Wigan North Western railway station
Wigan North Western 
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.jpg)
The station building on platform 4, the main southbound platform, in 2015
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| Location | |
| Place | Wigan |
| Local authority | Metropolitan Borough of Wigan |
| Coordinates | 53°32′35″N 2°37′55″W / 53.5430°N 2.6320°WCoordinates: 53°32′35″N 2°37′55″W / 53.5430°N 2.6320°W |
| Grid reference | SD581053 |
| Operations | |
| Station code | WGN |
| Managed by | Virgin Trains |
| Number of platforms | 6 |
| DfT category | B |
| Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries |
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| Annual rail passenger usage* | |
| 2011/12 |
 1.073 million |
| – Interchange |
0.461 million |
| 2012/13 |
 1.071 million |
| – Interchange |
0.443 million |
| 2013/14 |
1.154 million |
| – Interchange |
0.501 million |
| 2014/15 |
1.282 million |
| – Interchange |
0.543 million |
| 2015/16 |
1.381 million |
| – Interchange |
0.578 million |
| Passenger Transport Executive | |
| PTE | Greater Manchester |
| History | |
| Original company | North Union Railway |
| Pre-grouping | London and North Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| 31 October 1838 | Opened as Wigan |
| 2 June 1924 | Renamed Wigan North Western |
| National Rail – UK railway stations | |
| * Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Wigan North Western from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
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Wigan North Western railway station is one of two railway stations serving the town centre of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.
It is a moderately-sized station on the West Coast Main Line. It is operated by Virgin Trains, and is also served by Northern. London Midland used to offer a daily service to Preston during the evening rush hour on weekdays which called here, but this was withdrawn at the end of the 2007-08 timetable.
Wigan's other station is Wigan Wallgate, which is about 110 yards (100 m) away, on the opposite side of the street named Wallgate, for services to Manchester (Victoria, Deansgate, Oxford Road & Piccadilly), Southport and Kirkby. Both stations are centrally located on the southern fringe of Wigan town centre. The station is named North Western, not because it is situated in the North West of the town but because it was at one point operated by the London and North Western Railway (see below). The drop in usage figures for Wigan North Western in 2006/07 was due to the adjustment of the allocation between the town's two stations. In 2009 North Western station was identified as one of the ten worst category B interchange stations for mystery shopper assessment of fabric and environment, and was set to receive a share of £50m funding for improvements.
The station was rebuilt in the early 1970s to a contemporary functional style (see picture, right). The tracks are above street level and access to the six platforms is via a subway and stairs. Recently the goods lifts were modified to allow public use.
The platforms have heated waiting rooms. The British Transport Police have an office on platform 4 near the station's cafe.
The station is served by Virgin Trains. There is an hourly service on the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, which continues northwards to Glasgow Central, with additional peak services terminating at Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle. The journey time from London is less than two hours (1 hour and 55 minutes). There is also an hourly service in the opposite direction calling at Warrington Bank Quay and London Euston. It is also served by Virgin's services from London Euston via Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh (alternate hours). The single London Midland service from Birmingham New Street to Preston that used to call in the evening was withdrawn at the end of the 2007-8 timetable.
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Wikipedia