Hoscar - Least Used Station in Lancashire

[@blockbusteryo]

I was sat next to you on the train last week on the way back to Manchester. You looked busy editing, so I left you to it. The video you were editing happened to be this one.

[@JaeCallow]

Network Rail are lifting the crossing surface and inspecting the rails while the road is closed

[@AdamtheNinja]

Kyle might be one of the most charismatic guests you have had, Geoff. Bring him on more trips, he's very good.

[@btuckervideos4705]

Who's Kyle? You mean Karl

[@LeoStarrenburg]

Just look at the quality of that litterbin, still standing tall and proud after 40+ years of jolting. ¡ To the Pacers, all of them ! 13:50

[@ethan46441]

Regarding the road closure enquiry, they are lifting the surface units of the level crossing to carry out a technical inspection of the rails beneath. As for what that actually entails, you'd need to speak to Network Rail (I work in the Streetworks Department for the Council and processed the request form)

[@andrewjameson5918]

The surface units are generally between the rails and outside of the rails, i.e a metal trough with bitumen in, or concrete panels or even rubber panels These should be removable so as you have stated the track bed below can be inspected. I would assume that the inspection is required to check the condition of the track bed. I am an engineer but do not work on the railways.

[@neilcrawford8303]

If you look out of the window as the train left Burscough Bridge heading towards Wigan, on a clear day (we do get them) you can clearly see the curves of the two chords that join the Ormskirk Preston line. The embankments are still there, and typically are covered in trees. They have been talking of reinstating the link from Burscough Bridge to Burscough Junction so Merseyrail trains could have an alternative route to Southport via Ormskirk. Also Southport to Preston or on to Blackpool, the trains reversing at Burscough Junction. Whether it happens is another thing. The new class 777s for Merseyrail are designed to be future proofed for dual voltage, although they will need pantagraphs and transforms installed. That way should Network Rail electrify either route with 25kv, through electric services from Ormskirk or Southport will be possible.

[@Jayfive276]

If the Ormskirk - Preston line is working as well as it usually does, Geoff and Karl are probably still waiting to get to their destination...

[@davidmarsden9800]

Geoff, as Les Dawson used to say " Lancashire is only there to keep the rain off Yorkshire".

[@katiejenkinson9521]

David Marsden and ain’t that a fact

[@kylesmith3555]

Kevin Owens conducting trains in rural Lancashire.

[@andrewwhite4640]

Underrated comment this

[@ArmbarArcade]

OMG YES

[@regmemer9198]

I was desperately hoping it was THE Kevin Owens. I was not disappointed.

[@myjrbs]

When isn't it raining in Lancashire? great to see you finally do this vid, Come to clitheroe and you can do entwistle the request stop!

[@smdhomeworkhelp]

Great to see Karl back on the channel! :)

[@beneliastrains]

Good to meet you both on the way back from your trip at Preston on that day!

[@geofftech2]

ha ha, yes! that's where we'd just come from. hello!

[@beneliastrains]

@@geofftech2 I'd be interested in joining you for one of these least used stations trips in the future if you are in need of someone to come along

[@gordonmcmillan883]

I suppose it would be cheating to just measure one of the platform edge slabs, and then count them?

[@andyrichardsvideovlogs8835]

Being a Lancastrian, I can assure you Oscar/Hoscar *(other spellings are available) only ranks a mere 3 on the desolation scale which is not influenced in any way by rain or Pacers.

[@mattevans4377]

Will the station be better when serviced by class 150 sprinters (When the reshuffle involving the class 195s happens)?

[@TheLoxxxton]

Desolate? Just a bit wet. Seems like a perfectly pleasent rural stop. I wish I could have seen the stations around before beeching got stuck in. Would have made a lovely series

[@aviator3926]

Watching one of your videos is the best thing to do whilst on a train!

[@RalphBellairs]

I moved to West Lancashire from Manchester 40 years ago and I'm still regarded as a foreigner by the locals, so calling Karl your local guide is possibly a bit of a stretch!😄

[@westcoastelectrics]

Will you ever do anything associated with merseyrail? Like secrets of the MerseyRail line or the Hamilton square station facts? Just curious bc it would be nice to see my local toc being on your channel

[@fusion1974]

My local station, Heighington, has staggered platform on the 'wrong' side of the level crossing

[@genericmeme]

Karl's an absolute babe, more of him pls! I thought the swimming was a bit much at first but it had me in stitches when it was interspersed with that footage.

[@paultidd9332]

Being born in Southport and living for the past 23 years in Leeds I have travelled along that line many times. New Lane and Bescar Lane cannot be far behind Hoscar as least used railway stations and have the same stopping pattern as Hoscar and there is equally nothing there. Trains, as I recall, have stopped more frequently there over distant years. The pleasant fertile fields you noted are what local Southport people call the ‘Moss’ and used to be under water and were drained for farming. As a child I used cycle around the little lanes around there and watch the trains. The Moss is very much on the boundary of West Lancashire as it boarders with Merseyside, once you reach Meols Cop and Southport Railway Stations you are in Merseyside. There is still much debate that Southport should return to Lancashire and it was highly controversial move following local government reorganisation in 1973. The Burscough curves remain very much overgrown and there have been discussions over the years of restoring them particularly the north curve which would reinstate Southport with a direct rail service to Preston. Beeching closing the direct Southport to Preston line, together with the Burscough curves. It was also intended the Southport, Wigan, via Daisy Hill to Manchester Victoria line should have closed as well!

[@theovanstaden5766]

lol the two off You peeping out of the shelter, its still raining, great film work!

[@robertmillington3321]

It's called 'Oscar in the local vernacular. We drop the H when referring to the hamlett. Drove past the station daily for work for a few years.

[@williamevans6277]

Karl is funny. I like him loads. I will visit Manchester one day

[@davekirwin]

No blowing bag in the rain?! lol. Great to see Karl again, he does make a great and amusing 'sidekick'. (Desolate Scale: Angel Road =10)

[@David2012342]

Why are your videos so informative yet incredibly strange

[@geofftech2]

David Connolly Walsh Because life is short David, and you’ve gotta have a bit of fun along the way ... 😃👍

[@David2012342]

@@geofftech2 just to be clear i wasnt trying to be mean, I just find your humour strange sometimes and there's no easy way to explain it. I still generally enjoy watching your content as the information your provide is always interesting

[@stuartord7728]

Also you can walk on the Burscough curves and even the Preston-Ormskirk line but not from the road

[@petergrowns]

East Farleigh station on the 'Medway Valley Line' in Kent also has platforms on the 'wrong' side of a level crossing. The station is actually in Barming though, and just to confuse everyone, Barming station is actually in Aylesford. Normality is resumed however, because Aylesford station is actually in Aylesford.

[@nwae8812]

Enjoy these videos from the old country. Was a driver in England, now in NZ. Down here your videos contain Air New Zealand (Air All blacks) ads, ready for the up coming World Cup.

[@AndiNorth]

The Hoscar, sorry Oscar, level crossing works appear to be an inspection of the rails under the level crossing "surface units". Checking for wear etc, I'd imagine.

[@oscarfeatherstone6688]

Hoscar is what the missus calls me when she's angry with me.

[@bredchaete]

That's a newly done Burscough Junction platform too, used to live by there and it took them a year to rebuild! Nice video!

[@ianhenderson4560]

People have correctly identified that the road closure is to enable inspection of the rails in this case.In some cases, level crossings are used as access points for road-rail vehicles for overnight maintenance works, which requires closure of the road.

[@mrtnsnp]

That was a good laugh. I looked up the least used station in The Netherlands: 142 per "average" working day for Maastricht Randwyck. This is only NS, other train companies are not included in that list (this does cover the majority of the stations though). This also excludes people just changing trains, counting is done on check-in/check-out with a chipcard. For perspective: the most used station using the same metric is Utrecht Centraal, with 194385 passengers per "average" working day.

[@neilcrawford8303]

You could have at least headed for Sunny Southport. Then caught the X2 bus to Preston bus station, which is a listed building. I'm an infrequent user of that line, as I live in the Southport area. (Having moved from Epsom) A friend and I plan to do a pub crawl from Southport to Wigan by train. There are at least five pubs either by stations, or a five minute walk away, and that's not including either Wigan or Southport. One is even the old converted station building and a couple are by the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

[@jackeyre1263]

Platforms are so long because of the Great North Rail Project (GNRP) bringing longer trains and faster journeys to stations across the North of England

[@jollyjohnston1984]

Have they been extended, I'm pretty sure they where always long enough to accomadate a 4 car, which is the max length that will run on the southport line. The platform used to accommodate longer trains in the old BR/regional railways days.

[@allenwilliams1306]

@@jollyjohnston1984 ...as we could see!

[@leedorney]

In a Westerly direction is a great pub called Hen & Chickens 👍 about a mile from there...but theirs 1 closer which I can't think of right now lol..

[@stephenreardon2698]

Pity you went in the wet as the countryside around Hoscar is great for walking on a sunny day. Not far from the station is a swing bridge on the Leeds-Liverpool canal from where you can follow the canal towards either Burscough (Bridge or Junction) or Parbold. You could even follow its Rufford branch to Rufford

[@Trockenshampooleopard]

Karl might be the silliest and funniest of your companions so far. But I missed the facility exploration. Are there dot matrix indicators, breeze blowing bin bags, bike racks, (os)car park?

[@gti505]

I normally never react, but back in 2009 I have been in Southport to study a course in Dangerous Goods in Tankcontainers by Roy Boneham. Already back then, Southport was quite desolate, it was the one and only time, that I have visited the UK at all. We flew to Manchester back then.

[@s125ish]

gti505 where you from ?

[@TimEaston]

I love your videos Geoff, Viki will be jealous you went on a pacer.

[@michellestrickland8177]

Rename your son “Hoscar”, obviously.

[@gh1851]

Oscar looks abandoned Geoff. Sorry, Hoscar. That was a bit Wilde of me to say that 😂

[@agamemnom]

hoscar once had a goods yard used by the local farmers as theres a number in the area so that might explain the size of the platforms?

[@TheTransportHub17]

Cool video Geoff and I always enjoy your videos.

[@folksinger2100]

Perhaps a factor for on the low numbers using the station, could be the very large Hoscar Sewage Works located around half a mile from the station?

[@2009dannyboy1]

Loving the Rose On the station sign

[@HenrysAdventures]

Good luck with the campaint to rename Hoscar, Oscar! If you succeed I'll start a campaign to get Henley-on-Thames renamed to Henry-on-Thames!

[@peabody1976]

If you ever start a band, Geoff, you can call it "The Eleventh of Awkward".

[@Listenerandlearner870]

You could do All the Wanted Extra Stations going to places where trains run through a sizeable place that needs a station.

[@allenwilliams1306]

That is a good idea: also, perhaps, The Missing Stations in suitable places that lost their tracks in the 50s and 60s, or even those places recently developed that should be on the rail network. Or Missing Connexions, looking at the feasibility and potential of new or restored links to the network, like those Burscough chords.

[@martynbrailsford3943]

Geoff, I presume you must be getting round to doing Darnall soon (South Yorkshire) and for that matter Dove Holes (Derbyshire) - although no service at present due to the Dam?

[@haydncostin]

Used to scuttle through Hoscar twice a day in the early 80’s on my way to and from Burscough Priory High School (as was) by rattly old train from Parbold (my ATS adopted station) . Don’t think I ever saw anyone get on or off even back then! BTW I guess the nearby Wastewater Treatment works wasn’t too ripe that day, or maybe you were upwind 😊

[@fitz0796]

Hii Geoff I was wondering if you might do a video on the old national rail section of Queen’s Park tube station if your on the north bound platform and face away from the other platforms you can see it behind a green fence but if you look on a national rail and tube map the lines don’t go anywhere near it but trains run through it anyways! this is the only one I could find because at Kensal Green and Willesden Junction there is no evidence of a platform ever being there! I was hoping you could solve the mystery or maybe just take a look? Anyways thanks and loved the video

[@norbitonflyer5625]

There used to be main line platforms at Willesden Junction until 1962, when they removed in order to ease the curves for the new and faster electric trains. The main line platforms at Queens Park can be used if Euston station has to be closed for any reason. Kensal Green never had main line platforms - the station was opened in 1916 when the new tracks now used by the Overground and Bakerloo were built.

[@starlinguk]

I like how in a lot of cases they couldn't be bothered to paint over the turquoise on the roofs of the Pacers.

[@richkh]

When you got off the train, I thought your guide was James Burke!

[@insignificantaftermathPROJECTS]

Wow. A rare sighting of Geoff wearing a head garment...

[@Cletusongs]

Walked there from Burscough Bridge via the canal last year. Was on a Day Ranger, so I won't count in the figures. Unless train guards count numbers?

[@mattevans4377]

Just looked on google maps because my Nan lives in Ormskirk. Didn't realize that junction was genuinely that small like on the diagram!

[@lukeconnell3208]

Dammmm I wish I would of known you were at burscough bridge I live there and watch all of your videos!

[@thomasbarnett2331]

You might want to have a look into Reddish South Railway station in Manchester. I think it has two trains a week

[@JPF90374]

Nodding Donkey interior shot at the end, priceless. 😆

[@balloontram]

I'm sure the research has been done, but I always assumed Salwick would be the least used station in Lancashire. It's just an island platform in the middle of nowhere. I can't even remember being on a train that stopped there. Of course, I live in Australia but I've lived in Blackpool as well so I know that line well.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

Close, but Hoscar edges it with 1,432. Salwick had 1,518

[@folksinger2100]

@@norbitonflyer5625 Salwick supports the Westinghouse Electric UK Limited site

[@xenophonlaw9952]

Carl and Dr Ben (Finstock) are the best sidekicks so far.

[@anthonyholroyd5359]

Gainsbourgh Central for #1 most desolate station in the UK.

[@IBLRG]

Gainsborough Central has an hourly stopping service to Sheffield, but it's only funded for 12 months.

[@jagman84]

In the town, next to Marshall’s Yard shopping centre is hardly desolate. It was a poor, Saturday-only service til recently. It’s a a case of use it or lose it now.

[@IBLRG]

@@jagman84 Marshall's yard took down a banner on private fence advertising travelling to Brigg by train. Them and the community rail partnership who incredibly supported this have been blacklisted by many.

[@emjackson2289]

A double-set of Pacer's . . . . what fresh hell is that?!

[@TechGaming45]

Had a quick look og G maps and it seems the tracks are lifted on the curve/blue line at Burscough Bridge ....

[@davidforshaw4631]

I'm originally from Southport so it is no surprise that Hoscar is the least used station. What about Bescar Lane and New Lane?

[@robertfeeley192]

I do hope the old Preston/Southport line is reopnened via the Ormskirk route.

[@markchamberlain1901]

Should have walked to the ship inn - approx 20 mins - great beer and food!

[@librarian16]

Surely it should br 'Oscar.

[@robbiemorrison7085]

Great editing on taking the H out!! 😂

[@swrtrainspotter]

Very good video Geoff

[@sevendaughters]

I've actually used this one. I was on a walk and gave up around the Ring O'Bells pub in Lathom. Had to wait an hour but back then Hoscar got trains every two hours. I would have thought New Lane or Bescar Lane (just up the line) were quieter actually, they seem much further removed from society.

[@sevendaughters]

oh and my mum has always pronounced this 'Oscar' as Hoscar Moss is just down the way, I suspect it is called 'oscar' by locals.

[@tastymoves]

Ah, Karl should have measured the platform by the length (height) of Oscar... Chance missed.

[@ianinvancouverbc]

are they upgrading the Pacers to 195's on this line ?

[@pwhitewick]

12:49 welcome to my world.

[@TheSugarDaddy1]

Robber @Geoff Marshall your guide Karl looks alot like Bruce Reynolds the great train Robber would love to see you do a video of where that took place

[@flyanotherday_original]

Why is the E in Passengers italic?

[@harvisterc]

Good video but can you do the least used station in devon already

[@SteveFTW5]

Geoff on the district line going towards Upminster at West Kensington there’s a piece of track going left into a tunnel and it’s all grassed over. Any ideas of where that goes?

[@norbitonflyer5625]

It goes into Lillie Bridge depot, which is where most of the maintenance trains live. The depot itself can be seen from the Overground between West Brompton and Olympia

[@graemerigg4029]

Long platform because of former adjacent goods yard used by the local farmers to transport produce to nearby towns and cities. Ormsirk is the heart of potato production in the northwest of England.

[@theovanstaden5766]

Hoscar just won the Oscar!!

[@crazyboy2006cashier]

@Geoff can you confirm where Breich is now. In 2017 it had less uses then British Redcar steel - 48 entries and exits in a year.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

102 in 2017/18, compared with BS Redcar 40 (previous year 48 and 50)

[@transitcaptain]

Lots of Pacers seen. Does anyone ever say their TOPS numbers, which on Northern is 142 and 144? I figured Karl came because it is near Manchester, (kind of) and he lives there.

[@88jerryw88]

That's a nice station house. It must have had far more importance in the past.

[@richardwilson57]

Hey Geoff pls do a video on HS2...... I’m so unclear at the moment as to whether uk should be going forward with it. Value for money?

[@SwiftWill]

Least used stations needs a proper logo/graphic 🚂🤷‍♂️😁

[@SingleStepStudios]

This video is going to win the Oscar 😉

[@JamesTheBell1]

11:08 - Well, that was August.

[@MillieGoode]

but can we get a least used station in cheshire?

[@offichannelnurnberg5894]

"DO NOT TRESSPASS ON THE RAILWAY! Sorry for the inconvenience." I love the uk. Like a strict, but caring mom

[@neilcrawford8303]

As for bleak stations. One of the most depressing and bleak stations I've caught a train from has to be Warwick Parkway. It may have a car park, a ticket office and a small cafe. But, once you get on the platform it's bleak. It has to be one of the worst designed modern stations.

[@craigr9881]

Neil Crawford why is it badly designed?

[@ianhenderson4560]

Hoscar is pronounced 'Oscar by the locals anyway.... :)

[@briangarrow448]

This video looks like a typical summer day's weather in England. Here in the Pacific Northwest of the United States of America it is a sunny 31 degrees.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

I thought you still used Farhenheit over there - that's cold!

[@briangarrow448]

@@norbitonflyer5625I thought since this is a British railfan channel, I should give the temp in a familiar scale.

[@stuartord7728]

Yay Hoscar, my local station

[@MasterMoyle]

Hoscar is only down the line from where I live which is in Southport.

[@SimonPain]

Could you not send the drone up to see what’s on the bridge or is that too close to people & buildings?

[@SpoonFeedThem]

You need a duck for the rain. Up to you as to whether you choose the variety that quacks or the sort that stops rain noise for shotgun mics.

[@ninjagoggles]

Must be a way up, Paul & Rebecca!! @pwhitewick @rwhitewick

[@allabouttrains5867]

Will you come to wales for a least used station i'd love to come and help out