The railway system serving the Docks used to run along the north side of the dock basin. When redevlopment work for the old dock areas was being planned in the 1980s a new new line was constructed along the bank of the Ribble, on the edge of the development and this is effectively the Ribble Steam Railway of today, as well as the connection with Lanfina’s bitumen plant. The new alignment required a swing bridge crossing to the entrance channel, which was combined with the roadway to minimise costs and land-take, after which the new route joined up with the existing sidings serving the bitumen plant. Further sidings were constructed to cater for a projected expansion of traffic, together with a new Engine Shed and Workshops for the storage of equipment and locomotives; these railway works were completed in four contracts between 1982 and 1987. A new Control Building, sited adjacent to the Swing Bridge was completed in1985 and the building is the operations centre for the Dock Railway and the lock gate/entrance system, and contains offices of the Docklands Manager, replacing the former Dock Office on Watery Lane. The loco shed is owned by Preston Council and, despite still being connected to the system, is no longer used for the purpose that it was originally designed for.
© Copyright Gordon Edgar – Strictly no unauthorised use
