[Archived] Train Station At Ewood

[gumboots]

I'm happy to raise it at the Fans' Forum again but as Ewood Spark says the answer will almost certainly be that the cost greatly outweighs the benefit.

It might be more cost effective to lobby the train companies for extra capacity through Mill Hill at match days coupled with a promotion to encourage fans to use that route. Contrary to some posters on here I can confidently say that it's 10 minutes walk to Mill Hill station, as I park close by there on match days. And Abbey, it's only uphill going back!

Back to my first trips to Ewood in the late 60s when I had to bike 2 miles and then get 2 trains to Mill Hill it was a 5 minute run to the station. One season I had to get a train at just before 5.00 in order to get my connection in Preston or wait 2 hours, so I had to leave just before the end and run. You young lads don't know you're born......

Spoke to someone involved in reopening the line from Blackburn to Clitheroe (the other end of that line) and he said the problem at Ewood was the single track which you can't stop on. It would mean doubling the line at that point to put in a halt, which could then be used just for selected trains. The expense, however, is still currently too great. However, with the rising cost of fuel, it might become more viable in the future so it could be worth raising it if only to keep it in the front of people's minds.

[PAFELL]

As regards getting more fans to the shrine that is Ewood... I notice Blackburn Council are lobbying for more money to upgrade the commuters line to Manchester. Knocked back so far, but Jack Straw - a top Rover - is on the appeal case. Could the club weigh in with some cash for a station? The Preston line runs right past the stadium. If we could get people from the Rossendale and Ribble Valleys coming in on footy specials then perhaps this would boost attendances?

Or maybe the Trust could donate their £3m which they say we no longer need to building Walker Station right behind the Riverside?

Hits all the right environmental notes anyway and make it easier to come from further afield

This subject has been mentioned for years - always the same result - not feesible. At one time it was considered to upgrade Mill Hill - again no jusifiable reason for doing so. Talk has been mentioned in the past of an underground rail link under the river - again not possible due to the soil structure - though there are ways around that such as diverting the river and turning the river bed into a rail link - which may well be the cheapest and possible the best option.

I cannot see how the attendance would increase though - you either want to support Rovers and go to the games or you do not - parking is not an issue as there is ample public transport. Even if more buses were added the attendance would not improve. If you have the money, the desire and are able to go to Rovers - the you would do so, no matter the hardships.

Charlton Athletic which is 65 miles away from Hastings in the south east run what is called the Valley Express. A coach for £5.00 return, that picks up people around the south east of the uk - that has proved to be popular - only because it is cheaper for a ground ticket than say for Arsenal or Chelsea. Can you see people travelling from 65 miles away to Rovers - with the amount of clubs around the area - no matter how good the transport links are?

Rovers have a lot of supporters outside of the lancashire area - often the complaint is that there is nowhere decent to stay overnight - apart from travelodge in Darwen. Now if rovers did a deal with travelodge for match weekends that would make things easier for supporters outside of the blackburn area.

[yoda]

This subject has been mentioned for years - always the same result - not feesible. At one time it was considered to upgrade Mill Hill - again no jusifiable reason for doing so. Talk has been mentioned in the past of an underground rail link under the river - again not possible due to the soil structure - though there are ways around that such as diverting the river and turning the river bed into a rail link - which may well be the cheapest and possible the best option.

I cannot see how the attendance would increase though - you either want to support Rovers and go to the games or you do not - parking is not an issue as there is ample public transport. Even if more buses were added the attendance would not improve. If you have the money, the desire and are able to go to Rovers - the you would do so, no matter the hardships.

Charlton Athletic which is 65 miles away from Hastings in the south east run what is called the Valley Express. A coach for £5.00 return, that picks up people around the south east of the uk - that has proved to be popular - only because it is cheaper for a ground ticket than say for Arsenal or Chelsea. Can you see people travelling from 65 miles away to Rovers - with the amount of clubs around the area - no matter how good the transport links are?

Rovers have a lot of supporters outside of the lancashire area - often the complaint is that there is nowhere decent to stay overnight - apart from travelodge in Darwen. Now if rovers did a deal with travelodge for match weekends that would make things easier for supporters outside of the blackburn area.

or redevelope the riverside with a hotel in it!

[wilyrover]

One of the few good things about the Breezeblock is its nearby railway station. You can be on your way home in no time. Rovers have a railway line virtually the same distance away. It should be put to use, not just for football fans, but for the local residents too. Saying it's not viable is crazy. I'm sure more people will use it than Pleasington or Ramsgreave/Wilpshire!

[ABBEY]

I'm happy to raise it at the Fans' Forum again but as Ewood Spark says the answer will almost certainly be that the cost greatly outweighs the benefit.

It might be more cost effective to lobby the train companies for extra capacity through Mill Hill at match days coupled with a promotion to encourage fans to use that route. Contrary to some posters on here I can confidently say that it's 10 minutes walk to Mill Hill station, as I park close by there on match days. And Abbey, it's only uphill going back!

Back to my first trips to Ewood in the late 60s when I had to bike 2 miles and then get 2 trains to Mill Hill it was a 5 minute run to the station. One season I had to get a train at just before 5.00 in order to get my connection in Preston or wait 2 hours, so I had to leave just before the end and run. You young lads don't know you're born......

you must walk fast......i will do when i was a lad too.....ised to walk to chorley every thursday from abbey village to chorley to book on away travel...that was more than 5 mins to....

[Grabbi Graeme]

I work on the railway and the cost would be to build a platform and access to the station, another track is not required as there are stations on the network that are on a single line, Entwistle on the Darwen Bolton line being an example,

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Surely Blackburn can get a discount if Graeme works for them!

[ABBEY]

tim when did you walk to ewood from the mill in 5 minutes?

[iamarover]

I think you might be wrong there, We got the train from Blackburn to Manchester 2 weeks ago and it was nearly full in the off peak time, a fair few were from the ewood and infirmary area, they had to go to town 1st to get on the train.

Rail travel is booming at the moment, the best time to justify a new station, or revamp the lower Darwen one with a footpath to Ewood.

The comments about linking the Ribble Valley, other events in the summer and womens football are very pertinent.

Ste B/mods How about starting a lobbying thread to get Jack Straw motivated on the issue

I think Yoda has hit on this. Let's go for glory. Jack Straw is our MP and a Rover. This all makes sense from environmental, business and football point of view. Also surely helps local residents... how much more valuable is their real estate if it becomes commutable to Manchester? Rovers should be part of the Blackburn with Darwen appeal to the government. Get the Trustees, fans onside. Nothing is impossible.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

tim when did you walk to ewood from the mill in 5 minutes?

I quoted someone above me as i've never been there before! Which is why I said "If there is a train station 5 mins away in Mill Hill then whats the point in building one at Ewood"

I assumed as he was a local, he was correct. From what i've read since, it takes 10 mins. Hardly a marathon!

[Grabbi Graeme]

I quoted someone above me as i've never been there before! Which is why I said "If there is a train station 5 mins away in Mill Hill then whats the point in building one at Ewood"

I assumed as he was a local, he was correct. From what i've read since, it takes 10 mins. Hardly a marathon!

Takes longer if you decide to call into the Stakes Hall

[colin]

Look, just forget it. It's a pipe dream and it isn't going to happen.

Blackburn railway station is there, Mill Hill is there, Darwen is there, there are buses.

Ewood Park is well supplied by railway stations and the idea of one somewhere next to Ewood to serve 18 games is a bit unrealistic.

So give up.

[iamarover]

I quoted someone above me as i've never been there before! Which is why I said "If there is a train station 5 mins away in Mill Hill then whats the point in building one at Ewood"

I assumed as he was a local, he was correct. From what i've read since, it takes 10 mins. Hardly a marathon!

2 points. It is no where near 5 minutes and is about as moody a walk as you could come across in Blackburn. And uphill. And cold and boring.

secondly. A new station would open up new audiences. For eg you cant get from the Ribble Valley (pop, 55.000) to Mill Hill now. And a new station could open up still more lines.

So more people. Closer. And a chance of getting some proper events - business and social - to populate Ewood when Church isn't on.

Next time you are up from Soton try the Mill Hill run. And then I will see you at the demo for the Blackburn - Manchester link next to Rover Jack and his soap box after your experience

[Tim Southampton Rover]

It won't bring in a brand new audience.

How would it attract a new audience? If people want to go to Ewood Park then it's because they want to see a football match and watch Blackburn Rovers, not to go to a small train station next to Ewood Park. The only new audience you'd get is the local trainspotter!

If people can't be bothered to walk from the train stations, drive their own car, get a bus, taxi, a bike, a camel...whatever then it's their own problem. There is enough local transport around the ground for people to go to the game.

Instead of spending millions building a platform, disabled facilities and whatever else is required at a train station, you need to get the local council and the club to raise more awareness in using local transport to get to the game and maybe get some kind of deal sorted.

As I mentioned earlier, Southampton FC offer free bus tickets to and from the stadium for every home game with every match ticket. This helps reduce cars around the stadium, increases the amount of people using public transport and best of all, it's free!

[iamarover]

It won't bring in a brand new audience.

How would it attract a new audience? If people want to go to Ewood Park then it's because they want to see a football match and watch Blackburn Rovers, not to go to a small train station next to Ewood Park. The only new audience you'd get is the local trainspotter!

If people can't be bothered to walk from the train stations, drive their own car, get a bus, taxi, a bike, a camel...whatever then it's their own problem. There is enough local transport around the ground for people to go to the game.

Instead of spending millions building a platform, disabled facilities and whatever else is required at a train station, you need to get the local council and the club to raise more awareness in using local transport to get to the game and maybe get some kind of deal sorted.

As I mentioned earlier, Southampton FC offer free bus tickets to and from the stadium for every home game with every match ticket. This helps reduce cars around the stadium, increases the amount of people using public transport and best of all, it's free!

No one is suggesting that free buses from the Boulevard or wherever on match days isnt a good idea. This isnt either/or. Fine. And it works well at Reading so I buy that. But the answer lies in your own question.

If people can't be bothered to walk from the train stations, drive their own car, get a bus, taxi, a bike, a camel...whatever then it's their own problem

No it's not. It's Rovers' problem. Some people cant be bothered. Any leisure destination willl tell you that making it as easy as possible to get to the venue is a key part of the proposition. And the truth is, Rovers is hard to get to by car - especially as an away fan. And rubbish via train.

Finally as other posters have pointed out, Rovers have to expand the offering from 20 odd events a year to concerts, business meets, hotel stays, retail outlets, whatever. To do that a train station would be a great start. And the current climate means that Governernment and Council would bear the brunt of this cost. As they have on my doorstep with the Olympics. Leyton Orient are in erection heaven.

Oh and yes more trains on more lines equals more people. And let's face it. Both the ground and the town have plenty of room.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Approx 19 home games in 365 days of the year.

In those 19 games, the station would be used by the majority of the non-local fans. The majority of fans who attend Ewood Park are local so wouldn't require the use of a train. Therefore it would only be used by a few thousand fans per match.

Throughout the year the station would have to be fully staffed, kept fully maintained and on match days you'd need to have more security and more policing around the station. Not forgetting the costs of it being built and basically on a non-match day, how busy would it actually be considering there is the main train station and also Mill Hill and Darwin being available for the locals.

I can understand the station being useful due to it's closeness to Ewood Park but over the course of the year, it wouldn't be financially worth it.

We can talk about getting more events at Ewood Park but at the moment we can only go by what currently happens and if we're honest, not that much which would require another station.

Mill Hill and Blackburn Station are both within walking distance so personally I really cannot see the logic behind another station apart from the closeness of the station to the ground. It would just wouldn't be worth the cost.

[yoda]

Approx 19 home games in 365 days of the year.

In those 19 games, the station would be used by the majority of the non-local fans. The majority of fans who attend Ewood Park are local so wouldn't require the use of a train. Therefore it would only be used by a few thousand fans per match.

Throughout the year the station would have to be fully staffed, kept fully maintained and on match days you'd need to have more security and more policing around the station. Not forgetting the costs of it being built and basically on a non-match day, how busy would it actually be considering there is the main train station and also Mill Hill and Darwin being available for the locals.

I can understand the station being useful due to it's closeness to Ewood Park but over the course of the year, it wouldn't be financially worth it.

We can talk about getting more events at Ewood Park but at the moment we can only go by what currently happens and if we're honest, not that much which would require another stadium.

Mill Hill and Blackburn Station are both within walking distance so personally I really cannot see the logic behind another station apart from the closeness of the station to the ground. It would just wouldn't be worth the cost.

you are missing the point totally, take the blinkers off, the station would serve the local community as well, if they can open Langho station (which is not manned) then I am more than sure a station near ewood is definately justifiable and would be exploited for much more than the 39 games you quote, like I said previously,that line to Manchester is getting very busy, people commute to Manchester from the Ribble valley using that very line.

[PAFELL]

or redevelope the riverside with a hotel in it!

That is already in the pipeline - plans have already been drawn up for a hotel at the riverside.

[Ben-2000]

There are plenty of stations in Lancs unmanned, this doesn't need to be any different and would surely be used on non match days by locals.

[den]

That is already in the pipeline - plans have already been drawn up for a hotel at the riverside.

Ditched years ago, I believe.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I'm not missing the point, it's just not worth the money.

If it was worth having then there would be a station there right now.

[Ozz]

A proper country would have a station in every town and at every football, cricket and rugby ground. Or a tram service. Ask Jim he'll expand.

To serve the community, funded by the Govt via taxation.

[Ben-2000]

Ditched years ago, I believe.

Thought so too. Although this would be a good idea and whilst it could bring the height of the stand in line with the rest there is no real need to increase the capacity by much as hotel rooms could be at the top overlooking the pitch as well as corporate boxes in the middle. The final piece of the Ewood jigsaw.

Sorry to stray off topic

[adopted scouser]

2 points. It is no where near 5 minutes and is about as moody a walk as you could come across in Blackburn. And uphill. And cold and boring.

It's downhill

[Fife Rover]

A proper country would have a station in every town and at every football, cricket and rugby ground. Or a tram service. Ask Jim he'll expand.

To serve the community, funded by the Govt via taxation.

Absolutely right Ozzie. I think the Govt should provide a free train service from Edinburgh to this Ewood Park station as well.