Lowton St Mary's railway station

In 1895 goods services began on a wholly new line which branched westwards off the WJR a short distance north of Lowton St Mary's station.

That line was part of an ambitious project to reach the north Liverpool docks, but only ever made it as far as St Helens Central (GCR).

The first recorded passenger train ran on that line in 1899, a race day special to Haydock Park Racecourse.

Among other things this suggests that Sunday services ran to St Helens until 1914, but had ceased by 1922, never to return.

[20] The services to and from St Helens ended when that line closed to passenger traffic on 3 March 1952.

It would bear right at Hindley South onto the Whelley Loop and then join the WCML at Standish, bypassing Wigan altogether.

[21][22] By far and away the most heavily loaded, but sporadic, passenger trains through the station turned west for Haydock Park racecourse.

The site was occupied by a wood yard in 2005, showing scant signs of its railway origins.