[1] The first of two major upgrades to the facilities came the following year, but the opening of the Lancashire Union Railway from St Helens Central and Wigan North Western in 1869, the Great Harwood Loop in 1877 and the extension of the Clitheroe line to Hellifield in 1880 to give the L&Y a through route to Scotland via the Settle-Carlisle Line led to significant increases in traffic that put the station under major strain.

Destinations served included Liverpool Exchange via Ormskirk, Blackpool Central, Skipton, and Southport via the West Lancashire Railway, in addition to those mentioned previously.

Long distance through coaches to Scotland and London Euston (via Manchester Victoria, Denton and Stockport) also operated from here well into British Rail days.

The biggest losses came though in the 1960s; Wigan Wallgate trains were withdrawn in January 1960, those to Hellifield in September 1962, and the Southport line & Blackpool Central both fell victim to the Beeching Axe in 1964.

By 1970, the through links to Skipton and Liverpool had also gone, leaving only the Manchester via Bolton and Colne to Preston lines, along with a few seasonal trains between Leeds and Blackpool North via Hebden Bridge and the Copy Pit route to serve the station.

The latter would be served as an extension of the existing route from Manchester via Bolton, whilst the former brought regular services to & from Blackpool, Leeds and York to the station for the first time in more than a decade.

A piece of public artwork by artist Stephen Charnock was also erected at the edge of the platform, which consists of a stainless steel screen depicting Blackburn's industrial past and its more modern life today.

[5] The images include some of Blackburn's most successful figures and famous visitors such as David Lloyd George (Liberal politician), Mahatma Gandhi (campaigner for Indian independence), Kathleen Ferrier (singer), Barbara Castle (Labour politician), Carl Fogarty (superbike racer), Wayne Hemingway (fashion designer) and Jack Walker (businessman).