Route History

[Bevan Price]

RE: Route History
Warrington to St. Helens route variations .

Until 1953, the route from Warrington (Arpley Station) was via Sankey Bridges, Hood Lane (Great Sankey) and Cow Lane to Burtonwood. Burtonwood Road now occupies the site of Cow Lane, but with some realignment. Because of the expansion of Burtonwood air base, Cow Lane was closed to traffic on 9th March 1953. It only reopened throughout (as Burtonwood Road) after the air base was closed, and the M62 built across part of the airport site. This led to a series of changes to the routes between Warrington & Burtonwood.

From 9th March 1953.

329. Warrington - Rainford.
339/349. Warrington - Southport.
Route via Sankey Bridges, Great Sankey, Bold Heath, Clock Face, Marshalls Cross, St. Helens, then as previously. These effectively duplicated service 140.
The workpeoples services 40, 41, 42 & 43 were also diverted via Bold Heath

Plus:
344. Warrington - St. Helens via Winwick Road, Mill Lane, Causey Bridges, Alder Lane, Fir Tree Lane, Lumber Lane, Phipps Lane to Burtonwood, then via Parr to St. Helens. (Mostly every 90 mins.) The Causey Bridges route used the minor road now known as Old Alder Lane, as the railway bridge near the Fiddle Inn did not then exist.

From 28th September 1953.

329, 339 and 349 remained the same, but at reduced frequency, being replaced by new services via Burtonwood.

309/319. Warrington - Southport.
344. Warrington - St. Helens
Via Sankey Bridges, Bold Heath, Clock Face Rd., Gorsey Lane, Burtonwood, Parr.
The frequencies were uneven. Burtonwood & Marshalls Cross each had buses at intervals of 30/90/30/90 minutes.


From 29th June 1955.

Following the opening of the new railway bridge on Alder Lane, near the Fiddle Inn, services between Warrington and Burtonwood followed what is now the current 329 route, except that the Warrington terminus was Arpley Bus Station.

309. Warrington - St. Helens - Bickerstaffe Lane Ends - Ormskirk - Southport.
319. Warrington - St. Helens - Barrow Nook - Ormskirk - Southport.
329. Warrington - St. Helens - Rainford.
344. Warrington - St. Helens.

140 continued to run via Bold Heath & Marshalls Cross.