Darwen Train Station is located in Darwen, Lancashire, near the larger town of Blackburn.
The station is on the Ribble Valley Line.
Services from this station include trains to Clitheroe, Rochdale, and Blackburn.
Station Information and Facilities
The station is relatively small, with only two platforms. Platform 1 serves trains heading towards Bolton and Manchester. Platform 2 is for services to Blackburn.
As an unstaffed station, Darwen has no ticket office. Passengers must buy tickets from the platform ticket machines before boarding. Train tickets can also be booked online in advance.
Electronic information boards show live train times. Printed timetables are displayed on boards.
Facilities at the station are minimal. Waiting shelters and benches on the platforms offer basic protection from the elements. CCTV provides security monitoring. However, there are no toilet facilities, shops, cafes or waiting rooms.
The Old Chapel is a large Wetherspoon pub just down the road from the station. It’s a convenient place to eat and drink if your train is running late.
Video Tour of Darwen Station
The video below shows the facilities at Darwen Station.
Accessibility
Darwen Station does have the benefit of step-free access to both platforms via ramps, making it accessible for those with mobility impairments or prams/strollers.
Location and Parking
Darwen Train Station is situated on Railway Road in Darwen. The station doesn’t have its own postcode, but users of satellite navigation systems can use the postcode BB3 2RJ to get to Railway Road.
Railway Road Car Park is adjacent to the station and is managed by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Parking fees apply (at the time of writing – September 2023).
Darwen Bus Station, Darwen Market and Darwen Library Theatre can be reached on foot in just a few minutes.
Darwen Leisure Centre is about a 10-minute walk away. The indoor leisure centre boasts swimming pools, a gym, a fitness studio, and a sports hall.
Bold Venture Park and Sunnyhurst Wood are a little further.
Ewood Park (the home ground of Blackburn Rovers FC) is around 2½ miles from the station. Mill Hill Train Station and Blackburn Train Station are closer.
Adjacent stations on the Ribble Valley Line are Blackburn and Entwistle.
History
Darwen Railway Station opened in 1847 as part of the new Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe & West Yorkshire Railway. This line was soon merged into the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The station has remained open since, providing a critical transport link for the local area.
While rudimentary compared to modern standards, Darwen station continues to serve its community well over 175 years after its opening. The small-town station retains a sense of history while meeting the basic needs of today’s passengers.
