1838 Railway from Preston to Wigan opens

Steam Locomotive in Preston Station
This photograph was taken in 1862

The line from Wigan was Preston's first railway. The railways improved transport links with the surrounding area and London. This meant goods like cotton and coal could be transported easily.

When it opened it was possible to travel by train to London in only a few hours. Before then the journey had taken at least two days. In 1840 the line between Preston and Lancaster was opened and from 1846 Preston was on the main West Coast route from London to Glasgow. Preston developed into a very important railway junction. From Preston trains went to Blackpool, Fleetwood and Lytham; Blackburn and East Lancashire; Chorley and Bolton; Ormskirk and Liverpool, and to Longridge. In the late 19th century a route to Southport was also added. Preston's good railway connections meant the town's industry and commerce continued to grow and grow through the second half of the 19th century. Even though some of these lines are now closed Preston is still one of the key junctions in the national rail network.