The West Lancashire Railway (WLR) ran northeast from Southport to Preston in northwest England.

[1] A branch was constructed from Penwortham to the Blackburn line at Whitehouse Junction allowing direct services from East Lancashire Railway to Southport.

The new owners built a west-to-north connecting chord at Whitehouse Junction which enabled them to redirect all of the WLR passenger trains into their own Preston (ELR) Station.

Likewise at the Southport end, passenger trains were rerouted into the adjacent Chapel Street Station.

Passenger services, including the electric ones, ceased in September 1964 (as a result of the Beeching Axe) and most of the line was closed.