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Written by Mark Bearton - 01 Mar 2005
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Location notes
Lostock is a few miles north-west of Bolton Town Centre on the line to Wigan and Preston from Manchester.
Railway type and traffic
The usual service on the line is provided by units operated by Trans Pennine and Northern. There is a frequent service of 3 per hour towards Preston and 2 or 3 per hour towards Wigan. There id also a two-hourly Virgin Voyager working. At weekends the route is often used as a diversionary route for trains on the WCML south of Preston which brings class 57 hauled Pendolinos to the line.
There is little in the way of freight.
Environment
The bridge on Lady Bank Lane is very quiet and spans the railway as it passes along a valley towards Bolton. On one side is a small playing field and on the other a golf course. The road is a dead-end and the bridge is only used by dog-walkers, etc.
Road directions
From the M61, Junction 5:
Take the A58 towards Bolton. After about a mile this road turns left at a set of traffic lights and after another mile or so you will cross the valley carrying the railway by a large bridge. Turn right at the traffic lights at the top of this road onto the A673 towards Bolton Town Centre. Lady Bank Lane is about the fourth small road on the right after these traffic lights, and is by a small brow of a hill in the road. Follow the lane to the bottom where the bridge is in front.

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Lostock, Ladybridge Lane map co-ordinates
Parking
There is usually room to park your car on the right by the bridge, though if there is a football match on at the playing fields you may have to park further up the lane.
Public transport
There are frequent buses from Bolton to Horwich along the main road at the top of Lady Bank Lane, principally service 575.

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Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Lostock, Ladybridge Lane

Googly map
Streetmap links
Lostock, Ladybridge Lane general view map
Lostock, Ladybridge Lane close up map

Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Lostock, Ladybridge Lane



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Photographic notes
The light is best for trains heading south into Bolton until about 12-1pm, though are still possible for a short time after though the sun will not be on the front of the train. In mid-winter the sun only just reaches the track due to the valley sides. Looking in the opposite direction there are quite a few trees which means that until the sun is nearly head-on at about tea-time, there will always be shadows or it tends to be gloomy.


General views - All photographs © Mark Bearton unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north west


Fig 1 - Looking north west


Fig 2 - Looking south east


Fig 2 - Looking south east


Fig 3 - Looking south east


Fig 3 - Looking south east


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