKEITH No.330 - Route map also showing Garstang Town engine shed.
  • GARSTANG TOWN STATION - A train for Knott End On Sea runs into Garstang Town Station behind one of the railway's Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST's. This shows the station in its original form with a single platform.
  • GARSTANG TOWN STATION - Looking east from the end of the platform after closure. The site is being reclaimed by nature quite rapidly.
  • GARSTANG TOWN STATION - Looking west after complete closure in 1965. Track lifting has not yet commenced but the station buildings have been demolished. The goods shed and locoshed are largely intact it seems.
  • GARSTANG TOWN STATION - One of the line's several Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST's, probably HOPE, stands in the rather sumptuous setting of Garstang Town Station with a train for Knott End On Sea.
  • GARSTANG TOWN STATION - Seen here after the end of passenger services in the 1930's. This shows the station in its rebuilt form from 1909, an island platform with access by the footbridge.
  • GARSTANG TOWN STATION - The goods shed after complete closure looking east. Note the signage is still in place.
  • JUBILEE QUEEN - 0-6-0ST - built 1897 by Hudswell Clarke & Co., Works No.484 - 1923 to LMS No.11300 -1926 withdrawn
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